Lance Armstrong deserves a break

Agreed. Lance was the GOAT and as far as being a bully that's untrue. He was targeted by many people who wanted to gain something from him. How well do you have to treat human detritus that is trying to hang on to you? You scrape them off the bottom of your shoe like Lance did. That's the treatment they deserved. These weren't kind hearted people looking to help him out. No. They were after him for their own personal gain and too bad if they didn't like the heat he put on them.

He was a winner on many levels. He played the game better than all the other people who were using the same things he was. He didn't create the culture of doping in cycling. It existed long before he showed up. He just played the game better than the others and the governing body was in on all of it as were the numerous companies that benefited tremendously as Lance elevated the profile of cycling to extremely high levels. Don't even get started on his racing skill and competitive spirit and huge heart. As a champion he was unparalleled. That's not say champions are nice people and won't run over you given the chance to win.

As a cancer survivor and philanthropist he did a lot more than just talk about helping others. To many he is and always will be a hero and a great man.

BUTTHOLE SURFER wrote:

No. Lance doesn't deserve a break. Any "Cheater" in any sport doesn't deserve a break....PERIOD! Especially when you systematically cheated for an extended period of time and fully understood what you were doing. That being said, Lance still has ZERO remorse for what he did. I've seen him being interviewed during this year's TDF (total joke!!!) and he still is smug and demeaning.

Go Away Lance!!!

Actually, I have found his recent interviews pretty good, in terms of understanding about what he did was wrong, and he acted horribly towards others.

That being said - Lance Armstrong is a classic Narcissist, and probably was a psychopath (and a sociopath) as well. Which means, now that he's had time to reflect...he's working hard to become relevant - as an "elder stateman" sort of way. He can't stand that the attention isn't on him - despite his insistence that he's not trying to get back in the spotlight.

I don't trust anyone who appears to be narcissistic, as the most important thing to them is themselves; and EVERYTHING they do will be geared to benefit themselves - not others. I'd need to see the notes from his counselor(s) to believe that he even remotely understands his basic issues.

As a person, though, he's been stripped of his wins; and it probably has cost him millions (especially in future earnings). I personally do not know him, so can't comment on anything outside of what I've heard in his interviews. I've heard he was a big time a$$hole; but have no knowledge of him being that way in the last 5 years.

I hope he's changed, and does really understand what he did and how it affected others - but again, have no first hand knowledge of whether he has or hasn't.

Lance sued the pants off anyone who said that he doped. He bankrupted people to protected his image. Then he went on the record and lambasted these people.

He wasn't a bully, he was a full on character assassin. That's why people hate him.

Snap his neck maybe

Aragon wrote:

Armstrong Paid Trolls Out In Full Force wrote:

Yeah...sure, did those guys pull this crap?

Because the amount of Armstrong's "repated lying" correlates 1.00 with the amount Armstrong is asked about doping, perhaps these interviewers who don't get his message the first time can mostly be blamed for "this crap".

0/10

Dr. Feelgood wrote:

I listened to Lance giving an interview right after the Tour de France stage was completed a few days ago. Pretty good interview and Lance definitely does know a lot about the Tour and riding a bike.

Is he a drug cheat? Sure is, despite never testing positive.

Is he a bully? Yeah, probably.

He does remain the greatest Tour de France rider ever. I assume that ALL TDF riders are on drugs. It's a dirty sport and has been for a very long time. Track & Field really cannot comment as it is probably the second most dirty sport. Every record is probably tainted to some degree. Swimming is also another sport that is rife with drug use.

He is a bully, not probably.

His is a drug cheat...dozens of witnesses made this a fact.

Lance ripped many people calling them the unthinkable and threatening them.

Yeah, he's probably not a great guy.

Yeah, he's probably quite arrogant.

Do your research, he's a complete narcissistic ahole who surely benefited from the drugs and he SURELY needed them to win.

