"Lance Armstrong"

I’m just asking:

RE: Lance Armstrong

    

The man that won 7 consecutive Tour de France titles and dominated the world of professional cycling  has had all his cycling accomplishments wiped out by the over whelming evidence of his having cheated. He did EPO (blood doping) and took other performance enhancing methods. The evidence comprises 40+ witnesses and a hundred or more pages of sworn testimony of teammates, friends, race officials and competitors. The evidence is so overwhelming that even his most loyal endorsement deals have been dumped. His seven Tour titles have been stricken from the books, all of his endorsements canceled for morals clause violations and he is getting an avalanche of bad press. It wasn't just that he cheated and devised an unbelievable amount ways to slip past the doping tests but he also intimidated teammates, friends and acquaintances and others by threatening to ruin their names or destroy them financially. After all he was the great “Lance Armstrong” and who were they? Most kept silent, his teammates for fear of their own doping sanctions if found out + fear Armstrong would drop them from the team, and others because Lance wielded an enormous amount of power. But this cheater, liar, manipulator, and bully is no more. The cycling emperor’s new clothes finally reveal all. 

In the midst of his cheating, winning, bullying, and autograph signing he also developed testicular cancer.  He successfully beat his cancer but was (in the process) sufficiently “slapped upside the head” by one of nature’s nastiest calling cards that he began a cancer research non-profit organization several years ago. To date The Livestrong Foundation has raised some 450 million dollars for cancer research. Armstrong has been the face of The Livestrong Foundation and he has worked long and hard to raise cancer awareness and the importance for cancer research dollars. Livestrong has active pledges (right now) for 286 million more dollars. Armstrong has worked tirelessly for this organization and its efforts to save lives. In fact even his biggest critics acknowledge Armstrong’s contribution to a worthy cause. Sadly, just two days ago, The Livestrong Foundation dropped his name from the organizations letterhead and titles. Even they know his name is so toxic that in order to keep the Foundation going they had to drop the Founder’s name. 

How weird is that?

I was not shocked when the truth finally (rumors, whispers and tests had dogged him for over a decade) came out about how he had achieved “success” on the bicycle.  Why wasn't I part of the surprised and shocked fans about the all American boy Lance Armstrong? Because cheating is to athletics what lying is to public officials. It too often goes hand in hand. Whether you are deflating footballs, (doctoring up baseballs)  or conducting (“Spygate”with Bellechic and the Patriots), or doing any of the other hundreds and hundreds of other known cases of cheating, it’s if you aren't cheating you aren't trying. I would make a list of the known professional sports cheaters in history but it would take too long. He's just another in a long line of cheaters. What makes his cheating story special is the length of time and the lengths he went to to pull it off. Ten years or more of listening to him proclaim (smugly) that he never failed a drug test. Knowing he threatened people, bribed people, and worse. He is an ugly cheater that was finally caught and exposed as he should have been. So Mr  Armstrong join the long list of other dumb cheats that spend the rest of their lives telling people it was all a mistake.

However, I ask this question: do the ends justify the means? Separate out how Lance Armstrong got his fame, and focus for a minute on the millions he (ultimately is to be given credit for) has raised for cancer awareness.  I‘m wearing my Livestrong bracelet even while I typing this. I believe in the work of this foundation and have donated to it. So have so many others.

If one person is saved as a result of a breakthrough in a particular cancer research then isn't that truly good? What if when it’s all said and done a billion dollars has been raised and we are able to eliminate one or more cancers from the scourge list? Isn't that great?

Look, I  don’t care that Armstrong cheated and lied about it. I really don't. I see him as just another unethical athlete making money off gullible people that want to believe super human athletic things can be accomplished by will power alone. Two years ago there was the Tour de France rider languishing back in 34^th place that suddenly (one day) did the seemingly impossible. He road up the hardest alpine stage,  straight up the alps and down in super record time and no one could believe a good but not great rider could have broken the stage record and gone from 34^th to 1^st  in one day just like that and sure enough he (finally admitted under pressure) that he blood doped, and took performance enhancing drugs. If it seems impossible under normal circumstances it undoubtedly is. Now we know why Lance won 7 straight times, he cheated and got his teammates to set him up to win (meaning they were to not try to win themselves, just ensure no one else beat Lance. He’ll never be taken seriously as an athlete again and he won’t likely be hosting Saturday Night Live any time soon. Lance Armstrong beat cancer but if only he could have beaten his own audacity and ego.

Still I like what all that “Armstrong noise” turned into, a chance for cancer patients to live or have at the very least a prolonged quality of life. I think it was worth it. I will still contribute to Livestrong. Maybe the most ironic part of this story is this. Armstrong wanted to be known for, be famous for, and be remembered for his athletic accomplishments. Instead the profoundly selfish Lance Armstrong will likely end up being remembered the most for helping others. I'm okay with that.