# Lance Armstrong enters the pit **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 20, 2013, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786 "2013-01-20T05:52:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/21 "2013-01-20T15:57:46Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > I’m not getting worked up over a guy who raised millions to fight cancer and cheated in bicycle races. Not a fan either but I just can’t bring the hate on him. I’d just shrug and walk off myself if that was ALL he had done, but there’s more than that. He dragged accusers into court and forced them to pay penalties for telling what we now know is the truth. He’s admitted to being a bully and ruining other people. THAT is what I hate and despite him for more than “cheated in bicycle races”. At the end of a day a race isn’t going to screw up someone else financially. Armstrong’s actions in court most certainly did do that to some people, and that is reprehensible. At the very least he should be paying reparations to those he ruined along the way. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/22 "2013-01-20T15:59:40Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > I’d just shrug and walk off myself if that was ALL he had done, but there’s more than that. He dragged accusers into court and forced them to pay penalties for telling what we now know is the truth. He’s admitted to being a bully and ruining other people. THAT is what I hate and despite him for more than “cheated in bicycle races”. At the end of a day a race isn’t going to screw up someone else financially. Armstrong’s actions in court most certainly did do that to some people, and that is reprehensible. At the very least he should be paying reparations to those he ruined along the way. Good points as well. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/23 "2013-01-20T15:59:41Z")
Who gives a fuck really. Bicycle racing isn’t on my top 10 list of things that the world needs. In fact, if it disappeared, I doubt I’d even know it. I’m more worried about those evil zoo keepers cutting off the wings of all those birds in our zoos. I thought that last batch of wings tasted a little weird. ---
**Author:** ![resting](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@resting](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/resting)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/24 "2013-01-20T16:02:48Z")
Lance Armstrong has shown there is still a long way to go for drug officials. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/25 "2013-01-20T16:05:15Z")
Lance Armstrong fan/“apologist” checking in. I believed he was innocent, but honestly don’t care. The whole sport is drugged up and has been since the beginning. In the early years of bicycle racing cheating techniques ranged from doing coke during the race to being towed up hills by motorcycles to dumping your bike and catching a car ride to another stashed bike closer to the finish line. Blood doping? HGH? Especially if everyone is doing it? IDGAF. Never will. Not looking to argue, that’s just my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![resting](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@resting](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/resting)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/26 "2013-01-20T16:06:55Z")
If you don’t give a fuck, than you support cheating and are most likely a sociopath. ---
**Author:** ![resting](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@resting](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/resting)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/27 "2013-01-20T16:09:02Z")
So if everyone murders, than I murder, does it make me ok to murder? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/28 "2013-01-20T16:10:10Z")
> [@BubbaDog](#): > > I’m not getting worked up over a guy who raised millions to fight cancer and cheated in bicycle races. Not a fan either but I just can’t bring the hate on him. How do you feel about the lives he ruined by going after non-competitors who spoke the truth? The masseuse, the reporter, the wife of a fellow rider? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/29 "2013-01-20T16:22:51Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Really? > > You can’t put yourself in the shoes of the guys who wanted to win the Tour de France without taking drugs? The guy who would have won, if it hadn’t been for the junkies breaking all the rules? Who were they? The reason no one else is getting the Yellow Jersey is you have to go so far down the list before you find someone who didn’t fail a test and that’s probably because he wasn’t tested enough. ---
**Author:** ![resting](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@resting](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/resting)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/30 "2013-01-20T16:27:10Z")
So lance should get away with cheating, John? ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/31 "2013-01-20T16:35:43Z")
> [@resting](#): > > If you don’t give a fuck, than you support cheating and are most likely a sociopath. > [@resting](#): > > So if everyone murders, than I murder, does it make me ok to murder? I don’t support anything and I’m not “most likely” a sociopath. And FFS, “than” is not the same as “then.” Unbunch your panties and speak proper English. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/32 "2013-01-20T16:42:10Z")
