Congratulations Floyd Landis winner of the Tour de France 2006

[tocqueville]

http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news;_ylt=AtrPrj450_J4vFmxaXf8XFg5nYcB?slug=ap-tourdefrance&prov=ap&type=lgns

[peacebird]

1. the most exciting tour in YEARS!

Just a totally great tour!

:toast:

[rockymountaindem]

2. Yay! We might not win at baseball and basketball anymore

but the USA has some great cylists! Woohoo!

[Rose Siding]

3. There may not be a WH photo op-

The phone rings during the linked video interview:

Reporter: Is that Bush?
Landis (laughing): I doubt it. I'll hang up on him.

http://contagion.dayport.com/viewer/viewerpage.php?Art_ID=245&PreloadContract_DefID=1&Contract_DefID=2&tf=contagionviewer.tpl&Category_ID=3

via TPM

[Reverend_Smitty]

8. I'm guessing due to his Mennonite upbringing...

he's probably pretty anti-war

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

13. I had to read that three times before I got the joke.

I swear I'm not usually so dense. :rofl:

[Historic NY]

4. Now he can get that right hip replaced..........

he made it through pain and all. :toast:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/09/sports/othersports/10landiscnd.html?ex=1310097600&en=ee8e3f74c2d9c67a&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

[Dudley_DUright]

5. The real amazing thing is he will probably have to have hip replacement

surgery after the tour due to a degenerative avascular necrosis. There was an article about this in last week's NYTimes Magazine.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/09/sports/othersports/09landis-magazine.html?ex=1153800000&en=da16127c2a4a61ab&ei=5070

[hlthe2b]

6. Amazing... simply amazing...

Perhaps his performance will quell some of the lingering controversy re: American cyclists and anabolic steroids..

[tyedyeto]

14. Actually, steriods are not the biggest doping problems lately...

it's getting your blood more oxygenated thru transfusions, etc. The more oxygen in your blood, the more stamina you have.

[alarimer]

11. Will he be able ride after that?

I am just curious. But it is nice that he won this one afte being down about 8 minutes 3-4 days ago. An amazing performance in one stage sealed the deal.

[Dudley_DUright]

12. Yes, they think he will be able to ride after the surgery

Quote from the Phonak team manager (from article):

We knew about the condition and that was important. I know we're talking about hip surgery, but if it's done well and planned for a good moment, I'm confident he will return to training normally and there won't be any problem next season."

[liberal N proud]

7. His victory has to overshadow the 7 that Lance Armstrong won.

With his hip problems and all... What a feat.

[wtmusic]

9. Overshadow Lance's cancer problems?

I don't think so. But his inter-stage comeback was arguably the greatest in Tour history.

[otohara]

10. I Read His Bio After Seeing His Parents

his mom had on this funny little hat and I thought maybe they were Amish. Turns out they are Mennonites and not knowing much about Mennonites, I check further. These folks sound okay by me, they do things the true liberal Jesus would do, not this BS of the Christian right.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mennonite

Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after and influenced by the teachings and tradition of Menno Simons (1496-1561). As one of the historic peace churches, Mennonites are committed to non-violence, non-resistance, and pacifism.

There are about 1.3 million Mennonites worldwide as of 2006. Mennonite congregations worldwide embody the full scope of Mennonite practice from old fashioned 'plain' people to those who appear no different in dress from other people. The largest population of Mennonites is in Africa, but Mennonites congregate in tight-knit communities in at least 51 countries on six continents as well.

Mennonites have an international distinction among denominations in disaster relief and place a strong theological emphasis on voluntary service. Mennonite Disaster Service,<1> based in North America, provides both immediate and long-term responses to hurricanes, floods, and other disasters. Mennonite Central Committee provides disaster relief around the world alongside their long-term international development programs.

In the last few decades Mennonites have also become more actively involved with peace and social justice issues, helping to found Christian Peacemaker Teams and Mennonite Conciliation Service.<2>


The Mennonites Statement on Iraq

http://www.mennoniteusa.org/NewItems/delegates/IraqstatementCharlotte0705.pdf