Tizz

I forgot to thank you for picking this thread to revive out of some of the Lance discussions. It was a real pleasure to reread Brian's interview. I should have answered your post directly especially since it lets me release some of the pent up anxiety over my MRI in rhetoric.
Lance is a pathetic fool not to have followed his attorneys' advice to just keep repeating: [quote]I've never failed a drug test, never, not once. that is an undisputed fact. Sure, lots of people are saying lots of things, but people say lots of things, not all of them true. so were all the official tests worthless?[/quote] It was good enough to get the Dept of Justice to drop criminal prosecution entirely. No sense in admitting anything now, especially with the deadline for the Dept of Justice joining the civil whistleblower suit again Lance being over this Thursday.
If I had been his attorney, there would have been full page ads in all the major newspapers reading something like:
[quote]You are pulled over for drunk driving. You pass the breathalyzer, the counting, the walking, the blood level, every test. Would you expect the police to arrest you because somebody said they thought you were drunk? Well, that's exactly what the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency is doing to Lance Armstrong. The facts speak the truth, not the liars suing Lance. Ask yourself if this is fair[/quote]
But then, my agency nickname in litigation was "Mad-dog"
Charm

Eric

Thanks, but the New York Post's cover gave me a run for the money: LieStrong

Everbody reading this. Go to the first post and read the interview with Brian Hill ten years ago if you have not already.
The contrast between his integrity and Lance's is striking.
Brian does not pretend to be what he is not.
Charm
Charm

Good points, Charm. My admiration for Brian is and ever will be total. I was dismayed to learn about Lance as he too had been a kind of hero to me, both for his athletic prowess as well as his work off the bike. Of course, Livestrong is still there and I hope they continue their work.

I do not excuse his lying. I don't condone the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports... but it's not exactly a black and white situation. You can say things like steroids and EPO are bad. What about baseball players who use Adderall and the like, whether they have a legitimate medical reason or not? And that's only what I've read about.

One mitigating factor in the whole Lance business - and I'm not saying this excuses anything, merely stating what I believe to be the case - is that from everything I've heard the use of these substances was pretty widespread until recently. I hope it's no longer the case but I don't know that. I mention this only in the context of Lance's Tour victories, which I think need also to be considered within this context, i.e. that in a weird sense he was in fact competing on a level playing field, so to speak.

Again, that does not excuse any of it. Merely an observation.

Finally, I do take good-hearted exception to your opinion, Charm, of pro cycling. Disclaimer: I own a bicycle which I ride infrequently, and slowly. (I'm more of a hiker) I think those guys are among the greatest athletes on the planet. Riding 100+ miles a day for more than 3 weeks, as they do in the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia or the Vuelta de Espana, is mind-boggling enough. Doing it at rates of speed that amateurs can only dream of, and up and down mountains, is astonishing.

And those comments, plus $4.95, will get you a small coffee at Starbucks. Thus I endeth. (except to say that if I were ever to find myself in trouble with the law I sure wish I could get you to represent me, Charm)

I am thrilled to read the interview with Brian Hill from 2002. Wow - 10 years ago. It is certainly reassuring to know that HEROS ARE REAL!!

David2: I don't know if you remember our previous discussion - when I said I didn't want to believe that Lance was guilty. Doing so would be such a disappointment - just like finding out the Easter Bunny wasn't real.

Despite whatever comes out in this Armstrong interview-I am the keeper of the faith in MY HEROS and of course, said Easter Bunny.

Donna

Here's the thing that really matters re Lance Armstrong - not only did he lie and do something illegal, he also intimidated other people in order to keep his lies secret, and sued many many people for them telling the truth. Some of these folks were ruined by his retaliation. And, after watching the Oprah interview, I don't think he's sorry about this one bit. Sad turn of events for someone that so many looked up to as a true hero....

Before considering the "ad populum" argument (everybody else is doing it so it must be ok) it would be wise make sure and have a sound exit plan. Everybody doing something does not make it right or legal or prudent. With social media, it's getting harder to keep anything private anymore.

Back to Brian's interview - amazing.. thank you for sharing.

Donna, yes I remember. I never thought it would come to this.

Me - agreed. It's a sad day for all of us who looked up to him.

Anne-Marie - also agreed. Doing what others are doing, if it's wrong, is never an excuse. My initial point was not about the morality of the issue but only the actual physical benefit Lance and all those other racers accrued, which I believed might have leveled the field. Although the more I read the more I realize that his sophistication, medically speaking, probably gave him a greater advantage even so.

I'm on the fence about whether or not to cut off the yellow wristband I've been wearing for nearly 4 years. At the moment I'm keeping it as a personal reminder having nothing to do with Lance. And, of course, acknowledging that Livestrong is still viable and helping people and should continue to. I can certainly understand others removing theirs though.

The whole thing is a tragedy. I don't hold sports figures up as heroes, nor politicians. I tend to reserve that title for people like nurses, teachers, people who feed the poor, firefighters and suchlike. But Lance was different, and of course personal for me as for so many of you based on what he overcame as well as what he did to further the cause.

I'm putting it behind me. I hope.

Interesting thing my husband had me google last night. . . I was shocked at the number of wrestlers who died at such young ages, often with heart trouble and drugs issues.


http://www.hollywoodmemoir.com/wrestlers-dead-wwe-wwf


http://prowrestling.about.com/od/whatsrealwhatsfake/a/wrestlersdeaths.htm