> [@resting](#): > > So if everyone murders, than I murder, does it make me ok to murder? Doesn’t hold. Everyone doesn’t murder - not killing people important. At that level of competition almost everyone cheats - that’s not important. Look, there are many factor that enter into racing bikes faster. The bike materials used now weren’t even commercially available 1903. Nor were the high tech fabrics, helmets and so on. Even the non banned substances that help build muscle, repair tissue, etc weren’t available a couple of decades ago. Bike design is an advantage. So are advanced training techniques. There are many factors to consider when deciding if one is racing ‘clean’. Doping is just one of many. Whether you like it or not Lance was competing on a level playing field. Given a hypothetical of every rider in every one of his races having the exact amount of doping (or lack of) Lance would probably still have won those races. He was born with one of the best cardio systems on the planet. A lot of the scrutiny came because he won. He’s not a good person. He lied, he wasted people’s time, money and credibility. Technically he is a cheater. He is a sociopath and a bully. But it can’t be denied he is the best at riding bicycles fast for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/33 "2013-01-20T16:47:06Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > I don’t support anything and I’m not “most likely” a sociopath. I don’t give a single fuck about the cycling part. I give quite the fuck that he has successfully sued several people who dared state he was doping. He ruined the professional (and sometimes personal) lives of several people who did nothing but tell the truth. That is inexcusable. And if you can still somehow back him, then, yes, you are a sociopath. No person should have been made to suffer to that extent simply because he wanted to protect his money or reputation. ---
**Author:** ![resting](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@resting](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/resting)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/34 "2013-01-20T16:52:08Z")
Best drug influenced cardio in the Tour de France. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/35 "2013-01-20T17:04:34Z")
I feel sorry for Lance. I see a man with a character that goes “balls to the wall” to accomplish his goals. I also see a man who puts a high premium on loyalty which explains his devastating response to those who “ratted” on him. He lost his way. Maybe Texas has something to do with it . Last night the movie “Red River” (1948) with John Wayne was on, and I was struck with the portrayal of Wayne’s character to win at all costs and his ruthless response to those who failed him. What a timely movie. I don’t know if the character was redeemed, as I was interupted by the first NHL hockey game of the season for the Canucks but I hope so. I hope Armstrong will be redeemed as well. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/36 "2013-01-20T17:07:16Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > He’s not a good person. He lied, he wasted people’s time, money and credibility. Technically he is a cheater. He is a sociopath and a bully. But it can’t be denied he is the best at riding bicycles fast for a long time. Correction: Doped-up Lance Armstrong was the best at riding bicycles fast for a long time. You cannot separate his natural ability from his enhanced performance because he did not win on his own merits. If he was that good that the doping wouldn’t have mattered, then he wouldn’t have doped. The fact that he successfully hid the doping for so long only taints the entire sport because we’re left with arguments **John Mace** ’s that calls into question the integrity of every athlete whether there’s evidence to do so or not. Consider the possibility, nay the probability, that some of those athletes did not want to win by doping and refrained from doing so, knowing that their careers would take the hit. Then, go read [Nicole Cooke’s retirement statement](http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jan/14/nicole-cooke-retirement-statement). Lance Armstrong is a cheater, a liar, a douchebag narcissist of the highest order and deserves to have nobody but his immediate family defending his atrocious, illegal and unethical behavior. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/37 "2013-01-20T17:24:36Z")
> **[Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos](https://www.yahoo.com/)** > > Latest news coverage, email, free stock quotes, live scores and video are just the beginning. Discover more every day at Yahoo! Yahoo Question: Do you think Lance Armstrong deserves any sympathy, why or why not? 679 answers at this posting. I did not see any that said yes. His worst crimes, IMO, were his attacks on former friends and teammates who had testified under oath. I don’t give a hoot whether he is prosecuted, but I wouldn’t trust him to tell me the sun will rise tomorrow morning. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/38 "2013-01-20T17:50:44Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > His worst crimes, IMO, were his attacks on former friends and teammates who had testified under oath. These are his greatest transgressions, yes. Many lives affected for years in a negative way caused by LA; I can’t say “ruined” because I don’t know all the circumstances of affected parties (the Andreu’s, the masseuse whom LA branded “an alcoholic and a prostitute”, etc.) and how their lives play out from here. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/39 "2013-01-20T17:53:14Z")
This guy must be a terible person, because it’s not the first time he’s been Pitted. > **[So. You got cancer in your balls. And this entitled you to....](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=669600)** > > … build such a titanic and layered lie that millions of innocents were sucked into. People believed, people worked hard, donated, supported. You useless fucking whore. You went and turned a cleverly hidden doping technique into your own private... ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786/40 "2013-01-20T18:20:13Z")
I wonder what he has done with all the money he received? That I recall, he has several individuals and at least one newspaper whom he successfully sued for defamation that are going to want their money back. The USPS invested $30 million in him. After he’d begun winning, he began taking out insurance on his victories. (If he won, he got paid–I have no idea what idiot in the insurance company agreed to that bit.) They are going to want their payouts back for at least three races, maybe more. I hope, for his sake, that he has invested wisely and get his hands on most of that money. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lance-armstrong-enters-the-pit/647786.md?page=3)