Lance. The one-ball wonder.
…Yes, I just said that.
But, I said that because he is. He is a wondrous athlete. In 1996, Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with stage 3 testicular cancer. The cancer eventually spread to his abdomen, lungs, and brain, and doctors gave him a 40% chance of survival. But Armstrong beat the odds, and he didn’t stop there. He went on to win seven straight Tour de France titles, and encouraged millions of Americans in a movement eventually coined #LiveStrong.
That’s absolutely amazing.
Yet, his legacy has been tarnished by repeated allegations claiming Armstrong took performance-enhancing drugs (“PEDs”).
… but, who cares?
We criticize athletes for taking PEDs because it gives them an edge in comparison to their competitors. But, in the dirty sport of cycling in the 2000’s, there was no edge. Everybody was doing it. Several of the cyclists that finished 2nd and 3rd to Lance’s 1st have been tied to PED use.
So, looking at the big picture, the fact of the matter is, Lance Armstrong had no advantage over most other cyclists, but they had an advantage over him. They didn’t have cancer. They didn’t almost die. He did. Yet, he still beat them.
That’s absolutely amazing.
But then, the hammer came down. The allegations came more frequently and with more credibility. Yet, Armstrong persistently, and vehemently, denied the use of PEDs. And, as Dan Wetzel pointed out in his article, he destroyed anyone who contradicted his claim:
Throughout Armstrong’s career, he hasn’t just denied he doped, he’s tried to destroy anyone who suggested otherwise. He and his henchmen have bullied, intimidated and threatened. They attacked reputations and fought dirty in ways that belied what he was supposed to be about. Everyone was just a jealous liar. Careers were ruined.
That’s absolutely pathetic.
And, while many other riders were admitting to the use of PEDs, Armstrong stuck to his lie. Yet, the evidence has continued to stack up against him, and in a report published on January 4th by the New York Times, Lance “is considering publicly admitting that he used banned performance-enhancing drugs and blood transfusions during his cycling career.”
And, why, may you ask is Lance “considering” this public admittance? Because we already know.
We already know he did it. So, he’s trying to “save face.” There is no noble reason for this “admittance” to something we already believe. He is acting, as he has when he has lied for over a decade, with only his self-interests in mind. And…
That’s absolutely pathetic.
So, don’t despise Lance the athlete… despise Lance the person.
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By: Tyler Raborn
Sports Righting 
Thanks for the follow people.