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Subscribe to RSSLance Armstrong's former masseuse Emma O'Reilly says she's surprised her former boss has admitted to doping but she has no plans to sue him after he tried to discredit her. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
Lance Armstrong may have come clean about his use of performance-enhancing drugs in his cycling career, but in the eyes of some of the people he hurt over the years, his slate will always be anything but clean.
For Irish masseuse Emma O'Reilly -- who wrote a 2003 book calling Armstrong out on his doping -- an attempt at an apology and Thursday night's Oprah Winfrey interview weren't enough.
O'Reilly, now working as a massage therapist in Manchester, England, told The Manchester Evening News that the cyclist -- who has called her a "whore" in the past -- attempted to contact her last Sunday before his interview aired.
"I thought, you know, one part of me, ‘Oh, this is great.’ And the other part of me, you know, ‘What! The little runt,’" she said. "I could clip him across the back of the head, drag him up to Manchester to apologize to people close to me and eyeball them and apologize to them."
In the 90-minute interview with Winfrey, the cyclist and founder of the Livestrong cancer-fundraising foundation confessed he had taken a performance-enhancing “cocktail.”
“My cocktail, so to speak, was EPO, but not a lot, transfusions and testosterone — which, in a weird way, I almost justified, because of my history, obviously, with having testicular cancer and losing, I thought, ‘surely, I’m running low,’” he told Winfrey, the first time he openly admitted to doping after multiple accusers and years of suspicion that he had been supplementing his seven wins in the Tour de France with performance-enhancing drugs.
That admission wasn't enough for the wife of one of his U.S. Postal Service teammates, another woman who blew the whistle on Armstrong. Betsy Andreu, wife of Frankie Andreu, has publicly said before that she overheard Armstrong talking with a hospital doctor in 1996 about his doping.
“You owed it to me, Lance, and you dropped the ball,” Betsy Andreu, told CNN after Armstrong’s interview with Oprah Winfrey Thursday night. “You had one chance at the truth.”
When Winfrey asked him about Andreu, Armstrong – speaking in as stoic of a manner as he did throughout the entire interview – said he and his former teammate’s wife were not on good terms after the fallout from the 1996 accusations, and then said that when speaking with her earlier this week, he told her, “Listen, I called you crazy. I called you a bitch, I called you all these things, but I never called you fat.”
Lance Armstrong's deceptions might deplete his estimated $125 million net worth now that the cyclist is facing a federal whistleblower lawsuit as well as an attempt by SCA Promotions to recoup Armstrong's paid bonuses. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.
The comments nearly brought Andreu to tears in an interview later in the evening with CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
“That exchange right there has me furious,” she told CNN. “This is a guy who used to be my friend who decimated me. He could have come clean. He owed it to me. He owed it to the sport that he destroyed.”
Armstrong also systemically refused to answer questions about other cyclists throughout his interview, saying this was an opportunity for him to talk about his own mistakes – something that further infuriated Andreu, who said Armstrong pressured her husband to dope.
“Frankie rode the 2000 Tour clean, had the vast majority of his career clean. What was his reward? He didn’t get compensated for that Tour win and he lost his job and his career was derailed. That’s going up against Lance Armstong. Going up a decade of being excoriated by him. And I was willing to give him a chance and this is how he responds? It just doesn’t make sense,” she said.
After watching the interview, former masseuse O’Reilly said she was “surprised” that Armstrong finally confessed, but said she didn't plan to sue him.
“I've never ever felt vindication,” she told U.K. television show Daybreak on Friday. "More move on with my life, which is my way of always dealing, keep going with my life. And suing him, how would I employ his tactics?"
She said she saw a lot of doping while she was working as a masseuse for cyclists.
“I hated seeing what some of the riders were going through because not all the riders weren't as comfortable with cheating as Lance was. And you could see when you went over to the dark side the personalities change and I always felt it was an awesome shame,” she said.
From 1999 to 2001, Tyler Hamilton was Lance Armstrong's teammate, helping him capture his first three Tour de France titles. He tells Matt Lauer he believes Armstrong is "definitely sorry" and "did the right thing, finally."
Armstrong's teammate Tyler Hamilton, who has admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs himself, told TODAY he wanted more from Armstrong.
"I think it's a huge, huge first step,'' Hamilton said. "It's really what happens next. The proof is in the pudding. Basically, what's he going to do moving forward? You can tell it's real. He's very emotional. He's definitely sorry. He did the right thing, finally. It's never too late to tell the truth.''
Hamilton said he didn't "need an apology" from Armstrong, but agreed with officials' decisions that all of Armstrong's cycling results that he achieved while on drugs needed to be wiped out.
