Magness: My Interactions With Lance Armstrong

Magness mentions "interactions with Lance and other athletes" who doped. I wonder who those "other athletes" are...

no, just you.

i'd rather lose without drugs than to win with it. if and when i win, at least my heart is at rest knowing i did it without cheating, at least i can savor the moment for the rest of my life?

for a guy lance or any other drug cheats, these moments will always have a shadow cast of over them. they will never know the emotions of true triumph.

storngarm wrote:

Lets be honest, we all wish we were overcompensating, egomaniacal, cheating fratboy bullies.

He doesn't mention any of the Oregon Project athletes he directly coached (except Areson, who left with him) when he talks about top level athletes who "do things the right way." It makes you wonder -- was part of why Magness left his unwillingness to be part of a doping culture in the Oregon Project? Salazar was "friends" with Lance, after all.

Wow. I don't know how you can read this an anything else other than an idictment of Nike, the Oregon Project and the athletes he helped coach there. He doesn't cite Rupp and Farah as examples of athletes who do it the right way, nor does he hold up Salazar as an example of a coach who believes that amazing performances can be had by clean athletes. I mean, we're talking about two athletes who won silver and gold medals, respectively. Um, you would think he would be kind of excited to talk about those performances as clean ones. Instead, he mentions Webb, who left the OP, and Hall. I don't think his message could be clearer.

How Fast? wrote:

Wow. I don't know how you can read this an anything else other than an idictment of Nike, the Oregon Project and the athletes he helped coach there. He doesn't cite Rupp and Farah as examples of athletes who do it the right way, nor does he hold up Salazar as an example of a coach who believes that amazing performances can be had by clean athletes. I mean, we're talking about two athletes who won silver and gold medals, respectively. Um, you would think he would be kind of excited to talk about those performances as clean ones. Instead, he mentions Webb, who left the OP, and Hall. I don't think his message could be clearer.

Yep.

Why would Magness leave a coaching position for the world's best distance group at the biggest sporting company in the world? Hmmm...use your brain and read between the lines people.

My professor was doubtful, but based on my own experience training with Alan Webb, who was only two years off running his magical 3:46 mile, and Moise Joseph, who would go on to make the 800m semifinals at the world championships in the 800m that summer, I knew for a fact that there were still top level athletes who did things the right way.

This coming from a guy who COACHED Galen Rupp? Who he didn't mention says a lot--as if he wants to avoid making this type of statement again down the road a couple of years.

Put me down as even more suspicious than before.

TLW wrote:

Why would Magness leave a coaching position for the world's best distance group at the biggest sporting company in the world? Hmmm...use your brain and read between the lines people.

You idiots are so hungry to act out your hate and cynicism it is amazing.

Sometimes the simplest explanation is the truth. The situation just didn't work out. And as in most professional partings, it is not professional to give details. Why? In case you misspeak in a way that could be considered as denigrating your former employer -- it could hurt you with future potential employers. That is why ending press releases all sound in the same corporate speak. (Maybe some readers here, as I have, have been at the board room table when these decisions are made, and when wording is directed for the press release etc.)

Let's see, what do Salazar, Rupp, Ritz and Mo all have in common? --They are all extremely religious -- to the point where the idea of them using PEDS is insane.

Here is how insane it is.

If they were caught using PEDS the following things would happen. 1.) There would be a Congressional Investigation against Nike. 2. There would be an investigation by state authorities into Vin Lananna and the Oregon Track program.

There is far more testing for college track athletes (who compete internationally as Rupp, Wheating, Centro, et. al., have done) than there is for college football players.

TLW wrote:

Why would Magness leave a coaching position for the world's best distance group at the biggest sporting company in the world? Hmmm...use your brain and read between the lines people.

How about you use your brain and read between the lines. If Magness saw anything illegal, he is obligated to report it. And if he had done so while at a company like Nike, he would have had the large bonus that he could not be fired/terminated, and that he could win a large whistle blower reward.

And, if Magness is totally against PED use...he would have done exactly those things now, wouldn't he? That's right.

Some of you anonymous idiots are so hungry to act out your hate and cynicism it is amazing.

Sometimes the simplest explanation is the truth. The situation just didn't work out.

And as in most professional partings, it is not professional to give details. Why? In case you misspeak in a way that could be considered as denigrating your former employer -- it could hurt you with future potential employers. For the employer, you could be open to a law suit by the terminated employee.

