The Shade of it All

All Sport is under a cloud now. I am so mad at Lance Armstrong.

I am admittedly one of the few people who honestly believed him when he said he was not doping. I did believe he like all of the cyclists where doing the blood enhancing techniques (a pint or two of your blood is removed, infused with oxygen/B12/potassium/vitamins, stored and then transfused back into the body). Since this was common in the Military and not uncommon in Sports training, I didn’t consider it doping. Nothing illicit was being used, it was just that oxygenated blood allows the body to go faster and last longer. If his interview with Oprah comes out and this is what they call doping, it’s bullshit, they are wrong and it’s all about ruining a good man’s name to save the sport.

But, it’s my understanding now that more than just infused blood may have been going on.

I am not a sports nut. I played basketball when I was in school, football too (I was a bit of a Tom Boy), but it was just for fun. Cycling however was sport to me. Since I first watched it at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado to my first Tour de France in 1986, I have loved the sport and followed it faithfully. When doping allegations first started being rumored in small circles I scoffed at the idea because it didn’t make any sense to me. What would be the point? We’re talking about a sport where at one time most of the contestants were smokers for Krist stake.

I know sometimes people come out and admit wrong doing when it is untrue because from a Media/Entertainment perspective, everyone loves the redemptive sinner. Baseball, Football, Wrestling all have their drug scandals and it was apparent from the start that these guys were lying. The Olympians too; why would you dope if you knew they were going to test you right after the race? Dumb. But they tested him and when others came out dirty, his test always came out clean. All the cyclists and all of the real evidence came years after his seven wins. Most of the evidence came by way of discredited losers or blackmailed/ reluctant teammates under extraordinary pressure and threat of prosecution. It’s all bullshit, all of it.

But….

In the end Lance Armstrong is going to come clean, literally. After 15 years of denial and the loyal of his fans like me who defended him, in the end he lied. In the end this confession comes not for the integrity of the Live Strong.org campaign, not for the love of competition, not for the love of the sport and not even for his redemption. Lance Armstrong is doing this for himself, and not in a good way.

My heart is broken, shame on you Lance.  I'll NEVER be able to watch the race and think the best of it again.