Good Genes Are Only a Part of the Story

Lance Armstrong is expected to pedal into Paris on Sunday and win his unprecedented seventh consecutive Tour de France title before he retires to his home in Austin, Texas.

But does his physiological makeup -- Armstrong has a heart proportional to the size of someone 6 feet 6, although he stands 5-10 -- give him an unfair advantage?

“As a physiological specimen, Armstrong does have genetic traits that make him seem like Superman,” wrote Linda Robertson of the Miami Herald. “But it is not accurate to call him a freak of nature.”

Far from it.

“There are about 1,000 people in the U.S. between the ages of 15 and 20 with the same physiological potential as Lance,” physiologist Edward Coyle told Robertson.

Coyle runs the Human Performance Lab at the University of Texas and, for eight years, has studied Armstrong, who underwent chemotherapy for testicular cancer in 1997.

“The grueling experience of the treatment convinced him how resilient his body was,” Coyle said.

Wrote Robertson: “Armstrong, 33, trains 365 days per year, 450 miles per week and his six- and seven-hour training rides add up to more time on the bike than any of his challengers.

“Freak of nature? Armstrong is a freak of commitment.”

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Trivia time: What was the name of the venue, the primary tenant and the name of the sponsor for the first naming rights deal in professional baseball, basketball, hockey or football?

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Tiger’s trail: On the possibility of someone putting the brakes on Tiger Woods, Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote: “He’s 29 and who’s going to stop his scorched-earth march? I’d like Vijay Singh’s chances if Vijay were 22. He’s 42. The rest of the Big Five? Retief Goosen is 36, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson are 35. How is the picture likely to change in their favor in the next five years?

“The only positive note for Woods’ rivals is that they can look to the future for their own sons and be thankful that Tiger didn’t marry Michelle Wie.”

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Looking back: On this date in 1925, first baseman Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees hit his first grand slam in an 11-7 victory over the Washington Senators. Gehrig ended his career with a record 23 slams.

Next in line and closing fast: Boston Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez, who has hit three this season to give him 20.

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Try passing the buck: “Former quarterback Heath Shuler, a North Carolina Democrat, has announced plans to run for Congress in 2006,” wrote Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times.

“Based on his four-year NFL completion rate, any legislation he introduces will have a 49.2% chance of passing.”

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Trivia answer: Rich Stadium, the home of the Buffalo Bills, which opened in 1973. Rich Foods paid $1.5 million for 25-year naming rights. In 1998, it was renamed Ralph Wilson Stadium after the Bills’ owner.

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And finally: Said former Dodger Steve Garvey: “The difference between the old ballplayer and the new ballplayer is the jersey. The old ballplayer cared about the name on the front. The new ballplayer cares about the name on the back.”