Armstrong steps down

[swardboy]

Lance Armstrong has stepped down from the chairmanship of his LiveStrong organization. Has it been mused here that maybe Cheryl split because she knew he was a huge hypocrite?

[badger]

The recent report with all of his former teammates and everyone else pretty much ruined any credibility he had left. And he's been cast a gigantic jerk through all of this as well.

For awhile, I thought "Meh, so he out-cheats the sport filled with cheaters" or even "Cancer boy beat all the non-cancer riders at their own doping game!" but really, I'm through with that.

It's really too bad cycling has become such a druggie sport, because it's a fun sport to participate in and watch (we have an event up here in Tulsa called "Tulsa Tough" that brings all levels of riders in to crash and burn on Tulsa streets hehe).

But... for everyone that thought that sports would be find with drug use, so long as everyone had a level playing field of drug availability, this is what it ends up as --- a bunch of lying cheaters that have no credibility and no respect. :(

[Fraggle145]

Can anyone link the recent report?

[sooneron]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-armstrong-doping-20121012,0,4090858.story


Add to it, Nike dumped him rather unceremoniously...

http://deadspin.com/5952466/nike-dumps-lance-armstrong-in-the-smarmiest-way-possible

[BetterSoonerThanLater]

i say they make him compete at the next tour de france, but instead of shooting roids, he is req'd to shoot up heroin. if he wins the race, give him back all his ****.

[badger]

For fun and lulz. And maybe :(
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In a nutshell, cancer was his shield against criticism. Why wasn't he outed as a liar? Because cancer. How could he orchestrate so much doping within his sport? Because cancer. Why was anyone that ever questioned his accomplishments dismissed as a jealous critic? Because cancer.

[sooneron]

Since he's a cheating tool and all, can we now call him a dirty cheating whorn?

[StoopTroup]

If whatever he was using couldn't be found for 7 years....and all it did was increase the lungs use of getting oxygen to the bloodstream and it isn't anything that gives muscle mass or grows back his testicle or make him super human then the Olympics better start checking those Kenyans and Ethiopians for drugs. Plus we all still wonder how any Jamacian passes the drug testing for the Olympics or anything that requires a drug test.

I think he probably stumbled onto the drug when trying to save his life. If it one day becomes something that extended our lives or was a part of a cancer regimen that led to a cure.....would he still be a bad guy?

I think the French and Europeans he handed their *** to have been waiting for the day where they can hang Lance in a court of public opinion. I think it's amazing he survived all he did and competed at such a high level and if this couldn't be caught for years...what else are they missing?

This is just sour grapes and a part of a Witch Hunt that has gone on way to long. Everyone of those folks are doing something more than the everyday person.

[StoopTroup]

As someone that has had more than one Family Member that have fought and some lost the fight to Cancer, this quote really expresses my feelings about Lance and what he meant to many people who lost their battle as well as people who are still fighting such an ominous illness.


Whether or not he doped really doesn't matter. His legacy transcends the rules of the corrupt sport of cycling. He gave people something to believe in, and that's something no committee can take away from him.

http://espn.go.com/espnw/mobile/touch/commentary/8515384/lance-armstrong-tarnished-legacy

[badger]

I think he probably stumbled onto the drug when trying to save his life. If it one day becomes something that extended our lives or was a part of a cancer regimen that led to a cure.....would he still be a bad guy?

Troop, you may have found the one thing that can save Lance's legacy. And it would be a much bigger story than Lance overcoming cancer to win 7 le tours.


I think it's amazing he survived all he did and competed at such a high level and if this couldn't be caught for years...what else are they missing?
Much like Magic Johnson survived (and continued competing in the NBA) with AIDS, I think that what people that die from cancer and AIDS might be missing is... superhuman athletic ability, and the active, healthy lifestyle that goes along with it. I'm not saying that athletes with cancer and AIDs don't die from it, I'm saying that active, healthy athletes are much less likely to die quickly than, say, couch potatoes, the elderly, those that already have weakened immune systems from other illnesses, etc.

[FirstandGoal]

Troop, you may have found the one thing that can save Lance's legacy. And it would be a much bigger story than Lance overcoming cancer to win 7 le tours.


