I should be working right now. Really, I should. But I’ve been grinding away for going on 12 days without a day off, and I need to shed a few cobwebs from the old noggin before I dive in for another day of work.
Back in July, when the Floyd Landis Traveling Book Tour made its two-day stop in Chicago, I had a chance to spend part of an afternoon riding with the 2006 Tour champion. Too good an opportunity to turn down, which I wrote about in the post Ridin’ With The Big Dog. Also attending the event was Sara Corbett, who writes for the New York Times Magazine. She was working on a story about Floyd and the situation he’s found himself in for the last year. Got to talk to her briefly. Nice person.
The article she was working on at the time, The Outcast (note: registration and/or subscription may be required), will be published in Sunday’s PLAY Magazine supplement to the Times. It’s already online, and has been mirrored in at least one place, for those who don’t have access to the PLAY Magazine part of the Times’ web site. If you’ve been following the Floyd Landis case over the last year, this is another of those articles which should be required reading.
Since the Landis case broke, many electrons and much ink has been used writing, reporting and pontificating about the whether or not he doped his way to victory in the 2006 Tour. Many — if not most — of the mainstream media (with some notable exceptions, like the Los Angeles Times’ Michael Hiltzik and ESPN’s Bonnie DeSimone) have either portrayed Landis as a clumsy, bumbling country bumpkin who got caught cheating, or as some evil, scheming, nefarious doping mastermind who thought he could outsmart the system.
Many editorialists and pundits have held Landis up to ridicule, while at the same time knowing little about the case beyond the reports of the initial leaks and the subsequent announcement of the B sample results just over a year ago. Often, little in the way of critical thinking has transpired during the … ahem … “crafting” … of those opinion pieces.
With a few exceptions, virtually no one has taken the time to report a story that shows (as much as any outsider can ever see) the complete picture of who Floyd Landis is. Corbett took the time. She presents a balanced picture of the complexities of being Floyd Landis, and gives us some of the human side that is all too often forgotten or left out of the coverage up to now.
It’s easy for all of us to forget that the person we read about, or see on TV, isn’t a cartoon character or an actor in a soap opera (although elements of the arbitration hearings in May rivaled the daytime soaps). No, Floyd Landis is a real person. Someone with many of the same hopes and dreams as the rest of us. Someone with a family. And someone whose family has been struck by a tragedy beyond Floyd’s fall from grace — the loss of David Witt, a close friend who eventually became the father-in-law of the Tour champ.
She tells the story complete. The ups and downs. Good days and bad. She gives a glimpse into the days he spent barnstorming the country on his book tour, and time he spent at home with his wife and their daughter. We get to see Landis’ dark sense of humor. The days he’s feeling positive about the case, and the days he’s feeling glum. But most of all, we see that the person who manages to persevere through everything, and is still able to smile, is pretty much that same person away from the limelight, too.
The last year has not been an easy ride for Floyd Landis and his family. Perhaps one of the hardest things for all of us to remember is that this is a story about a real person, with all the complexities that brings. As much as many reporters and pundits would like the Landis case to be cut-and-dried, it’s not. It’s not simple. It’s not simple to explain.
Corbett doesn’t delve into the science of the Landis case, nor does she analyze the complexities of the hearings in May. That’s not what her article is about. It’s about being Floyd Landis, and it’s an article that succeeds in showing us the person, not the mythical character conjured up by all the screaming headlines and hyperbole of the last year.
Sara Corbett has penned a masterpiece that should serve as a master class to the sports writers, editorialists, pundits and others who call themselves journalists who have covered the Landis case since its beginning. It serves as a reminder that in each and every story that glosses over the surface, there’s another, deeper story underneath.
It’s a lengthy piece, in the neighborhood of 5400 words. But don’t let that scare you off. It will take some time to read, and maybe a little longer to digest. Take the time. Sara Corbett has done the best job yet describing life in the center of the maelstrom for Landis and his family.
Thanks for calling my attention to the article. You are right about it being a quality piece. Sara has done good work for quite a while now. We had some communication over ten years ago on a sports medicine article that she did for Outside and she struck me as being quite professional, being concerned with getting the information right rather than just recording sound bites.
Whew. That’s a very depressing article. Well written, actually shorter than I would have preferred.
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Putting aside the particulars of the Landis case, it’s my experience that the legal process takes a terrible toll on the people (like Landis) who get personally involved. It’s true that no matter what happens in the Landis case, Landis is the loser. But this is the case for most litigants — even if the injured party’s money loss is completely restored (and this is rarely the case), there’s no recovering the lost time and energy that went into the case.