Doug Ulman, the CEO of Livestrong, told TODAY it was difficult to watch the interview, but he felt some "relief" for the future of his charity in it as well.
"Watching it was hard, and yet I have to watch it through the prism of the work of the foundation and through the resilience that I've come to know from millions of cancer survivors and people who've been touched by our work," he said. "At a certain level there was a little sense of relief, because our organization today can finally move beyond this topic and this issue.''
The reaction from top cycling officials was generally warm.
Hein Verbruggen, the former president of the International Cycling Union (UCI), said it was “good that Lance Armstrong finally admitted to doping," and said he felt vindicated after years of "conspiracy theories" that he helped cover up doping by Armstrong, reported The Associated Press.
Verbruggen, who led the UCI from 1991 to 2005, said in a statement provided to the AP, "I am pleased that after years of accusations being made against me the conspiracy theories have been shown to be nothing more than that."
He added, "I have no doubt that the peddlers of such accusations and conspiracies will be disappointed by this outcome."
Pat McQuaid, who succeeded Verbruggen as UCI president, said he felt Armstrong’s admission would help the future of cycling.
"Lance Armstrong's decision finally to confront his past is an important step forward on the long road to repairing the damage that has been caused to cycling and to restoring confidence in the sport," McQuaid said in a statement.
Watching Armstrong describe his “litany” of offenses, including “leading a team that doped, bullying, consistently lying to everyone and producing a backdating medical prescription to justify a test result” was “disturbing,” he said, but the Irish official also said that Armstrong pointed out cycling is a different sport today than it was a decade ago.
“Finally, we note that Lance Armstrong expressed a wish to participate in a truth a reconciliation process, which we would welcome,” he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Related stories
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- Armstrong doping confession: Who's involved
NBC Sports' Bob Costas joins Rock Center to discuss the confession by cyclist Lance Armstrong that he used performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career, including during his seven Tour de France wins. Costas discusses the fallout from the admission.
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They're just mad at themselves for being gullible
I couldn't care less about Armstrong, although I despise how he recapitulates social darwinistic dishonesty, selfishness, and narcissism so prevalent in this "other-directed" country.
You didn't read the article, did you Doug? Either that or you have comprehension issues.
I read the article.
What I learned most is about the character of Emma O'Reilly. I don't know about her sexual activities but she's one bitter harpy. I wonder how much money she is making from her outbursts? I doubt it's enough to compensate for the life-long damage to her trustworthiness and reputation.
Lance. don't listen to the jerks out there. Hide your assets so nobody takes them from you, and keep riding buddy.
A lot of jerks out there have no idea how hard you have worked to get so much accomplished. These people don't know what it's like to knock off 200 miles a day for 30 years. You did what you had to for the wins, and you won a lot. Drugs, or no drugs, you are an incredible athlete, and that is about all I have to say.
Armstrong cheated.
Were any of us to cheat, in equivalency, at our jobs, we would be fired and criminally prosecuted.
Athletes, celebrities, politicians, etc. are not above the law and should not be exempt...even if you subscribe to Ayn Rand's screed.
A cheater is a cheater. To think an apology is sufficient to wipe away all the lies is sophomoric. I could see one or two lies but years of dishonesty is a character flaw not wiped away by being caught and being forced to come clean. He's despicable.
To judge his good deeds against the cheating is like equating a drug dealer founding schools and hospitals with the proceeds of his criminal activity. One doesn't erase the other.
The damage done to the sport is permanent.
Yeah, don't listen to those jerks you lied to, took money from under false pretenses, intimidated or coerced. They're just the bitter, envious little people who aren't smart enough to lie and cheat their way to fame and fortune.
Calculated cheater & bullier.
LIVE STRONG trademarked to enhance his "reputation".
And when he was found out.... exposed...he did NOTHING to warrant respect or contrition.... or tame his arrogance.
WE HAVE HEROES.... great folks who quietly give, give, give.... without a public relations posse following them around.
Let's HIGHLIGHT them.
His "legacy" has been secured.
Mission Statement
BIG FREAKIN' DEAL.... Live Strong was always
ME
ME
ME
about Lance Armstrong....
Basically...got Cancer?.... just try living (?)... There....that'll help.Buy my bracelet.
.
.
.
MISSION STATEMENT: The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) inspires and empowers people affected by
cancer. We help people with cancer focus on living; we believe that unity is
strength, knowledge is power and attitude is everything. From the moment of
diagnosis, the LAF provides the practical information and tools people with
cancer need to live life on their own terms. The LAF serves its mission through
advocacy, public health and research. Founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and
champion cyclist Lance Armstrong, the LAF is located in Austin, Texas. For more
information, visit livestrong.org..
