Lance Armstrong

[maximumblitz]

Beyond that, to suggest that he is giving up the fight because he is just tired of it is nonsense. This fight is everything for him and it is carried forward largely by attorneys, not Lance himself.

I would like to comment on one narrow aspect of this issue.

I have been sued 4 times, all of them frivolous, ultimately thrown out.

They were all VERY hard on me: the slow speed, the craziness of the other attorney being paid to NOT understand, the unpredictability of judges and juries, the nature of the adversarial system, the way the other side assumed the worst about me.

 

[SEREbuckeye]

It is not just Landis, Hamilton and Betsy Andreu.

It has been suggested that Levi Leipheimer, George Hincapie, David Zabriskie, Christian Vande Velde and Jonathan Vaughters all provided testimony against Armstrong. I have yet to hear one of them speak in his defense. If they were all being blackmailed it would be easy to come out as a group and say so.

Beyond that, to suggest that he is giving up the fight because he is just tired of it is nonsense. This fight is everything for him and it is carried forward largely by attorneys, not Lance himself.

Oh, gotcha - well if YOU say so, it must be true.

Have you seen ANY proof? Not "well, the USADA claims they have people ready to speak out" or "The guys around him cheat...". You have seen nothing, you know nothing of fact.

Bottom line is the only things we KNOW is that Lance has never failed a drug test, and he stopped fighting the charges against him. Everything else are just merely opinions and assumptions as to whats going on behind the scenes.

Seems like this thread is going around in circles. Someone says "I know he did it", then in retort someone says "show me the proof", and there is no proof so the dance continues.

 

[Taosman]

The USADA was probably hoping for a long fight were they could gain more publicity. Lance saw this and bailed to frustrate them. :tongue2:
I suspect that the USADA is not done and will try to extend the "invesigation". It will be interesting to see the UCI response.

 

[BayBuck]

Bottom line is the only things we KNOW is that Lance has never failed a drug test, and he stopped fighting the charges against him. Everything else are just merely opinions and assumptions as to whats going on behind the scenes.

Neither did Marion Jones.

But what you say here is incorrect, we certainly don't KNOW that Lance failed a drug test at all. For one, he did fail a test in 1999, he just happened to produce a doctor's note for corticosteroid. And then there's the issue of those EPO positive tests reported by L'Equipe, which while questionable cannot be KNOWN by us to be conclusively false. And the USADA case against him was based specifically on 2009/2010 blood samples that they claim were "fully consistent with blood ma­nipu­la­tion including EPO use and/or blood transfusions."

"Never failed a test" has been Lance's motto for 10+ years, but for much of that time it wasn't even possible to test for the kind of blood-doping he's been accused of, so it kind of loses its meaning after being repeated overandoverandoverandoverandoverand.

 

[TooTall]

In a sport as tainted with steroids as cycling has been over the years, wouldn't you think a story like this would almost all but cripple the sport? I mean, there's one relevant (to the mainstream crowd) race every year, the Tour. I don't know, but an investigation as high profile as this just doesn't bode well for the future of the sport.

Plus, what happens if Lance has been telling the truth the entire time. I know, not likely. But how bad would that make the USADA look?

 

[SEREbuckeye]

Neither did Marion Jones.

But what you say here is incorrect, we certainly don't KNOW that Lance failed a drug test at all. For one, he did fail a test in 1999, he just happened to produce a doctor's note for corticosteroid. And then there's the issue of those EPO positive tests reported by L'Equipe, which while questionable cannot be KNOWN by us to be conclusively false. And the USADA case against him was based specifically on 2009/2010 blood samples that they claim were "fully consistent with blood ma*nipu*la*tion including EPO use and/or blood transfusions."

"Never failed a test" has been Lance's motto for 10+ years, but for much of that time it wasn't even possible to test for the kind of blood-doping he's been accused of, so it kind of loses its meaning after being repeated overandoverandoverandoverandoverand.

