US prosecutors drop case against Armstrong/USPS

[Cal_Joe]

hehehe

A few years from now Lance is going to look back and say "remember those couple days of peace we had before it all hit the fan?"

More "Super Secret Insider Information"?

 

[Kretch]

i have always said that liggett is parasite and is guilty of misleading the public for his own gain. his income (let alone his credibility) on so many issues is completely tied into his lips being firmly attached to armstrong's cheeks.

liggett is not a journalist. he hardly even understands cycling.

+1 eloquent and accurate sir.

 

[spetsa]

hehehe

A few years from now Lance is going to look back and say "remember those couple days of peace we had before it all hit the fan?"

I guess some ignored the Greg Mortensen reference, just before the news broke. I wonder what LA's coauthor and publisher think of that? Get your jabs in now guys, cuz the Weasel may not be so generous with his power and influence when LA is on his own in civil court.

 

[LarryBudMelman]

More "Super Secret Insider Information"?

The guy was the first to break SI, 60 Minutes and so much other stuff. Anyway, even the ultimate fanboy Bill Strickland, at Bicycling is convinced of Pharmstrong's guilt, so wth are you making jokes about?

If you do know that Pharmstrong is a fraud, why are you a fan? If you don't, where have you been when just about every major sports publication has indicted Pharmstrong or mocked him?

 

[Polyarmour]

I take it then Lance reads this forum?

Makes you wonder who he is doesn't it?

 

[scribe]

Lance = BPC

 

[scribe]

Is there a tally on how many forum posters have quit following cycling now that Lance is cleared of Fed charges, and Contador is bagged for his positive control?

It looks like I am back now.

 

[thehog]

Makes you wonder who he is doesn't it?

On his private jet he reads this forum then he shows it to Liggett and says "Look at this Phil!! Look at what they're writing about me now! Can you believe it? - now pass me another glass of yellow band champagne from the fridge would ya"

 

[thehog]

Phil Liggett on Armstrong affair

He told me in a private situation, when I wasn’t working as a journalist. I was sat in the bedroom some years ago, and I asked him point blank, ‘look Lance, the way I talked you up on television, I would have to back off and resign if you one day went positive’. And he looked at me and he said ‘man I’ve seen death in the face and I don’t take drugs.’ And that’s all he said. I have no reason to disbelieve him.”

What a ****load of crap. Absolutely disgusting.

Question remains.... what was Phil doing in Lance's bedroom??!!

 

[Cal_Joe]

The guy was the first to break SI, 60 Minutes and so much other stuff. Anyway, even the ultimate fanboy Bill Strickland, at Bicycling is convinced of Pharmstrong's guilt, so wth are you making jokes about?

If you do know that Pharmstrong is a fraud, why are you a fan? If you don't, where have you been when just about every major sports publication has indicted Pharmstrong or mocked him?

Anyone who follows certain Twitter accounts knows that RR's "scoops" are not really scoops.

As far as being a fan goes, you appear to be falling back on the Clinic standard - "I do not like LA or anyone who dares question a fact about a post that is not favorable to LA. Therefore, you must be a fan."

Do yourself a favor and read every one of the RR posts in the old LA thread. Calculate how many of them were correct. Let us know. Then you will know why I and others are making jokes.

 

[scribe]

RR's palmares:

10x consecutive dingleberry champ, clinging to lance's pooperhole.

 

[patricknd]

If someone told me a year ago that Andy Shleck would win the 2011 Tour, Contador would be rubbed out of the sport and not appear in 2012, Lance and Hog would be sponsoring the new Leopard and back in control at the Tour and all Federal charges against Armstrong would be dropped I would have laughed at them.

But that’s where we are today.

Life.

I don't think it's over yet and I think la will be keeping A very low profile this year

 

[Hugh Januss]

RR's palmares:

10x consecutive dingleberry champ, clinging to lance's pooperhole.

