11/05/24
January 27, 2006
Bode Miller is at it again: Miller has taken the focus off his indiscretions by pointing the cheating finger at Bonds and Armstrong.
For someone who has expressed disdain for media attention, Bode Miller seems to keep finding ways to make certain all cameras are on him. Considering that his current form doesn't foretell a very successful Olympics, perhaps he should keep his trap shut.
posted by Boot at 09:17 AM on January 27, 2006
Perhaps his new-found outspoken nature has something to do with his brother's recent injuries?
posted by garfield at 09:26 AM on January 27, 2006
Sure he hates media attention - he hates it just like the Beckhams do. For a while there I was starting to feel a bit sorry for him. LBB was actually starting to get me to see more to him than the loudmouth blowhard he comes across as. I'm sure he couldn't give a shit what I think, but for what it's worth, he's back down to somewhere below "idiot" at the moment.
posted by JJ at 09:29 AM on January 27, 2006
You know, I'm glad Bode Miller isn't afraid to tell it like it is about other people's training regimens and possible steroid use. It's a good thing he can either read minds or has incredible inside information to be to know for a fact that Bonds and Armstrong are both cheating. And we're incredibly lucky that this media-shy privacy freak has, for the second time in a short period, gotten over his phobia long enough to talk with another hugely popular information vehicle. Or maybe Bode's drunk, stoned or a combination of both. And maybe, just maybe ... he should shut the fuck up and worry about himself.
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:29 AM on January 27, 2006
I agree. To date there has been no evidence that Armstrong has cheated. The man battled cancer (which is heroic in and of itself), but then came back and became the best in one of the most physically competitive sports in the world. The man is hard core and is above reproach until there is some hard evidence. Miller should be ashamed. As for Bonds, all he did was state the obvious...Move on Miller. I would not be suprised if it came out here soon that Miller is cheating. You know what they say...If all of the sudden your boyfriend/girlfriend starts accusing you of cheating it is probably because they are!!!
posted by mcstan13 at 09:30 AM on January 27, 2006
garfield - how so? His brother got hit on the head, and Bode loses his mind?
posted by JJ at 09:32 AM on January 27, 2006
Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, declined to respond to Miller's comments. Telephone and email messages left with Armstrong representatives were not immediately returned Thursday. Is it me or is the media really trying to stirr up a hornets nest. Notice from a whole interview this article chose to quote only a single phrase from Bode. We have no idea what the question was he was answering. The interviewer may have mentioned Lance and Barry trying to set Bode up. But anyway wfrazerjr is probably right, Bode should just shut his mouth because the media is having a field day with him.
posted by njsk8r20 at 09:41 AM on January 27, 2006
Lance Armstrong is an amazing athlete and all his accusers have either been people that he beat or ex employees .....nuff sed hes no cheater
posted by humans1 at 09:41 AM on January 27, 2006
"The drug-regulation system is a weird, bad system, and all I'm asking is that we talk about it," We know, and everyone is. Miller sounds like someone on internet sports site making unqualified statements about athletes he knows nothing about. Have another one Bode, see ya on the slopes.
posted by HATER 187 at 09:49 AM on January 27, 2006
From the article: Miller, who loathes excessive media attention, has been the object of intense scrutiny all season -- much of it brought on by candid comments made to the press. Hilarious. To be fair, an athlete like Bode Miller must face an incredible amount of pressure to speak with the media, much of it coming from people who are supposed to be on "his" side. And there is also little doubt that every comment he makes is being distorted and amplified because of his part history. But he really doesn't act like a guy who loathes media attention.
posted by Amateur at 10:00 AM on January 27, 2006
Of course, we shouldn't all go off half-cocked. Here is the link to the full Rolling Stone piece. The part about doping is one paragraph in a long article:
"The drug-regulation system is a weird, bad system, and all I'm asking is that we talk about it. Right now, if you want to cheat, you can: Barry Bonds and those guys are just knowingly cheating, but there's all sorts of loopholes. If you say it has to be knowingly, you do what Lance [Armstrong] and all those guys do, where every morning their doctor gives them a box of pills and they don't ask anything, they just take the pills. Yeah, they're not knowingly taking any substance, they don't fucking ask what it is, but they are sure as shit taking it."Reading this I get the impression that Miller is actually not very well informed about the drug testing rules and policy that he is subject to. Whether Lance Armstrong or Bode Miller "knowingly" take banned substances is irrelevant, except for the faint possibility that their punishment could be reduced if they can prove that they bear "no significant fault or negligence."
posted by Amateur at 10:14 AM on January 27, 2006
Here is to hoping a slalom pole catchs bode miller right between his unit for his comment on Lance Armstrong who has been the most drug tested athlete in current sports history. And has never failed or refused a test. Let' see what kind of skier Mr Miller is with 1 "ball".
posted by mystical symbols at 10:26 AM on January 27, 2006
If he ski's wasted, he might have been wasted when he made that statement.
