Say It Ain't So, Lance

On the heels of a smashing 1-3 victory in this year's admittedly quirky Tour de France, Tailwind Sports, whose main cycling sponsor has been Discovery Channel, is disbanding its professional cycling team because it cannot find a corporate sponsor. Lance Armstrong, as you know, owns a chunk of Tailwind and is the visible presence of the team.

Cycling teams come and cycling teams go, but it's strange indeed to see one of the most successful teams in recent memory fall on the knife and commit seppuku in such an overt fashion. Discovery Channel was expected to field Ivan Basso this year, but Basso submerged in the wake of doping allegations (what else?).

Dark horse Alberto Contador and faithful domestic Levi Leipheimer finished 1-3, although Contador has himself been the subject of doping rumors. Of course, what would the Big Enchilada be without a good juicy scandal with lots of 'J'accuse!' tossed in.

Perhaps Discovery Channel's sponsorship was the latest victim of the parade of doping scandals. And that's tough.

I mean, who's going to carry the flag?