Why is Lance Armstrong so Hated?

[BotanyBay]

Apparently you can't polish a turd. Although I think Lance disproves this!!

Leave it to "Mythbusters" to bust the myth. Yes, you CAN polish a turd!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiJ9fy1qSFI

Ingredients:
Turd. Water. Pressure. Time.

 

[usedtobefast]

Leave it to "Mythbusters" to bust the myth. Yes, you CAN polish a turd!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiJ9fy1qSFI

Ingredients:
Turd. Water. Pressure. Time.

http://www.guffsturdpolish.com/

 

[MarkvW]

The real question is not 'why is Lance Armstrong so hated?' The real question is 'why is Lance Armstrong so interesting?'

I understand the interest in the racing, the doping, the investigation, the unethical dealings with the UCI, and other topics his behavior has spawned, but why do haters remain passionately interested in him as a person?

He is a liar, a cheat, and a bully (and he's a also a squirrelly little guy ). He's about as interesting as Benny Hinn or Peter Popoff. As a human being, he's a zero. He's not worth the sweat off my

But yet some people remain really interested in him. It's not like he's the first person to Anquetil himself to multiple TdF wins. Or the first person to sell Faith to willing believers. There must be something else.

My best explanation is that for a lot of people, Lance is a human symbol for all that is dirty and dishonest in pro cycling and that they have a hard time reconciling dirty Lance Armstrong with the noble ideal of pro cycling that exists only in their hearts.

 

[BotanyBay]

My best explanation is that for a lot of people, Lance is a human symbol for all that is dirty and dishonest in pro cycling and that they have a hard time reconciling dirty Lance Armstrong with the noble ideal of pro cycling that exists only in their hearts.

Considering that I switched from being a "not-about-the-bike" fan to a cheerleader for his banishment, I think he reminds me of a lot of kids I knew when I was younger in life. The kids that were literally evil to so many in school, yet good-looking, charming and suave enough to manipulate the adults into adoring him and he ultimately was able to get them to essentially work for him.

I remember him as a young a-type-hole, and figured that he'd been humbled in 1996 by a new lease on life. Now I see that his ordeal just emboldened him.

Excellent question, BTW.

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

My best explanation is that for a lot of people, Lance is a human symbol for all that is dirty and dishonest in pro cycling and that they have a hard time reconciling dirty Lance Armstrong with the noble ideal of pro cycling that exists only in their hearts.

Sport isn't noble, although people occasionally are. My problem with LA is that he seems prepared to do untold damage to others for a relatively minor advantage to himself, even when the advantage is entirely undeserved. It's not about being part a tough and dirty sport, there is something more fundamentally wrong with the guy IMO. My ongoing enthusiasm for seeing his downfall is because I find it disturbing that someone like that is in a position of influence.

Since the federal investigation was pulled, I don't expect a spectacular downfall though. There are far to many sycophants, insidious or obvious, trying to paint the picture that LA is just a normal scallywag cyclist instead of a ruthless parasite.

 

[thehog]

Sport isn't noble, although people occasionally are. My problem with LA is that he seems prepared to do untold damage to others for a relatively minor advantage to himself, even when the advantage is entirely undeserved. It's not about being part a tough and dirty sport, there is something more fundamentally wrong with the guy IMO. My ongoing enthusiasm for seeing his downfall is because I find it disturbing that someone like that is in a position of influence.

Since the federal investigation was pulled, I don't expect a spectacular downfall though. There are far to many sycophants, insidious or obvious, trying to paint the picture that LA is just a normal scallywag cyclist instead of a ruthless parasite.

From a cycling perspective he's faded into obscurity. Nobody wants to mention him. You'd think the 7-time Tour champ, the greatest of all time would be a celebrated ex-champion invited back to present the yellow jersey. No one wants to go near him or even reference his name. He represents everything that was wrong with cycling. Outside Phil & Paul most pretend that he never existed. That's gotta hurt.