.
.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/commentary/lance-armstrong-doping-cancer-questions
Something to think about
Hmmm... It appears that Mr. Armstrong is a liar and cheater – a very rich liar and cheater. He is not the first, and sadly, he will not be the last, sports celebrity to fall into that category.
It's really all about the money. Like many others before him. Mr. Armstrong became a cash hound. Not only should he be stripped of all his titles, he needs to forfeit ALL OF HIS CASH, INVESTMENTS, AND REAL ESTATE purchased with his ill-gotten gains.
Mr. Armstrong needs to go back to a zero balance and start over, just like the rest of us would have to do if we were in a similar situation.
RI Mom...Do you even know what Livestrong does?? Why not go look and then come back and say it's
ME
ME
ME
I do take issue with one thing that Betsy Andreu said, "He owed it to the sport that he destroyed."
Lance Armstrong did not destroy bicycling. It was already destroyed. EVERYONE was doping, and it happened before Armstrong got to the top. He was just the biggest name. I can even understand the pressure EVERY cyclist felt to dope considering 99% of the other riders were. How can you win legitimately when there is so much cheating. I am not justifying it, just showing that the integrity was already long gone before Armstrong.
What Armstong did that was the most horrible, is the way he attacked, and bullied his accusers. He really needs to apologize for that.
Lance Armstrong is just another regular Joe. On drugs.
Wrong! Thanks for playing. In the future, try getting some facts to back your argument.
Really Gumps?? Wow so he was the only person caught doping in the sport...Thanks for the edumacation on it....
...
The only thing Armstrong feels sorry about is being caught. Now his plan is to play on our sympathies for the 'reformed sinner', without ever accepting any punishment or penance for the selfishness that has hurt so many people.
He was a role model. He has proven to the world that the only way to get ahead is to stab your friends in the back while smiling at them. He does not feel remorse. He feels bad that he was caught and now he can't enjoy a long retirement sitting smug with the knowledge that he pulled the wool over everyone's eyes. His response to these women shows that has nothing but scorn for his victims. They are not making money by going against him. He is making money from publicity and casting doubt on their reputations because he is so selfish he always wants the last word. This is a thoroughly sick, narcissistic manipulator--a common enough phenomenon amongst the drug abusing community.
Who really knows whats in Lances heart. He's apologized, now we'll see through his actions if he was sincere or not. As for those who say this wasn't enough, thats your problem, not his. On that note, I hope those who are still bitter aren't held to the same standard on judgement day.
I'd say hte sickofthelies here is the jerk.Wonder if he teaches his kids how to cheat since anything goes?
It's amusing how so many people act as if they have been wronged by LA's actions when the reality is we were all entertained by his prowess winning the TdeF. Looking back it was a "feel good" story. A cancer survivor beats the odds. Now that the obvious has surfaced people feel wronged. Really?? I wish everyone would ask themselves what they would have done in a similar situation. I'm not defending LA. Just pointing out human frailty. Strange that Usain Bolt's accomplishments haven't generated commentary. Tearing a quarter of a second off the 100 meter record when hundredth's is the usual lowering should at least be worth a second look but that's another story soon to be revealed I'm sure. The record hasn't been this shattered since Flo Jo knocked the womens 100m out of the park but died before anything could be proven.
He ruined my enjoyment of the Tour de France. I'm not watching cycling anymore. You can't trust any of them to be clean.
He is a LIAR - why should we give him anymore of our attention?
Fck 'ol uniball. He's no better than a whore. He just did it for the jerseys instead of orgasms. Hope your cancer comes back aggressively and soon, a-hole.
Nice Jake...wishing someone would get cancer and die just because he doped....I wonder if there is someone out there who wishes you get kidnapped and raped by rabid monkeys....
Really, Rob68. And no, Lance wasn't the only one caught doping in the sport. But because there were others doesn't mean that everyone doped. You must be a Republican, using that simple binary logic...
Boy - all the posters are hypocrites. How many of you drive over the speed limit? How many of you cheat on your taxes? How many buy products on Amazon to avoid paying state sales tax? How many of you take office products (pens, pencils, staplers, etc) from your work to use at home?
He ruined Tour de France? Everyone in the race was (and still is) cheating. There is no winner for the 7 years that Lance won because all the ones behind him were tested positive for cheating. All Lance did was dope better.
You all are cheaters, so why are you all upset because Lance Armstrong is coming clean about his cheating? Shakespeare had it correct: Me doth think you protest too much.
