It not only bugs me that Tour de France winner Floyd Landis is now under suspicion for doping his way to victory, but that the science of all this can't figure out exactly what he took.

And while Landis is fighting this latest report and has denied cheating, he's acknowledging that step B in the testing process probably won't be much different than step A. He's hired a doctor to help him dispute the results.

The test was taken at the time Landis made a stunning comeback during the race — an almost unbelievable comeback.

It will probably take days or weeks to sort all this out, but in the meantime we are left with yet another sports star — like Barry Bonds — who both denies doping but leaves the possibility that something could have gone awry.

Landis suggested that a small amount of hormone he's been taking for a thyroid condition, or the cortisone shots he gets for hip pain skewed the result.

We regular folks don't have these problems. My medication is pretty much limited to Advil. And any testosterone levels I have come naturally with my studliness.

I suspect my studliness is greater in my own mind than in actuality. I wonder about these athletes who can't say the same.

Posted by Steve E. Swenson