Agree with the scallywag comment (have heard that in years!); already this month he's on the cover of Men's Journal showing off his airbrushed abs under the byline of "troubles are behind him". So how does he explain away the drug thing? You betcha - never tested positive.

That's taking your fans for fools. As I said on the LeMond thread. He past the drug tests but failed the straight face test.

I honestly don't think history will serve him well. The sport just finds him an ugly man. He can never change that.

 

[Cloxxki]

Good Angle Mark.

It may also be able the adoration her expects, and gets, from the weaker hearted. Which he gained based on outright lies, uses his lucked our survival as a foney ignition to admire him. Get them to root for him, spend money on anything that is credited his yellow symbol of fake rightiousness, etc, etc. And then it even cancer patients making up the bulk of his victim base. Their intelligence is being gravely insulted, and purposely so. Now if he was actually a nice man, but he doesn't even pretend to be. His fellow victims are his victims. How predatory can one get? His sense of innovation took a wrong turn somewhere. The dope and lies got the main focus, and he's getting even for something. Lack of a dad figure, an identity outside sports, the illness, not sure exactly what his motive mix is.
It's all so wrong on possily an unprecendented amount of levels. Dictators and genocists often keep their evil diversity narrower than that. Heck, I bet there are those in that club who did more human good than Lance, of course partly due to a factor of power reach.

 

[yourwelcome]

No one wants to go near him or even reference his name...

...already this month he's on the cover of Men's Journal showing off his airbrushed abs under the byline of "troubles are behind him".

For a person nobody's interested in or wants to go near, pretty good going to be on the cover of MJ this month.

 

[patterson_hood]

For a person nobody's interested in or wants to go near, pretty good going to be on the cover of MJ this month.

I'm guessing MJ isn't a cycling magazine?

 

[gillan1969]

The real question is not 'why is Lance Armstrong so hated?' The real question is 'why is Lance Armstrong so interesting?'

I understand the interest in the racing, the doping, the investigation, the unethical dealings with the UCI, and other topics his behavior has spawned, but why do haters remain passionately interested in him as a person?

He is a liar, a cheat, and a bully (and he's a also a squirrelly little guy ). He's about as interesting as Benny Hinn or Peter Popoff. As a human being, he's a zero. He's not worth the sweat off my

But yet some people remain really interested in him. It's not like he's the first person to Anquetil himself to multiple TdF wins. Or the first person to sell Faith to willing believers. There must be something else.

My best explanation is that for a lot of people, Lance is a human symbol for all that is dirty and dishonest in pro cycling and that they have a hard time reconciling dirty Lance Armstrong with the noble ideal of pro cycling that exists only in their hearts.

or as Zappa would say "....and my name is Bobby Brown...."

 

[Race Radio]

I'm guessing MJ isn't a cycling magazine?

Pretty sure it is one of those magazines for dudes who like to look at pictures of other dudes but pretend they are not looking a pictures of dudes

 

[thehog]

Pretty sure it is one of those magazines for dudes who like to look at pictures of other dudes but pretend they are not looking a pictures of dudes

I did think the same thing. Wasn’t sure if I needed to wear my raincoat to read it in the news agents!

I have to say he sounds so unsure of himself. He doesn’t know what’s coming next so he doesn’t come across as forthright as he used to be.

He also doesn’t even sound convinced himself. It’s all watered down. It comes across as weak because he won’t deride Hamilton or Landis. He can’t so it ends up sounding like “look at me, look at me, I am really nice, see” and “I think I got away with it, I think I did”. You can see he wants to be old Lance but he can’t. Too far gone.

 

[Fausto's Schnauzer]

 

[Race Radio]

I did think the same thing. Wasn’t sure if I needed to wear my raincoat to read it in the news agents!

I have to say he sounds so unsure of himself. He doesn’t know what’s coming next so he doesn’t come across as forthright as he used to be.