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Moreover, the experience of the case itself is injurious to the participants — there are a thousand slights and insults that the participant must experience, big and small (Landis’ experience with Lemond in this case is a perfect example). Why was this or that person allowed to testify, why did the judge rule in favor of this piece of evidence and against that other piece of evidence, why was so-and-so allowed to say that about me? The participant’s story is lost in mountains of paperwork, sacrificed by his or her own attorney in an effort to present a winning case.
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Worse, there’s something about the process that can consume the participants. Not the lawyers, not the judges, but the people that get personally caught up in the process, like Landis. It’s an obsessive thing: there’s always some piece of evidence that hasn’t been found, some argument that hasn’t been made, something ELSE that could be done that might make the difference between winning and losing. There aren’t enough hours in the day to make certain that the participants have done everything they could do. And as the case goes forward, it only gets worse: not only does the participant want to address the matter that got him into litigation (for example, the doping charge), he must now address all of the matters that arose during the case itself (for example, the Lemond testimony). It never ends, it grows exponentially until it stops growing — and when it stops growing, the participant does not have a sense of completion or closure. It’s more a sense of exhaustion and worse, irrelevancy — like the judges and lawyers have grown tired of the participant and have moved on to something fresher and more interesting.
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As an attorney, I often find myself counseling clients to avoid litigation, even if they’ve been injured. No one comes out of litigation made whole. It’s often better for a client to simply accept whatever injury he’s suffered and move on. That wasn’t an option for Landis, of course. But if given the chance, I might have advised Landis to distance himself (physically and emotionally) from his case, to hand it over to his lawyers, to spend as little time as possible in conference rooms and on conference phone calls, to let the process play itself out, and to accept his fate (whether that fate is just or unjust).
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I can tell you from experience that no one accepts this advice.
Hey Rant…sshhh…I’m whispering this…it’s okay man…you are working, and doing a good job too!
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As to Sara Corbett – how refreshing. A journo/writer, who tells her story with quiet grace. Allowing her readers to come to understand what she is seeing and experiencing. Not once throughout her article did I find her less then attentive and considerate to her subjects.
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Well – I’m afraid – that’s it – Sara is just going have to go! It’s Corbett or the rest of them – It’s time to make the HARD CHOICES…anybody got a light for my stogie?
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If others begin to try for her standards, imagine what will happen to the state of todays media reporting! Why, the shock jocks of the word media may actually herniate themselves trying to emulate her…just think of the hospital costs! For goodness sakes – think of all the investments these surface skimmers backers will lose… I’m…speechless……how could anybody write with out a sound bite in mind? What! What does this broad think she is – a writer..somebody stop her before she takes over……
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The only solution – promote her!!!
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Thanks Rant for turning us on to her. Don’t worry man – the article only seems long – once you actually take a moment to read – its very smooth and very involving and poignant – finally someone with enough skill to give us Floyd, the human being. Thank you.
Morgan, I loved Corbett’s article, but personally, I’m about 80% in love with Bonnie DeSimone at ESPN. Seriously. I’ve been married for like 30 years, and all seems good at the moment, but if my wife leaves me for another man who can offer her more closet space, then Bonnie is my first phone call. Well, maybe my first call — Bonnie’s running neck and neck at the moment with Meg Griffin on Sirius satellite radio. Bonnie has the edge in intelligent sympathy, but Meg could mix the music on long car trips. Tough choice. OK, I understand, both of these women are probably already married, but if I can offer either woman more closet space …
Larry, it ain’t easy being a man, is it.
As my dear wife has explained it to me: I may like any other woman, as long as I first get her permition…
Being a very sensible Austrian babe, a cute little red head – I outweigh her by a good 6o kilos, I feel myself often cocky – sadly I also am ready to take on the possibility that I may be going through male menopause, so my eyesight is going, my reflexes once lightening quick are now unrecognizable…
listening to your future planes…sorry not plans, contingency reactions, do to shrinking closet space – my hats off to you buddy – make them plans…
(°L°) – I for one can live through your closet expansion adventures…
Okay – if I need to – I’m going in fully doped to the gills on Viagra…….is that a banned substance?
Rant, thank you for another fine article. I am kind of envious that you got to ride with the “Big Dog”, heck I didn’t even get to go to a book signing because he never came up here to New England. I would have loved to have shook his hand and offered a voice of support in person. 🙁
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Larry, thank you for your insight in to the process of litigation. Combined with Sara Corbett’s article your insight really helps me try to see what Floyd is going through. I really feel for him and his family. The strain this is putting on his family must be almost overwhelming and I can only hope they have the strength to get through this together and that it does not destroy his marriage. That would be a terrible tragedy bigger than being wrongly convicted.
