This fan won't miss Richmond Braves

When the Times-Dispatch cranked out a July 8, Bob Lipper post-vacation summary of sporting news events that he missed, a Charlottesville cyclist pedaled a cycling fantasy that T-D readers missed.

I scanned the sports section looking for something, anything on cycling's Tour De France. Instead, I found Lipper's rant against former bike racer Floyd Landis and the "known druggies" that ended with "Please, someone put this sport out of its misery."

Please, someone tell Lipper that he races as often as Landis now races. Is the Barry Bonds signature tattoo on Lipper's brain too deep for him to ask, "Will someone put baseball out of its misery?" Will Major League Baseball ever cast the San Francisco Giants out of the playoffs for its steroid sins the way cycling booted the defending Tour champion's team?

Does Lipper believe that all bicycle riders dope? That must cause drama between Lipper and co-worker and cyclist Paul Woody? As an amateur racer, should I expect an intervention?

Thomas A. Houff Richmond Editor's note: A summary of the third stage of the Tour de France appeared on page 2 of the July 8 Sports section, and the results of the race and the overall standings ran that day on the Scoreboard page.