Much like Magic Johnson survived (and continued competing in the NBA) with AIDS, I think that what people that die from cancer and AIDS might be missing is... superhuman athletic ability, and the active, healthy lifestyle that goes along with it. I'm not saying that athletes with cancer and AIDs don't die from it, I'm saying that active, healthy athletes are much less likely to die quickly than, say, couch potatoes, the elderly, those that already have weakened immune systems from other illnesses, etc.

+1

I firmly believe that consistent exercise is one of the best preventatives (and cures from re-occurring) cancer. Exercise boosts mood with natural endorphins, boosts your immune system and in general keeps your body running more efficiently. In addition, people who exercise are more likely to have healthier diets, thus farther warding off disease. You don't have to be a gifted natural athlete with freakish abilities to get off the couch and take a few walks (and eventually runs) around the block or to pop in an exercise DVD and go to town on it. At the most, staying physically active will help prevent me from getting cancer again. At the worst..... well, at least I will look good at my funeral. :positive:

What I know about the sport of biking and doping in that sport could fill a thimble with enough room leftover for Diaz's playbook, so I hesitate to make a judgement call on whether or not what Armstrong did was to be criticized or not.

[StoopTroup]

Troop, you may have found the one thing that can save Lance's legacy. And it would be a much bigger story than Lance overcoming cancer to win 7 le tours.


Much like Magic Johnson survived (and continued competing in the NBA) with AIDS, I think that what people that die from cancer and AIDS might be missing is... superhuman athletic ability, and the active, healthy lifestyle that goes along with it. I'm not saying that athletes with cancer and AIDs don't die from it, I'm saying that active, healthy athletes are much less likely to die quickly than, say, couch potatoes, the elderly, those that already have weakened immune systems from other illnesses, etc.

Well....they damn sure don't stay active and healthy with Chemo running through a port in their chest. Also it's really much more than one thing. The notoriety he got came from the Tour and the Witch Hunt. Anyone that thinks that hunt was just a little thing that led to him becoming a cheat or a liar is really missing all the things he did along the way. They came at him the instant he won in once. He then continued to win. He didn't do that alone. He had a great Team behind him and allowing those smug POS that run the Tour to do this is a slap in the face. It's worse than anyone that believes he really had this huge advantage over the other riders. The big advantage was the Team he had. The larger problems he had was the fight he had against Cancer and juggling what the Doctors told him he needed to do and still be able to compete in the Tour that has allowed him to be such an inspiration to others who needed such a hero.

[jkjsooner]

I think he probably stumbled onto the drug when trying to save his life. If it one day becomes something that extended our lives or was a part of a cancer regimen that led to a cure.....would he still be a bad guy?

Yes, because he a lying cheater. There are plenty of PED's (including steriods) that have legitimate medical uses but that doesn't justify cheating and lying about it.

[jkjsooner]

Much like Magic Johnson survived (and continued competing in the NBA) with AIDS, I think that what people that die from cancer and AIDS might be missing is... superhuman athletic ability, and the active, healthy lifestyle that goes along with it. I'm not saying that athletes with cancer and AIDs don't die from it, I'm saying that active, healthy athletes are much less likely to die quickly than, say, couch potatoes, the elderly, those that already have weakened immune systems from other illnesses, etc.

That's such bullcrap. Magic Johnson played basketball long before the normal onset of AIDS symptons. Being HIV positive should have no impact on a person until in the onset of AIDS. Had it not been for the drugs that were developed soon after his diagnosis he would be dead now no matter how how healthy he tried to be.

As for Armstrong, his beating cancer probably had a lot more to do with the nature of his cancer than his healthy lifestyle. I'm not saying that being in shape and healthy won't help your odds a little but let's not overstate it. If you have a crappy form of fast growing cancer that doesn't respond to drugs you are going to die - world champion cyclist or not.

[StoopTroup]

Yes, because he a lying cheater. There are plenty of PED's (including steriods) that have legitimate medical uses but that doesn't justify cheating and lying about it.

Theory: Lance obviously doesn't need me piling on his back screaming at the top of my lungs that he's a lying cheater.

I'm out. You do what you want.

