Victor Conte has a fascinating past. Nearly fifteen years of not filing income taxes, guru to elite athletes on "nutrition" as early as 1989, Conte has seen it all. The former bass player for Tower of Power, Mr. Conte seems to have had a conversion, much like St. Paul on the way to Damascus...is this guy for real? And the big question we need to ask ourselves,
does the end justify the means?
Victor Conte has done more to dirty the world of sports than just about anyone I can recall in recent years. From the first day we heard, in LEquipe magazine in August 2003 of the sordid activities of BALCO and Conte's suggestion that virtually all top athletes were dirty, how the might have fallen: Marion Jones has, through her own actions, lost her five medals from Sydney, and her records from 2000 on. Barry Bonds has been indited, but still in his own style, Bonds pleads not guilty. Marion, in her defense, apolgized and asked for forgiveness. She has lost everything. I am not sure the Mr. Bonds is not far behind her tragedy.
Now, Mr. Conte wants to work with Dick Pound and the folks at the WADA and USADA and direct them onto who are the bad guys. Does anyone else see something wrong here?
At the end of World War 2, the US worked with Werner Von Braun, the German Rocket scientist, who literally drove through British and Russian troops and handed himself to the US in order to give them the benefits of the research he had completed. Now, that some of the research had included the systematic sending of V-1 and v-2 rockets over London and fifty thousand Londoners owe their large pensions to the guy ( I took that from a nice song by Tom Lehrer, google him), did not seem to worry the Allies. We were dealing with true evil.
It is definite that Conte knows alot. It is definite that he could help us catch some of the bad guys. It is a fact that Conte loves to be the center of existence, or he would have, as a friend said last night, have offered to do this very quietly and keep it quiet so that the bad guys would not know it is coming.
My guess? We will use Mr. Conte in the pursuit of clean sports. I am mixed on all of this, but we shall see if Conte can produce what he claims he can.
I think Conte is a genius; I understand he appears as the "ringmaster"..... Regardless, he might be able to help in a difficult situation.
I am a DI track coach, CSCS and seeker of the "magic elixir" to success in the explosive events. But, I'm not looking for ways to cheat....not in any form or fashion.
I prefer the science of sport, the intellect of Chu, Verkhoshansky, Stone, Gambetta and many others who treat the science and art of sport with respect.
Your post was insightful and probably a clear analysis of Conte.....I guess I just love a good circus. jumpdocg
JumpDocg,
No problems with your comments. The circus part is truly there, and will not get better for awhile. Just wait til you see how Mr. Bonds and his team spin their poor, mistreated record breaker!
Larry Eder