CSNbbs

Armstrong dropped his fight against the US. Anti-Doping Agency tonight, and they just announced he will be stripped of all his Tour de France titles, and banned for life.

I haven't been keeping up. I thought he had never tested positive. What happened to a day in court? As I said, I haven't kept up.

I did see that. Sad.

honestly, why is any agency still spending money pursuing armstrong rather than focusing on all the cyclists doping today?

(08-23-2012 10:20 PM)jgardne Wrote: [ -> ]honestly, why is any agency still spending money pursuing armstrong rather than focusing on all the cyclists doping today?

To make an example of him and send a message to the current riders. You too could be stripped of 7 Tour titles!

Armstrong claims he's innocent, but tired of fighting. He has never failed in more than 500 dope tests. Several competing cyclists have said he dopes (I think everybody good in cycling did), and his former teammate who was busted says he knows for a fact that Armstrong doped, b/c he helped him.

Personally, I have no idea, but in a court of law, that's some pretty damning testimony. To me, it's like Calipari. I'm sure he cheats, but he keeps claiming he's never been personally blamed. However, the anecdotal evidence is pretty convincing. Same with Armstrong.

As far as getting a fair trial, this is not a court of law. It's an organization that makes the rules for membership. They get to decide.

Am I happy about this? No. I think Armstrong has done a lot of good with his Live Strong Foundation. But if you follow cycling (I only really followed the Tour and Armstrong), it's a lot like following Barry Bonds. He never failed a drug test, either. Neither did Marion Jones. Does anybody think those two are innocent? JMO.

I just listened to the Editor in Chief of Bicycling Magazine do a TV interview. He says this IS a witch hunt, b/c the USADA could have gone after anybody, lol, but chose Armstrong.

OTOH, he says he is 100% certain that Armstrong cheated, b/c, 10 years ago, EVERYBODY who was any good in cycling cheated. He said it's still a dirty sport, just not quite as dirty now, b/c testing has become more sophisticated. He said everybody inside the sport knows this.

He says Armstrong gave up fighting b/c he knows he would lose, and that he fought all these years, b/c he doesn't want to undo the good that his foundation has done.

BTW, it was just reported that USADA had at least 10 former teammates lined up to testify that they personally saw Armstrong juice during races, from 1999 to 2005.

I think Armstrong has always said he has never tested positive- but I am not sure he has ever said he never took PEDs.

He will still be very popular because he is not an a$$hole like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.

(08-24-2012 08:51 AM)Mimi Wrote: [ -> ]I think Armstrong has always said he has never tested positive- but I am not sure he has ever said he never took PEDs.

He will still be very popular because he is not an a$$hole like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.

I agree. There is no doubt in my mind he's guilty, but he is much more likeable, and has done a lot of good with his foundation. Plus, he has a good story, coming back from cancer. Publc opinion is overwhelmingly in his favor, as opposed to the other two.

Cycling always has been just incredibly dirty. For 10 years Lance was on top of the sport and shattering records but he was the only clean one? Doesn't add up.

(08-23-2012 10:02 PM)georgiatiger Wrote: [ -> ]I haven't been keeping up. I thought he had never tested positive. What happened to a day in court? As I said, I haven't kept up.

I think court is what it was coming to....and Lance probably thought "that could be bad" so he gave up.

will always be my favorite cyclist

Also, this isn't the final stop in this case. There could still be an international appeal that would take place in Switzerland. This just expedites that.

Also, I think his work with Livestrong and being a cancer survivor will softer the per workin blow from this...plus he is more likeable than Bonds, etc.

Miguel Indurain - the untarnished legacy of the greatest cyclist in the history of the sport. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miguel_Indurain

(08-24-2012 09:23 AM)99Tiger Wrote: [ -> ]Also, this isn't the final stop in this case. There could still be an international appeal that would take place in Switzerland. This just expedites that.

Also, I think his work with Livestrong and being a cancer survivor will softer the per workin blow from this...plus he is more likeable than Bonds, etc.

Really? I've always heard he is a big d-bag in person. He isn't polarizing in interviews like Bonds is but I've heard that away from the camera's he couldn't be a bigger jerk.

