Hands-up to those surprised to learn Alex Rodgriguez confessed back in January to doing business with Miami steroid dealer Tony Bosch and using performance-enhancing drugs just as Major League Baseball alleged? Anyone? We didnt think so. Twenty-six years after Ben Johnson professed his innocence to a nation that desperately wanted to believe him. It doesnt take a cynic to roll their eyes in the face of busted athlete drug cheats who profess their innocence. We all know the script of the busted athlete who tries to position him or herself as the victim in a performance-enhancing drug witch hunt. It goes a little something like this: I have always prided myself on my ability to compete clean, I would never disrespect the game, my teammates, the fans and most of all my family. You know the rest. With a parade of all-stars from Marion Jones to Lance Armstrong to Ryan Braun, it was almost laughable that at this stage of things Alex Rodriguez thought he could convince anyone of his innocence, never mind the people who were out to get him. What we need to understand is that taking performance-enhancing drugs is a simple risk-reward proposition for a lot of athletes, during which time they understand the public plea they will have to make if they are accused or caught. So while we might wonder how athletes can so easily compromise their integrity by flat-out lying to the very people who have made them what they are, this part of the equation is settled long before the gotcha moment. Former Canadian sprinter Angela Isajenko said it more than two decades ago during the Dubin Inquiry into drugs in sports when she described the athletes handbook for what to do when you are caught: deny, deny, deny. The few who have deviated from that script are far and few between. Years ago, I wrote a piece in The Globe and Mail which suggested it was difficult to know whether to cheer for Lance Armstrong, purely for the reason that he was so dominant in a sport that was well-known to be dirty. The vitriol I received in response from Armstrong fans, many of them cancer survivors who considered him a real-life hero, was unlike anything I have received before or since in my career. They were simply horrified that I could even entertain the idea that someone of his character and accomplishments might be a cheat. And besides, hed already faced-down his accusers in public and pledged his innocence. Did I really think he would let down the legions of people to whom he was nothing less than a superhero? We all know how that story ended. Im sure there are athletes who test positive or are accused via investigation of using performance-enhancing drugs and it all turns out to be a mistake. I just cant think of any. Alex Rodriguez lying and then eventually confessing to performance-enhancing drug use hardly qualifies as disappointment. And he may truly be as detestable as he seems. But in this case, hes not the worst of the worst. He was merely travelling down the same well-worn path of those who came before him. Adidas Store Basketball Shoes . Szabados joined the Southern Professional Hockey League team last week. The 27-year-old goaltender from Edmonton backstopped the Canadian womens hockey team to Olympic gold Feb. Best Adidas Basketball Shoes 2019 . Calgary finished atop the CFL standings with a 14-4 record and earned the right to host the West Division final at McMahon Stadium on Nov. http://www.cheapnmdsneakersireland.com/y...ap-ireland.html. The Toronto Argonauts running back hurt his left ankle during the teams practice Friday afternoon at Rogers Centre. Cheapest Adidas Basketball Shoes . You can watch the game live on TSN2 and TSN Mobile TV at 9pm et/6pm pt. Jonathan Huberdeau and Quinton Howden are expected to make their debuts for Team Canada. Discount Adidas Nmd Ireland . Teams one through twenty competing in Englands top flight are each fatally flawed. A wide-open, highly competitive and mistake-filled season has followed. LONDON -- Manchester City substitutes Jesus Navas and James Milner recovered a 4-2 victory at Fulham on Saturday after the visitors threw away a two-goal lead in a rain-lashed English Premier League encounter. Yaya Toure put City in front with his fourth goal from a free kick this season and captain Vincent Kompany fired in Citys second just before halftime. But five minutes after the break City conceded possession near the Fulham penalty area, and Kieran Richardson completed a rapid counterattack to begin the hosts fightback. In wild, windy conditions on the banks of the River Thames, Fulham was gifted an equalizer in the 69th. Kompany inexplicably sliced the ball past his own goalkeeper Joe Hart, who was recalled after being dropped in league games since October. But Navas restored Citys lead in the 78th when he slotted through goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburgs legs. And City ripped through the Fulham defence again five minutes later as Milner scored to condemn Fulham to an eighth loss in nine league games. While Fulham is next from bottom, City rose provisionally into second place, a point behind Liverpool. "It was a really difficult match because the pitch wasnt good and it was very windy," City manager Manuel Pellegrini said. City can be overtaken by either Arsenal or Chelsea, who play on Monday, but the teams status as the leagues most formidable attack was reinforced here against the most porous defence. While City has a leading-leading 55 goals, Fulham has conceded a high of 32. But away from the Etihad Stadium, City has averaged only a point a game this season, and the intensity from the hosts was greater from the outset. The City defence was easily beaten after 13 minutes, as Adel Taarabt forced Hart into making a fine diving save -- one of several that convinced Pellegrini to retain the goalkeeper for Thursdays match against Liverpool. "At the moment he deserved to play today and he also deserves to conttinue," Pellegrini said.dddddddddddd "When I put (Costel) Pantilimon in the starting XI I spoke with Joe and he understood that he was not in a good moment. "Maybe seven games after, one month after, hes working very hard, and I thought that he deserved another opportunity, and I think he did it well." Citys opener came in the 23rd minute from a set-piece. After Silva was brought down on the edge of the area, Toure curled in a free kick off the underside of the crossbar. City extended its lead in the 43rd. Silvas free kick was met by the unmarked Martin Demichelis at the far post. An initial header was saved well by Stekelenburg, but the ball was pushed straight to Kompany to fire in. "The goals that we concede, from set plays, its not good enough defending, especially the one just before halftime," Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen said. "I was hoping the experience would kick in a bit from some of these players, to steady the ship." That appeared to happen at the start of the second half. Silva was tackled near the Fulham penalty area by Scott Parker, allowing Fulham to surge forward and score. Taarabt rampaged down the left flank past Demichelis who squared into the centre for Richardson to sweep the ball in. City responded by taking off ineffective striker Dzeko, and bringing Navas on, leaving Negredo as the lone striker. But Hart was beaten again, this time by his own player. Sascha Riether whipped a cross into the penalty, and Kompany managed to turn the ball into his own goal. Kompanys blushes were spared, though, by Navas. The winger raced onto Silvas throughball, cut in from the right and slotted through Stekelenburgs legs from a tight angle. And Milner ensured a comfortable conclusion for City, meeting Negredos cross and netting his first league goal of the season. Fulham did not risk playing Dimitar Berbatov after the striker picked up a groin injury in training. ' ' '