How is this going to end?

[Merckx index]

This was supposed to be a poll, but I made one typo while I was filling out the choices, and suddenly the post went through and couldn't be made a poll.

Edit: Yes, I tried to delete and start over, but there is no poll option when that is done.

1) UCI will appeal, and LA will keep most if not all of his TDF titles.

2) UCI will either not appeal, or will lose completely, and LA will be stripped of everything stipulated by USADA. But he will continue to be supported by the cancer community and large numbers of diehard fans.

3) In addition to losing his titles, LA will be subject to several expensive lawsuits, and lose some of his sponsors, but will emerge from it all retaining enough wealth and fans in the cancer community to continue leading a fairly lavish lifestyle.

4) LA will be driven to or close to bankruptcy by lawsuits, all his sponsors will abandon him, and all but the most diehard fans will give up on him.

5) LA will face criminal charges, resulting in severe fines and/or jail.

 

[The Gnome]

my guess is number 3...tho I hate to say that...

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

2, although I hope 4 or 5

 

[Lanark]

Number 3. UCI would be suicidal if the appealed. Armstrong will have some nasty lawsuits waiting for him, but I'm sure he is easily wealthy enough to keep more than enough for a very confortable life. He'll probably keep a contignent of die-hard fans.

 

[veganrob]

At the present I would say 3. However it could very well turn for the worse for Lance, what I am hoping, if and when Johan arbitration hearing, what UCI does and other factors. Lance may go off the deep end which would be amusing and hilarious. I expect him to be competing in the sprint at Eagle Creek next year.

It predict it will end up a 4 for him

 

[ebandit]

4/5

4/5 the spin is about spun out

 

[labratty]

3 is where it seems to be heading, but 5 could follow without 4. Six months in the Martha Stewart Home for naughty little rich people.

 

[Caruut]

1) UCI will appeal, and LA will keep most if not all of his TDF titles.
2) UCI will either not appeal, or will lose completely, and LA will be stripped of everything stipulated by USADA. But he will continue to be supported by the cancer community and large numbers of diehard fans.
3) In addition to losing his titles, LA will be subject to several expensive lawsuits, and lose some of his sponsors, but will emerge from it all retaining enough wealth and fans in the cancer community to continue leading a fairly lavish lifestyle
4) LA will be driven to or close to bankruptcy by lawsuits, all his sponsors will abandon him, and all but the most diehard fans will give up on him.
5) LA will face criminal charges, resulting in severe fines and/or jail.

Before the report, I would have said 3, but seeing the intensity and tone of the coverage of the USADA report, I'd have to go with 4.

 

[trailrunner]

2 or 3)

It will end 5 years from now when everyone, including his followers, have moved on, and donations to his charities have tapered off. He will want to regain his place in the spotlight, so he will make an appearance on some soft talk show (like Oprah) and confess (with all the usual caveats). I could also see in his future that he aligns himself closely with someone who is dealing with cancer (e.g., he starts dating or marrying a girl with cancer, or he finds a relative with cancer) to get even more sympathy for his comeback.

 

[RedheadDane]

To be honest I don't give a whole lot of ****s what happens to Armstrong...
What I care about is salvaging the renome of cycling. Unfortunately I'm well aware that Armstrong has become so linked to cycling that the degree of his punishment will influence the future of cycling.

 

[ValleyFlowers]

This was supposed to be a poll, but I made one typo while I was filling out the choices, and suddenly the post went through and couldn't be made a poll.

Why don't you delete this topic and start over?
There should probably an option for a #6 - like "Some other outcome/ending"

 

[taiwan]

3. Some of his fans knew anyway, Joe Public will be outraged today and will have forgotten tomorrow, and he'll be OK for money somehow: probably planned for this eventuality.

Why don't you delete this topic and start over?
There should probably an option for a #6 - like "Some other outcome/ending"

#6= Vino/other, silly

 

[Berzin]

Lance Armstrong HAS to lose his titles. The UCI will look ridiculous and lose the little credibility they they have within the sport if they dare fight this.

Even if they DO appeal, they must do so through CAS, and they can only do so on matters of jurisdiction. They may go through with this scenario to show Armstrong they were with him all along just in case he later decides to blow up their spot. Then when they lose in CAS Armstrong cannot argue that Fat Pat through him under the bus after he accepted those bribes-I mean donations.

