So, Lance Armstrong

[kyoukan]

Lance is finally coming out and saying that he doped basically his entire career. What a sad sideshow cycling has become.

What's worse is all shit that Armstrong has done over the course of his career to protect himself. Ruining the careers and lives of multiple people forced to testify against him at hearings. Publically disrespecting them and calling them names and blackballing them in the cycling world. Using his believers against people who had no choice but to tell the truth about what they knew. I can hardly think of a bigger betrayal in history. There was a pretty big part of me that wanted to believe he never used drugs. My father in law, who is a cancer survivor, absolutely worshiped the guy. He would defend him to anyone who'd bring it up on account of his Livestrong bracelet. Seeing him yesterday broke my heart. He is one of the most powerful men I know and he couldn't even look anyone in the eye.

When he came back from his health problems he was determined to live a healthier lifestyle because of what he read about Lance. He's lost 150 lbs and, in his late sixties, he can run and go riding on his bike and keep up with his grand kids all day long. You could argue that even if he changed his lifestyle out of false pretenses, it is great that he did it regardless of the motivations. But to find out your inspiration is nothing but a huge fucking fraud really did a number on his morale. Plus, he's donated over a million dollars to Livestrong in the last few years and you can't even write that shit off in Canada.

So this is a thread about how there are no heroes left in the world.

[Zaelath]

So Lance was the best doper in a sport full of dopers (http://www.vice.com/read/so-wait-who-ac ... nce-titles), most of the people he beat have admitted doping. The only shock is that people are shocked.

To me it's very similar to the Jimmy Savile story, except that I don't give a damn about sports doping, where as Savile should be disinterred, his corpse defiled, cremated and his ashes scattered in a piggery effluent pit. But again, all these people who knew him acting shocked is beyond a joke.

[Kilmoll the Sexy]

It is the only post you have ever made that I can agree with.

the only real upside to the entire mess is that by cheating he built the Livestrong organization. I am sure it will take a huge hit now, but I am not sure that people should consider their money donated to it as wasted or fraudulent. the guy DID beat cancer and even with blood doping, he was able to beat every other blood doper out there in what could only be described as a hellishly grueling bike race.

On a personal level, the man himself is despicable for his dealings with the people he crushed in the coverups.

[Winnow]

Suicide watch for Noel.

It's hard to believe in or put your trust in sports figures or any prominent figures (celebrity/sports/politician) for that matter.

Lance Armstrong happened to be in a sport that pretty much required blood doping in order to be competitive. If it weren't for the donations part, it wouldn't be such a bad thing but since that was involved and he also screwed over team mates, he's more of a unique case. He managed to motivate people to live better. He would have been a martyr if he died a year ago. I couldn't stand those copycat bracelets for all manner of ailments that popped up on politician's hands that just wanted to be part of a cause or gain a vote.

Tiger Woods is a prime example of a fallen "hero". He was unquestionably the #1 sports figure in the world for several years. Even not being a golf fan, I was in awe of his career. I'm not going to be judgmental on his personal life but it obviously screwed up his professional life. Unlike Lance, he still has a chance to redeem himself.

As for baseball and steroids. Professional baseball was at it's most entertaining when everyone was roided up, the bats were corked, and the baseballs wound up tight. I don't give a shit if they were sticking needles in themselves. Looking forward, they should probably cork the bats and keep the baseballs wound tight to make the sport more entertaining. To hell with the purists.

I really don't care if everyone in cycling was/is doping. Armstrong sucks because he used his cancer struggles to gain sympathy. It's not his fault he had cancer in a sport that requires cheating in order to be a factor. He'd be long forgotten if he placed in the middle of the pack.

I guess it comes down to whether it would have been better if Lance Armstrong never existed (faded from the scene after getting cancer) or if he made a difference in people's lives even if he did cheat along with the rest of his sport.

[Leonaerd]

So this is a thread about how there are no heroes left in the world.

Elizabeth Warren is my big hope.

[Canelek]

Next irrelavent sport up: tennis.

I wish I could find my lovely MSPaint picture of Lance selling drugs to children years ago...

Even the biggest piece of shit can do some good in the world, apparently. I hope Livestrong chugs along (sans fad-bracelet), while Lance gets fucked over by all the people he fucked over on his way to the top.

[Funkmasterr]

It's sad to hear stories like you told about your father in law, and it's sad that Armstrong fucked so many people on his way to the top.

Other than that, who gives a fuck? I dont care if he was caught on video snorting coke off a dudes ass while another pounds his. Who.fucking.cares. At this point I have a hard time believing any athlete that's performed well in any sport in the last 20 years didn't use some kind of performance enhancing drug to get there. And frankly, society (namely Americans) can thank themselves for that. We want our players to be the best, and at the level these people are competing at the only way to do that is to fucking juice. I guess just put that at the end of the long list of things Americans have shit on.

