It’s hard not to be inspired by acts of the athletic underdog. The more unlikely, the more someone comes from behind, the bigger the pedestal we build.

Only a few weeks ago, most people were cheering the story of Floyd Landis, who seemed to fit the very definition of a come-from-behind hero. One of those who maintains focus, who pushes through despite the odds, who refuses to settle.

Remember that Floyd Landis was down and, according to most media, out of the Tour de France after Stage 16.

He had lost all energy during a tough climb and fell out of the lead. He sulked away to enjoy a beer and some Jack Daniels.

The next day, he won his first and only stage of the entire race, breaking away and holding a pace that most described, in various ways, as an impossible feat.

As the stage winner, he also was required to provide a urine sample. We know how that turned out. Our hero appears to actually be a win-at-all-costs imposter.

Landis offered some possible excuses for high levels of testosterone found in his system, but they’ve been debunked. Now he has taken the new tack of flat denial laced with attacks on the lab that performed the tests. He says the lab didn’t follow its own protocol of letting him know about the results before making them public.

And this makes a difference how?

All we know is that it seems kids have one less role model than they had a few weeks ago. That our willingness to be inspired has sadly set us up for disappointment yet again.

We’ll keep looking for heroes.

And maybe eventually even find one who’s the real deal.