Not that I’ve fallen too far behind, but tonight’s a bit of catching up. My wife and I have been trying to follow the Tour of California using the magic of recorded programming. When videocassette recorders first came into use, it was a revolutionizing moment in the way we could watch television. No longer did we have to be physically present in front of the “idiot box” (as my dad used to call the TV) to watch a show. Now we could tape a show and watch it later, whenever it was convenient. And, we could skip over commercials, too. Even better. Those hour-long shows could be viewed in 46 minutes or so.
Not only could we watch whenever we wanted, we could be more efficient in our use of time. Technology leapt forward and brought us digital video recorders or DVRs. TiVo was the first, I think. But it wasn’t’ long before others got in the act. Now it’s even more convenient. No bulky videocassetttes to deal with.
Of course, the one problem we still have is whether or not the programming we want to watch actually gets recorded. There are many reasons it might not be. Change in programming schedule, software glitch in the DVR, and shows that run over into other shows. Poor planning might also lead to missed coverage.
Which brings me to the Versus coverage of the Amgen Tour of California. The past couple of days, their live coverage has not shown the final portion of the race action. In both cases, some exciting things have happened during the time missed. Yesterday, it was Levi Leipheimer motoring up to and by the breakaway group. Today, it was the break being caught and Thor Hushovd of the new Cervelo Test Team pulling out the sprint victory.
Yesterdayy pit bull riding pre-empted the AToC (and not pitbull terrier riding, which would be an entirely different matter — assuming one could actually do such a thing without being mauled by the dog). Today it was hockey. OK, hockey at least is a major sport and this is their main season. I can see that they might pre-empt a thing like cycling. But since when does Versus cover hockey? Isn’t that the province of the major networks, ESPN and others?
It’s a rather big letdown to see the show end just as the real show, the finishing kilometers of the race, is about to begin. Now, Versus has another channel to provide coverage. They’re also broadcasting on the web. So if you want to find out what’s happening, you can check out their coverage, or you can hop on over to the AToC official web site and watch the action there.
Still, I’m annoyed. Surely they ought to be able to plan their schedule out in such a way that they could provide live coverage of the most interesting part of the racing. At least, the last two days the most interesting parts have happened at the end. They’re a part of our basic cable coverage (I think), so unless we drop cable TV, we’ll have the option of watching and/or recording the cycling coverage. But if Versus keeps providing the broadcast coverage they have been, I’ll be more inclined to go elsewhere for my cycling news.
Bonds Trial Moving Forward
Barry Bonds will get his day in court in the very near future. Not that he hasn’t already had a few. Today, at a hearing in San Francisco, Judge Susan Ilston appeared to give the Bonds side a small victory in the pretrial manuevering. Prosecutors are seeking to call Bonds’ former personal trainer, Greg Anderson, as a witness. Anderson, however, has refused to testify about Bonds, and through his lawyer has said he will refuse to testify during the upcoming trial.
Although prosecutors may wish to have the drama of Anderson being called as a witness during the trial, refusing to testify while the jury watches the drama unfold, and being carted off to jail for contempt of court, Judge Ilston will hold a hearing to determine whether Anderson will again refuse to testify before the trial begins.
And, apparently, the judge is getting a bit frustrated. As Carol Pogash and Michael S. Schmidt of The New York Times report:
During Tuesday’s hearing, Illston appeared frustrated with the government’s continued efforts to get Anderson to testify. She uncharacteristically raised her voice when she asked the assistant United States attorney Matt Parrella if he could find a case “where someone was put in prison for a year” then released, refused to testify at trial “and is jailed again.”
“Have you ever found that?” she asked.
When Parrella said he knew of no such example, the judge responded: “Neither have I.”
If Anderson refuses to testify, prosecutors may have a much harder time proving their case. Judge Ilston may throw out some of the evidence in the case, including doping caledars and drug tests that supposedly show evidence of steroid use. Pogash and Schmidt report that the judge may rule on the admissibility of that evidence as early as tomorrow (today by the time most of you will be reading this).