[badger]

I finally read this week's SI and it had an interesting article following this stuff up (fyi this morning, UCI stripped the 7 le tour titles from Lance) and said that the EPO might have actually not caused the cancer, but provoke the tumors.

I cannot find a link to the article, but I remember it citing that the treatment for cancer is to weaken the system... and performance enhancers pretty much do the opposite.

I really don't know what specifically each drug does that Lance allegedly took and ordered his teammates to also take at his drug doctor's orders and all of that, but it has been stated that he took performance enhancers before the onset of his cancer and that his cancer doctors wanted to know about EVERY supplement and drug he took, so that they could better understand how to save his life.

In any event, I don't think the performance enhancers cured his cancer... but if they helped the onset, that might help doctors finally find a cure.

[KantoSooner]

I find it hilarious that Armstrong was hunted for so long by so many government sponsored labs with massive investigative budgets and police powers and it still took them what, 20 years?, to finally crush him.
He pissed in bottles for half of ever and they never got him.
Dick Pound is an effing tool who lives in a world of gentlemen athletes that disappeared in the 1940's if it ever existed at all.

Now, years after retirement, USADA and others are finally able to find something.

They make the NCAA look fair, balanced and quick.

[badger]

I find it hilarious that Armstrong was hunted for so long by so many government sponsored labs with massive investigative budgets and police powers and it still took them what, 20 years?, to finally crush him.
He pissed in bottles for half of ever and they never got him.
Dick Pound is an effing tool who lives in a world of gentlemen athletes that disappeared in the 1940's if it ever existed at all.

Now, years after retirement, USADA and others are finally able to find something.

They make the NCAA look fair, balanced and quick.

They mentiond in that SI article that the EPO test took a lot of money and time to develop... but not nearly as long for Lance's doctor to find workaround methods... and really lame ones at that.

Vegetable oil with EPO apparently masks it in minutes. Or, the easiest test-avoidance of them all-- pretend you're not home. Apparently college athletes do this a lot. If you get an early AM call, some grunt in the AD office will say "You have been randomly selected for a drug test. If you are not here in an hour you fail." If they don't answer, they call the next one and keep trying till they reach someone.

[KantoSooner]

My personal read is that Pound and the others on the enforcement side are:


a) Wannabes who were never good enough to be athletes themselves. It somehow makes them less humiliated if they can tear down athletes who have succeeded.

b) eternally butthurt that these, these, these.....sportsmen are making beaucoup dollars for playing games. Why, they're making more money than people wearing suits, working in offices, like NCAA/USADA officials.

Little people.

[stoops the eternal pimp]

I finally read this week's SI and it had an interesting article following this stuff up (fyi this morning, UCI stripped the 7 le tour titles from Lance) and said that the EPO might have actually not caused the cancer, but provoke the tumors.

I cannot find a link to the article, but I remember it citing that the treatment for cancer is to weaken the system... and performance enhancers pretty much do the opposite.

I really don't know what specifically each drug does that Lance allegedly took and ordered his teammates to also take at his drug doctor's orders and all of that, but it has been stated that he took performance enhancers before the onset of his cancer and that his cancer doctors wanted to know about EVERY supplement and drug he took, so that they could better understand how to save his life.

In any event, I don't think the performance enhancers cured his cancer... but if they helped the onset, that might help doctors finally find a cure.

I've thought for years that if he was taken stuff, that it probably is what caused the cancer or helped it grow..Looking at the guys who have passed on and the types of cancers they died from/survived.

Whatever the case, may he live a long life.

[8timechamps]

When this whole thing became front page news, I leaned toward the "they're just on a witch hunt" camp. I figured that everyone in the sport was doping, and they just wanted Armstrong to go down. Now, the more I've really paid attention to it, the more I realize that Armstrong was a master manipulator. A liar. A cheater.

The LiveStrong foundation has done a tremendous amount of good over the years, and I think it will continue to do good for many. That doesn't change the way I now feel about Lance Armstrong though.

As for why professional athletes live longer with illnesses that cause the average person death; I think that can almost single-handedly be attributed to one thing: money. Magic Johnson didn't "beat" AIDS because he was an amazing athlete, he beat AIDS because he had piles of cash to pay for the best doctors, the best treatment and (above all else) the best drugs. The AIDS death rate has dropped significantly over the years, because folks have been able to access the kind of medicine they weren't able to access 15 or 20 years ago. Magic could afford to do anything and everything to save his life. I'm sure being in great physical shape helped, but there were many, many folks that died of AIDS that were in great physical shape otherwise.