Holy smokes folks, he's just a man pedaling a bicycle and hasn't devastated anyone by his actions. He’s getting more flack then the banksters who still trillions and corrupt politicians who shatter people’s lives. Our priorities as to what is a problem and what is important in our country are skewed in my humble opinion.
Is it a lack of meaning in our own lives? Why do people idolize someone for simply acting or athletes who play kids games. They get an obscene amount of money in the process for a questionable value added service. Then at the end of the year they get awards on top of the offensive amount of money. In the mean time, millions of common folks go to work and are the real standard bearers in their communities and are deemed less valuable.
The blind admiration, adoration, or devotion to anyone or anything is a reflection of the idolator not the person idolized.
@TrustVerify, You clearly do not know what you are talking about. Learn SOMETHING about the subject before sounding like a dope.
He destroyed MANY people. He sued person after person for telling the truth about him (in the interview, he could not even remember how many, but said it was a lot). He ruined them financially, and destroyed their careers.
TrustVerify -- Armstrong is indeed more than just a "pedaler" ... maybe a "peddler" ... of a bill of goods! Himself. And he DID bilk people out of millions. Those who paid to sponsor him ... which would be you and me btw, if you're an American, and those who sent money to his charity.
That doesn't EVEN begin to touch the money he got with his lawsuits (see Kevin's post). How about the woman in the article he publicly eviscerated?
And how about those athletes who DIDN'T cheat, yet had no chance to win against him and his team of dopers? They probably lost a "few" bucks as well.
If it is true that there will be no winners of the tour for the seven years LA won because all the riders behind him were doping too, then I don't understand what all the excitement is about. If all the athletes in a given sport are preparing the same way then the playing field is level and competition is fair.
I personally doubt that everyone was doping, perhaps a majority were but even then there have to be legitimate competitors that didn't use performance enhancing substances. If there are any competitors that tested clean, they should be honored as the winner and be awarded all the recognition and other compensation LA stole from them. That someone who worked just as hard as LA but didn't turn to PED to ensure the win had to watch the cheater take the glory, money, adulation, THAT IS the most harmful result of LA's actions.
Apologize for stealing the win, for stealing the adulation, for stealing the money, the fame...BIG DEAL, he ought to be prosecuted and incarcerated for theft, theft of the most cruel kind, he cheated those who didn't dope out of winning the premier event in the sport they chose to compete in and nothing he says or does can EVER make that right!
Sorry guys, he didn't bilk anyone out of anything. In fact, he made a lot of people a lot of money. Everyone who sponsored him during his reign benefited. They got what the bargained and paid for. And, unlike Armstrong, none of them are facing any consequences. What Armstrong didn't say, but didn't need to say, was that this was the nature of the sport. Between the people that they caught and those that they didn't, it is pretty much assumed that everyone used. That's understandable given the grueling nature of the Tour de France. It's also why the Tour didn't replace the winner. They had no more assurance that the others didn't do the same thing.
And, yes, it's a shame that the US taxpayers spent so much money on this. It's also a shame that cycling is a sport with so many tattle-tale crybabies.
All this lying, cheating and the rest of the stuff you all posted here, makes it sound that he could be president.
Yeah. I guess being a cheat and a liar really IS good for the economy. Or at least it's good for other cheats and liars. Armstrong didn't deserve a dime of the money he made once he started doping.
As for our transgressions, sometimes we do take pens home from the office...but we don't go into our co-worker's office and steal ALL of his pens, and then go around stealing ALL the pens in the building and then proclaiming yourself as indispensible and wonderful because we got all the pens. That is the ridiculous nature of Armstrong's crime. Perhaps he shouldn't be thrown in jail, but he deserves the lawsuits coming his way.
dude. the prez has nothing to do with this.
Will someone PLEASE keep RI Mom from posting?!?! It's always "blah blah blah blah"... never any substance.
What Armstrong did I don't really fault him. IF you knew anything about the cycling world at that time, doping or using PED was THE NORM. He didn't push anyone to TAKE the drug... he DID push his team to keep it quiet. The international cycling world knows eveyone doped... why do you think that the years Armstong won the Tour de France, now that they're taken away from him, there are no winners now?? No one in second place was granted the win because EVEYONE was ditry. So, if everyone is dirty, then there shouldn't be a reason to take the wins, right? He was playing on the same level as eveyone else.
Sounds, to me, more like the cycling wold just didn't want an American to win in France.
someone's pants are on fire.
Because he profited handsomely - that is, at until his lies caught up with hm. Because he ruined the lives of many people, who tried to speak out.
Methinks you know little about the story and are speaking out of ignorance.