So are you telling me you can find and/or show evidence of Lance cheating? You have proof that Lance failed a drug test that wasnt excused by a doctor? Yes or no. No more talky-talk "welll....he didnt but.." Yes or no?

 

[Mike80]

Neither did Marion Jones.

But what you say here is incorrect, we certainly don't KNOW that Lance failed a drug test at all. For one, he did fail a test in 1999, he just happened to produce a doctor's note for corticosteroid. And then there's the issue of those EPO positive tests reported by L'Equipe, which while questionable cannot be KNOWN by us to be conclusively false. And the USADA case against him was based specifically on 2009/2010 blood samples that they claim were "fully consistent with blood ma*nipu*la*tion including EPO use and/or blood transfusions."

"Never failed a test" has been Lance's motto for 10+ years, but for much of that time it wasn't even possible to test for the kind of blood-doping he's been accused of, so it kind of loses its meaning after being repeated overandoverandoverandoverandoverand.

Actually Marion Jones DID fail drug tests in 2006 for EPO as I remember.

 

[Taosman]

Jones did fail her drug test. And apologized for cheating after the fact. One look at her jaw line and it''s obvious.

The "process" with the USADA is the biggest point of contention. It's a "kangaroo court". It stinks of politics. Or a power grab. Or both.

There is a "story" that Armstrong failed a drug test. But that has never been verifiable. But cycling is a "dirty" sport. At this point in time it would be hard to argue that there are any "clean" sports because drug use is so prevailant at all levels, so let's just leave it at that.

 

[BayBuck]

Actually Marion Jones DID fail drug tests in 2006 for EPO as I remember.

She was cleared of that one when the "B" sample came back negative, which speaks to the unreliablity of testing and the meaninglessness of claiming to have "never failed a test".

 

[knapplc]

She was cleared of that one when the "B" sample came back negative, which speaks to the unreliablity of testing and the meaninglessness of claiming to have "never failed a test".

True to a point. But that's one test; when you've been tested hundreds of times and they're all negative, it's harder to cast aspersions.

 

[Muck]

Happens all the time and there a thousand of Americans sitting in prison right now because of those types of deals.

That doesn't exactly help your case.

USADA has zero authority over the seven TdF titles...zilch.

Yet when you look at their own press releases you see an organization they seems to think that it is the authority on the matter, which brings us back to Taos' statements regarding the motivation.

The guilt or innocence of Armstrong aside this appears to entirely be about waving a big stick around and appearing self-important.

I wouldn't a tall be surprised if Travis Tygart attempts to move into national politics in the near future.

 

[Onebuckfan]

I am sorry..this is CYCLING..Who really cares? Now if Mike Trout or RG3 fails a test get back to me?

 

[Oh8ch]

In tonight's episode of Slappy Valley the role of Joe Paterno will be played by Lance Armstrong, the role of the NCAA by USADA, the role of Mike McQueary by various former US cyclists, and the Penn St fan base by a select group who are holding out for EVIDENTS and FACTS!

Screenplay by Louis Freeh and associates.

In tonight's episode USADA creates false accusations against Lance Armstrong because they are jealous of his success and many Tour championships.

 

[Oh8ch]

Just another guy making up stories about Armstrong.

Geesh.


http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/biking/road-biking/My-Life-With-Lance-Armstrong.html

 

[Buckeye513]

In tonight's episode of Slappy Valley the role of Joe Paterno will be played by Lance Armstrong, the role of the NCAA by USADA, the role of Mike McQueary by various former US cyclists, and the Penn St fan base by a select group who are holding out for EVIDENTS and FACTS!

Screenplay by Louis Freeh and associates.

In tonight's episode USADA creates false accusations against Lance Armstrong because they are jealous of his success and many Tour championships.

Someone's going to have to spell out for me why wanting to see a positive drug test from the most drug tested guy in the history of sports before labeling him a cheater is unreasonable.