bnn wrote:I think the fact that Lance did "good" makes it even more heart breaking that he was lying and cheating behind it. If he were the average pro-cyclist who wasn't so "inspirational" and wasn't putting his name behind research involving a very emotional and well known disease this wouldn't be as upsetting - would it? But that's the argument that his fans and he himself use for almost justifying his bad behaviours. Doesn't that sting twice as much? I was never really a fan, but if I had been I would be hurting, angry, and upset yet justifying his behaviours with the cancer fundraising could never sit well with me.
I
was really a fan. I'm not sure I would have ever started watching pro cycling if not for Lance. I still admire the guy's skill and talent - he cheated, but doped he beat those other doped guys. Not just with his legs, but with the way that team worked together, the strategy, everything. US Postal wasn't just a really good group of cyclists, they were brilliantly cunning and made the right moves at the right times, consistently. And that American swagger while he was handing to those Europeans - all veeeery enjoyable!
It was amazing to watch at the time, and frankly all that's happened now makes it sad but I could still watch any one of those stages right now with a big grin on my face.
Of course there's the charity (putting aside any personal gain he might have pulled out of it for a moment...)
There's the awesomeness of taking on Leadville, and Ironman, and marathons.
... but... then there's the other side of the guy.
I'm not even talking about using drugs, you can
almost understand that given the European peloton at the time.
No, it's really the way he's treated anyone who has dared talk about doping in sport. Filippo Simeoni. Tyler Hamilton. Arneau. Landis. Etc, etc, etc. You opened your mouth, you were destroyed, and he took no prisoners. You can google any of those guys and you'll find Lance or his people trashing their character, lawsuits trying to silence them, threats, intimidation... it's all out there, and it's ugly.
jono