Did any of you idiots notice that he said he didn't feel that he was getting any advantage, but just leveling the playing field? Any clue what that means? It means that he didn't do anything that anyone else in the sport didn't do. Is that cheating? If you think it is, then you'd better learn to do your job with one hand tied behind your back and call it even. As I've said before, I don't think the fans of the sport care. Probably because they are smarter than everyone else and already knew the real facts.
When the name of the game is "are you a saint" then you are going to catch everyone in the web. And, since you aren't being investigated, you can sit there on your high horse and preach. Well, at least until someone investigates you.
Opps, my apology. I didn't mean to call anyone an idiot. If you don't pay attention to the facts you are just ignorant. Newsvine policy prevents the speaking of the truth because the truth might not be "nice" to others. As far as I know, being ignorant is not insulting, but being an idiot is.
While I heartily dislike and disapprove of what Lance Armstrong did, it appears that he is getting at least some justice for it. He's lost all his titles and most of his sponsors, and I would not be surprised if he loses a substantial amount of money in future lawsuits. Many may judge his apologies as insincere-and I really don't know if they were or not-but only the future will tell us how sincere he was. I can understand why those who were hurt by him would wish to have LA say certain words or perhaps admit certain things, but in reality that does not always happen and can't be forced-and it still won't erase his actions or the very real hurt he caused. Constantly living in anger and bitterness while waiting for someone to do something they may never do or make an apology they may never make is not a pleasant life, even when the anger is justified due to pain that person caused. I can tell you from personal experience that I've found it better to let go for my own sake and my own peace of mind-not that it's been easy (just FYI, in my personal case I'm talking about severe childhood abuse.) I suppose everyone has to do as they feel is best, however.
While I am not defending Lance Armstrong in any way, it seems that some people will not be satisfied without his blood-and I really don't get that level of hatred. On other blogs I've seen people calling for his execution. Even the people who were directly harmed by him and who are understandably angry don't want his blood. What is it that brings that level of anger from people who didn't even know him? I'm really trying to understand this. (I don't hate my abusers to that degree either, though I've had quite a bit of time to deal with what happened and recover. Even so, I can't ever remember feeling that way, even at my angriest.) Of course, we're all different-that's why I'm asking the questions.
BEFORE: Here's Lance Armstrong. On drugs. On top of the cycling world. With testicular cancer in remission.
AFTER: Here's Lance Armstrong. On drugs. Without no one backing him. ANY QUESTIONS?
Lance's ultra-competitive Brain Type is easy to spot. Maybe now Brain Typing will come into vogue as the de facto method of selecting appropriate competitors and compatible partners, based on neurological design & development, instead of trial-and-error non-methods.
Pot: "Kettle, you're black!"
Yes indeedy, witchrunner, not only are you ignorant (using your own criteria above), you're also arrogant.
First of all, not all in the peloton doped - there were plenty who rode "pan y agua" (I seriously doubt that you know what that means).
Secondly, he ruined the lives and reputations of several people who tried to stand up to him and speak about what was reallyl going on.
sick of lies here,
they censored you, but good points
Lance was a great athlete, but what was the point of his efforts?
sports are a waste of resources
There is plenty of reasons for numerous people to be mad at Lance Armstrong. I seriously question this O'Reilly woman. I'll admit I don't know the whole story regarding her involvement, but it seems to me that a masseuse that suddenly becomes an author because she knows something negative about a celebrity is just trying to get a big payday.
She certainly got the last laugh and vindication, as well. I want to buy her book just so she does make money.
Lance is a cheater and a liar; I smiled learning that he got his Olympic medal taken away. An American disgrace.
You should have stopped right there - because you don't have a clue.
SuperSkunk - you're line of thinking is why the world sucks so bad.
She didnt just know something "negative" about a celebrity, she knew something very important about a lot of atheletes, especially one who was winning 7 tours in a row.
Thats a HUGE THING and the fact that people like her were not taken seriously by anyone, because "celebrities" like Lance Armstrong called them "whores" and "liars" - and everyone believed HIM because of his "celebrity" status, is what makes all of this that much more infuriating.
Of course she should have written that book, and profitted, these people were cheating not just a sport - but endorsers, fans, everyone.
The only venue people had to blow the whistle was on tv and in books, because the police and cycling professionals responsible for discovering the cheats, were collectively looking the other way as they collected all their big paychecks.
Please... everyone on Lance's team was doping. The ones that left the team, went to other teams and taught them how to dope and not get caught. The UCI never caught Lance cheating. His testosterone levels were never off probably because he only has one nut. All you have is speculation. His admitting to it may just be to have his ban lifted so he can race in triathalons.
He raced against the best of the best while they were doping and beat them. He is still the champ and the best there ever was.
