Perhaps one of the reasons Americans as a whole are largely unaware of professional cycling is that they are largely unaware of exactly what constitutes doping. From this article at ESPN:
In the report, Shortt said that he does not believe that steroids enhance performance. He said he provided steroids to about half of the one- to two-dozen NFL players he treated, and that most of the players received human growth hormone.
Let me run the important part by you one more time: “Shortt said that he does not believe that steroids enhance performance.” Suprisingly, reporters were able to get four of the six-to-twelve former players Shortt “medicated” to fess up to using drugs. Try getting Richard Virenque, even now, a year into his retirement and almost a decade after the Festina Affair to admit that he did anything illegal. Americans might be stupid, but at least they’re honest (if it will get them on TV).