The Mike Anderson story

[ElChingon]

Sociopaths are typically very charming at the beginning of any relationship, be it business, social or romantic.

Well they also prey on a certain types as well because those who are not susceptible to their charms never fall for it. I'm still surprised no one who didn't fall prey ever mention it in the Pro peloton.

 

[Cloxxki]

Thanks for openly sharing your expiences Mike.
I won't go as far as NZ anytime soon, but if you're passing through Europe, you have a free B&B at my place.
Hope the move to NZ is proving goood for you in many ways, and you opt to grow old ahppily there.

 

[BotanyBay]

What I hate about all these stories is they all have the same beginning. Buddies, business partners, lovers, etc.

Where are the "we never got on" from day one or first meeting? Or I never bought his BS. Sure those of us who have never met him but what about those involved in cycling, not one rider who declined a USPS/Disco contract just because he was on the team? I mean he's such an A.H. no one figured that out from day one? Does he have such a great opening line that he hooks everyone on first meeting?

People are immediately smitten with his celebrity. He asks/invites and they are thrilled to be brought closer to the inner circle. Then you realize that the smallest little things threaten his need for supreme control over you. Things such as needing bike tires, or perhaps more jerseys and shorts. Most people then quickly fall into line (right you are, Lance!). Others go their own way and later discover that the mere act of leaving (so that he has no control over you) is considered an extreme display of disloyalty. Lance never forgets, and he has a particularly cruel way of following up by continuing tp punish those who leave him.

 

[BotanyBay]

In this case it was a handshake and their word, but also written in an e-mail. Anderson said he spent a bunch of money trying to retrieve the deleted e-mail from his hard-drive. Pity he could not.

Mike should consider it a blessing that he is on his own without any way for Lance to control or influence him. If Lance had parted ways more amicably and honored the original offer, he'd likely have another staunch defender on his side.

Look at Livingston. The guy works in Lance's basement. Permanently under the control of Lance. His income perpetually dependent on Lance's brand image. Kevin's the REAL guy in the RadioShack commercials. Kevin is Lance's property, just the way Lance prefers it. Just the way Kevin prefers it. Kevin's "The Gimp"

 

[ChrisE]

Can somebody familiar with testing please comment on this?

I got myself together to head for the ranch. A few minutes later, as I was driving, my phone rang again. It was Russey. “He’s left town with Sheryl,” he said. “College is gonna go to the airport and get his Suburban and drive it back to the ranch. The WADA people won’t be able to tell if it’s Lance or not when he drives past them and will think it is.”

The ruse was designed to make WADA’s out-of-competition monitors, who had arrived outside the locked gate of the ranch as part of WADA’s “whereabouts” program, think the person behind the wheel was Armstrong. Even though the WADA people wouldn’t be able to contact Armstrong directly, the trick would allow him to avoid getting hit with a so-called non-analytical positive, based on a failure to accurately report his location. Under the rules of the World Anti-Doping Code, Armstrong had to let WADA know exactly where he was at all times.

There was no testing involved? If they just think the athlete is where is he supposed to be, that is it? Whereabouts don't even need to be confirmed face to face?

 

[Digger]

Can somebody familiar with testing please comment on this?



There was no testing involved? If they just think the athlete is where is he supposed to be, that is it? Whereabouts don't even need to be confirmed face to face?

To be fair I thought that was a little unclear also.

 

[ChrisE]

Having seen the reply by Fabiani, several things stick out:

1) Both Russey and Korioth deny Mike's story about a visit from USADA. So either Mike made that story up or both Russey and Korioth are lying, presumably as a result of pressure from LA.

2) The "Andersatan" signature doesn't sound lo me like something one would do as a joke. Unless it was an in-joke, something he had done before.

3) the nanny's testimony that long after the discover of the steroids, Mike told her he was sure LA never took PEDs. If she was not lying, the most positive spin you could put on this for Mike is that he didn't want others to know what he now strongly suspected.

Overall, it's clear that there are enough claims and counter-claims here to weaken the story. But again, it's mostly not evidence of doping, anyway.

I don't think it weakens the story....people still associated with LA or are intimidated by him say one thing, MA says another. It is obvious in my mind what has more credibility.

 

[ChrisE]

To be fair I thought that was a little unclear also.

He writes 'monitors', not testers so maybe they are just that.

If tinted windows are all that is required to beat this, that is mind boggling.