Somehow I doubt "runt" was the word Ms. O'Neill used to describe Lance. I know too many Brits.
Freebird, do you really need to be posting anything?? You " want to buy her book just so she does make money"?? Seriously? What did Armstong do to you?
So he doped... so did the rest of his field... I don't hear you speaking out against the whole of cycling.
You're just a troll, trying to be so damn PC, I just feel like I need to vomit. Do you really care THAT MUCH about this topic? How much do you cycle, I mean, with that attitude, you must race weekly.
"He is still the champ and the best there ever was."
At cheating! Nothing more. If he was "the best there ever was", why did he have to cheat to win?
"Freebird, do you really need to be posting anything?"
Yes, that Lance Armstrong is a national disgrace!
Armstrong needs some jail time for all the lies and lives he ruined.
No comment from the cycling world's testing methods. Were labs part of the "scheme!"
Armstrong is a liar, fraud and egotistical idiot!!!
I'm not buying this. Seems completely orchestrated after this long, like he cut a deal with the higher ups in cycling of some sort, so they can try and rebuild.
"Lance Armstrong's decision finally to confront his past is an important step forward on the long road to repairing the damage that has been caused to cycling and to restoring confidence in the sport"
Why would he suddenly confess after denying it for 20 years?
To have his ban lifted so he can race in triathalons.
What a douche!
So he was di*k before the addmission and is still a di*k. Not at all surprised. I hope his discredit is remembered for a very long time. He's not sorry for the personal smearing he did of friends and employees, for the doping and the lying. He's sorry he got caught and had his medals and awards taken away. He's sorry he's about to be sued from here to kingdom come.
For the record, I never thought highly of him. He just seemed, dispite his wins, like a phoenomenal a**hole. Same with Tiger Woods.
Yup. He's like that line in Gone with the Wind when Rhett says to Scarlet, "You're like a thief who is not one bit sorry that you stole, but are very, very sorry that you are going to jail." He deserves whatever fallout from this comes his way.
Speaking of jail time, his eyes and expression in one of the photos reminds me of George W. Bush.
Well, they are both from Texas....
Liars and scumbags tend to associate with one another.
Commonsense wins asshat of the day....
Congrats...
Everyone is sorry when they finally get caught. More attempts at manipulating public opinion.
This is probably why Sheryl Crow dumped his ass!
My question is, who faked the drug test results for him all those years?
If you bothered to folllow the story you would know.
Prolly some Bull cow... or a Wildebeest semens. Some shady "sports doctor" from Miami or San Fransicko was pimping the animal jooce to Lance.
The MMA documentary "The Smashing Machine", featuring MMA fighter Mark Kerr, really opened my eyes to the illicit prescription of opiates and even veterinary medication to addicted MMA fighters.
Who cares if an athlete uses "PEDs"? Aren't professional sports entertainment? Shouldn't want to see the best entertainment? He rode a bike up and down hills, who cares? It isn't like any of the other top athletes in that "sport" are clean as a preacher's sheets.
If anything, the amount taken should be quadrupled! Get that Tour over in a day. GO BOYS!
Aren't there FAR MORE important things to worry about, like the poisoning of our water by fracking? The scam of international banking?
Why try to confuse the issue? If that's more important to you then go and post on one of those international banking scam message boards and save us all from your spineless defense of a worthless bastard.
Derek just wondering,if they are things more important,why are you here wasting time.Go git them bankers
Without PEDs , Lance would lose a bicycle race to PeeWee Herman.
That's just the tip of the iceberg. Ain't no way Armstrong doped and passed every tests. Somebody was looking the other way. I'll never look at pro cycling the same way again.
John if you ever looked at it any other way than a doped sport then you are in completely denial or clueless...
I was in denial for a long time, and I thought Armstrong was being harassed. I thought he was telling the truth. Now I know that none of them were completely clean. I'm very disappointed in all of them--I used to enjoy watching Le Tour, but no more.
You don't know if he is telling the truth now or just lying to be allow to compete in triathalons.
Everyone in cycling dopes. He was never caught. It is kind of silly to strip him of his wins 10 years after the fact.
That is like a cop coming to your door and giving you 100 tickets for all the times you were speeding last year, but were never caught.
No, an apology isn't enough. He only apologized because public opinion of him is so low and he figured coming clean would be the first step toward trying to build some sort of future where will be accepted. He's a lying schmuck who got caught.
Let this be a lesson to all of you.........Always beware of a little man named Lance, without testicles, .....................it usually means trouble.
Another important lesson:
Save The Wookiee. Do not shave The Wookiee.
Just another junkie!