[sooneron]

Well, seeing as how he pretty much tore down EVERYONE that ever suspected him of cheating (law suits for libel etc.). He's a ****ing tool. I'm starting to think that Livestrong was a cover up that he used to shield himself and appear holier than thou...

[C&CDean]

He's a ****ing whorn. Clemens is a ****ing whorn. WTF do you people expect? Truth? Righteousness?

THEY'RE ****ING WHORNS PEOPLE!!11!!!!!

[badger]

I still think everything I've previously posted on the subject, but as far as the Oprah interview stuff goes, they both could use each other right about now, so good on them for helping each other out. Oprah needs ratings badly, and Lance needs some positive press.

[badger]

He's a ****ing whorn. Clemens is a ****ing whorn. WTF do you people expect? Truth? Righteousness?

THEY'RE ****ING WHORNS PEOPLE!!11!!!!!

Dean makes a solid argument.

[diverdog]

I still think everything I've previously posted on the subject, but as far as the Oprah interview stuff goes, they both could use each other right about now, so good on them for helping each other out. Oprah needs ratings badly, and Lance needs some positive press.

Lance is an ******* pure and simple. Shame on me for thinking he changed after he survived cancer.

I hope when it is all said and done he is penniless. He can go to hell for all I am concerned.

[SicEmBaylor]

The recent report with all of his former teammates and everyone else pretty much ruined any credibility he had left. And he's been cast a gigantic jerk through all of this as well.

For awhile, I thought "Meh, so he out-cheats the sport filled with cheaters" or even "Cancer boy beat all the non-cancer riders at their own doping game!" but really, I'm through with that.

It's really too bad cycling has become such a druggie sport, because it's a fun sport to participate in and watch (we have an event up here in Tulsa called "Tulsa Tough" that brings all levels of riders in to crash and burn on Tulsa streets hehe).

But... for everyone that thought that sports would be find with drug use, so long as everyone had a level playing field of drug availability, this is what it ends up as --- a bunch of lying cheaters that have no credibility and no respect. :(
No it isn't.

[sooneron]

I still think everything I've previously posted on the subject, but as far as the Oprah interview stuff goes, they both could use each other right about now, so good on them for helping each other out. Oprah needs ratings badly, and Lance needs some positive press.

I must have missed the positive part. I hope that everyone that he sued comes after his *** and sues him PLUS damages, legal costs from the previous litigation etc. Take this dbag to the cleaners.

[8timechamps]

No it isn't.

Couldn't agree more.


The last time I enjoyed riding a bike, my biggest concern in life was which flavor of bubble gum I wanted.

[BajaOklahoma]

Lance went to the same high school that my kids went to, but he was furious that they won't bend the rules so he could compete during high school. He dropped out and has nothing nice to say about his "hometown." Good for us.

An interesting interview on the Dallas news tonight, one of the reporters asked about any link between doping and testicular cancer. I have no idea who was the expert was, but she stated there was more than just a link, there was a cause and effect. Basically his was doping way before he testicular cancer and the doping caused the cancer....

The Foundation has done a lot of good for cancer patients. And the money raised really does go where it is supposed to go.
But I am in the camp that thinks he did this to deflect bad press. He was not particularly nice to the employees.

[Breadburner]

Live strong....Suckers.....!!!!

[Breadburner]

He finally had the ball to come clean.....

[badger]

I must have missed the positive part. I hope that everyone that he sued comes after his *** and sues him PLUS damages, legal costs from the previous litigation etc. Take this dbag to the cleaners.
Oprah is not going to be repeating the words "the lie. the lie" to him like she did with "A Million Little Pieces" author. She is going to let him cry it out on television to get her ratings up. It might make some people feel sorry for him. I'm sure that's the angle he's going for, the "I'm a victim too" a la Bernie Madoff.

[sooneron]

Ahhhhhhh.



Nah!

[picasso]

Yo dat **** is dope yo!