Tonight I want to rant but I don't have the rage or satisfaction that I was expecting. Either way, tonight ends the doping era with Lance turning down arbitration and Lance receiving charges. For years I have been aggravated with the constant negativeness that Lance's legacy left hanging around. There are a few things that really stand out to me and want people to realize.
1) How do you take titles from someone if almost everyone else at that time was doping as well? Its not like you can just give the title to someone else. Do we just say tha there aret no winner those years? Does that mean proven dopers like Basso who never won a tour, wins one even though he tested positive later on? and does Ullrich gets some back? On top of that conflict, Lance has long time been documented as the most tested athlete of all time. Yes he had some method of covering or masking dope that kept him from being caught, but what would have been discovered if all the other top athletes at that time were tested the same?
2) How do you give someone a lifetime ban? Yes Lance has other things he can do, but he is one of the most hard headed, competitive, and gifted athletes I have ever seen. Its kind of like taking his soul and stomping on it. How is what he has done any different than anyone else? Ok so supposedly there is one sample out there that said he tested positive and words from some of the most uncredible people to back it up. But what about Petacci, Basso, Ullrich, Valverde, Contador, and Vino? I know all their situations are different but they all have BS stories too. They all received two year bans and now all of them are being praised. Vino winning the Olympic road race was one of the most disappointing race I have ever watched! I spent 5 hours watching the coverage to watch a fucking cheater win. But he served his time and now doesn't have to live a life of misery. So whats the difference? Does it make it worse that Lance won more? I am just confused? Yes there are rumors of other stuff but none have been proved after EXTENSIVE investigations that have lasted 10+ years. He had something better than everyone else, get over it!
3) American's have historically been dopers. Did everyone forget about the allegations on Levi while he was a Gerostiner and recently been linked to it on Postal? What about Tom Danielson? He was mysteriously missing from Garmins races a year or so ago and there were rumors when he was on Fasso Bortlo. We all know the stories of Floyd and Tyler. The most controversial one that I once was told was Greg Lemond. Not to name names but a well known pro that has seen everything told me that Greg Lemond was the one that brought it into the sport. I know people won't like hearing that but think about it. Why did he always think Lance was doping? Dopers know dopers.
So as you can tell I am not a big fan of Lance but just wanna know why the witch hunt and their reasoning for such punishment. At the same time, I hoping this allows the cycling community to move on and not have negative press. The weeks leading up to the tour and the weeks of the tour at times were over shadowed by this Lance case. It sometimes over shadowed the story of the brits dominating the tour. All at the same time it puts ideas that the best riders in the tour are doping. So I see this day a negative but good day for cycling. At the same time it makes me wonder what would have happened if Lance had just came out and said he doped cause he thought it was what he had to do to be competitive? Or just said he did it to raise money for cancer? Could he have been a David Miller? They use to be extremely close friends and even shared TT ideas and technology. Would it have killed Livestrong? Is that why he never admitted to it? We will never know as a result of Lance accepting charges. Was that planned? Does any one really care now after 10+ year? I am just left with more question! but hopefully this ends these man hunts and can allow cycling to lose the cloud that has been hanging over it.
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