Lance Armstrong was found guilty of doping by the USADA and subsequently strippped of his seven Tour de France titles. Armstrong decided not to fight the charge.
A lot of people asked why an athlete who fought against all odds – facing and overcoming testicular cancer that had metastasized to his brain and lungs – not fight the charge. To see what we thought was hard work following the intensive brain and testicular surgery, followed by brutal chemotherapy go to waste because Armstrong simply stopped fighting.
It’s easy for me to see why Armstrong did not fight for his name and his titles: it’s because he was guilty of using performance enhancing drugs and knew it.
Look, if I was falsely accused of something, my ass would be screaming from the rooftops. I’d be looking to sue the mother(lover) who made those accusations and the company who produced the piece of paper it was printed on. Simply put, I would never allow anyone to sully my name and reputation.
But after years of saying that he was the most drug-tested athlete in the world and challenging people who claimed he was a cheat, Armstrong curiously chose to walk away.
Maybe it’s because he was weary of having to defend himself? Maybe he just wanted to finally be at peace with himself by living off of his foundation and the earnings he had accumulated over the years? Maybe after years of denying PED use he was finally cleared of his conscience in not fighting the charges?
I’ll say this: none of that should impact what he has done in his fight for cancer with his foundation Livestrong. He and his foundation has been providing hope and inspiration for cancer patients for the last few years, and should be commended for doing so. As a dude who lost extended family members and childhood friends to cancer, I will always hold Armstrong in high regard because of that alone.
So forgive me for being conflicted as to how I should view Lance Armstrong. Should I see him for the lying-ass cheat that he is after years of denying any PED use? Or should I see him as a flawed athlete who used his cred to give cancer patients/survivors and their families hope in the fight against cancer?
My mind will be vacillating over that in the foreseeable future.
Categories: sports story
Did you know that Sidi Ergo makes a 3 Vent Carbon Cycling shoe that retails at $419? How come you aren’t up in arms and demanding that they reduce their price?
I think you’re making a mistake by presuming Armstrong’s guilt just because he refuses to fight. The USADA can throw nearly unlimited resources into a trial. Lance would have to fight back by digging into his own pocket. I wouldn’t do it either.
They tested him repeatedly and couldn’t catch him. Dems the breaks. Now that he’s retired, he should be left alone.
Well, since I do not keep up with cycling lil that, I didn’t know dude sold $400 shoes. Now that I know he does, he should b tarred and feathered for that. Plus let’s face it: no one gives two damns about cycling as much as basketball
So, you want to tar and feather everyone associated with selling shoes that cost over $300? You’re going to go broke buying tar and there will be a lot of bald birds flying around DC!
Again, I ask, what should the price limit be and who should set it?
Dear USADA,
Congratulations……….All of you people there at the USADA have proved with your witch hunt of Lance Armstrong that you ALL are on the same playing field of some of the most despicable people on Earth……..right up there with the freaks at the Topeka, KS Westboro Church that picket soldiers funerals…..
You people with your “Holier than Thou” attitude do NOTHING to inspire or lift people up as Lance Armstrong does…….you only exist to tear people down, which not only makes you all the worst kind of people, but makes you complete losers……and losers always hate people better than themselves…..that’s why they are losers and will always be losers……and you people are major LOSERS…….
Lance Armstrong passed ALL the tests (nearly 500 of them in his career and many that were random) and still you persisted because you could not stand the fact that he was just a better athlete that all the rest……..I would expect that you will soon be going after Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps and most likely will be opening cases against Jim Thorpe, Jesse Owens, and Michael Jordan so you losers can feel like you have anything to do worth while…………
There is NOT a Rath or Punishment severe enough to impose on all of you there at the USADA that you ALL deserve more than anyone I can think of for what you have done to Lance Armstrong, His Family, and to the millions of people around the world that his story and achievements have inspired and given strength to overcome against all odds……..You will all get yours in this life or the next……
Most discusted,
Blake Norris
Las Vegas, NV
Reblogged this on The Klown Times and commented:
With the news of Lance Armstrong admitting to doping during a TV interview with Oprah, it saddens me that I once believed in Armstrong. I guess I have to accept him for the cheat he is…