posted by dbt302 at 10:37 AM on January 27, 2006
JJ, it could be that in light of his brother's injury, he has seen how temporary life, and in his particular case his own fame, can be and he wants to seize his moment in the sun and do something with it besides grow his bank account. Of course this is massive speculation on my part, but near-death experiences of family members, especially one very important to someone, can have profound effects on an individual. I know I've gotten a wake-up call or two that have changed my outlook, re-shuffled what really is important to me, reminded me of what I may have forgotten, and in a way redefined who I am and want to be. Introspective shit, I know, but such a dramatic shift in Bode's behavior could stem from some pretty heavy shit, such as almost losing his brother. Or he could be saying shit he has always thought but never had a platform to broadcast from.
posted by garfield at 11:05 AM on January 27, 2006
Too much smoke around Armstrong, I believe he is dirty. Coming back from cancer is great, but winning the last Tour at his age is a bit too much. He should have quit before the last one, then he would have had more credibility.
posted by ChasHocq at 11:17 AM on January 27, 2006
This a-hole needs to keep his mouth shut! After all, who is he, a skier? That makes him an athlete? Ya, like being a fisherman. He needs to worry about making the Olympic team, and after he fails miserably, trying to make a living afterward. Amateur says he has pressure.....what pressure? This chump is a nobody. Maybe he should stay wasted. In his defense...we are talking about the "media" who as a group are the biggest assholes on the planet...parasites of sports. Anything to stir the shit and have something to talk about in the easiest profession this side of being a junkman.
posted by LiveWithIt at 11:30 AM on January 27, 2006
So let's see. According to ChasHocq, "Being better than anybody thinks you should be" = "cheating" Good, we don't need all that drug testing then. We'll just ask ChasHocq if he thinks any sporting performance is "too much." Then we'll hang the bastards.
posted by Amateur at 11:36 AM on January 27, 2006
"He should have quit before the last one, then he would have had more credibility." Sorry, ChasHocq, I don't buy that. Considering the French press in hammering Armstrong for allegedly failing a test in 1999, whether he won one tour or a dozen, they'd still be after him. Yes, there's a lot of smoke around Armstrong, and some of his associations are suspect, but in the end the guy has passed every test thrown at him. If Bode Miller wants to pass judgment on another athlete he should at least have the stones to provide the basis for his opinion.
posted by Boot at 11:39 AM on January 27, 2006
In the tour last year they had some of the sophisicated drug testing in all of sport." Winning the last Tour at his age is a bit too much. He should have quit before the last one, then he would have more credibility". Mr Armstrong passed evey drug test in the last tour. You are welcome to your opinion ChasHocq but the facts say otherwise.
posted by mystical symbols at 11:39 AM on January 27, 2006
Lance can't truly be called a cheater. However he is pretty darn close. Let's all sing along "which one of these guys is doin their own thing?"
posted by tmart937 at 11:41 AM on January 27, 2006
Amateur says he has pressure.....what pressure? This chump is a nobody. A nobody who's been on the cover of Time and Newsweek, featured on 60 Minutes and in Rolling Stone. I guess you've been too busy with the Steelers to notice, but there are other sporting events in January you know.
posted by Amateur at 11:42 AM on January 27, 2006
After all, who is he, a skier? That makes him an athlete? Ya, like being a fisherman Profound. LiveWithIt believes that professional skiers who travel at speeds up to 80mph on two legs are equivalent athleticly to those who steer outboard motors for a living. I also imagine that LiveWithIt believes the damage done to a person's body during a fall at that speed is equal to falling into calm waters from one's bass boat.
posted by gradys_kitchen at 12:06 PM on January 27, 2006
"Amateur says he has pressure.....what pressure? This chump is a nobody."
And as a follow-up to Amateur's reply to this insightful comment, this link provides some of this "nobody's" achievements on the slopes. posted by redsnare at 12:10 PM on January 27, 2006
This is about all I ever want to hear about Bode Miller anymore. I'm going to cheer against him at the Olympics and hope he quits (again).
posted by fenriq at 12:12 PM on January 27, 2006
Yes, there's a lot of smoke around [Bonds/Armstrong], and some of his associations are suspect, but in the end the guy has passed every test thrown at him. Amazing how one guy gets villified and the other one is promoted to near-sainthood, but the sentence applies to both of them....
posted by grum@work at 12:19 PM on January 27, 2006
No, grum, my sentence does not apply to both Bonds and Armstrong. Bonds admitted to taking steroids, but unknowingly...remember the steroid cream comments? Armstrong has never admitted, or otherwise been busted, for performance enhancing drugs.
posted by Boot at 12:31 PM on January 27, 2006
one guy gets villified and the other one is promoted to near-sainthood One's a dick to his colleagues, one's a dick to his fans.
posted by Hugh Janus at 12:33 PM on January 27, 2006
...and one is doing the horizontal bop with Sheryl Crow. Hellllllooooo nurse!
posted by njsk8r20 at 12:41 PM on January 27, 2006
lemme see if I'm up to speed: Bonds - cheater, bad Lance - clean, good Bode - working on branding himself into a lifetime of endorsement deals gotcha :) oh, and IMO, most of the pro peloton (including lance) is (or has been) microdosing EPO. ferrari figured out how to do it and fly below the doping controls.