 

[LauraLyn]

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoo...king/My-Life-With-Lance-Armstrong.html?page=1

I was Lance’s personal assistant for two years, during the height of his racing career. Do I think he cheated? Yep. But my real problem is something that diehard fans seem unable to grasp: the vengeful tactics he uses against people who tell the truth about him, on and off the bike

Thanks Hog. A good post and, yes, while it doesn't perhaps impact much on the USADA case against Lance, it is supportive. It plays a good role as character witness.

This is old news indeed for those who have followed this. See the 2005 http://web.archive.org/web/20060629...newsweb.com/statesman/sports/040105_lance.pdf Here is even more detail and much of what is in Outside is word-for-word here originally.

Happy reading.

 

[LauraLyn]

Having seen the reply by Fabiani, several things stick out:

1) Both Russey and Korioth deny Mike's story about a visit from USADA. So either Mike made that story up or both Russey and Korioth are lying, presumably as a result of pressure from LA. . . . .

Merckx: See paragraph 22 & 23: Much more detail here. http://web.archive.org/web/20060629...newsweb.com/statesman/sports/040105_lance.pdf

 

[LauraLyn]

My impression is that Mike is telling the truth. What concerns me is that his narrative helps fill in details about Lance Armstrong's personality, which has no bearing on whether Lance doped or not. The whole strategy employed by Lance is one of misdirection. He wants the public to view allegations of his doping as some sort of personality driven contest between Team Lance and the Haters. A dispassionate and objective analysis of the facts does Lance no good at all. I feel as though Mike's story plays into the Lance Armstrong strategy even if it is true.

If people followed the comments as they rolled in hours after the publication, then you are certainly correct.

But this is not only about "getting Lance". The victims of Lance also need to be heard and have their stories told.

KayLow, your analysis of this article has been extremely perceptive and helpful. Much appreciated by those of us still learning.

 

[LauraLyn]

KayLow is a PR strategies plant or the next best thing, looking to plant seeds of doubt and hoping somebody will water them.

. . . .

Dave.

KayLow, apologies. Persons here expressing a differing point of view than those who only want to rant against Lance are at times attacked personally and without reprisal. This not only demeans the attacker but also the discussion.

Your points were cogent and to the point. They contributed highly to the discussion.

 

[LauraLyn]

Another very good discussion on Armstrong's personality can be had from Anna Zimmerman's blog. She lives in Austin and knows Lance well: http://150wattsofawesome.blogspot.be/2012/08/lance-armstrong-applies-for-martyr_24.html

Highly recommended.

 

[aphronesis]

I think you meant to say that you meant to use a word that isn't in the dictionary.

i have a dictionary with it. Your point Mark?

 

[aphronesis]

EC, aphronesis has kindly pointed out Lance is not a sociopath because sociopath is indistinguishable to rational ergo et demonstratum Lance is a normal bloke with rational behaviour.

However if sociopath DID exist, and had the characteristics usually associated with it, and Lance WAS one aa assumed (until aphronesis set the record straight), then it is no surprise he initially butters people up. Because the first characteristic of sociopath is the ability to charm before imploding. They implode because deep rooted paranoia casts everyone as implacable enemies due to the slightest perceived betrayal. But as they are in extremis, the ability to charm is just as great as the certainty and violence of imploding.

EDIT: oops was ityping turner, didn't see your succinct reply %)

Actually I didn't point that out. Rather, I would ask how much use you get out of firing off the word sociopath, one, and two, assuming they exist in naturalized form, what is the baseline of measurement for sociopaths?

 

[webster]

I really hope this is the final catharsis Mike needs to get on with his life. I think Lance is guilty as charged of being a doper and a jerk, but this article just makes Mike seem like a whiner.

I get that the job was not all it was cracked up to be, but I am sure it beat working on hybrids and huffys at Bicycle Sport Shop. And really? You thought Lance was just going to fork over money for you to start an instantly successful bike shop in Austin? A guy who can't save an important email or manage his own finances? I mean you were a good mechanic, but those are easy enough to come by, and that skill alone would not have translated into bike shop owner. Look at Mellow Johnny's today - they have the financial backing and management from CSE, and they would be out of business if it weren't for t-shirt sales. And other than that "grievance", you bascially had a disappointing last year working for Lance, and it sound like the writing was on the wall for it to be over. I have never heard of anyone hanging on to so much anger after losing a two-year job over eight years ago.

It is time to take responsibility for your life and your decisions and stop blaming Lance for crushing your dream of opening up a bike shop.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I recommend people read Fabiani's letter first, since it hardly addresses hard questions and instead mostly just attempts to discredit Anderson. Then read Mike's article.

