Same old Lance Armstrong story

[Summer]

Slowly but surely, the trap is closing:

Cathal Kelly (Toronto Star) on the latest Lance Armstrong P.E.D. accusations.

Maybe Lance Armstrong was just born at the wrong time.
If he’d born in, say, 450 B.C., he could’ve spent his time hanging around Athens, denying things exist, and picking up a lot of tutoring work.
“Prove to me that’s a rock,” Athenian Armstrong would tell people.
“Well, I’m holding it. It’s heavy. It’s made of stone. When I smack it into my forehead, it hurts. Yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s a rock, Armstrong.”
“Well, I’m not convinced at all,” Armstrong could say. “What makes you a reliable source on rocks? Have you tested how heavy it is? And where are these tests now? Whose lab did the test? Aristotle’s?! Nobody believes anything that guy says. And besides, he’s had a bone to pick with me for years – he’s European!”
It used to be that in sport, as in life, people felt embarrassed when they were caught red-handed. Rather than make themselves look more foolish, they admitted what they’d done. Failure to do so put you either in the ranks of toddlers or the criminally insane.
Used to be that way.
Then a whole lot of money and prestige got poured into the mix. And now, nobody can ever admit anything. Ask Roger Clemens if that’s his nose is in the middle of his face, and he’ll you you’re wrong and that his foot has nostrils.
For what seems like about the dozenth time, someone has provided fairly compelling journalistic evidence that at some point during his remarkable cycling career, Lance Armstrong took performance-enhancing drugs.
This shouldn’t be too alarming, since based on several high-profile European trials, just about everyone in the sport used to take drugs. But since competitive cycling really comes down to just one thing – endurance – it’s an especially galling sin.
Armstrong is already the focus of a grand jury inquiry in Los Angeles. The hounds, it seems, have caught the scent.
Maybe the latest investigative report in Sports Illustrated will give Armstrong pause.
In an issue on newsstands today, SI reporters Selena Roberts and David Epstein – the pair who put the finger on Alex Rodriguez – allege that Armstrong not only took drugs like EPO throughout his career, but was a PED ringleader on his teams.
One of the primary sources is defrocked American Tour de France winner Floyd Landis. Landis had a bad case of the “No, No, No”s, until his quixotic fight against disqualification ran out of money. Then he admitted everything and threw his former teammate, Armstrong, under the bus.
In the article, Landis recalls that Armstrong liked to use private jets for travel because the security was lighter. His vials and his needles could be explained away.
The article suggests that Armstrong received special treatment at a UCLA drug lab, where the outsized testosterone-epitestosterone levels in his blood samples were either ignored or explained away.
One of Armstrong’s former Motorola teammates, Stephen Swart, tells SI that Armstrong was “the instigator” in getting the whole gang on EPO.
“It was his words that pushed us toward doing it,” Swart said.
There’s more, and while much of it is circumstantial (i.e. emails linking Armstrong to dodgy doctors and the like), the sheer weight of it became impossible to explain away long ago. Because if this many people are conspiring to ruin Lance Armstrong, he’s the Lee Harvey Oswald of modern pop culture.
Armstrong was in Australia today, taking part in the Tour Down Under.
“Dude, are you stupid? Which part of ‘I’m not commenting,’ is not clear to you?” Armstrong told curious reporters.
He conceded that he had “perused” the article online. He did eventually say something substantive: “I have nothing to worry about on any level.”
Dude, a grand jury is investigating you. You have something colossally huge to worry about on at least one level.
At least admit that much. At least give us the satisfaction of. . . oh, forget it.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/924395--kelly-same-old-lance-armstrong-story

 

[heogog]

Oh oh.....wait til CG reads this :

 

[imin34]

There is no doubt in anyone's eyes that he is guilty and so are the others. Why they keep thinking they won't get caugh by the grand jury is beyond comprehension. The OJ Simpson era is far gone. The prosecutors have caught up to the top lawyers and technology has surpassed everyone's expectations.

 

[Caryn]

Armstrong has been lying for years and in the end it will catch up to him.

If he lies to the grand jury then they will really go after him.

Unlike Barry Bonds I doubt he has people that are willing to go to jail to cover up for him.

