Fireworks at HSI

In light of the recent issues concerning Maurice Greene and some (apparently well-founded) doping accusations, an e-mail sent to HSI coach John Smith has been circulating around the series of tubes, reportedly written by Ato Boldon. It's not a well-written letter; I haven't been able to make my way through the whole thing, and one observer called it "the email equivalent of drunk dialing an ex."

Whether this is a fake by an outsider, an airing of long-held grievances or a self-serving CYA attempt is up to the reader to decide. But if authentic it does telegraph what I already thought likely: the majority of the unnamed top sprinters that yesterday's NY Times article spoke of were in the HSI/Smith group. It would hardly be the first time such accusations were sent their way, but this time there's something to back it up.

Were the HSI group to be shown as systematic dopers, some fear it would be the finishing blow to a dying sport. From my perspective, the worst outcome would resemble the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail:
Such a wide-ranging and inherently interesting sport cannot be finished off. Yet there will be leaders who shrug and say it's just a flesh wound.