So Lance Armstrong has decided to appear on Oprah and finally fess up to using performance enhancing drugs. I consider myself a realist and I never really had much doubt that Lance was doping. Everyone in the cycling world was doping. Either that or they weren’t competing. It never really bothered me because if everyone was doing it, at least it was a level playing field. I admired Armstrong for overcoming cancer and for starting the Livestrong Foundation. I was hoping that once he retired from competitive cycling he would just be able to fade away without tarnishing his legend. But alas, it was not to be. What started out looking like a witch hunt by the governing body of international cycling turned into a unmasking of one of the most deceitful and manipulative professional athletes in the history of sports.
What made Armstrong’s actions so egregious is not only that he lied and lied and lied but how viciously he went after those who dared to question his integrity. How he forced teammates to engage in doping and how he threatened people’s careers and livelihood.
He’s made a boatload of money so he could afford to sue anyone and everyone. People that considered him a friend but would not lie under oath for him were subjected to a smear campaign that ruined their reputations. Armstrong’s camp painted them as disgruntled former employees who were trying to exploit the living legend for their own personal gain.
These were good people. Decent folks who were thrown under the bus and run over by a bully. A fake, a phony and a fraud. His confession means nothing. The only reason he’s sorry is because he got caught. He qualifies as one of the biggest punks of all time and now he should go away. Go away for good Lance and take Roger Clemons with you.