If Landis was found not guilty by the panel, and subsequently the USADA appealed to CAS, would he be allowed to race in the meantime?
Ken, you hit the nail on the head, four square. The Landis’ have no protection against the media lambasting, insinuations and groundless hyperbole – who in heaven’s name does?
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Larry is very cool with his knowledge and experience and he is not stingy with it. People need to express themselves, clearly or at least try. I find such interaction on this blog of Rants’ – and like you – I am grateful for the work that Rant puts into it, like you.
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Larry starts his piece out with – “Whew. That’s a very depressing article.” – Does he mean that the article is not worth working through – I don’t believe so. I believe that Larry is pointing out to us that after reading the article of Ms Corbett – one feels for the first time the harsh reality of what Floyd and his family are going through. And he feels for them – but more then feels, for he has first hand experience from his profession as to what the Landis’ are in reality, going through, now – this minute!
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Consider for the moment – the media for the most part treat this situation as “a doper trying to get out of a bust” – not very fair, is it – not if you have read what those people are living through.
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No, “character assassination” is much easier – and may I point out to you – even us fans and friends of Floyd, forget that the guy is a human being.
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Yeah – he is awesome on the bike, he has displayed indomitable will, Strength of Character – all attributes we admire. But the show of shows, the Tour is handled by people who see these performances and sadly mostly think of ratings. And I won’t need to mention two other main character in this play, for power and the almighty dough.
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And while we sit or stand watching from the sidelines “the racer” is no longer allowed to be human – we forget that, first – he is a human being – we consciously or unconsciously push his humanity away – we desire him to be “more” than human and there by get really disturbed when he reveals himself to be – just human.
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Makes one think, doesn’t it….
Hey everyone,
Good discussion going on. Makes for an interesting “study break” from time to time.
Ken,
Someday, I’m sure you’ll get a chance to met the man, the myth, the legend … 😉
William,
In theory, Landis would be able to race. What would happen to his results and earnings during that time would certainly be a question, if he were to lose at the CAS level. I’m not sure how that would play out. And I’m not sure which teams would be interested in him if there was the sword of an appeal hanging over his head.
– Rant
I met him at the Tour de Georgia a couple of times. Very nice guy. Very friendly.
Hey Will – In no way am I “attacking” you, okay? I am interested – what do you think?
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When you say – “Very nice guy. Very friendly.” What were you “seeing” right at the moment?
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Was it Floyd, the person…or was it Floyd, the world class cyclist?
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You see, I accept what you are stating, I just want to know, which one you are talking about…
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There is no “right” answer Will – you are not being put against the wall – I am sincerely interested in hearing you tell it, will you?
I just got the impression he’s a happy and friendly guy. Nobody’s that way all the time, but he was that way the 4 or 5 times I’ve seen or talked to him.
As are so many others, I am wondering about the long delay in putting out any decision.
Perhaps the arbitrators are hoping Floyd will eventually get hit by a truck while he is out riding and the whole thing will just go away?
cc,
I’m hoping the delay is that they’re poring over the testimony and evidence and carefully evaluating everything. But you never know. Maybe they are just hoping it will go away. But if they don’t render a decision, will they get paid? 😉
– Rant
Rant,
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Are you the architect or the blogger in Sara Corbett’s article the Outcast? I enjoyed your description of the bike ride with Floyd and the photos. I figure Bill Hue is the Circuit Court Judge.
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Taking a break from work can really help refocus your thoughts.
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McC
Mc,
I’m the cycling blogger. You figured right about Bill.
– Rant
ccmckenna, boy talking about cynical in a dark humor way. 😉
Like Rant, I’m just hoping the delay is because they are taking this case very seriously and are looking at every detail.
You know – I can’t speak for you all – but I’m pretty much fed up with “twiddling my thumbs” waiting for the arbitrators to stop acting like the “Oracles of Delphi”…
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What I can’t understand is how a group of intelligent people like you put up with it. At this rate people – Floyd is going to wind up “dog-meat”…you all feel comfortable with that idea – I sure as hell don’t.
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I mean like – you all have enough smarts to find the Rant Line – you all are not so lazy that you don’t throw in your two cents worth…I am really flabbergasted…I know you all are capable of using that brain of yours…you got connected to this fine group – what about making like a little “think-tank action” – last time I looked, it wasn’t against any doping rules…
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Heck – if there is even a Circuit Court Judge that drops in – I’m certain he wouldn’t let anybody get away with nutty ideas – why arent’t you people brainstorming?
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Its a legit question – I imply no disrespect to any of you – I just would like to know?