I love Lance Armstrong. I mean, when he got sick with cancer back in the late 1990's, I remember going to some website on some students' dormroom computer and sending a "get well soon" email to Lance as he began his recovery. Then I loved watching him dominate the Tour. Who can forget the famous "look" over his shoulder at Ullrich back in the day? Or his narrow escape from Beloki's crash and subsequent ride across a field at about 40mph? Even today, I'm all about watching him race his last Tour and, heck, I follow him everyday on twitter. Truly, the guy is an amazing athletic specimen and, even better, an amazing and compelling story.Which is why I hope to the Lord that he's clean. What if it's a sham? Is it? Is there fire? I don't know, but I do know that there is a lot of smoke. Time magazine online has an interesting piece on the topic here.
Not to get all philosophical here, but here's the problem. If he did it and it comes out, it wrecks an amazing story and tarnishes a powerful legacy. If he didn't but the allegations persist, if more former teammates come out of the woodwork with tales of using and abusing, then we get a gradual and painful erosion of confidence in the power of Lance's story. I mean, I already find myself experiencing a growing cynicism and doubt when I hear a good sports tale. I watch Usain Bolt on SportCenter and my first thought is "yeah right." Tonight ARod hit #599 and my first reaction is "how many were clean?" It's really a tragedy and a travesty.
So, Lance, may it be the case that you are a clean. That you are who you say you are. That you are worth my attention, not be mention my devotion. That the amazing things you have accomplished have come as a result of hard work, strict training and a level of drive and intensity that I find to be staggering. May it be so.
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