And, in another blow to the prosecutors, Judge Ilston ruled that they would not be able to ask prospective jurors whether or not they are aware of Alex Rodriguez’s recent admission that he used performance-enhancing drugs. Instead, they will have to ask prospective jurors a more general question, probing what the potential jurors might know or feel about other allegations of steroid use by professional and amateur athletes. Which means that while the prosecutors can find out what the jurors may know about doping charges, they will not be allowed to probe specific cases. That being the case, prosecutors will have a hard time tarring and feathering Barry Bonds based on doping allegations involving other athletes.
However things work out in the Bonds case, barring any unforseen delays, the case should begin playing out in just a few weeks’ time.
We were pissed about the same thing with Versus today and yesterday! And unless you are watching it live (hello we work for a living so of course we weren’t), we couldn’t hop over to any site to see it live. With Unbox and Hulu and others, Versus is the last reason I had to keep my cable. I’m planning to research if cycling.tv has gotten any less dreadful since I last researched it two years ago.
sascha,
Let us know what you find out. I’m certainly interested in finding a reliable source of broadcast coverage. Hulu, Unbox, cycling.tv. Whatever you find, I suspect that there’s a lot of readers here who will be interested in alternatives.
Blame the weather. The events are supposed to be run within the broadcast window, but have been going slow and not completing in the estimated times.
It’s like when an auto race is run with zillions of laps under yellow. When it isn’t NASCAR, the organizers often have to stop the race early to fit the window. That’s not an option for cycling road races. They did cut out laps of the finish today, but it was still late getting to Modesto.
And if it had been me riding, it wouldn’t be finished yet.
TBV
Fair point there TBV. Bad weather has always slowed down the races I’ve been in. No one’s going to take any crazy chances when the roads are wet. And those skinny tires don’t grip the road very much in such conditions, either. Even with the tire pressures run lower (which means it takes more work to go a certain speed, too).
Just a note: I found that VS has a later show that covers the missed endings. I was TOTALLY Ticked the last 2 days with the cutaway to other shows. I found that there was a 1 hour “cycling” segment airing at 8pm (pacific time) and lo and behold, it contained the missing END to the stages.
So at least there’s that. And I have to tell you that I just don’t get why Craig Hummer is MC’ing the event when Bob Roll is out doing tiny interviews here and there. Hummer knows SO LITTLE about cycling that I (and if you watch, both Phil and Paul) are continually amazed at things that he says. And not amazed in a good way. Bobke is the John Madden of cycling broadcasting…been there in the trenches, great voice/personality (IMO). Strange that VS is using him so very little during this HUGE race in America. (and can Hummer put any MORE mousse in his hair?) Maybe he should go back to bullriding events…just my2 cents worth. As sucky as the coverage has been (not totally their fault I admit) I’m still VERY happy to have it. Watching the race on my HD widescreen (yes, VS is broadcast in HD) is pretty dang cool I have to admit. I’m totally hooked on HD now.
OK..on to other things. Not sure where the gov is going with the Bonds case, I think at this point it almost seems like the witch hunt…that they MUST get Barry no matter what. let it go. I like A-Rods approach…he did the Michael Phelps thing…admitted his mistake, and takes responsiblity for it. Didn’t blame anybody else…just his youth and pressure…he did what he did, and he’s sorry. It sure worked for Michael Rogers on Team Columbia…he’s been welcomed back with open arms and is honestly still a contender for this and many other races. though I’m stll sad for Floyd…that flat tire back 2 days ago really crippled any chances he had. You look back to Lances 7 TDF wins and realize how LUCKY he was not to have any ill-timed mechanicals…though the unwritten rule is you don’t take advantage of that. But even that rule is out the window at ceratin times…(bunch sprints, etc) and you get the luck of the draw. FLoyds timing meant he lost touch with the breakaway at such a time that he had no hope of regaining, and lost 5 minutes to all the prime GC contenders. Unrecoverable. I hope he ROCKS the TT in Solvang on Friday, just to show what he COULD have done. Levi’s wreck yesterday…saw that in HD…wow he hit the deck pretty hard. Just a moments inattention in the peleton and BAM..massive pileup. Lucky he wasn’t hurt. And early enough that the team was able to bring him back. Had that happened at the wrong time, we’d be seeing someone else in yellow. Ahhhh…the drama of it all! RACE ON! Some GREAT stages in store for us, and I’m sure the drama is FAR from over! (oh..and we have SUNSHINE forecast for us on Thurs and Fri for the Paso finish and the Solvang TT…temps in the high 60’s…HOORAY!)
