Athletes practicing skills at spin control More stories looming on drug violations

Whenever you hear the words, “It’s time to move on,” coming from the mouth of an athlete (and a lot of others for that matter), beware.

Those are the words now most popular with those who have used steroids, those called to testify about use before congressional committees and those in front of reporters being asked about steroid/drug use.

Translated, the words mean, “Yes I am a user and I want you to forget about it and let me off so I can continue/begin to earn millions of dollars from my cheating.”

Track and field is feeling the steroid heat big time. Justin Gatlin and Marion Jones have been busted and the latest reports are that sprinter LaTasha Jenkins has tested positive.

Cyclist Floyd Landis has gone back under cover after running from one TV morning show to the other in a blitz to give his “It’s time to move on” speech.

His attempt at spin control hit the bricks with a loud thud and tons of hissing, as it should have.

The newest twist by the lawyers who represent these athletes is the old “blame the messenger.” They have started to attack the testing agencies for not following proper procedures in the releasing of information.

That is nothing more than a diversionary tactic that never addresses the results themselves.

What the athletes have to understand is, they are no longer invisible and will pay a steep price for continuing to pursue the performance-enhancement road.

What sports fans have to do is stay the course and not buy into the “move on syndrome” that worked so well for so many years.

It worked because there is a place in the hearts of good people to want to forgive. That is fine, but it has nothing to do with making the athlete responsible.

Forgiveness comes with the athlete righting his/her course of action, not with attempts at spinning a lie.

Most experts agree the number of caught cheaters is far from the actual number using drugs in sports. The need to create a single drug testing agency for all sporting events in the world is desperately needed.

That way the necessary funds can be directed to one agency rather than the many that duplicate efforts and, in that way, waste funds.

The athletes are only beginning to understand the jig is up. There is still so much money to be made from winning that the drugs keep flowing.

No better evidence of that exists than the growing list of minor league baseball players being caught and suspended. They are acting with the flat- out hope they don’t get caught before they get the big-league chance and the check that goes with it.

The drug violation stories have a long run yet. The list of violators is going to grow.

Old Town native Gary Thorne is an ESPN and ABC sportscaster.