Rob Oller commentary: Armstrong allegations cloud his good deeds | The Columbus Dispatch

While not brain surgery, sports often ask us to dig inside our skulls to contemplate complicated issues.

[Mountainsofmiser y]

Give it up already. He's retired. He's not hoping to go into the Hall of Fame like a baseball player. It doesn't matter anymore. If Hincapie says Armstrong doped, and there is some dispute he did, that would cinch it for me but again, so what? Are they going to strip him of one or more TDF titles? To whom would they give the title? The 2nd place finisher was a doper, so was the 3rd place finisher. You think the ASO wants to open that can of worms? Was he doping through 4 of the 7 TDF wins? Who knows? Who can prove it? Would I trust a French lab to retest "B" samples held in freezer for several years? Not a chance. It's not like HGH, the drug (EPO) they are accusing him of taking showed up in samples taken from other cyclists all during the 2000's. Why not him? Maybe his doctors created a program that started and ended at precise times to avoid detection but the fact is he was tested more frequently then anyone.He was the strongest cyclist of his era whether he was doping or not. Now, do a story on Tiger Woods. There has to be something going on with his body breaking down and HGH use. That guy is the Barry Bonds of golf, I think.

[is he clean or not]

still no real proof that Lance Armstrong is honestly clean. no one can honestly say that Lance was not doping while he competed on the tour. can not claim he is any type of icon or hero until he Lance is willing to prove once and for all that he is honestly clean. his words mean nothing at this point. until then, he is just another also ran dirty biker

[John Thorpe]

Mountainsofmisery wrote:

Give it up already. He's retired. He's not hoping to go into the Hall of Fame like a baseball player. It doesn't matter anymore. If Hincapie says Armstrong doped, and there is some dispute he did, that would cinch it for me but again, so what? Are they going to strip him of one or more TDF titles? To whom would they give the title? The 2nd place finisher was a doper, so was the 3rd place finisher. You think the ASO wants to open that can of worms? Was he doping through 4 of the 7 TDF wins? Who knows? Who can prove it? Would I trust a French lab to retest "B" samples held in freezer for several years? Not a chance. It's not like HGH, the drug (EPO) they are accusing him of taking showed up in samples taken from other cyclists all during the 2000's. Why not him? Maybe his doctors created a program that started and ended at precise times to avoid detection but the fact is he was tested more frequently then anyone.He was the strongest cyclist of his era whether he was doping or not. Now, do a story on Tiger Woods. There has to be something going on with his body breaking down and HGH use. That guy is the Barry Bonds of golf, I think.

What flavor is your kool-aid?

[Irony]

It's ironic that the sentence, "But lack of integrity is an illness unto itself" is published in the Columbus Dispatch, given the blatant lying and moralizing from tOSU and Tressel. Whether it is Lance Armstrong, Barry Bonds, or Jim Tressel, I am amazed by the willingness to deny and/or rationalize an obvious misdeed. I guess that's what high priced lawyers advocate. I hope I don't need one someday, and if I do, I hope I have the cash to afford one.

[Crooks Cycle Right]

Dear Rob,
It is interesting that I could not find ANY coverage of the Tour of California in the Dispatch. Maybe the Dispatch Sports Department has not heard of it since it is a recent event here in the US. Since you are unaware of the event, it contained last years TdF runner up/near winner + the cream of US cycling. The podium was all US that was the result of an outstanding week of racing.
Yet, the Dispatch Sports Dept. is obsessed with the gossip of cycling from Tyler Hamilton. You should decide if you are a write about sport or gossip of sport and name your sections accordingly.

[My Opinion_El Paso_Texas]

The main theme that I haven't seen in any of this so far from Floyd Landis or Tyler Hamilton or George Hancapi or anyone else is, "how did Lance Armstrong beat all those drug tests during all of those races during those reported years!"

