Spokesman on tour
Perhaps Floyd Landis can spend his off time from the Tour de France on a book tour. Landis will have a new book out in time for the upcoming race. “Positively False” is scheduled for publication in late June, ahead of the start of the famed cycling race. Landis agreed last week not to race again in France until 2008. His urine sample after a 17th-stage win in last year’s Tour de France was found to contain an elevated testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio. He risks being the first rider in the 104-year history of the race to be stripped of his title. The book, published by Simon Spotlight Entertainment, will tell his life story and include details of growing up in a Pennsylvania Mennonite family and his passion for cycling.
Doc among supporters
Five days after becoming the first NBA player to acknowledge his homosexuality, former center John Amaechi said the spotlight has been chaotic. Amaechi, whose “Man in the Middle” memoir will be released Wednesday, said he has been deluged with phone calls and e-mails from friends and supporters. But Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who coached Amaechi in Orlando, has been the only one from the league to reach out to him. “I’ve just been caught up in the whirlwind at the moment,” Amaechi said in an interview with The Associated Press. He also listened to some criticize him for coming out now, rather than when he was a player. “I know that perhaps that would have been more impactful,” he said, but added he was afraid to have his dream of playing in the NBA taken away.
The need for speed
“I was clocked at 4.5, but when I had people chasing me, I ran a 4.2.”
Jerry Rice, former NFL wide receiver
Ex-big leaguers hope to be a hit in Israel
Former players Ken Holtzman, Ron Blomberg and Art Shamsky were hired as managers for the first season of the Israel Baseball League. The six-team league opens June 24. Each club will play 45 games over eight weeks, with no games Friday nights or Saturday afternoons because of the Sabbath. Holtzman went 174-150 and is the winningest Jewish pitcher in major-league history; Sandy Koufax won 165. Blomberg was the first designated hitter in the major leagues, and Shamsky played for the 1969 New York Mets’ World Series championship team.