VS broadcasts in HD, but I looked *everywhere* to confirm AToC would be in HD. Even if your TV is compatible, and the station broadcasts the HD signal, there is no guarantee you will actually get an HD picture *unless* the cameras on the road are HD as well. You gotta capture that additonal info first. And now I finally have confirmation firsthand from Matt he is seeing the race in HD. I think this is the first mistake I’ve seen AEG make with this event – they failed to let everyone know they could see the race in HD on VS.
That said, can anyone cite a source that the French feed for LeTour will be in HD? So that VS can put it out in HD? If so, I might go buy an HDTV.
eightzero, all I can say is take the chance and GET the HD! I am not a huge materiliastic kind’a guy overall…we lived with our glass 36″ tube TV that had locked up (had to turn it on by plugging it in, off by unplugging it…volume was via the stero, channels by the sat reciever). Anyway my wife finally said to heck with that..lets get a widescreen. I began my search (I will toss this out: I talked to lots of HD widescreen people and did side by side in-store comparison shopping). Ended up getting a 46″ sony bravia ‘Z’ series. Way too much info to go into that..but the lower the letter the lower the features and such…I ordered online from amazon.com…FREE SHIPPING..and concierege delivery..they bring it right into your house, take it out of the box and take away the box…all for free…and many hundreds less than ANY other place I could find. THEN you get the HD sat (or cable) service…and it’s like the diff between b&w and color. I couldn’t BELIEVE how awesome the HD pic is! I am now so very spoiled that I can’t hardly stand anything NOT in HD. Just my 2 cents worth…the bike race in HD is pretty awesome! You can almost see if there’s hair in road-scabs! (not that I want to) It’s that good! I sure hope Le Tour is in HD. But you mentioned that VS isn’t actually doing the filming. So we shall see. But just go HD…you won’t reget it.
Thanks for the recommendations Matt. We will…eventually. 🙂
But here’s an interesting nugget to toss oout to Rantville:
Seattle (my home) is now all agog with the news that Ken Griffey Jr. is returning to play for the local MLB team, the Mariners. I personnaly have no interest in MLB (it is simply not interesting to me) but I do wonder this: MLB seems to have an ongoing issue with the use of PEDs. There’s been some buzz about it involving a young player who plays for a high profile east coast team (Rodriguez) recently. I think that Rodriguez and Griffey used to play together here in Seattle around the time Rodriguez seems to have admitted being doin’ the juice. But here’s something worth thinking about – our state government essentially financed the building of a large ($500M) stadium for the use of the Seattle Mariners almost exclusively. Griffey was the big headliner in town when this financing (contrary to the popular vote of the People) was approved. Suppose it turns out that Griffey is implicated in a Operation Puerto kinda way to have been doin’ the juice, or even knew people were doin’ the juice, around the time we committed $500M in puplic funds to showcase their sport?
Fraud?
Here is an udate on a subject we touched on in the not so distant past:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2009/feb09/feb20news
I’m not sure why Schumacher is shocked, but I’ll agree with him that the process is a farce. That it has taken this long for AFLD to suspend Schumacher is, in itself, supportive of the claim of the farcical nature of the “process”.
VS went long with ToC coverage today and interrupted a Fishing show.
Great news! Cycling beat fishing on the idiot box.
Floyd, in previous days, has been animated and attempted a few breaks. He also got caught up in a wreck caused by Kim Kirken when KK got his jacket caught in his spokes. The same wreck left Kirken with a broken collar bone and Oscar F. with broken ribs. Of the bigger names involved, only Floyd rode away.
He said ~he was a bit stiff and not feeling as young as he used to. (Join the cub) but his hip was doing well and is looking forward to the time trial and hilly stages that follow. I expect to see more of Floyd from here on in at the 2009 ToC. FWIW.
Jeff
eightzero,
Interesting about Griffey. One has to wonder what tidbits might come out about him (or not) over time. Especially if he was known to associate with a certain Yankee.
