Advo-Cate?

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The message boards, understandably, are going wild on the Jessica Hardy case -- in particular, boards at swimmingworldmagazine.com.

There was plenty of discussion about her positive drug test for the banned substance clenbuterol, and numerous theories about what may have triggered the positive test on July 4.

As of 10 p.m., Hardy had drawn 127 comments; in contrast, an Olympic preview of the men’s 100-meter butterfly had drawn just five comments.

Some of those making comments noted that Hardy has endorsed the Carrollton, Texas, company AdvoCare, which offers nutritional supplements for weight loss and sports performance.

More often than not in recent years, athletes have raised the tainted supplement defense in the aftermath of testing positive. To be clear, there has been no suggestion that strategy is being planned for Hardy at this early stage.

But it was interesting to note that Hardy is now harder to find on AdvoCare’s website.

The company’s home page still has a testimonial from New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees. Sixteen other NFL players are listed, along with athletes from many other sports. Some Olympic swimmers also are among its ‘world-class endorsers’ -- among them, newly minted Olympic swimmer and distance star Larsen Jensen.

But not Hardy.

Though she’s been on the website in the past, she’s pretty much vanished. But not entirely, because nothing ever seems to completely vanish on the Internet.

Swimmingworldmagazine.com offered this link to Hardy’s AdvoCare page.

That web page includes this quote from Hardy: ‘Because of AdvoCare, I have increased energy and better mental focus, and it has made me an all-around better athlete.’

As they say, stay tuned.

-- Lisa Dillman