posted by JohnSFO at 12:53 PM on January 27, 2006
Bode, Bode 1st 60 Minutes, now this! I'd sure like to hear from little_brown_bat on this, she knows this sport like no one else. lbb respond, we miss you.
posted by skydivedad at 01:27 PM on January 27, 2006
Everyone, put the torches down, alright? Did Bode misspeak? Well, yeah. But he's just now learning how hot the spotlight of stardom is. All the barroom shoot-your-mouth that was okay when you're just some ski bum (or a monkey behind a keyboard on a web forum, and I'm looking right at you) can become an embarrassing hassle when you get to the top of your profession and get famous. Aside from being maybe the best ever at what they do, Barry Bonds & Lance Armstrong share one crucial trait: they haven't been caught doing anything illegal. If either of them tests positive for something, then that's another story, but until then, everyone might do good to take one big step back from the edge.
posted by chicobangs at 01:59 PM on January 27, 2006
I support Lance Armstrong and all of his acomplishments and I don't believe he took preformance enhancing drugs, but in this day and age it is still a distinct possibility. However, I think Bode Miller's comments were not necessary, especially after everything that has happened in the last month.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 02:02 PM on January 27, 2006
Bonds admitted to taking steroids, but unknowingly...remember the steroid cream comments?Armstrong has never admitted, or otherwise been busted, for performance enhancing drugs. Bonds used a substance that was given to him by his trainer. It is later implied by others (but not proven) that it was a P.E.D. Of course, that specific P.E.D. was not illegal in baseball at the time it was (supposedly) taken. In fact, there is no drug test that Bonds has failed (or even implied that he failed). Armstrong had a drug test in 1999 that they retested later and supposedly came back positive for EPO. Which wasn't illegal back then, but became illegal afterwards. So, in fact, the sentence: "there's a lot of smoke around [him], and some of his associations are suspect, but in the end the guy has passed every test thrown at him." does apply to both of them.
posted by grum@work at 02:34 PM on January 27, 2006
grum, I like the your approach about no 'rules' being broken by either Lance or Barry, which as you make abundantly clear is entirely true. But skirting the rules, i.e. not breaking a rule (or a rule not up to date with its intention) on a technicality "No officer, my friend the crack dealer was giving me a substance that I used, but I didn't knowingly take crack. Besides, crack wasn't illegal when my friend gave it to me" is exactly what Bode was talking about as needing examination. Bode is for liberalizing testing to only limit drugs 'harmful' to the athlete. He is just broaching the subject from an unconventional direction.
posted by garfield at 03:03 PM on January 27, 2006
Oh, cut him a little slack. Skiiers are a protective bunch and he just got finshed being raked through the coals for being honest about what every skiier knows: getting loaded and skiing is fun AND dangerous: the perfect combo. So he's reacting poorly - it's unlikely he be at any of Barry or Lance's parties and he's just being sulky about having a bad rep when these two guys are walking around. Mental note: Never, ever question the integrity of Lance. It's like calling Brett Favre a kiddie-toucher in downtown Green Bay. Wait, does Green Bay even have a downtown? (and no, Arby's does not count.)
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 03:06 PM on January 27, 2006
>Mental note: Never, ever question the integrity of Lance. Very true. There's many a discussion about Lance on various online cycling forums that turn *very* ugly. Regardless of my opinion of him or of doping in pro cycling, the fact is that Lance is a one-of-a-kind talent and certainly the best cyclist to have ever ridden in the Tour de France. Being a cancer survivor on top of that makes him a legend and a source of inspiration to others - that's good stuff. As for Bode - perhaps he needs to take more/less bong hits :)
posted by JohnSFO at 04:16 PM on January 27, 2006
Yeah, we've got Lance Armstrong, Barry Bonds, and Bode Miller in the same thread. Now if we could just work Terrell Owens in here somehow, we'd have a perfect storm.
posted by Amateur at 07:36 PM on January 27, 2006
Yeah, we've got Lance Armstrong, Barry Bonds, and Bode Miller in the same thread. Now if we could just work Terrell Owens in here somehow, we'd have a perfect storm. Pete Rose bets you $50 that his inclusion would cause a bigger ruckus.
posted by grum@work at 01:29 AM on January 28, 2006
Roger Clemens raises Pete Rose to 100$.
posted by qbert72 at 01:05 PM on January 28, 2006
Hey, if we're throwing money on the table, I'll take O.J. to block. Shit, he'd kill for that kind of money.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 09:05 PM on January 28, 2006
Why Lance? What has he done? Lance Armstrong has beaten cancer. Lance Armstrong has had to come back from sheer pain and suffering. Lance Armstrong had to reinvent himself as a cyclist. Lance Armstrong won 7 straight Tour de France titles. Lance Armstrong is NOT a cheater. You can point all the fingers you want at Bonds (I don't know a bigger cheat than he), but Lance is innocent guys. Bode needs to jam a fist in his mouth and just shut up for once.