19 replies to this topic

[Adrienne]

McJohn, on Mar 16 2006, 11:22 AM, said:

billh, on Mar 16 2006, 09:21 AM, said:

I want to believe he is innocent.  However, I noticed in the interview, he only said, "I never transfused someone else's blood".  Isn't there a type of doping that transfuses one's own enriched blood?

That is the typical way it is used.  You withdraw whole blood, extract the RBC's, reinject the rest (or not) and save the RBC's.  Your body replaces them as it detects a shortage.  Then shortly before an event, you reinject all the stored RBC's, giving yourself a fairly brief over abundance of oxygen carrying ability.  AFAIK it isn't really possible to test for that sort of blood doping, other than with the '50% hematocrit' catch-all rule.

That is the point I've made a couple of times on the Tyler topic, which is that transfusing somebody else's blood is scary and unnecessary.  That's why I believe him when he vehemently denies the results of the tests.
It makes no sense.  My other point is that it does not require illegal methods to jack your crit up, so again, it doesn't make much sense to take such extrodinary risks when it's just not necessary to achieve the fitness you're after.

On top of that, he's just not that kind of person as far as I can see.

Russ

[JimmyMc]

I totally agree with Russ.  I was not an early Tyler fan--couldn't handle all that media fawning with his dog and all, I suppose.  But when these charges first hit the press, I just had a feeling that it was totally illogical that a man of his means and standing would have to resort to such a sloppy, low-tech manner of cheating as he was charged with.  It just didn't add up.  It still doesn't, and the more I read of it the more it stinks.

[The Man]

I'd love to see what blood type Santi Perez is. Anyone want to take odds that it's identical to Tyler's? They both got busted for HBT very close to the same time. Very plausible the doctor (or whoever) mixed the bags up - why would they label them if it only means more trouble? Remember Jesus Manzano's story of getting the wrong blood?  

(That's not to say Tyler doesn't raise valid points. The people validating the test should NEVER, EVER be the same people administering the test especially when a financial gain/shortcoming is at stake. But in terms of relevance to his particular case, it seems to have minimal impact on the verdict - especially in light of Tyler's previous warnings and red flags dating from the Vuelta & Olympics back to Feb of that year @ Paris Tours.)

[Dr. T]

The Man, on Mar 16 2006, 05:43 PM, said:

I'd love to see what blood type Santi Perez is. Anyone want to take odds that it's identical to Tyler's? They both got busted for HBT very close to the same time. Very plausible the doctor (or whoever) mixed the bags up - why would they label them if it only means more trouble? Remember Jesus Manzano's story of getting the wrong blood?  

They would both have to be identical blood types or else one or both of them would be dead.  If that's the case they are two of the luckiest guys on earth and should be grateful for a 2 year suspension rather than a casket.

[Vindicator]

phawley, on Mar 16 2006, 11:10 AM, said:

Vindicator, on Mar 16 2006, 09:56 AM, said:

how about a few probing questions like asking him to respond to some of the weaknesses in his arguments that have been put forth in other pieces in Velo News (I think) and elsewhere?  And what's with starting every question by telling TH how much you agree with his prior answer?

What would you expect from a "reporter" who says in the middle of an interview (and it gets printed in the published article) "and there was this one time when I was 10 and was interviewed and they didn't misquote me about playing HS football, but phrased it to sound egotistical [and I obviously have yet to let of this mental scar!]"?

Hard for me to say about his guilt/innocence in reality, but he'll be racing once again this fall, and I'll give him the benefit of the doubt from then on, much as I would for anyone else coming back from a suspension (eg. Millar).

That was easily the worst example.  I can't believe any reporter would even say that during an interview, but even more - where is the editor?  Do they have editors at DP?

I also agree with Russ re the whole thing not making sense, and with you on Tyler and Millar re giving them the benefit of the doubt.  Hope they race clean and do well.  Too bad Tyler's supsension wears off the day after the TT at Worlds, though.