Armstrong’s PR department is using the “character assassination” tactic to dispel the latest claims of his PED usage. He’s done this in the past, like with regards to Floyd Landis. It got me to thinking about just what required to believe Armstrong’s assertion that apparently he won the race clean. I think it also points out a plausible defense of his (assumed) usage.
For starters, consider who Armstrong beat during his run as the Tour de France champion: Ullrich, Contador, Hamilton, Landis, Pantani. All but Hamilton are former Tour champions (Landis’ win was revoked because of doping). But even Hamilton was considered a top contender for the Yellow Jersey. Pantani was never outright caught, but suspicions followed him and he died of a cocaine overdose. Contador was just emerging as Armstrong’s career was winding down. All of them are formidable competitors and Armstrong beat them all.
So the question becomes, as good as these guys were, and they were all using PED’s of one form or another, were Armstrong’s capabilities so superior to those of his opponents that he could beat them clean? Much as I’d like to believe that, I simply cannot. We’re not comparing him to guys off the street who have no potential to be great cyclists- we’re comparing him to other great cyclists in their own right. Those guys still took PED’s to gain a competitive advantage. The thought that it wouldn’t be enough to overcome a clean Armstrong is defies credulity.
So what defense emerges? His defense becomes he did it because, given a level playing field, he believed he was better than any of them. Unfortunately, to get the level playing field he had to use PED’s because his opponents weren’t going to stop and he couldn’t count on them getting caught. Being a purist where sport is concerned, I don’t find the defense convincing. Being a competitor, I can understand why someone would make that choice. I just can’t condone it.
Before concluding, I want to point out that I’m assuming these guys were using PED’s long before they were caught. So the argument is not backed by much in the way of evidence, other than that these guys (and many more) were caught. I’ll acknowledge that it is possible Armstrong won some number of his Tour’s clean and, attempting to finally get themselves over the top, his competitors started using. I can’t disprove that anymore than I can definitely prove my original argument.
And with that, pending further news, I’ll leave the subject of Armstrong alone.
One reply on “More Thoughts on Armstrong”
My thing with Lance is that he has changed the perception of people suffering Cancer based death sentences, given them hope, proven that not only can you beat it, but you can destroy it and move on to destroy whatever else you choose. He has raised millions and millions of dollars for his foundation, turned his story into a fierce tool against whatever ailment or atrocity he wants to overcome, and passionately uses his life as a weapon for good.
If he cheated, which I feel is likely, but not definite, simply because he has been tested more than any athlete in history and never hit a positive, who cares. He has used it for more good and to help more people than any other self-serving athlete that used drugs to win an individual gold, or get another paycheck, or whatever else. Odds are better than nearly perfect that virtually every other recent champion has cheated, doesn’t make it right, just makes it the case. I haven’t seen any of them do anything besides try and take down Lance. Lance just keeps chugging, raising money, giving it away, building his personal business empire, and living life to the fullest all the way.
I think it says more that everyone else, after they win, must attack him, after they are found guilty of cheating, they attack him, after a rumor starts, they come out of the woodwork, all the time trying to bring him down. Yes, where there is smoke there is fire, but maybe in this case it is more about the source of the smoke and what is burning. I am not sure Lance is burning, I don’t really think it matters what he did, it is more important what he is doing.
Tough argument, really tough, the sport is dirty, isn’t changing anytime soon, probably will be tainted for eternity…at least one of the greatest champions of all time, clean or not, is continuing to be great and not continuing to be a scar on the sport like all the rest of them.