Didn't he cheat on his first wife w/ Cheryl Crow and then dump Crow WHEN SHE HAD CANCER?

And he's a good guy?

(08-24-2012 09:27 AM)uofmcamaro Wrote: [ -> ]

(08-24-2012 09:23 AM)99Tiger Wrote: [ -> ]Also, this isn't the final stop in this case. There could still be an international appeal that would take place in Switzerland. This just expedites that.

Also, I think his work with Livestrong and being a cancer survivor will softer the per workin blow from this...plus he is more likeable than Bonds, etc.

Really? I've always heard he is a big d-bag in person. He isn't polarizing in interviews like Bonds is but I've heard that away from the camera's he couldn't be a bigger jerk.

a guy i work with is a HUGE cyclist and goes all over the place for races.

he has had multiple first hand experience with the guy and told me long ago the guy is a A-1 d-bag

aint that a kick in the NUT

(08-24-2012 09:27 AM)uofmcamaro Wrote: [ -> ]

(08-24-2012 09:23 AM)99Tiger Wrote: [ -> ]Also, this isn't the final stop in this case. There could still be an international appeal that would take place in Switzerland. This just expedites that.

Also, I think his work with Livestrong and being a cancer survivor will softer the per workin blow from this...plus he is more likeable than Bonds, etc.

Really? I've always heard he is a big d-bag in person. He isn't polarizing in interviews like Bonds is but I've heard that away from the camera's he couldn't be a bigger jerk.

He might be, but is public persona is that of a very affable, genuine person. He is pretty much liked across the board, and unless it comes out that he smothers kittens weekly for fun; he's probably going to get the benefit of the doubt ultimately.

Edit: just look at how this news is being treated. While people were merciless with bonds, Clemons, Sosa, etc.; they've been very gentle with Armstrong.

(08-24-2012 10:08 AM)99Tiger Wrote: [ -> ]

(08-24-2012 09:27 AM)uofmcamaro Wrote: [ -> ]

(08-24-2012 09:23 AM)99Tiger Wrote: [ -> ]Also, this isn't the final stop in this case. There could still be an international appeal that would take place in Switzerland. This just expedites that.

Also, I think his work with Livestrong and being a cancer survivor will softer the per workin blow from this...plus he is more likeable than Bonds, etc.

Really? I've always heard he is a big d-bag in person. He isn't polarizing in interviews like Bonds is but I've heard that away from the camera's he couldn't be a bigger jerk.

He might be, but is public persona is that of a very affable, genuine person. He is pretty much liked across the board, and unless it comes out that he smothers kittens weekly for fun; he's probably going to get the benefit of the doubt ultimately.

Edit: just look at how this news is being treated. While people were merciless with bonds, Clemons, Sosa, etc.; they've been very gentle with Armstrong.

Except by the French. They loath him.

(08-24-2012 10:12 AM)tiger2000 Wrote: [ -> ]

(08-24-2012 10:08 AM)99Tiger Wrote: [ -> ]

(08-24-2012 09:27 AM)uofmcamaro Wrote: [ -> ]

(08-24-2012 09:23 AM)99Tiger Wrote: [ -> ]Also, this isn't the final stop in this case. There could still be an international appeal that would take place in Switzerland. This just expedites that.

Also, I think his work with Livestrong and being a cancer survivor will softer the per workin blow from this...plus he is more likeable than Bonds, etc.

Really? I've always heard he is a big d-bag in person. He isn't polarizing in interviews like Bonds is but I've heard that away from the camera's he couldn't be a bigger jerk.

He might be, but is public persona is that of a very affable, genuine person. He is pretty much liked across the board, and unless it comes out that he smothers kittens weekly for fun; he's probably going to get the benefit of the doubt ultimately.

Edit: just look at how this news is being treated. While people were merciless with bonds, Clemons, Sosa, etc.; they've been very gentle with Armstrong.

Except by the French. They loath him.

Who gives a f*** what the French think? I'm not sure there is a country less deserving of their stature in the world than France. Let's list what they do well...museums (gotta give them that), rolling over and playing dead when a German crosses the border, food, pretentiousness, wine (although they've list a lot of ground here), and ripping off the medical industry at our expense.

End rant...and I'm only half serious about that stuff.