you obviously do not know the sport of cycling. Amateur cycling is indeed more individual..however, professional cycling is not (I repeat, is not) an individual sport!! You can not win races with any consistency as an individual…the team is what wins the races. Actually, Lance Armstrong passed many many drug tests…he has been tested as much as any athlete in his time, so I am not sure that holds any water…That being said, I don’t think that because he has never tested positive that he never doped. Also, Lance is being tested as we write this, as his comeback stipulates that a rider returning from retirment must begin drug testing 6 months prior to athletic participation. Doping testing has been going on in cycling since the mid 90s. It did not just start, and I would bet that just as large a percentage of NFL players dope as in pro cycling. Say what you want, but a 2 year ban in cycling is a huge penalty, that most likely will be increased to 4 years or life bans in the next couple of years.
Oh yea, doesn’t an NFL player make money on his performance alone? Hell, there is talk of Drew Breeze being the MVP this season…his team is last in their division and they have a loosing record!! Is he not being judged on his performance? If he was to sign a contract with a new team next year will they look at the record of his team? NO they will look at his individual performance.

Also, what the heck does a team or individual sport have to do with it. Is bluegirl stating that worse penalties should be doled out to individuals rather than teamates? I totally disagree here. Doping is Doping…it is cheating any way you cut it. The NFL is not so lilly white…I think Jocre said it best above!! How the heck have these guys gotten so big in such a short period of time? It certainly is not evolution! I get so tired watching college football and a freshman comes in at 225 lbs and by the time he graduates he is a stud DE playing at 275 lbs of solid muscle. I don’t believe that a college diet and weight program alone can do that.

I am not trying to attack anyone here, but I have very firm beliefs and feelings about doping and cheating. I don’t care what sport you participate in!!

Bluegirl, is usually pretty well-informed. However, I’m with TRDean on this one. Cycling is the ultimate teamsport, however, only one rider will usually take credit. Armstrong wouldn’t have won seven in a row without a great supporting cast. And I’m also confident he was doped, but he was never caught, and his old blood and urine samples have also been checked out with newer methods, and still nothing is found. Not even tiny traces of doping, because if there found ANYTHING at all, they are banned for 2 years. Heck, during last years tour de france the leading rider at the moment, Michael Rasmussen, was banned by his team, for questions regarding his whereabouts for like two weeks.

NFL is very much based on individual performances. What about all the bonuses these players can earn?

I think it is kind of toothless, do drugs, and you will face either a 1 or 4-game supspension, I don’t even want to know how long other “major sports” ban the athletes. In soccer you’ll likely face a 2-year ban, if you’re caught taking illegal drugs.