Whether everybody he was competing against was on the same program doesn't matter for he is the one who has been cashing in on his supposed squeaky clean image and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

What a crock of shite.

 

[ClassicManalo]

:

There's really nothing new here to be honest- the same dude that's been pointing the accusational finger at him for the last 7-8 years is just doing it again. Same thing happened at last year's TDF when Lance was riding... Funny how his timing is such that it always coincides with a major tour... :roll:

My take on this FWIW... They are ALL cheating! (LY's tour winner Alberto Contador was also busted...) But really, lets be honest.... what constitutes "cheating" now-a-days? Better equipment? A better suit? (Remember the swimmers at the Olympics a couple years ago?) Better training practices? A better chemist? As long as you don't get caught breaking the rules, it seems to be anything goes... :???:

The fact remains is that Lance has never tested positive for a race. Period. On that premise alone he can state, "I'm not cheating"... whether or not he's "doping" while he's training really is a moot point. I think they ALL do... some just have better chemists than others I suppose.

 

[DaveC]

The denial runs deep through this disciple.

 

[converserule12]

What denial Bosco? Really?

Landis isn't saying anything he hasn't already said... and Lance's response is no comment. Same as it has always been. (And honestly, given his current legal situation, he likely can't comment regardless...)

Has Lance ever tested positive during an event? No. Unless I've missed something...

Do I believe Lance is doping? Who am I to say... and really, I couldn't care less...

As I've already stated, I think they are all doing what ever it takes to be the very best at what they do. They already have the very best (and VERY scientifically advanced) equipment available, most of which is specifically designed and tailored for their individual needs and couldn't even be purchased by commoners like ourselves. They have the best training facilities and techniques, and a host of support people to help them train...

So where's the denial? :shock:

 

[Nelly]

:love:

How about he just comes out and tells the truth.Now there's a novel idea. Of course that would lead to public disgrace and ruin his corporate image that he makes all of his money off.
Neither did Marion Jones or Ben until the Olympics. You have read all the material that has been published on he how evaded testing positive, right?


you don't care that the guy guy is a cheater and everything he stands for is a lie? Including that whole livestrong BS that you are wearing around your wrist.


So that makes it okay does it in your world. That's a fine message to send to the kids out there who are looking up to this false prophet as a role model. The ends justifys means I guess.

Your nuthuggery of this man you call Lance is blinding you from the big picture here. He is a shinning example of everything that is wrong in sport today.

 

[Susanna M]

Huh? So the entire PED problem falls on Lance's shoulders? Come on... I would venture to say every athlete at that level is doing some sort of neat things to enhance their performance. Please.

The big picture?

The big picture here is that the world of professional sport perpetuates itself on the worship of the athletes involved. I really don't care much for any of it to be honest. I stopped watching professional baseball and hockey in 1994, never got into basketball or soccer... and to be honest only started following Lance when I myself became an avid cyclist and a supporter of LiveSTRONG. And even still, I became a supporter of LiveSTRONG more because my father is a cancer survivor and I believe in their pursuit to beating this horrible disease. Sure I was aware of the whole PED controversy before... and Lance isn't doing anything that any of the other riders are doing as well, love the guy or hate the guy he's still the best in my book. Its hard to argue with 7 consecutive tour wins.

 

[mckenziecalhoun]

Funny but I have never heard Jordan, Gretzgy,Jeter,Maddux,Emelianenko or Crosby being under suspicion at all. Gee I wonder why?



Same rhetoric over and over again it just never stops. Clemens won how many CY Young awards? I guess we can't argue against him being the best pitcher of his era can we? that's a fine criteria to worship someone.

 

[Kenzie 229]

I would hazard to say:

Because they haven't been caught yet or more PC, no one has the balls to accuse them.

Just because no one's been caught or accused doesn't mean it isn't being done.

That's like saying no one robs banks but hey, wait, where'd all the money go?

Also, if you've ever seen a hockey player, boxer, UFC fighter using nasal mist before a fight? They're guilty of using a PED. It is a drug that allows them to increase their breathing ability during the sport. I can't remember which Olympics it was but a runner was tested after they won and they found traces of a banned chemical that was found to be in their nasal mist. The athlete's answer? I have no idea, the team doc says "use this" and I used it......