Lance Armstrong....

Why.... why.... why..... Lance??

Its one thing to be a serial cheat and still create one of the all time great sporting legends. Its one thing to do amazing work in raising awareness of cancer treatment and the lifelong possibilities for survivors. It is one thing to create a personal brand that is identifiable by almost everyone in the English speaking world. But to trash it all by confessing on Oprah.. good god man what were you thinking? Why not just a nice quiet press conference on the lawn of the White House? or a photo op with starving orphans in Africa? Oprah?? Oprah?!?..... [shakes head turns and mumbles incoherently, wanders into murky sunset]

The man has another reason besides relieving his conscience, I think he's been a fool , but that's just me.

vk4

she offered more than anyone else....

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Originally Posted by MatMann

she offered more than anyone else....

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Matt

I am not privy to Armstrong's financial situation, but I expect it is significantly diminished compared to previous times. I suspect you have hit the nail on the head with the payment aspect.

He has gone down midst a flurry of greenbacks. By denouncing himself on Oprah's high profile programme he may also hope to scrape together some credibility, a bit like Nixon after Watergate where he continued to give speeches around the world, almost as if nothing had ever happened.

I think the Americans thrive on this perhaps more than any.

Regards
Paul

...I've finally achieved one of my lifes goals..

...To have as many tour de france wins as Lance Armstrong...:)

I think he went on Oprah knowing he would get a sympathetic hearing.

To me he represents the worst of a bad era in the sport and he is no longer relevant. Personally, I'd rather no one talk about or to him and let the sport move on. It's been proven that he was a drug cheat, he had his chances to come clean and he didn't take them.

Don't get too excited yet. The man is the master of manipulation and he is not going to admit anything that matters. This guy can start a cult if he wants to. Just look at how many supporters are willing to to defend him.

Wonder how true this article actually is :rolleyes:

To me he will always be fool and a charlatan. He's only coming clean because it's purely self serving, nothing else. He should be banned from making money from this and I hope the fallout will hit him in the face (preferably a tonne of dog tur.ds).

When LA said enough is enough and chose not to contest charges. He said he wanted more time to fight cancer. When he finally got more time to fight cancer he stepped down as chairman of his charity.

LA is cunning and he knows how to play his "fight cancer" card very well. Will we see it one more time on Friday?

It's all about his next career.

Cheers Michael

Perhaps they have cycling races in the Pen. Plenty of drugs available.

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Originally Posted by Homeleigh

Perhaps they have cycling races in the Pen. Plenty of drugs available.

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:D. I'm not sure the drugs he took are illegal substances, just banned for sports athletes. Perhaps somebody else could confirm this. An example is that you can take the roids, but you can't compete in anything; A little self-defeating really.

Regards
Paul

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Originally Posted by Bushmiller

:D. I'm not sure the drugs he took are illegal substances, just banned for sports athletes. ..

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From the Australian Institute of Criminology website...

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The possession, use and supply of steroids, other than by prescription from a medical practitioner, dentist or veterinarian is illegal throughout Australia as is unauthorised importation.

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link to page here

Thanks Corbs

My example was not a good one (in many regards). They are apparently so easily available I had assumed they were legal.

Regards
Paul

I think there must be plenty of ways to cheat using edge of the law or legal substances as well. Caffiene, blood replacements and hyperbaric chambers come to mind. Im also sure that there is a leading edge of science that drips into professional athletic performance and the authorities are perpetually playing a catch up game. It is well known the various militarys all have research going on to optimise human performance. I think its cheating when it is not evenly available, think the shark skin swimming suits, aluminium bats or some of the more advanced cycle designs. The very nature of competitive sport is to gain an advantage over your opponent. In professional sport winning is everything.

I guess my original point is that yet again a public figure heads off into the sunset after purporting to be someone they are not. He is not the first nor will he be the last. He joins thousands of politicians, sports people, business people, authors, religious leaders, artists, etc, etc who are increasingly getting caught out. Lance plays a very sophisticated media game, that is for sure. But as for me, well fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Im rapidly running out of heroes.

Now to the sport news. Lance Armstrong has won his 7th triathlon world title at the age of 49.....

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

At least he had the ball to confess. :D

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Originally Posted by Koala-Man

At least he had the ball to confess. :D

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Don't see it like that. He had a career in which he abused anyone who suggested he might have used unethical practices. Confessing after the fact of being absolutely exposed as a cheat is hardly a demonstration of balls especially if there is money in it.

To be played at ear splitting volume....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6yTRq_rJg4

First thing first

Yes, Lance dopedOprah says the agreement was "no conditions". Straight to doping question. Lance answers:

Yes.

Did he use EPO?

Yes.

Did he use other banned substances like steroids?

Yes.

Did he use PEDs in all seven of the Tour de France victories?

Yes.

OK, so we've hit the ground running … Armstrong says he lived a lie.

It was a perfect, mythic story. And it wasn't true.



OWN - Oprah and Lance Armstrong: The Worldwide Exclusive

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Originally Posted by jimbur

Don't see it like that. He had a career in which he abused anyone who suggested he might have used unethical practices. Confessing after the fact of being absolutely exposed as a cheat is hardly a demonstration of balls especially if there is money in it.