That is why ending press releases all sound in the same corporate speak. (Maybe some readers here, as I have, have been at the board room table when these decisions are made, and when wording is approved by legal for the press release etc.)

Let's see, what do Salazar, Rupp, Ritz and Mo all have in common? --They are all extremely religious -- to the point where the idea of them using PEDS is insane.

Here is how insane it is:

If they were caught using PEDS the following things would happen. 1.) There would be a Congressional Investigation against Nike. Don't think so? Get real. The scandal would be enormous. And in light of TdF and Lance scandals, the costs to Nike in money and rep would be torturous. 2. There would be an investigation by state authorities into Vin Lananna and the Oregon Track program, because they are state employees and they would want to know that none of that went on while any of the athletes were coached by state employees / on state scholarship.

There is far more testing for college track athletes (who compete internationally as Rupp, Wheating, Centro, et. al., have done) than there is for college football players.

I know a lot of you have nothing better to do with your lives than to be hateful, conspiracy theorists... You just really need to find better, more sensible targets.

A Duck wrote:

Let's see, what do Salazar, Rupp, Ritz and Mo all have in common? --They are all extremely religious -- to the point where the idea of them using PEDS is insane.

Let me get this straight: you're saying that Bible thumpers never lie or cheat?

I am almost tempted to explain how things really work in the sports world it just isnt worth the effort. If you believe that Salazar and his boys are clean then I envy you. Wish my attitude wasnt so jaded and I believed that every white guy who drops a 1:52 last 800 on a 1500 meter world champion at the end of a 5k, when two years prior didnt even have the basic speed to run 1:52, is clean then the world would be a lot less complicated. There is a very clear reason why Magness said what he did, just like there is a very clear reason why Alan and Kara left after short stays. Have fun in fantasy land!

so what were Armstrong's PRs in HS distance races???

Why would he say anything when it's his word vs. NIKE? There's no way he would win and I'm sure there's some sort of incentive (negative or positive) to keep his mouth shut. Might be a pay check, might be a death threat.

A Duck - every time you post you make yourself look bad.

Hahahah, because they are religious they won't cheat? Hahahhaahahaha.

unicorns wrote:

There is a very clear reason why Magness said what he did, just like there is a very clear reason why Alan and Kara left after short stays. Have fun in fantasy land!

Let's look at some players who have had extended association with Salazar: Adam Goucher, Ritz, Lanana, Centro. Taking just the latter into consideration for brevity, if you knew anything about Matt Sr., if he so much as caught a *wiff* of pharmaceutical impropriety, Matt Jr. would be GONE and AlSal would be subject to the Wrath Of Hell.

Makes You Wonder wrote:

He doesn't mention any of the Oregon Project athletes he directly coached (except Areson, who left with him) when he talks about top level athletes who "do things the right way." It makes you wonder -- was part of why Magness left his unwillingness to be part of a doping culture in the Oregon Project? Salazar was "friends" with Lance, after all.

Magness started a relationship with Areson and that was not allowed in the program. Just like at Hansons.

This was a simple transaction. Salazar just didn't accept the relationship and the two of them were forced to leave.

Magness recently added "Met Jackie Areson" to his Facebook timeline as a milestone. It seems pretty clear that their relationship is serious and might not have fit the Oregon Project goals or rules.

I think what you read into something that is not there says more about your prejudices, than Salazar, Rupp, Farah, and the Oregon Project.As a grad-student, Magness had not yet interacted with Salazar and these other athletes. Mentioning them too would only help establish a point that had already been made. The article was about Lance, not about Salazar, or the Oregon project.

How Fast? wrote:

Wow. I don't know how you can read this an anything else other than an idictment of Nike, the Oregon Project and the athletes he helped coach there. He doesn't cite Rupp and Farah as examples of athletes who do it the right way, nor does he hold up Salazar as an example of a coach who believes that amazing performances can be had by clean athletes. I mean, we're talking about two athletes who won silver and gold medals, respectively. Um, you would think he would be kind of excited to talk about those performances as clean ones. Instead, he mentions Webb, who left the OP, and Hall. I don't think his message could be clearer.

OJ wrote:

A Duck wrote:

Let's see, what do Salazar, Rupp, Ritz and Mo all have in common? --They are all extremely religious -- to the point where the idea of them using PEDS is insane.

Let me get this straight: you're saying that Bible thumpers never lie or cheat?

Let me get this straight, you don't understand context and you've never read this board before?