While sports fans everywhere are abuzz with news of the Detroit Pistons’s more-or-less unanticipated victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, we here at low culture readily acknowledge that the only thing we love more than sports are drugs, and, in the beloved tradition of Darryl Strawberry, preferably both at the same time.
| Lance Armstrong | Barry Bonds |
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| Pre-eminent cyclist…the greatest ever? | Pre-eminent baseball player…the greatest ever? |
| 5 Tour de France titles over the past 5 years | 6 MVP awards, including the past 3 years |
| Highly-respected and liked by the general public; has “a good attitude” | Highly-respected, though disliked by the general public; has “a bad attitude” |
| Publicly battled cancer | Publicly battled the death of his father from cancer |
| Currently embroiled in a steroid/doping scandal that threatens his legacy | Currently embroiled in a steroid/doping scandal that threatens his legacy |
| The big issue, according to the Independent Online: “Emma O’Reilly, an Irish woman who worked for several years as Armstrong’s “soigneur” – a combination masseur, physical therapist and personal assistant…claims Armstrong asked O’Reilly to dispose of a black bag containing used syringes after the Tour of the Netherlands in 1998…A year later, the book claims, Armstrong asked O’Reilly for makeup to conceal syringe marks on his arm at the Tour de France medical checkup, an event closely followed by reporters and photographers.” | The big issue, according to the San Francisco Chronicle: “Greg Anderson, Bonds’ personal weight trainer and longtime friend…allegedly obtained a so-called designer steroid known as “the clear” and a testosterone-based steroid known as “the cream” from BALCO and supplied the substances to all six baseball players, the government was told. In addition, Bonds was said to have received human growth hormone, a powerful substance that legally cannot be distributed without a prescription, investigators were told.” |
| A possible explanation: “O’Reilly acknowledged she did not know what was in the syringes…Armstrong said he had used a skin cream for his saddle sores that contained glucocorticoid, an anti-inflammatory steroid commonly used to treat rashes.” | A possible explanation: “The information shared with The Chronicle did not explicitly state that the athletes had used the drugs they were said to have obtained. Bonds, who is baseball’s single-season home-run king…[has] publicly denied using steroids…Last week, attorneys for Anderson and Conte quoted their clients as saying Bonds had never used illegal drugs.” |
| Fan and media response? Supportive of Armstrong, and incredulous towards accusers. | Fan and media response? Suspicious of Bonds, and wary of his exploits. |
| Caucasian, but that has nothing to do with it, right? | African-American, but that has nothing to do with it, right? |
9 replies on “Here it is, in black and white”
Hmmm, ya left out one nugget– Barry’s head size is three times the size it was 10 years ago. Possible Explanation: His brain is growing.
Not racist- many though “Big Mac” was juiced too when he battled Sammy for the homer title. By the way, have you seen pictures of Sammy Sosa from the early 90s? Sure, no juice there either…
there are many drugs used in cycling, and a lot of them are legal. some are administered in the same way as the illegal ones, yet the press does not differentiate, choosing to view an injection mark as sure sign of dope.
the author of this book about lance has not written a favorable article about any athlete – that’s his game – to be the harbinger of dirt and grist in the sporting world. in a recent interview, the author admits that all the referenced ‘evidence’ is circumstantial and spun into a plausable scenario for the book.
it’s not for me to say guilty or not guilty on lance’s behalf. i am a fan of cycling, and of his efforts to raise awareness on cancer research, therapy and cures. as a side note, i think he will loose the tour this year, due to younger, hungrier competition.
if it can be proved that he is on dope, or bonds, or marion jones or any of them – bust’em. but don’t rake muck just to make some bread.
“Hmmm, ya left out one nugget– Barry’s head size is three times the size it was 10 years ago. Possible Explanation: His brain is growing.”
ROFLMAO, thanks Ziggy I sure enjoyed that!
I would have to say the media is more suspicious of Barry than the general public. The bottom line is they all take drugs, just some are better at keeping it hidden than others.
THAT’S IT!
Triple Gold Medalist, in the “100meter Hiding Illegal Drug Use Event”, the “400meter Relay H.D.U.” and the “H.D.U. Hurdles”, from France, Jacques LaPen. (applause)
One other comparison: Cycling has the one of the most comprehensive (some say invasive) drug testing regimen of any sport, while baseball’s ‘testing’ is simply a joke. If Bonds was tested as much and as randomly as Armstrong has been, and never tested positive (again, like Armstrong) then I think people would be less suspicious. Testing isn’t perfect, and it seems clear that drugs abound among the elite in any sport, but at least cycling attempts to deal with the issue.
See what happens when you attack Lance?
One other thing, Barry Bonds has been a model family guy while Lance left his wife for a popstar. Plus, Mark McGuire didn’t recieve near as much critisism and general animosity that Bonds has recieved. Ask Hank Aaron the amount of threats he recieved on his way to breaking Babe Ruths HR record. Bonds is getting the same thing only in the subtle racist way of today.
Oh but I guess its ok, since Armstrong beat the French. And everyone hates the French, right?!
But Lance has been accused of drug use for years! This is not the first time that allegaions have surfaced. The French media in particular were very nasty to Lance when he first started to win, “their” race.
In pro cycling, you pee in a cup minutes after the race – every race. You a re also subject to screenings through the year. Police sometime raid hotel rooms and team trailers in the middle of the night.
As the most tested and scrutinized athlete in the world, Lance has proven that these allegations are simply an attempt to sell books.
So if I think Barry is doping I am a racist? FU
So the fact that Barry is a total A-hole, of baseball royalty, playing the “American Pastime”, etc vs a guy who rides a bike for a living might not have something to do with the ammount of attention they are getting?
Stupid