[Aabidano]

Dennis Rodman said something like : I'm not your Dad, I'm not a role model, I'm a figment of your imagination.

Hope all the people that idolized/looked up to him bounce back, would think so.

He was a doper in a sport filled with them, it was that or quit. Shafting the people he did was pretty despicable; but again, completely inline with the culture he was involved in and sadly our litigious society in general.

**Edit - I'd put money that before Oprah he made sure to set himself up legally to avoid much personal impact, the interview could well be part of that legal strategy.

[Bojangels]

I heard that he's going to rat out other people who were doping. To me, that's the worst part. Sport is going to be reeling for a while from this I bet.

[kyoukan]

No lawyer in the world would have advised him to admit to doping.

[Spang]

[Sylvus]

No lawyer in the world would have advised him to admit to doping.

From everything I had heard, this admission was timed nicely to fall outside of the statute of limitations, and there's no chance that he can face criminal charges for perjury or anything like that.

That said, he's wide open for civil lawsuits.

[Leonaerd]

And I'm sure his next book will sell well.

Honestly, I would dope, lie about it, and rake in the fame... sooner than be a second-tier cyclist. Lance will be fine.

[Boogahz]

funny, but not true. Apparently an employee put it up as a joke and didn't expect it to be such a "hit"

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/01/21/aus ... n-section/

[Aabidano]

That said, he's wide open for civil lawsuits.

Which is where the Tammy Fay tears may help him? Civil suits are a show more than a criminal proceeding?

[Bubba Grizz]

If I cared about cycling I'd probably care more. He's banging Sheryl Crow! People should worship him just for that.

[Aabidano]

If I cared about cycling I'd probably care more. He's banging Sheryl Crow! People should worship him just for that.

I ride a lot but couldn't give two shits about him or any other professional athlete (TV personality, etc...) who I don't know personally for that matter.

[Winnow]

I care for Kim Dotcom. If he ever got liposuction, I'd pay it's weight in gold for a vial of his fat.

A Canadian was ripped off by an American. What's new? Charge more for maple syrup or something to make it up.

[Canelek]

Wrong thread, or just lonely?

[Boogahz]

might as well stalk the stalker

[masteen]

We should just allow all the roids and shit in every pro sport. There's nothing natural about engineered diets to support 10 hours of daily training, so why draw the line there? Juice up, get huge and face off against other juiced roid monsters for my entertainment.

[Leonaerd]

A lot of people would agree with that, but then you have to draw a new line: Should / will college athletes dope? High school?

[Zaelath]

These kinda debates bring out the libertarian side of me; let 'em do what they want.

And the corollary; if they're stupid enough to kill themselves, society can't stop them.

[Fairweather Pure]

If I cared about cycling I'd probably care more. He's banging Sheryl Crow! People should worship him just for that.

They broke up years ago dude.

I'm with you though. I'd rather watch women's curling over dudes riding bicycles. It's always sad to see a role model fall so hard though. I understand a lot of people really looked up to him as an inspiration. That's gotta sting.

He needs to go down hard for all the pain and suffering he has caused as well as the money he has gotten unfairly. At the very least he should be broke as fuck when all this is over. At most he should be serving time for fraud, slander, and sued to high hell by everyone he shit on.

[Jice Virago]

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-o ... animal-sex

The part on Armstrong pretty much sums up my entire feelings on the matter.

[masteen]

A lot of people would agree with that, but then you have to draw a new line: Should / will college athletes dope? High school?

College? Fuck yeah, that's the prime juicing years. High school? Not so much.

[Leonaerd]

But high school is where scholarships are earned. Prime years for doping.

[Aabidano]

I have to say - curling kicks ass. What other sport can participants sit around, eat and drink beer while playing and have it not be much of an interruption? Maybe pool?, card games and gambling in general don't count as sports (IMO).

Teens/college students doping? No, not a good idea given everything else happening at that period. Plus they aren't all that rational as it it stands. Adults in most pro sports? I'd say no again but for other reasons.

*Suspect people prior to their mid-20s don't have their mental game solid enough to fully benefit from roids, etc.. May make a difference but not as much as it would later and long term use is a bad idea in general.

**Was acquainted with some St.Louis Blues & Cardinal players as a kid, likely why I've always just thought of sports figures as people doing something for a living.

[Leonaerd]

Many would sacrifice development for a scholarship... it feels inevitable.

[Spang]

A person still has to have talent.

[Leonaerd]

No shit.

[Aabidano]

I know a couple guys who did a season or two of pro ball and washed out as ~70% do. The one who left college early to do so is a janitor at the high school we both attended. Given the area it likely pays $45-50k but....

[Leonaerd]

Time to find a janitorial arts career.

[Aabidano]

Cheat to win bracelet:
http://store.theonion.com/p-5045-cheat- ... celet.aspx