He didn't ruin anybodies life. His own has a bit of tarnish that will soon be wiped off. The lies were white ones that only tarnished a rat turd or two.
One thing is for sure, rats will always be rats, and nobody likes rats that squeal when their only objective is to steal someone elses' thunder. If someone is so damn jealous, why don't they do something great themself.
Your insane ignorance of his tactics is clearly evident. He employed teams of lawyers to sue, harass and intimidate those who merely spoke the truth. He ruined careers, he leveled accusations, he bullied everyone he could and sued the rest.
He didn't do anything great, he didn't earn anything, and those who protested his tactics were locked out of the team. Nothing can wipe off tarnish that goes to the core, remove the corruption and there's absolutely nothing left of Lance the liar, Lance the cheat.
But to someone who is also a loser, a liar and a cheat desperately want to believe that they themselves can eventually be redeemed, but it's a losing battle. People with character never forget those who prove themselves as worthless. Lance will only ever have loser fan-boys for company after this.
He was and is a liar and a cheat, competing dishonestly and collecting accolades and money he didn't earn with a smile. Only a similar low-character scumbag would just to his defense with an ignorant statement like "they should have minded their own business".
Here's a news flash Jethro, they were cyclists and support staff who made their living in the sport, in other words it was their business. They tried to clean up a trashy element that ruined the integrity of the sport.
People like yourself crawl through fire to to lick the boot of the bastard that kicks you and laughs, what a poor, simpering excuse for a human being.
"People have boring lives and were jealous, so they had to ruin his ?" -The End Of The United States Is Near
There is something called personal responsibilty. Sure, blame others for something that Lance clearly got himself into. Lance is the victim, waaaah. People like you are the reason "The End Of The United States Is Near".
Lance the loser should be in jail. Anyone of us common people would have been convicted and sent to prison long ago. Now it's time for him to be forgotten. Every dime he earned should be repaid.
What crime did he commit?? Please, do tell...
How about fraud, Rob?
Really Deb?? How did he defraud someone?? Defamation of character maybe, but fraud?? Every sponser as well as the Tour De France made money off of him and other doping riders....
How about perjury? That's a crime last time I checked...
Perjury?? You mean he went in front of a court or a senate hearing under oath?? When did this all happen?? Saying "I didn't do it" to the press isn't perjury Squid...It's lying....
Rob68, you seem to regard ignorance as some sort of asset.
He committed perjury: http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-Sports/2013/01/16/Lance-Armstrong-Jail
Always helps to know what you're talking rather than post your ignorance for all to read.
Uh...Grumps there is a big difference between ignorance and not knowing something...I, unlike you, appreciate learning things..Thank you for posting that...So he perjured himself then he should be held accountable for it...
But it seems you regard being an ahole as some sort of asset....
Not only did he commit purjury but he also successfully took people to court who said he was bullying other athletes into doping and he received millions of dollars as a result from people who were actually being truthful. He received millions from product endorsements that others who were not cheating were entitled to and it goes on.
He is a narcisist and a liar and others were entitled to the compensations, money and admiration he essentially stole from them.
You've got no argument from me on that Vera...
@Rob68, he stole titles that rightfully belonged to another rider, taking prize money and endorsements he didn't earn. Perhaps wherever you're from cheating is accepted because you know in your heart that you don't have the character or ability to compete honestly, but in most parts of the world it's a vile act worthy of the disgust he's now getting.
No Mjolnir he didn't...Alnost ALL were/are doping.....
Well Rob, perhaps they were and testing isn't catching them; but at some point the sport has to trust that the participants have some sort of honesty and integrity. In the case of Lance Armstrong they trusted someone that doesn't have an once of either.
Since you obviously believe that lying, bullying and cheating is ok because "everyone is doing it", that might be a good rationalization for someone without any character but here's a news flash, they aren't and you those that do it only mark themselves as lesser people, unworthy of either respect or consideration.
Since their lack of integrity is scorned by their betters they tend to associate with similar social trash that believes the same thing, they're never aware of how small they appear in the eyes of those who have self respect. They will always blame others for their own failures, when the truth of the matter is they simply don't deserve as much as those who have some character.
Nope...Didn't say it was ok.....And HE was testing and they weren't catching them....My point was that anyne who can sit there and preted that he was the only one doping is in denial...Who are you to sit there and question anyone's integrity here?? He's a tool, not for lying, but for the way he treated those who tried to out him...But even doping he was the best rider the tour ever had in a time tha doping was rampant....