He also doesn’t even sound convinced himself. It’s all watered down. It comes across as weak because he won’t deride Hamilton or Landis. He can’t so it ends up sounding like “look at me, look at me, I am really nice, see” and “I think I got away with it, I think I did”. You can see he wants to be old Lance but he can’t. Too far gone.

He knows it is not over.

 

[MarkvW]

He knows it is not over.

The criminal investigation sure is over. And it has been two years since Floyd offered his qui tam to the feds. No takers yet.

Maybe USADA is still doing something. Otherwise, "itsnotover" looks only like your own personal mantra.

 

[Race Radio]

The criminal investigation sure is over. And it has been two years since Floyd offered his qui tam to the feds. No takers yet.

Maybe USADA is still doing something. Otherwise, "itsnotover" looks only like your own personal mantra.

Sure it is. All done, nothing to worry about.

Nothing to see here, move along.

 

[MarkvW]

Sure it is. All done, nothing to worry about.

Nothing to see here, move along.

Once again, sarcasm with the implied hint of secret knowledge.

 

[Anonymous]

Once again, sarcasm with the implied hint of secret knowledge.

Not secret at all. Tygart has made his intentions known since the day Birotte was ordered by DOJ to let Lance walk.

 

[thehog]

I think it would be good if Lance got away it. Good for him and his fans. It would be a display of strength like no other. This world needs more people who scout the rules and punish those who question. Cycling is much better off if others get caught but he gets away with it. Good for the UCI rule as well. Shows that they are in control and decide who goes down and who doesn’t.

Must be stressful running from the truth your whole life. Why do it? He should man up and admit.

Money can buy influence but it doesn’t buy respect. History will be his judge.

 

[Race Radio]

Wish I didn't have to travel next week for work. Going to miss the long awaited return of Johan to California. Should be some good "Interviews"

 

[MarkvW]

Not secret at all. Tygart has made his intentions known since the day Birotte was ordered by DOJ to let Lance walk.

If the DOJ ordered Lance to walk (as you assert), do you really think that the DOJ is going to permit the turnover of investigatory information to USADA?

Isn't there a disconnect in that reasoning? If the DOJ is so dirty that it would walk Lance in the face of overwhelming evidence, why would it suddenly become so good as to provide that overwhelming evidence to USADA?

Without the feds' evidence, do you really think a USADA reinvestigation would go anywhere?

It's like you want to have your cake (the bad feds who conspire to help lance) and eat it too (the good feds who work to hold lance accountable).

 

[thehog]

He knows it is not over.

The part in the article that I should have mentioned was in regards to the Federal invitation. I’m not sure if he had right to veto the content before printing to verify how true it is.

But there is a line in it which states that he privately told friends he expected to do time and have pay out are large raft in fines once indicited.

It’s an odd admission. Not sure if it’s to gain sympathy or what but it’s a sense it’s an confession of some serious crime and guilt.

 

[Race Radio]

But there is a line in it which states that he privately told friends he expected to do time and have pay out are large raft in fines once indicited.

Really? But Goober said there was never a case. That Armstrong always knew it was going away....Goober wouldn't lie to us.

 

[Race Radio]

If the DOJ ordered Lance to walk (as you assert), do you really think that the DOJ is going to permit the turnover of investigatory information to USADA?

Isn't there a disconnect in that reasoning? If the DOJ is so dirty that it would walk Lance in the face of overwhelming evidence, why would it suddenly become so good as to provide that overwhelming evidence to USADA?

Without the feds' evidence, do you really think a USADA reinvestigation would go anywhere?

It's like you want to have your cake (the bad feds who conspire to help lance) and eat it too (the good feds who work to hold lance accountable).

Wrong on all counts.

 

[BroDeal]

Pretty sure it is one of those magazines for dudes who like to look at pictures of other dudes but pretend they are not looking a pictures of dudes

Ah, you mean like Outside Magazine.