This Is Getting Ridiculous wrote:

0/10

What a brilliant and well argued point-by-point rebuttal! The closing statement of William Jennings Bryan at the Scopes trial pales in comparison with this, and what a brilliant climax it would've been had Mr. Cochran said only "zero out of ten" at the end of the O.J. Simpson trial!

Maybe choose to live under a rock. Maybe you choose to play devil's advocate. Maybe you just ran your first couch-to-5k and Bekele or Geb is your hero. Maybe you're just bored.

Hard to say.

Let's look at the 5000m World Record Progression.

13:00.41 1982

13:00.40 1985

12:58.39 1987

12:56.96 1994 (Geb. Maybe he's clean at this point, and a great runner. Maybe he's already found some EPO.)

12:55.30 1995 (13:00 used to be impossible; now we're have rabbits draw multiple men through...still possible I guess...)

12:44.39 1995 (Geb again. He just took 11 seconds off the WR. Usually this takes about a decade.)

12:41.86 1997 (Geb)

12:39.74 1997 (Komen)

12:39.36 1998 (Geb. In four years, when EPO was being used in all endaurance sports, and at a time when it was indetectable, Geb took more time off the World Record than in the 30 years prior to EPO being recognized and banned by the IAAF.)[/quote]

Well said. But Geb did not attack his fellow runners and try to destroy their lives and liveliehood. But Lance did.

"Lance sued the pants off anyone who said that he doped. He bankrupted people to protected his image. Then he went on the record and lambasted these people.

He wasn't a bully, he was a full on character assassin. That's why people hate him.[/quote]

"

Ding, ding, ding. You win the jackpot.

Lance was doped to the gills like his competitors, but he was the best doper of his time, the most focused and determined cyclist seeking the smallest of advantages, and overall the most talented cyclist ever.

But when you try, and succeed, at destroying the lives of truth tellers that get in your way, then you are a scumbag. Forgive yes. Forrget? No way.

He was still doing a "hit and run" around Aspen and lying about it as recently as 2014:

https://www.aspendailynews.com/armstrong-given-two-tickets-after-car-crash/article_490e99d4-0f74-5efa-9e76-51eee2d5ce3d.html

Still thinks he is above the law. People do prison time on far less.

Did you forgive Nelson Mandela? He was leading the ANC in killing people, went to prison for it and was released a hero. Come on man. He was no character assassin, he was an assassin yet he is worshipped.

Lance didn't kill anybody, let it go.

More like a born cheat! ?

Piano_Man87 wrote:

Lance sued the pants off anyone who said that he doped. He bankrupted people to protected his image. Then he went on the record and lambasted these people.

He wasn't a bully, he was a full on character assassin. That's why people hate him.

+1

If AROD is Alex Rodriquez that man is known as Aroid by many baseball players!

Lil Jon ohhh kayyy wrote:

I think the main thing with a lot of Lamce haters is that they dont like his personality. His cheating went beyond exclusively cheating and he was an a-hole and a bully to many people and he hurt many innocent people while being a selfish prick. If he was a nice guy who cheated, then people's opinion of him would not be so critical.

+1

is hominin a homonym of hominem?

Simple Man wrote:

KTHXBAI wrote:

Simplistic argument, befits a simpleton. Your intellect is a placebo effect, you and possibly many others lack a working understanding of drug responders.

Simpletons resort to ad hominin when they don't know what they are talking about. This is made even worse by trying to "sound smart" when doing so. Just know this - you're not fooling anyone.

i probably should have quoted this. message board fail.

Do yourself a favor and listen to the Rich Roll podcast when he interviews Lance. You might change your mind. I’ve been a Lance hater for years and this might have swayed me a bit. He’s still an arrogant prick, but something about his interviews makes me think he’s coming around.

Sports is full of dopers, but Lance stood out because he was a nasty, disgusting person.

Here's an analogy:

Politics is full of liars and cheaters, but Trump stands out because he is a nasty, insecure person.