[Gus]

My Opinion_El Paso_Texas wrote:

The main theme that I haven't seen in any of this so far from Floyd Landis or Tyler Hamilton or George Hancapi or anyone else is, "how did Lance Armstrong beat all those drug tests during all of those races during those reported years!"

...I'll say it again,Lance had nothing to beat,since he said he didn't indulge!!!

[My Opinion_El Paso_Texas]

Gus wrote:

<quoted text>
...I'll say it again,Lance had nothing to beat,since he said he didn't indulge!!!

I was referring to the other posters!

I already knew your views.

[earplugs needed]

Crooks Cycle Right wrote:

Dear Rob,
It is interesting that I could not find ANY coverage of the Tour of California in the Dispatch. Maybe the Dispatch Sports Department has not heard of it since it is a recent event here in the US. Since you are unaware of the event, it contained last years TdF runner up/near winner + the cream of US cycling. The podium was all US that was the result of an outstanding week of racing.
Yet, the Dispatch Sports Dept. is obsessed with the gossip of cycling from Tyler Hamilton. You should decide if you are a write about sport or gossip of sport and name your sections accordingly.

Well put. When does cycling get ANY coverage other than Armstrong/doping/Pelotonia?
How many Dispatch readers know that there are more Americans in the top ranks of the sport than ever before, which include many interesting and engaging personalities? How many know that it is a team sport even, much less that there are three American-based teams at the top level? How can they know, or care, when all that is ever presented to them is a steady diet of Armstrong and scandal?

Although I do note that the "gossip of sport" is a strong component of the coverage of all sports overall---why we are treated to column inches about this retired player's divorce or that forgotten retired player's illness...

Out at the Tour of California, in Los Angeles, I saw reporters and video news crews from countries all over the Europe -- but never a mention of the the USA's biggest pro cycling event in the sports section.

[earplugs needed]

I do wonder why so many in our society demand higher standards of those who aspire to greater things -- but only some of those. Is the charitable work of Bill Clinton irrelevant or to be discounted because he is also a proven cheat and liar? How about the Kennedy family?

Livestrong and the LAF are worthy entities, and will continue to be, and the advocacy work Armstrong has done will also continue to be worthy of respect, even if his foolish denials of the reality of his sport are proven false.

[SpeedyPete]

Armstrong...what a silly name for a cycler. Should have been Legstrong

[My Opinion_El Paso_Texas]

earplugs needed wrote:

I do wonder why so many in our society demand higher standards of those who aspire to greater things -- but only some of those. Is the charitable work of Bill Clinton irrelevant or to be discounted because he is also a proven cheat and liar? How about the Kennedy family?
Livestrong and the LAF are worthy entities, and will continue to be, and the advocacy work Armstrong has done will also continue to be worthy of respect, even if his foolish denials of the reality of his sport are proven false.

Good point!

[My Opinion_El Paso_Texas]

SpeedyPete wrote:

Armstrong...what a silly name for a cycler. Should have been Legstrong

Hey Pieter, how is your wife doing now since her surgery?

[SpeedyPete]

My Opinion_El Paso_Texas wrote:

<quoted text>
Hey Pieter, how is your wife doing now since her surgery?

Hello Harry and thanks for asking. She's recuperating slowly but nicely. She can drive her car again and go to the mall. She also started nagging again which is a good sign!!

But she will never be her old self again as this is an incurable disease. We will just have to make the best of it.

Cheers

Pieter

[My Opinion_El Paso_Texas]

SpeedyPete wrote:

<quoted text>
Hello Harry and thanks for asking. She's recuperating slowly but nicely. She can drive her car again and go to the mall. She also started nagging again which is a good sign!!
But she will never be her old self again as this is an incurable disease. We will just have to make the best of it.
Cheers
Pieter

Glad to hear that your wife is recovering and relly like that she's back to nagging you.

You are so right about not being able to cure her illness, but it's always nice if she has a little better quality now in life, in comparason to what she had to endure before the surgery.

Cheers