Nightglow Window

Say It Ain't So

The surf brand Lost Enterprises has a tagline that reads, "tear down your idols" and if it turns out that Floyd Landis used performance-enhancing drugs, that may not be a bad idea.

Landis has denied that he cheated, but the allegations severely damage professional cycling during a year already rocked by doping scandals.

"All I'm asking for," Landis said Thursday via teleconference, "is that I be given a chance to prove I'm innocent. Cycling has a traditional way of trying people in the court of public opinion before they get a chance to do anything else."

The allegation certainly is a blow to the gut after I cheered on Landis during stage 17, when he clawed his way back into the race in a massive solo breakaway.

I, too, would really like to believe him. What a mess.

"Unfortunately it's not going to go away, no matter what happens next," said Landis. "It appears that this is a bigger story than winning the Tour."

In less dramatic corners, I'm still stuck in procrastination mode, but things are beginning to flow with all those stories due in the upcoming issue. "There's nothing to writing," said Red Smith. "Just sit down at a typewriter and open a vein."

Clif Notes version of my day thus far:
up at 5:45,
shower,
eat Nutri Grain Bar,
grab banana,
drive to gym,
ride bike,
sweat,
listen to American Idiot,
ride bike,
sweat,
lift weights,
feel the burn baby,
shower,
dress quickly,
get Starbuck’s iced latte,
check e-mail,
ask Pete for wide angle Canon lens,
look without success for lens in Pete's car,
talk on phone,
go to budget meeting,
sweat defending "family friendly" story to my boss,
plan for brand's future,
leave meeting,
play with new digital tape recorder,
make calls to Giant and Zumiez and Pinewskis,
check e-mail,
transcribe Pastras interview,
delete 130 e-mails clogging inbox,
tell Josh to go buy new cameras,
write opening sentences for Giant article,
edit Brazil Beat and Women's Apparel and Caught On Tape,
talk to Gretchen,
talk to Sean Larson,
talk to Robert,
procrastinate,
fondle new cameras,
tell Nicole to go home (she's sick),
walk around front building,
talk to Cullen,
head home for lunch,
get call that Dad is in lobby,
remember that I was supposed to have lunch with him,
hurry back,
make apologies,
have Thai food,
talk about family,
go back to office,
make calls,
run corrections on stories,
interview Karyn from Zumiez,
write giant story,
interview Jennifer from SIMA,
get frustrated by printer,
route Giant,
talk to Gretchen,
read bikini story,
talk to Doug from Pinewskis about his Minn. demo this weekend,
fix homepage photos,
post press release,
read about Landis,
fix Giant story online,
drive home,
take shower,
eat dinner (Cinnamon Life cereal and a yogurt),
talk to kids about rollercoasters and taquitos and skin cancer,
write this.