This is a reaction to the S.Y. column here...(http://www.seanyates.co.uk/diary/index.htm) sorry for the melodrama...

Yates is, of course, one of my heroes... He's a gardener, he speaks english, he's massive, and he could fly on a bike... about the same age too...  in a different life he is me... my dream.  

Now he has a heart problem.  What could be the cause?  Even if pro cycling had been an option for a Carolina farm boy, I'm glad now that I missed out on it...  I've put in about 200 miles in the past week and I'm flying... stayed with my 145 lb riding buddy up a local lung burner hill... I still need to drop some weight (188) but even at that I was on his ass over the top.  Power?  No problem.  

I'm glad my heart is ok, even if I am fat.  The point...?  Basso is a jerk Sean, don't wish for him.  He's the product of too many years with your head in the sand... I'm not even going to appeal for the truth, you and he know what it is...  

45 and you can't ride fast anymore... bummer, that's what I'll tell my 8 yr old when he ask (as he did while we watched baseball last night..."Dad, what are steroids?")    

Kids pay attention...Basso makes me sick, calling him anything other than a pathetic cheat is too easy...  What if my kid wants to race bikes... what do I tell him?