And to think I was happy being the only one labeled scum on this forum...
I certainly hope that once guilty always guilty is not what's being advocated. I think that's a very hard pill to swallow and potentially destructive to both those that hold vengeful attitudes and those that are targeted by them. However, forgiveness does not eliminate consequence. It is hard for me to know if TiMan's errors in calibration were misguided or intentional for the purposes of marketing. Either way, he would not be the first or the highest profile coach to make errors when it comes to training with power (I've read very silly things by Friel and Carmichael and even sillier ones by Scott Saifer). In the same way, it is hard to know if he had a desire for harm prevention or promulgation when he talked about doping. I am happy that he no longer dopes and impressed with his capacity for self examination and the way he talks about the guilt that consumed him when he was doping. Still, he does say and possibly do things that are misguided at best and dishonest, dangerous and unethical at worst. I think it is quite fair that TiMan not be allowed to coach other athletes or be involved in our sport in an official capacity. That is consequence. The same for Riis, Zabel, Saiz and all the others. Nonetheless, I do not hate them and I hope they can come to a point where they are happy in themselves and do not need to resort to unethical methods later in life.
Still, I know well where Ric is coming from. Doping has gone on too long. Doping is pernicious. Doping has cost too much of our time and energy. I have raced P/1/2 in the states, A grade in Australia, won prize money at Superweek, got several podiums at collegiate/university championships, and so on. I am far from a great racer - I don't have the genetics to truly make it and I have too many other things on my plate as well. When I found out about riders at my level using dope, I was young (20), impressionable. Is this what people did? Is this what was required? It isn't easy when you know they are beating you. It isn't easy when you take pride in your sport and your performances mean a lot to you. I didn't dope, but I wonder about what would have happened if I'd been a little better, got over to Europe, and in a moment of weakness... I hope I wouldn't have. That is my take. But I don't know for sure. Now, at 25, I know for sure. Never. Never ever. The hardest part is accepting your path in life and accepting your limitations. I can be a good regional bike racer. That is all. If you are thinking about doping, I would suggest this - go for a ride with some kids, 15-20 year olds. See how they love the sport. See how much it means to them and the joy they take in it. Notice the ones with true talent. I know a kid who at 17 was well over Cat 1 power/weight at FTP. He is clean, he is national team, and he will make it. Do you want to take that away from the ones who love the sport, who work hard and work clean to get there? Do you want to be the bad example? No. Go away, meditate (really... try it...), accept your limitations and take joy from the strength of others. Move on, remember that you love the sport, and achieve your best.
One thing I take pride in - I know I have beaten dopers. I know I have done it at Superweek. I know I have done it in Melbourne. I know Joe Papp got caught. For a mediocre rider like me, this is the greatest revenge. When the time is right and the motivation is good, I work hard, I think hard and I race my strengths. If enough of us do it, most dopers will lose out, most are weak of mind and don't know what they are doing. The few that don't lose out, let's make the tests better and catch them.
One last thing that has bugged me for a while: recreational, non-performance enhancing drugs in out of competition testing. Sure, it is against the spirit of the sport to use them, but treating them the way WADA do is surely unjustified. Taking these things shows a lack of psychological fortitude and maturity and possibly underlying mental illness. It should not be viewed the same way as cheating. If you must test (and maybe this is a good idea), suspend athletes for a limited period, don't report it to the media, and offer counselling. Perhaps for repeat offenders a longer ban is necessary, but for young men and women, these substances will always be appealing to those seeking relief, those who can't accept life the way it is. Help them, don't punish them in extremis.
And that is my $0.02.