I think the thrust of Mike's article isn't that Lance doped. We all know Lance doped. It's that Lance is an asshole. That's the part that Fabiani just can't seem to dismiss.

 

[Anonymous]

I really hope this is the final catharsis Mike needs to get on with his life. I think Lance is guilty as charged of being a doper and a jerk, but this article just makes Mike seem like a whiner.

I get that the job was not all it was cracked up to be, but I am sure it beat working on hybrids and huffys at Bicycle Sport Shop. And really? You thought Lance was just going to fork over money for you to start an instantly successful bike shop in Austin? A guy who can't save an important email or manage his own finances? I mean you were a good mechanic, but those are easy enough to come by, and that skill alone would not have translated into bike shop owner. Look at Mellow Johnny's today - they have the financial backing and management from CSE, and they would be out of business if it weren't for t-shirt sales. And other than that "grievance", you bascially had a disappointing last year working for Lance, and it sound like the writing was on the wall for it to be over. I have never heard of anyone hanging on to so much anger after losing a two-year job over eight years ago.

It is time to take responsibility for your life and your decisions and stop blaming Lance for crushing your dream of opening up a bike shop.

If that's all there was to the story then you'd have a point regarding Mike coming off as a whiner.

Lance made and is still making a concerted effort to ruin the guy. I think he can be forgiven for extracting his pound of flesh.

 

[Anonymous]

I recommend people read Fabiani's letter first, since it hardly addresses hard questions and instead mostly just attempts to discredit Anderson. Then read Mike's article.

I think the thrust of Mike's article isn't that Lance doped. We all know Lance doped. It's that Lance is an asshole. That's the part that Fabiani just can't seem to dismiss.

I swear to God I will never understand how Fabiani sleeps at night. What a monumental piece of ****.

 

[webster]

I recommend people read Fabiani's letter first, since it hardly addresses hard questions and instead mostly just attempts to discredit Anderson. Then read Mike's article.

I think the thrust of Mike's article isn't that Lance doped. We all know Lance doped. It's that Lance is an asshole. That's the part that Fabiani just can't seem to dismiss.

But we all assume Lance is a jerk, so Mike's letter does not bring up anything new, and it only adds to the myth that this whole "witch hunt" is about disgruntled people bringing Lance down. Of all the accounts I've heard, this is the one packed with the most he-said she-said BS.

Aside from being some kind of load off of Mike's shoulders, I don't think it really serves any purpose.

 

[aphronesis]

I recommend people read Fabiani's letter first, since it hardly addresses hard questions and instead mostly just attempts to discredit Anderson. Then read Mike's article.

I think the thrust of Mike's article isn't that Lance doped. We all know Lance doped. It's that Lance is an asshole. That's the part that Fabiani just can't seem to dismiss.

We all know the latter as well. It's not Fabiani's problem. Mike's story tells the tale of getting burned within the "postindustrial" service and personality economy. Happens daily.

 

[webster]

If that's all there was to the story then you'd have a point regarding Mike coming off as a whiner.

Lance made and is still making a concerted effort to ruin the guy. I think he can be forgiven for extracting his pound of flesh.

No forgiving necessary, he is welcome to write whatever he wants or needs to. I just think that it is less black and white than, oh, if Lance would have just come through on that promise, then my life would be perfect. To still be moaning about this so many years later, is just a little odd. Again though, I hope this is the catharsis he needs.

 

[Cloxxki]

But we all assume Lance is a jerk, so Mike's letter does not bring up anything new, and it only adds to the myth that this whole "witch hunt" is about disgruntled people bringing Lance down. Of all the accounts I've heard, this is the one packed with the most he-said she-said BS.

Aside from being some kind of load off of Mike's shoulders, I don't think it really serves any purpose.

I read comments such as yours, then guess the author's postcount, and scroll back up to check. I guessed too high for yours. Hope Lance pays you well, and yo momma is proud of you.

 

[mastersracer]

I think the thrust of Mike's article isn't that Lance doped. We all know Lance doped. It's that Lance is an asshole. That's the part that Fabiani just can't seem to dismiss.

I know a number of people who have been PAs for various celebrities including some of the 'most loved actresses' and they could all write stories like this (NDAs are a condition of work). I'm a bit surprised Anderson didn't have more inside knowledge of doping.

 

[webster]

We all know the latter as well. It's not Fabiani's problem. Mike's story tells the tale of getting burned within the "postindustrial" service and personality economy. Happens daily.

Exactly, assistants are disposable items to celebrities. This was never going to end any differently.