Jeff,
I can’t imagine why Schumacher is shocked. Hasn’t he been paying attention to what’s been going on in cycling the last few years? Sheesh.
And it’s great to see that cycling is pre-empting fishing. Maybe Versus realized some of their viewers were a bit annoyed? (Yeah, right.) Glad Floyd wasn’t injured in the crash that took our Kim Kirken and Oscar Freire. Too bad their races had to come to such an end, though.
Matt,
I had our DVR set to record 30 minutes more than the cycling coverage’s duration. And yesterday, we missed seeing the finish by about 30 seconds. Drat! So I added some more time. Now it’s recording an extra hour, and we got to see the live version of the end of today’s stage. I’m glad Versus got on the ball and decided to extend coverage a bit. Smart move on their part. I wish they’d done it sooner.
About Schumacher’s case, I agree with Jeff, it has became a farce.
But that farce is the result of the fight of their AAF by athletes, therefore labs, NADA and WADA have to strengten their cases when athletes don’t accept the result, by the way they need more time to build their packages.
For the current case, that is the first for new testings, so there is more work to do, and two times because, Schumacher was found positive by the LNDD test and by the Lausanne lab -Roche test as confirmation test. The 2 kind of testings should be included in the lab’s package.
Jean C,
We may have farce Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, ….. in this case.
Farce Part 1 is AFLD’s failure to officially declare an AAF wrt Schumacher. A leak, or announcement, to the press is not good enough to declare an AAF. It requires proper documentation, which wasn’t presented until recently. For all we know, the proper documentation still may not have been presented?
Thus, Schumacher had nothing to accept or deny, except press rumors. I’ll concede the reality is that AFLD considers this an acceptble way to conduct its business. The world organization that claims to be fighting doping in sport should demand better than “amateur hour” from one of its approved labs.
Whether purposefully, or through ineptitude, AFLD has caused an athlete a defacto suspension of ~6 months. During that time, an AAF had not been officially declared wrt the athlete. If AFLD has a robust case against Schumacher, or any other athlete, then it should forllow the prescribed protocols and present its evidence in a timely manner.
The case is the case. The evidence is the evidence. Your suggestion that, “NADA and WADA have to strengten their cases when athletes don’t accept the result” is troubling. Six (6) months is too long to cross T’s and dot I’s. Six (6) months delay implies evidence tampering or manufacturing. It could also imply they just don’t give a damn because saying it is so, makes it so, at least in AFLD World and WADA World.
It’s hard for someone with intelligence that is not aligned with the anti-doping machine to take such a process seriously. It’s equally difficult to fathom how those associated with the anti-doping machine can expect intelligent outsiders to take the process seriously.
If AFLD has Schumacher dead to rights, it should have crossed its T’s, dotted its I’s, followed established protocol, and nailed him.
On a personal note, I’d guess it’s better than even money that Schumacher is guilty. I’d say it’s a much stronger bet that AFLD thinks he is too, but can’t prove it to a scientific certainty, even with WADA World’s liberal interpretation of “scientific certainty”.
Jeff,
You are confusing many different things and you should not believe every thing that Schumacher says, as exempled did he sue AFLD?
The facts are that Schumacher has received his AAF since a while. He had the choice to accept it like did Ricco or Kohl. He has chosen to contest his case, so every party has to build their case, and AFLD has to send a lab documentation to Schumacher.
Everything takes time and money, and someone said you have what you pay.
Before speaking of tampering, you should ask what would be the motivations ? How difficult is it? Have you ever thought that very many clues about his case like his blood values of other stages, other races and OOC, his performances, his room mate,… And probably he was one under the watching
Just remind you that Schumacher was found positive by TWO different labs and TWO different methods, and that were 2 different countries with WADA people but probably with extern people like the Roche lab !
A good conspiracy theory has to answerat many questions like the following. Why? Who ? What they have to earn? How many people involved? How possible is it to keep it secret ? Who has paid the bribes? …
Don’t worry about outside people, everyone who has been linked with a justice case or a civil litigation (divorse, commercial interest,…) is able to understand why that can take time.