It isn't that simple. If you bothered to to follow the story you would know that when Lance returned to racing after his caner, there was no test for EPO. You would also have known that in some instances, Lance and others simply hid from the testers - you can skip a number of test opportunities before you're considered a dodger. There was no test for blood doping either. Also, Lance and others were given saline just prior to tests to dilute whatever was in his blood. There wasn't any one particular method - and he was guided/helped by individual(s) that Lance has yet to name.
you keep harping on this. Nobody believes that Lance was the only one. We all agree that there were others. But to assert that everyone in the sport was ding it is plain wrong.
We'll never know if Lance really was the best rider in the tour because individuals who naturally have a high VO2 max and other attributes, don't get the same benefits from doping as a lesser rider.
wow you "sic" words where letters were omitted..Again you show the person that you are grumps....
So since there was no test for EPO can we liken that to the time in Baseball where there was no testign for HGH?? Is it illegal if they aren't testign for it?? Never said everyone in the sport was doping...Teh ones that weren't were the ones that dropped early and placed well in the bakc...But for peolpe to sit here and act surprised and angry are acting as if he were the only one...
Can you find the mistakes?? Maker sure you "sic" them...
With all that is going on in the world, This is what we put up in Headlines. WHO CARES ALREADY.........
Yeah! WHO CARES? Certainly not someone who clicked on the article and took the time to comment on it.
"LIVESTRONG" .... take away the "V" for victories and you're left with "LIESTRONG".
Hard to read your comment due to the blinding glare of your halo.
Pretty sure Mike N didn't have to cheat to post that comment.
Big Trouble - yeah, he's the victim of a massive conspiracy. It was so insidious that they even convinced him to confess. Or do just troll because you can't think of anything interesting to say?
Bob - thanks. Now Big Trouble - get back to work! The fries are done and the cars are backing up around the building.
Very well done Mike N
Good one Mike N.!!!
If you people enjoy a comment, you need to click the UP arrow to give it a point.
Americans and the media put him on a pedestal and now they're embarrassed they worshiped him. Best to throw him under the bus as quick as possible.
While humans do have the ability to change I think the media keeps on hashing, over and over the bad points of a person's past and in doing so take the desire for the public to forgive someone away from them. Forgiveness is so cleansing. All beating a "dead horse" does is make these news media people guilty of some of the same selfish things they accuse the one in the spot light of. I do not believe in being dishonest and cheating but come on folks, put it in the past and quit making the media entertainers rich by them contributing to other's mistakes and downfalls. Quit the smarmy behavior by gaining on others miseries.
Anyone who thinks Armstrong was dirty and the rest of the peloton was clean is deceiving themselves. Virenque was busted while racing, Pantani was barely ahead of the cops when he retired (found dead in a hotel room a couple of years later), and even recently the TdF winner was stripped of the title based on a post-race blood test. Drug use in the Euro peloton has been common for decades and still continues. Armstrong was never caught at the time, but they stayed after him because he was a big name. Still, have the teams of Mark McGwire etc been stripped of their wins after the fact like this? It's ridiculous.
What ridiculous is the sniveling yellow fan-boys who watch their hero be exposed for the lying, cheating scumbag he truly is, and come to his defense. Impotent cries of "everyone's doing it" only holds water with the same sort of weak character scum that did the cheating in the first place. Since they know they themselves are unable to compete honestly, they see nothing wrong with doing it themselves. This is Armstrong's position, he saw nothing wrong with what he did, not the cheating, not the lying and not the destruction of others who knew he wasn't worthy of the wins.
He still believes he did nothing wrong, but his reputation is gone, his endorsements are history and those he sued are hiring lawyers to get their money back. This theater with Oprah is nothing more than another competition for him, and Lance cannot compete without lying and cheating as the main part of his strategy.
He not only cheated to win, he cheated better men out of the victory that should have been theirs.
mjolnir...You are one funny person..."he cheated better men out of the victory that should have been theirs"...Do you know why they aren't giving the title to any of the second place riders?? because they all have been caught or admitted to doping..So yeah...Poor better men....He nor anyone else saw nothing wrong with what they did...And if you follow the sport you too would have always had in the back, or front of your mind, that it is a dirty sport..Stop acting like you're shocked....
I agree with Rob68. Everyone was doping, it appears. Armstrong was still the best of the bunch. But it's best of a bunch of cheaters. That's really disappointing to me.
Why are we surprised?---don't we live in a society that rewards cheats and liars on every level?
We all think it clever to outwit the other fellow!!
sicko f lies wrote: A lot of jerks out there have no idea how hard you have worked to get so much accomplished.
yea - sick of the lies - i guess cheating is hard work.
armstrong always appeared to me to be a self-important little man - and based on his use of steroids "to win at any cost" little is the right word.