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Jim, I think you will find that Koala's reference was the punchline to a joke. There's only one lolly in his lollybag :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by corbs

Jim, I think you will find that Koala's reference was the punchline to a joke. There's only one lolly in his lollybag :rolleyes:

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Lol. So used to typos I didn't take any notice.:B

Hmmm the man is not broken.

"I am sorry mum but everyone else did it too."

How can can you knock poor old Lance,at least his always positive! :D

So part 1 is done but I am not sure what I got out of it. I suspect that LA is sending a secret message to his followers. :D

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Originally Posted by jimbur

Don't see it like that. He had a career in which he abused anyone who suggested he might have used unethical practices. Confessing after the fact of being absolutely exposed as a cheat is hardly a demonstration of balls especially if there is money in it.

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Whoosh!, that one went right over your head. :)

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Originally Posted by snowyskiesau

Whoosh!, that one went right over your head. :)

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Did it ever.:U

Crikey

Leave the poor guy alone. Besides lying, cheating, abusing, bullying, terrorising, and being a general tanker, what has he done wrong. Absolutely almost nothing.

Yeah - sure - he could have come clean earlier - but that was obviously against character - and character is one thing he proved he hasn't got.

Every chance he had to come clean was interrupted by accusations from friends and foes alike, and then he had to see his lawyers for litigation advice. When did he have the chance to speak?

Remember - Winning is everything - Just do it - second place is the first loser. Sure he gave away a little integrity- but he's got heaps left - hasn't he?

Guess he will get charged with drug pedalling now :doh:

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Originally Posted by MatMann

she offered more than anyone else....

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Armstrong wasnt paid for the Oprah interview.

LA cheated and screwed around alot of people but the way people go on you'd think he was the only pro cyclist who's doped? Even all time heroes such as Eddy Merckx have been caught doping (3 positive tests in the 60's/70's in Eddies case) long before Armstrong appeared on the scene. The Armstrong case is just a small part of a bigger picture.

When the UCI decided to strip Armstrong of his 7 TdeF titles has anyone asked why the yellow jersey wasnt awarded to any of the runners up? Its because all the runners up (eg Contador) have also been busted for doping.

Look if he wins a couple of TDF and quietly go away then he would probably get away with it. But to do it 7 times and screw everyone against him makes him a well deserved No. 1 target.

Your "Everyone cheats" argument is a bit out dated. Can you tell me for sure that there is no one honest rider on the TDF? No ever one? The truth is he is the worst of the cheats, so why wouldn't they go after him. You catch the big fish first then worry about the small ones later. Isn't that logical?

And please don't use the term hero so lightly. Superman and spiderman are heroes, not Lance Armstrong.

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Originally Posted by Wongo

Look if he wins a couple of TDF and quietly go away then he would probably get away with it. But to do it 7 times and screw everyone against him makes him a well deserved No. 1 target.

Your "Everyone cheats" argument is a bit out dated. Can you tell me for sure that there is no one honest rider on the TDF? No ever one? The truth is he is the worst of the cheats, so why wouldn't they go after him. You catch the big fish first then worry about the small ones later. Isn't that logical?

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Agree with you 100% but youre missing my message....LA is just part of a bigger problem within the pro cycling game.

Call me a cynic but busting Armstrong wont result in the huge changes everyone is talking about. Tonight on the Channel 9 news we hear of some riders in the Tour Down Under refusing to comment on the LA/Oprah interview for fear of being chucked out of their teams (its called bullying in some circles). Its obvious their team managers have threatened them with expulsion if they talk about pro cycling's biggest problem. How can you hope to deal with doping within the ranks of pro cycling if people arent being permitted to talk about the problem??

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Originally Posted by Wongo

And please don't use the term hero so lightly. Superman and spiderman are heroes, not Lance Armstrong.

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I was actually referring to Eddie Merckx as a hero not LA.

still not a hero ....heros put their lives at risk to save others not play sport and win.:((

Pete

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Originally Posted by kiwigeo

I was actually referring to Eddie Merckx as a hero not LA.

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Understand. I do not know much about him but I can guess that he was a bike rider.

The Opra interview was pathetic. LA did not answer the pathetic questions put to him fully. He did not apologise to those genuine riders he cheated out of finishes.Oprah asked questions that included the answers.The whole exercise was pathetic. When he fronts up to answer questions on oath to a responsible body then we might find out the true story.Two losers competing for ratings........

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Originally Posted by Homeleigh

The Opra interview was pathetic. LA did not answer the pathetic questions put to him fully. He did not apologise to those genuine riders he cheated out of finishes.Oprah asked questions that included the answers.The whole exercise was pathetic. When he fronts up to answer questions on oath to a responsible body then we might find out the true story.Two losers competing for ratings........

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He said very little in the interview and it meant even less.

I would be genuinely interested to hear the whole story. How everything worked, including how the UCI comes into it. I don't think we ever really will though. Too many of the same people are still in charge.