Scribe's palmares, resume, complete list of past (and future) romantic involvements.

 

[Spider1964]

Anyone who follows certain Twitter accounts knows that RR's "scoops" are not really scoops.

As far as being a fan goes, you appear to be falling back on the Clinic standard - "I do not like LA or anyone who dares question a fact about a post that is not favorable to LA. Therefore, you must be a fan."

Do yourself a favor and read every one of the RR posts in the old LA thread. Calculate how many of them were correct. Let us know. Then you will know why I and others are making jokes.

I believe that RR, as have many others, has been blind-sided by the case being dropped. Copied below is a RR quote from the old Lance thread, dated last week (in response to a question that I posed regarding the investigation) -

The entire network will be exposed. From Organizers (Stapleton, Knaggs), designers (Ferrari) couriers (Duffy and others). If Knaggs and Stapleton are smart they will try to work a deal as quickly as possible.

Multiple partners, including Armstrong and Weisel, have already been notified they are targets of the Qui Tam case. The financial exposure for that case is real. If the Feds "Join" the case then the defendants would be smart to negotiate a settlement as they will not win.

I do not see anything that would put Armstrong away for a decade, but there is absolutely the chance he will end up broke. The breadth of his legal issues are staggering

USDA will file a non-analytical positive. This is perhaps his cheapest case, but it will still cost him at least $1,000,000 to fight it and he will still lose

The Qui Tam case has some big financial risk, not just for Lance. He has already hired some lawyers who specialize in these cases. Even if he settles quickly it will cost millions

It is clear Armstrong expects FCPA charges. He has hired legal that are experts in this and it following closely several FCPA cases Doug Miller worked. The financial penalties for these type of cases can be large and the defense expensive. The Feds have stepped up their prosecution of them, 400% increase in the last few years.

Expect SCA, former and current sponsors, and the Times to file to recover $$$

Hard to see how Johan escapes any action in Italy or France. Ferrari is clearly is big trouble. Of all the people involved he will spend the most time in prison.

Ultimately Armstrong's biggest risk is $$$$. Sponsors will flee, speaking engagements will continue to dry up, legal fees and penalties will bleed him dry.

The next 5 years do not look good for any of those guys

I guess the USADA non-analytical positive is still in play?

 

[thehog]

I don't think it's over yet and I think la will be keeping A very low profile this year

People are saying things. Exposé hidden cam / recordings etc. to be published. Floyd being let off the leash now the Feds have stepped down, civil suits, USADA action.

But even theHog has been bitten to believe anything of substance will come up.

Yes Lances silence is deafening but he's working his network & the cult/ligget are doing the talking.

I'd say it's over for the better part.

The sport has gone troppo since the Contador news. It's such a silly sport you know. So many self black-eyes.

 

[stephens]

Edit: Of course, the prosecutors can give the USADA copies of whatever is legal to give, and they can possibly bring perjury charges if they later learn that certain people said one thing in a GJ room and another in a USADA conference room.

Of course...what? No one will be under any requirement to tell the truth to the USADA. It's not the government. And if one tells a different story to them than they did to the feds, so be it. It is not evidence of perjury: the witness would just say that they told the feds the truth but since they weren't compelled to tell the truth to the usada, or the media, or their grandmother for that matter, they didn't and so be it.

 

[Merckx index]

Originally Posted by thehog
If someone told me a year ago that Andy Shleck would win the 2011 Tour, Contador would be rubbed out of the sport and not appear in 2012, Lance and Hog would be sponsoring the new Leopard and back in control at the Tour and all Federal charges against Armstrong would be dropped I would have laughed at them.

But that’s where we are today.

Life.

I would still laugh at them. Andy wins the 2010 Tour, not 2011. Bert will appear later this year, his suspension ends before the Vuelta.

Good ‘ol hog, still batting .500 on his better days.