I don't believe Armstrong ratting out the UCI after all is said and done will work because by then he'll be so marginalized no one will listen to him. He'll be labeled a vindictive loser with an ax to grind (where have I heard THAT before?).

Remember, the tactic of cats like McQuaid is to stay in power. He has to hedge his bets and read the tea leaves so he can protect himself as much as he can. He doesn't care a bit about Lance, he only cares about maintaining his position.

Getting back to Lance, I only see two lawsuits he will lose, the potential SCA and Sunday Times countersuits. None of his sponsors are going to bother with him because they already made their money off him and then some, so what possible right do they have to complain now? Will they give back the proceeds from THEIR affiliation with Armstrong? I don't think so.

After these two lawsuits are settled (if the Times and SCA decide to go for it) he should be pretty much in the clear, with one caveat, and that is the Livestrong Foundation.

This may be their death knell. Some fat cats who donated in the past may sue to get their money back, arguing they donated under false pretenses. But Armstrong may be immune to these types of lawsuits because quite frankly I don't see his foundation lasting more than another two years tops. Then again, this could be what will drive the final spike in the vampire that one was "The Armstrong Myth".

 

[Maxiton]

This was supposed to be a poll, but I made one typo while I was filling out the choices, and suddenly the post went through and couldn't be made a poll.

1) UCI will appeal, and LA will keep most if not all of his TDF titles.
2) UCI will either not appeal, or will lose completely, and LA will be stripped of everything stipulated by USADA. But he will continue to be supported by the cancer community and large numbers of diehard fans.
3) In addition to losing his titles, LA will be subject to several expensive lawsuits, and lose some of his sponsors, but will emerge from it all retaining enough wealth and fans in the cancer community to continue leading a fairly lavish lifestyle.
4) LA will be driven to or close to bankruptcy by lawsuits, all his sponsors will abandon him, and all but the most diehard fans will give up on him.
5) LA will face criminal charges, resulting in severe fines and/or jail.

I agree with deleting and starting over, but until you do:

I say 4 and 5. UCI will do whatever it can to maintain its own power and corruption, but as far as LA is concerned it really doesn't matter what they do. I think LA will definitely face a spate of lawsuits, and his eventual prosecution for perjury and/or other crimes is almost inevitable. It will play out over a period of years, probably, and won't end well for him.

 

[Northern rider]

Maybe Lance and Johan will abscond from justice on a Trek tandem and end up at a canyon a la Thelma and Louise ?

 

[airstream]

Imo it will be 2, but I'm all for an extremely strict punishment that another moron could know what can expect him.

 

[peterst6906]

My guess is option 5, but he'll still be a wealthy man afterwards.

I think the defrauding of USPS will be the trigger for this to end up in criminal charges.

 

[Sarcastic Wet Trout]

I'm seeing a combination of 1,2,3.

The UCI will appeal, not based on the details of the report, but on procedure. And after going through the UCI/WADA rules with a fine tooth comb, Herman will find a t not crossed, or i not dotted - probably something where Hein or Pat forgot to sign and send in the appropriate paperwork. The Technical result will be something like that the USADA can't disqualify Lance for the '99 Tour because the USADA didn't exist in '99. Lance gets some of his Tours back.

So, everybody wins.

Lance gets to claim that it was a witch hunt and he is a Tour winner. Livestrong and his some of his sponsorship continue to maintain his lifestyle and his continuing series of blonde baby-mamas.

His lawyers rack up plenty billable hours while making the most absurd pronouncements.

The UCI again proves that they are incompetent.

And Tygart's USADA Reasoned Decision stands unchallenged in that Lance is still a ******bag.

 

[RedheadDane]

Adding to my previous post:

I obviously don't know how this is going to end. I hope for some sort of mix of 4 and 5...
Also, if Armstrong has any integrity left he won't be using as much as a pence from the cancer found to pay whatever expences this creates for him!

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

Financially he'll be fine, somewhere in the woodwork there will be another sucker insurance company like SCA that will payout any damages awarded against him.

Reputation wise he's already finished in the court of public opinion.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

It will be 2 and 3.