On Tue, Jan 15, 2013 at 9:03 AM, Kevin M. <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Tue, Jan 15, 2013 at 7:22 AM, PGage <[email protected]> wrote: > > Well, it would be nice if he also added: "and I have been lying to the > > American people for two decades, and you can never ever believe anything > I > > ever say again." > > I'd venture to say 95% of the American people don't watch > international cycling, and have no business either praising or > condemning Armstrong. I don't care about baseball and don't watch > baseball; that is why I don't comment on the baseball hall of fame > decision, except to say that I don't need any panel of judges to tell > me who is or who isn't great at something I'm a fan of, nor do a need > a building to go stare at pics and memorabilia of those people to > understand their greatness. If anything, Armstrong lied to cycling > fans, but -- as I understand it in baseball -- one of the worst kept > secrets in the sport is that doping was/is going on. In short, if you > watch cycling and believed people were climbing Alps in record times > without "juicing," you were the one fooling yourself. His job was to > ride and to win. He did both. > > But as for your proposed quote, I don't believe much of what anybody > says, because I've lived long enough to not trust people or take them > at their word. Perhaps that is too cynical a perspective, but having > it prevents me from having to express outrage when it turns out a guy > who rides a bike is mortal and capable of making stupid decisions, > just like the rest of us. It is a given he lied about something; > everybody does. It is a given he will continue to lie about things; > everybody does. > I am not a cycling fan but I am a sports fan, and by the time most athletes bubble up to some level of prominence I follow them at least casually. But that is besides the point. Lance Armstrong repeatedly looked into the cameras and not only denied ever doping, but hysterically condemmed anyone who even suggested he had as barbarians and jealous persecutors out to get him. He blamed the French for being, well, French, and if reports are to be believed (and at this point I think they must be) he engaged in a wide range of bullying and threatening behavior to those around him to conspire in his campaign of deciet. His a lying liar, and there just is no way other way to spin that - plus he appears to be a tremendous douche. I think there has to be some space in between hard headed realism about the ways of the world, and full out cynicism that assumes everyone is lying. Lance Armstrong copmletely obliterated any grey space we may afford public figures for stretching the truth. I am capable of forgiving liars, and even capable of trusting them again, but the first step must be ackowleding the lie and make good faith attempts to earn back some trust. -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en