While we’re all catching up, anyone want to revisit the issue of “technological doping?”
http://www.velonews.com/article/88266/the-uci-vows-to-crack-down-on-non-conforming-technology
Can someone explain to me why UCI has any interest at all in how a bike is shaped? Sure, we might wish to be sure somone doesn’t make an unsafe bike; one so flimsy as to endanger riders and spectators (you know – like those road turtles that can cause a pileup.) But do we need the international sporting body to be regulating the tech so that, what, kids don’t make their own dangerous bikes in their garage and become injured? That the cycling fans will feel “duped” into thinking the riders owe all that speed to something they can by from Cervelo at no cost in training?
Who here wants the UCI to tell them what kind of bike they can buy? Heck, a column by Lennard Zinn a few months back pointed out how blatantly unfair the UCI rules are to larger riders, like Zinn and Backstaedt (and eightzero.)
Jean C,
FWIW, I take what Schumacher has to say with a grain of salt.
Still, the AAF was declared via the news media. Correct protocol was not followed. As late as ~ a week ago, the UCI and German Federation had not been officially notified. So again, Schumacher had nothing to decide.
I’d appreciate a cite regarding two labs coming to the same conclusion. I’ve followed what has been happening regarding this fiasco and have not seen reports to support your claim.
It takes less money to do a good job the first time around. How does drawing out the affair save money?
When proper protocol is not followed, I question why. AFLD leaked/reported a finding outside the official process, to the press. AFLD has shown a reluctance to admit mistakes. That causes me to think they are covering their asses for any number of reasons.
You brought up the subject of bribes and conspiracies, not me. You’ll have to answer those questions.
I questioned if there is official misconduct at play. There is official misconduct at play. Proof is that the AAF was announced outside official channels. If they are willing to again cut corners there, where else are they cutting corners.
Let’s not feign being naive. There is ample incentive for either side to cheat and/or lie.
Jeff
You seems not to follow cycling or you have missed a lot of information. And you need to learn a lot about anti-doping procedures before rushing everywhere with no reason.
For exemple, the last TDF was not under UCI regulation, it was a race under the full control of the french federation. AFLD were conducting the doping test. Because of the feud betweeen ASO and UCI, AFLD had no access to biopassport datas but they have done their own collect of datas prior TDF. AFLD has chosen to do more different tests done by LNDD than those done by UCI, they have collect hair and nails too.
So riders caught last year have not their cases directly connected with UCI. UCI could refuse to apply a AFLD sanction to the riders but those riders could not race on french soil. AFLD had no reason to notify to UCI.
About the german federation, if Schumacher has a german licence, I doubt that they were not notify of Schumacher’s AAF. You are probably confusing AAF and the hearing held after an AAF. The hearing only involves AFLD and Schumacher and the german federation will receive information at the end of the full process.
You have to be more carefull especially when you want to write about sloppyness or incompetence.
I’d appreciate that you check your points on the net, it’s easy . For exemple a search with the word lausanne Roche CERA or MICERA will give you some pieces of information very usefull to avoid to do so many errors.
Jean C,
I’n not at all confused. AFLD voiced the expectation that Schumacher would be suspended from all professional races on the strength of their announcement of multiple AAF’s that occured during the 2008 TdF.
As I’ve indicated in previous posts, to which you responded, I’m fully aware the UCI was not involved in drug testing wrt the 2008 TdF and the testing was the responsibility of AFLD. Let’s quit being disingenious.
This is what happens when you nationalize a race due to a feud with the international sanctioning body.
Other than a L’Equipe (ASO mouthpiece) or some other news outlet regurgitating L’Equipe, I’m still waiting for the cite I requested regarding multiple labs agreeing upon an AAF in the Schumacher case. You made the claim. Back it up.
Finally, I don’t remember me if Schumacher was caught on TDF or after. According
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/oct08/oct07news
he shoud have be caught later by the Lausanne test because he was on the list of the riders who had suspicious his blood values!
Jeff, who is very interested by Schumacher’s case, could do a summary of his case.
So Schumacher’s case could have only 4 months!
Jean C,
The cyclingnews report repeats/copies/regurgitates L’Equipe. I asked for a credible source not repeating/copying/regurgitating L’Equipe’s take.
