# Is Lance Armstrong about to admit he cheated? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 5, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159 "2013-01-05T15:09:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/21 "2013-01-09T04:43:57Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > You vastly underestimate his fan base. No, I’m just dismissing them. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/22 "2013-01-09T05:01:29Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The 11 people on Earth who still don’t believe he cheated must be devastated. > [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > You vastly underestimate his fan base. In the thread on this board, we had a dozen people arguing that the evidence was doctored… So he was off by one. Still a pretty good estimate. ---
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/23 "2013-01-09T06:14:14Z")
He’s the trainwreck that just keeps crashing, doesn’t it? Have any of you read his recent Strava comments? Ummmm… let me take a step back. Do any of you know what Strava is? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/24 "2013-01-09T06:52:16Z")
> [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](#): > > He’s the trainwreck that just keeps crashing, doesn’t it? > > Have any of you read his recent Strava comments? Ummmm… let me take a step back. Do any of you know what Strava is? Some kind of way to turn speed cycling into a [multi-player death sport](http://allthingsd.com/20120619/gps-app-strava-sued-over-cyclists-death/)? ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/25 "2013-01-09T07:13:13Z")
Oh, spit it out, BBF. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/26 "2013-01-09T07:51:45Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Oh, spit it out, BBF. [http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/01/news/armstrong-still-the-tour-champion-or-so-he-says-on-social-media\_270725?utm\_medium=whats-hot](http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/01/news/armstrong-still-the-tour-champion-or-so-he-says-on-social-media_270725?utm_medium=whats-hot) ---
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/27 "2013-01-09T09:48:13Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > [http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/01/news/armstrong-still-the-tour-champion-or-so-he-says-on-social-media\_270725?utm\_medium=whats-hot](http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/01/news/armstrong-still-the-tour-champion-or-so-he-says-on-social-media_270725?utm_medium=whats-hot) The point being, he absolutely doesn’t get it. A confession without contrition is an insult which will only enrage his “brand awareness” even further. Whilesoever he’s clamoring for adulation by insisting he won what he reckons he won, even AFTER having those titles removed from the record books - any future confession is simply doomed to fail in the PR stakes. In short, yes the cheating was baaaaaaaad - Armstrong could afford to do it at a level nobody else could. And he was enabled big time too. But it’s the sheer arrogance, the hubris, that even AFTER seducing an adoring public with his lies, that he believes he’s already in the clear. ---
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/28 "2013-01-09T10:10:08Z")
And, I would note, there are indications the bloke’s actually quite a dumb fuck. He’s got a bullseye on his back right? That’s no secret. So he’s shut down all his millions of tweets per day, all his public online presence - primarily because his advisors have told him to. No more shots of you under your former yellow jerseys Lance. It makes you look like a cockhead! So what does he do? He takes it all to Strava - little tiny dedicated sports website Strava - where you upload your GPS bike ccomputer data and people can comment on your rides. Absolutely perfect for the average bloke. But is Lance some average bloke? Nooooooooooooooooo, he’s got to start mouthing off again. Can’t help himself… You dumbfuck Armstrong… it’s open to the internet you pygmie intellect. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/29 "2013-01-09T16:44:34Z")
Oh good, so he’s decided that playing the denial card isn’t working, and is moving to option 2 in the modern media playbook - the mea culpa: 1. get minions to negotiate for maximum damage limitation in the background 2. publicly admit your guilt 3. Serve requisite time of penance with shamed apologies and fake recriminations. 4. (Optional) Possibly find god 5. Come back as the sinner seeking redemption, probably with a warts & all confessional book (profits going to your new charity). ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/30 "2013-01-09T18:58:23Z")
[This](http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2013/jan/09/ten-questions-oprah-wilfrey-lance-armstrong) is an amusing counterpoint to [this](http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/blog/2013/jan/09/ten-questions-oprah-winfrey-lance-armstrong). 10 questions Lance probably will be asked by Oprah versus 10 questions Lance should be asked by Oprah. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/31 "2013-01-09T22:23:09Z")
> [@Cumbrian](#): > > [This](http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2013/jan/09/ten-questions-oprah-wilfrey-lance-armstrong) is an amusing counterpoint to [this](http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/blog/2013/jan/09/ten-questions-oprah-winfrey-lance-armstrong). > > 10 questions Lance probably will be asked by Oprah versus 10 questions Lance should be asked by Oprah. I am not sure she deserves that. Oprah is a fairly tough interviewer in that she will not gloss over whatever scandal her guest is currently engulfed in, or what she knows people want her to ask. If Armstrong was looking for a puff piece, he is not going to get it. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/32 "2013-01-10T03:13:53Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Some kind of way to turn speed cycling into a [multi-player death sport](http://allthingsd.com/20120619/gps-app-strava-sued-over-cyclists-death/)? Bah. I know what Strava is, I use it all the time, and blaming the website for that kind of death is just stupid. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/33 "2013-01-10T04:12:00Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Bah. I know what Strava is, I use it all the time, and blaming the website for that kind of death is just stupid. I wasn’t blaming the website. If you kill yourself or someone else it’s your fault. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/34 "2013-01-10T05:38:35Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I wasn’t blaming the website. If you kill yourself or someone else it’s your fault. Not you, the family of the killed cyclist. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/35 "2013-01-10T05:54:17Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Not you, the family of the killed cyclist. Oh, yeah. Well greiving people often don’t act rationally. That’s why we have classic literature. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/36 "2013-01-10T08:26:19Z")
True. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/37 "2013-01-10T18:19:18Z")
You know, I’ve really tried my best to retain some respect for Lance. I mean, he did win the TdF 7 times and it couldn’t ALL be drugs, and everyone else did it and he is American and he has popularized the sport here like nobody else. But this is too over the top. The only thing more pathetic than his too late admission is the way he has tested the waters with this “Lance MIGHT admit it” manouver. He wants to get a feel for how the public would react IF he confesses before he decides if he will. Sad, sad. Lance is a fighter, no question there, but nobody believes he is fighting the good fight anymore and nobody thinks he is winning that fight, except Lance. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/38 "2013-01-10T22:51:08Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > You know, I’ve really tried my best to retain some respect for Lance. I mean, he did win the TdF 7 times and it couldn’t ALL be drugs, and everyone else did it and he is American and he has popularized the sport here like nobody else. But this is too over the top. The only thing more pathetic than his too late admission is the way he has tested the waters with this “Lance MIGHT admit it” manouver. He wants to get a feel for how the public would react IF he confesses before he decides if he will. Sad, sad. > > Lance is a fighter, no question there, but nobody believes he is fighting the good fight anymore and nobody thinks he is winning that fight, except Lance. He hasn’t admitted anything and on balance I don’t think he’s going to. I think there’s a good chance the “leak” that he might admit something was a strategic move to pump the ratings of Oprah’s show, and nothing more. He might admit something but I don’t think it’s likely. ---
**Author:** ![Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Boo\_Boo\_Foo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boo_Boo_Foo)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/39 "2013-01-10T22:58:37Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > You know, I’ve really tried my best to retain some respect for Lance. I mean, he did win the TdF 7 times and it couldn’t ALL be drugs, \*\*and everyone else did it \*\*and he is American and he has popularized the sport here like nobody else. But this is too over the top. The only thing more pathetic than his too late admission is the way he has tested the waters with this “Lance MIGHT admit it” manouver. He wants to get a feel for how the public would react IF he confesses before he decides if he will. Sad, sad. > > Lance is a fighter, no question there, but nobody believes he is fighting the good fight anymore and nobody thinks he is winning that fight, except Lance. Everybody else DIDN’T do it. That’s the bullshit line - right there - being trotted out to somehow excuse the lies. The Australians and the British riders of the era were always avowedly, loudly anti needle and anti drugs. Just ask Brad McGee - a guy who wore the leader’s Jersey in all 3 Grand Tours. Something Armstrong never achieved. When asked what he would say to Armstrong now, if he met? McGee says he’d probably wanna punch his lights out. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2013, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159/40 "2013-01-10T23:16:56Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > He hasn’t admitted anything and on balance I don’t think he’s going to. I think there’s a good chance the “leak” that he might admit something was a strategic move to pump the ratings of Oprah’s show, and nothing more. He might admit something but I don’t think it’s likely. Eh, I dunno. If you read towards the bottom of the link I posted related to the Strava thing \*\*BBF \*\*was talking about, it sure seems like LA is starting to test the waters to see how best to spin an admission of doping, without necessarily being too explicit. > [@velonews.com](#): > > Armstrong also came the closest he’s come to admitting any use of performance enhancing drugs, on Twitter, when commenting on a January 1 blog post by cycling photographer Graham Watson. > > In his article, Watson wrote that Armstrong “did what he had to do to win, and he clearly did it very well,” adding that, “if he cheated, he cheated the other cheats of that era, even if by doing so he also cheated an adoring public.” > > Armstrong posted a link to Watson’s blog post with the comment, “It took a ‘photographer’ to ‘write’ the most balanced piece we’ve seen yet.” Armstrong made no attempt by to dispute Watson’s opinions over his “cheating.” [http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/01/news/armstrong-still-the-tour-champion-or-so-he-says-on-social-media\_270725?utm\_medium=whats-hot](http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/01/news/armstrong-still-the-tour-champion-or-so-he-says-on-social-media_270725?utm_medium=whats-hot) I have a hard time believing things like that are just totally off-the-cuff. It’s quite likely that there’s a veteran PR firm behind such a subtle change of tune, helping LA slowly work his way up to finding how best to manage his sullied image without also making his legal troubles much worse. With that in mind, if there is any sort of admission, expect a lot of vague phrasing and weasel words. IOW, it’s likely to be along the lines of “Don’t hate the player, hate the game.” where he blames the whole sport for making him do what he “had to do.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lance-armstrong-about-to-admit-he-cheated/646159.md?page=3)