When it comes to steroids, we give baseball players a lot of static. Every month it seems like someone is getting outed for taking the short cut to excellence.
It has come to the point that the excuses for getting tested are a bigger story than the fact that an athlete used HGH. And nothing is shocking anymore.
I take that back. What would be shocking is if the NFL had its own steroids controversy. How do they stay out of the controversy ring?
The reason that cheating is the focus today is that it is time for the Tour de France. And if anybody knows about cheating, it would be cyclists.
I understand the cycling is a big thing in Europe. For Americans, it is how you get to the convenience store when you are a kid. Yet, for some reason, we give the tour passing interest once a year.
You learn about someone that seems to be good at riding a bike over a long distance and then you find out that he got really good because he was doing something he wasn’t supposed to do. Unless the name is Lance Armstrong.
It really seems to irk the French that all the Europeans get caught and Armstrong always comes through clean as grandma’s good china.
What they don’t seem to understand is that if Armstrong does good, several more million people seem to care about the sport. And that is good for business. Quick, who won last year’s tour? The answer is some European. And the only reason that I know that is because Armstrong didn’t win it.
In an increased effort to catch the dastardly cheaters, officials will have around 520 doping tests, which have already started. Get you some of that Bud Selig.
In case you were wondering about this blood doping thing, it is when a cyclists injects some of his own blood back into his body to give him an edge. Don’t expect me to get all technical about it. All I know is that it seems to work.
While competitive cycling seems to be an insignificant sport statewise, winning the tour brings great honor and prestige with it. Without the tour, would we really know all that much about Armstrong or Greg LeMond. Not that winning the tour is an automatic recipe for fame.
I just had to do a web search to find out that it was American Floyd Landis who won the tour and had his title stripped. That same year, 56 cyclists were found guilty. I guess that is why they are starting to test so much.
It all just goes to prove that where there is a drive and ambition, there is always an athlete willing to take the shortcut.
Michael Pineda is the sports editor for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 580-255-5354, Ext. 143, or via e-mail at m.pineda@duncanbanner.com.
Sports
Big times in France
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Demons rout Altus
After a tough loss on the road last Friday night against Lawton MacArthur, it seemed the Duncan Demons needed a boost to get themselves going for the last week of the season. DHS had its sights set on using the Altus Bulldogs as the tool for their motivation Tuesday night at Duncan Gymnasium.
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Lady Outlaws smother Rush Springs, 38-28
It wasn’t one of Marlow’s best offensive performances of the season. Luckily it was one of the Lady Outlaws best defensive showings.
For only the third time this season, Marlow held an opponent to fewer than 30 points and the Lady Outlaws topped the visiting Rush Springs Lady Redskins, 38-28. -
Culberson, DHS hold off Lady Bulldogs
There is a saying, “Revenge is a dish best served cold.” For the Duncan Lady Demons, a rematch against Altus at Duncan Gymnasium on a chilly evening seemed like the perfect motivation to help DHS avoid a two-game losing streak Tuesday night.
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Duncan hosts Altus tonight
ometimes it’s not how hard you fall, it’s how fast you get back up.
After a tough overtime loss Friday night at Lawton MacArthur, the No. 14 Duncan Lady Demons (14-7) will look to rebound this evening against the No. 11 Altus Lady Bulldogs (12-6) with tip-off set for 6:30 p.m. from Duncan Gymnasium. -
Bray hands Turner its first loss
The Bray-Doyle Lady Donkeys picked up one last shot of momentum Monday night before heading into the Class A district tournament.
The Lady Donkeys took control early and never let up, topping previously unbeaten Turner, 68-51 at home on senior night to finish the regular season on a five-game winning streak. -
Velma-Alma rolls Healdton, 52-36
Make it six in a row for the Velma-Alma Lady Comets.
Senior Night proved to be quite beneficial for V-A thanks to a strong second half, which broke open a close game, giving the Lady Comets a 52-36 victory over the Healdton Lady Bulldogs. -
UNTARNISHED
Monday night saw the No. 4 Velma-Alma Comets send a clear message to the rest of the field in the playoffs: The road to Oklahoma City will run through Velma, one way or another.
V-A wasted no time in dismantling the Healdton Bulldogs on Senior night, as the Comets finished the regular season 23-0, thanks to a 72-12 victory. -
Encore Performance
Just like four years ago, Eli Manning and the Giants orchestrated an impressive late fourth-quarter drive to overtake the lead and the Patriots couldn’t answer in the final minute, handing the Super Bowl championship to the New York, 21-17 on Sunday night.
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Carletti-Silva commits to Army
Duncan High School senior quarterback Brandon Carletti-Silva has given a verbal commitment to the United States Military Academy — better known in the sports world as Army — and plans to make his decision official on Wednesday.
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Comets try to complete regular season perfection
Throughout the season, V-A has defied the odds, beating every team set in their way, resulting in a perfect 22-0 record.
Tonight, the Comets will look to finish their regular season unblemished as they host Healdton (1-14) at 8:30 p.m. for Senior Night. - More Sports Headlines
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