AFLD has caused the rider to be out of competition since the end of July. Even if we accept your math and say it has been four months, those are prime months for securing/continuing with a team, training, and early season racing. The system is broken and it is unacceptable to fair minded people when a leaked report to a favored “news” outlet causes a defacto suspension.
I’m not particularly interested in debating the probability that Schumacher is guilty. There is past evidence that he has danced around the margin wrt products he should not have been involved in, in or OoC.
What I am saying is that AFLD has conducted itself in an amateurish manner that has brought neither credit to itself or the anti-doping establishment. If L’Equipe’s reports regarding Schumacher are remotely correct, this should be a slam dunk, complete with timely notification following proper protocol.
AFLD can seem to manage to do that. AFLD repeatedly demonstrates inexcusable levels of incompetence.
AFLD could not could not organize a booze up at a brewery if everyone brought their own glass.
I’m not so interested in Schumacher’s case. I’m interested in WADA approved labs getting it right or havig their credentials removed. I’m interested in the labs following the rules WADA has established. Following their own rules seems to be the least they can do, considering every benefit of the doubt is afforded the labs. I’m interested in the labs getting it right so that the guilty are fairly/efficiently delt with and the innocent are inconvenienced as little as possible. That sort of system would be a deterant to doping. The random draw system we have now, not so much.
Jeff,
if WADA as world regulation entity has not suspended AFLD we can agree that AFLD is doing his job with enough efficiency and quality. A nd as we have seen with Landis’s case, 2 different kind of others entity have not disapproved their findings.
Those are facts and not unsubstancied opinions.
I do think that victims of cheaters deserve Justice. 4 or 6 months is not a big prize to pay in a such case, that is the real fairness.
Imagine you have bought a house, and you are victim of a fraud, you have paid but the house belongs to your thief. 4 or 6 months later police has haid to you that they know the thief and the fraud but they will do nothing because they don’t have catch him when the fraud occured. I hope you will accept it and be happy to be in your perfect world.
That is what happened in GIRO, organisations knew during the race that they have cheaters but they didn’t have the test to catch them, the test were ready in July, less than 2 months later but UCI has preferred to protect the cheaters and to punish a second times their victims. Have their apologize for it? No, of course.
Even if you disagree L’Equipe is a well-known newspaper and is often cited by major newspapers which don’t quote tabloïd. So your opinion about L’Equipe are worthless.
But you can do your own search on internet to find other sources.
Jean C,
You seem to have forgotten about LNDD/AFLD being admonished about their labwork in the majority award (the arbs that were sympatetic with the lab) following the Landis hearing in Malibu. (I won’t mention the minority opinion) Well, now is the future and not much has changed at that lab, yet they still are accredited. Go figure….
So it’s just fine with you if a possibly innocent rider (one accused of doping that did not actually dope) is punished to protect other innocent (non-doping riders) competitors because AFLD can’t keep confidential information (defined by WADA regulation) confidential and doesn’t see fit to follow WADA authored protocol, when some other WADA approved lab can????? Interesting arguement. Fry a few possibly innocent to protect other possibly innocent???? I’m intrigued by the circular nature of your logic.
Jean C,
BTW, still waiting for that cite.
Jeff,
You are a troll.
EOT!
Gentlemen,
I’d write this in email, but I don’t have Jean’s email address. I think it’s time to let this particular topic go for the moment. I don’t want to see the conversation devolve. Thanks.
Happy for the closure.
Jeff
Here’s a quote that makes a lot of sense to me, from a Kauffman column at Salon, from, wait for it, June 2006.
[quote]
That question you’re thinking of is a good one. If testing and punishment isn’t the answer, what is? I’m happy to provide an answer.
The answer is I don’t know.
But we’re not going to get any closer to that answer until we admit that the current method isn’t working. If you find me whacking my car with a baseball bat and I tell you the car’s not running and ask if you have any idea how to fix it, shouldn’t your first suggestion be, “Stop hitting it with the baseball bat”?
[/quote]
http://www.salon.com/sports/col/kaufman/2006/06/08/thursday/index1.html
WADA world is the baseball bat, and our loved sports are the cars.
TBV
TBV,
Great quote. I’m afraid that’s all too true.