Stephens, I respect your posts, and agree with some of the points you make, but I’m just curious. Are you content with the way things have worked out? That Tyler, Floyd and now Contador have had their careers destroyed or severely damaged for doing nothing more than LA did? Does the arbitrary nature (to give LA the benefit of doubt) of who gets caught and who doesn’t not bother you in the slightest?

I ask the same question of JRTinMA and other LA defenders here. Polish, I know, is very good with inequality before the law. It doesn’t bother him in the slightest that LA got away the same stuff that is destroying not only careers but in some cases even lives.

 

[Velodude]

Of course...what? No one will be under any requirement to tell the truth to the USADA. It's not the government. And if one tells a different story to them than they did to the feds, so be it. It is not evidence of perjury: the witness would just say that they told the feds the truth but since they weren't compelled to tell the truth to the usada, or the media, or their grandmother for that matter, they didn't and so be it.

Have you ever considered there could be an arrangement between the US Attorney's office and USADA?

In the guidelines of the US Attorney's manual the US Attorney can decline criminal prosecution if an alternative exists as stated:

"There exists an adequate non-criminal alternative to prosecution."

USADA sanctions for non qualitative positives for doping would strip Armstrong of at least 3 TdF wins and up to all 7 wins, yellow jerseys and monetary prizes.

It was very noticeable that USADA responded very quickly to the US Attorneys Office's media release of 5.00pm Friday. WADA was a number of days behind.

 

[Race Radio]

Really, you guys need to do better then that. Quick, you are running out of time.

 

[Race Radio]

I believe that RR, as have many others, has been blind-sided by the case being dropped. Copied below is a RR quote from the old Lance thread, dated last week (in response to a question that I posed regarding the investigation) -



I guess the USADA non-analytical positive is still in play?

Thanks for posting that. You forgot about the Qui Tam case.....hummm, wonder what is happening with that?

 

[Spider1964]

Thanks for posting that. You forgot about the Qui Tam case.....hummm, wonder what is happening with that?

No malice was intended by my re-posting of your post? So I hope you are not thanking me facetiously?

I certainly have not forgotten about the Qui Tam case... it was in your post. I believe it will go the same way as the GJ investigation, but you may know (or think) otherwise?

 

[frenchfry]

hehehe

A few years from now Lance is going to look back and say "remember those couple days of peace we had before it all hit the fan?"

Race Radio - eternal optimist!

 

[stephens]

Stephens, I respect your posts, and agree with some of the points you make, but I’m just curious. Are you content with the way things have worked out? That Tyler, Floyd and now Contador have had their careers destroyed or severely damaged for doing nothing more than LA did? Does the arbitrary nature (to give LA the benefit of doubt) of who gets caught and who doesn’t not bother you in the slightest?

Oh, it bothers me. And the only way I can see to even the playing field is to rely on testing. The anti-doping agencies need to concentrate on the science and leave the other crap alone. Tyler, Floyd, and Contador had legitimate positive tests. In competition tests, at that. Lance also had a minor one with the cream, but nothing as blatant and clear cut as Tyler and Floyd. The Contador case was handled terribly, but if it was a positive, it was a positive and the two year ban is appropriate.

That's why I've said all along that the most serious allegation to me was the one about Lance paying to cover up a legitimate positive test. If that could be proven in a court of law, it would be huge and I would obviously support any sanctions appropriate and criminal prosecution of those involved.

(btw, i'm not saying the '99 armstrong samples are not positive: but clearly the circumstances are vastly different because they weren't taken for enforcement purposes, were tested years later, were supposed to be anonymous, etc. I don't think they should have ever seen the light of day and are not analogous to Tyler and Floyd and Contador's positive competition tests.)

 

[Benotti69]

I take it then Lance reads this forum?

oh i bet he posts here in the clinic regularly. all these strange named posters that appear from time to time in Armstrong threads and then disappear for months to return again posting more rubbish.

 

[Benotti69]

Question remains.... what was Phil doing in Lance's bedroom??!!

Polishing..........