Lance Armstrong to ride in the Tour of Ireland

SamiPremier08 wrote:ahhh a hospital radio classic...

lol

Well, whatever happens to GlobalGAA, at least we outlasted Lance!

Very surprised that none of our cycling fans have an opinion on this. 7 Tour de Frances wiped out overnight, and a global sporting superstar disgraced. A massive story for sport in general, never mind cycling.

Thomas Clarke wrote:Very surprised that none of our cycling fans have an opinion on this. 7 Tour de Frances wiped out overnight, and a global sporting superstar disgraced. A massive story for sport in general, never mind cycling.

Haven't been keeping up with the news but made some remarks. Has he actually been found guilty, or can't he be bothered defending himself anymore?

He has been deemed guilty as he won't answer the charges put to him. WADA have called him a drugs cheat.

Without knowing much about the intricacies of this issues here: It seems strange that a man like Armstrong, a winner, man who battled cancer, would simply give up defending his good name. It seems as though he was desperate to avoid the evidence against him coming out.

What happens the titles that he's stripped of now? They are hardly awarded to the second place?

I never though that I would have the same number of TDFs as Lance Armstrong.

RMDrive wrote:I never though that I would have the same number of TDFs as Lance Armstrong.

And the best bit is you still have a chance to add to your tally. Lance, being banned for life, doesn't!

Thomas Clarke wrote:

RMDrive wrote:I never though that I would have the same number of TDFs as Lance Armstrong.

And the best bit is you still have a chance to add to your tally. Lance, being banned for life, doesn't!

True, I'm feeling really positive about next year.

RMDrive wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:

RMDrive wrote:I never though that I would have the same number of TDFs as Lance Armstrong.

And the best bit is you still have a chance to add to your tally. Lance, being banned for life, doesn't!

True, I'm feeling really positive about next year.

As long as it's feeling positive and not testing positive.

I've been camping on the top of Errigal for the last few months and getting Packie from the blood bank to take some every day. I've also been throwing cod liver oil into me like it's nobodies business. Preparation going well.

Jonsmith wrote:Without knowing much about the intricacies of this issues here: It seems strange that a man like Armstrong, a winner, man who battled cancer, would simply give up defending his good name. It seems as though he was desperate to avoid the evidence against him coming out

Looking at the situation he ws in, this was really Armstrong's only play. To contest the charges would have meant, as you say, airing his dirty linen in public, and having laid bare the full extent of his cheating. Also, if he denied the accusations but was still found guilty, he would have been accused of lying under oath, and would have followed Marion jones and Tim Montgomery to jail.

This really was a great thread, and I'd invite some of Lance's strongest allies (see pages 1-3) to discuss the recent developments.

[quote="Jonsmith"
What happens the titles that he's stripped of now? They are hardly awarded to the second place?[/quote]
Therein lies the problem. Probably someone who finished 75th to find a drug free cyclist.

Thomas Clarke wrote:

Jonsmith wrote:Without knowing much about the intricacies of this issues here: It seems strange that a man like Armstrong, a winner, man who battled cancer, would simply give up defending his good name. It seems as though he was desperate to avoid the evidence against him coming out

Looking at the situation he ws in, this was really Armstrong's only play. To contest the charges would have meant, as you say, airing his dirty linen in public, and having laid bare the full extent of his cheating. Also, if he denied the accusations but was still found guilty, he would have been accused of lying under oath, and would have followed Marion jones and Tim Montgomery to jail.

This really was a great thread, and I'd invite some of Lance's strongest allies (see pages 1-3) to discuss the recent developments.

Would old blood samples of Armstrong's be available for testing with more modern methods that would uncover doping?

Apparently they had 2 samples taken during his comback (c.2009/10) that were to be used as evidence. Plus all the eye-witnesses and God knows what else. It's doubtful we'll ever hear exactly what they had, but it was clearly very compelling.

Real Kerry Fan wrote:[quote="Jonsmith"
What happens the titles that he's stripped of now? They are hardly awarded to the second place?

Therein lies the problem. Probably someone who finished 75th to find a drug free cyclist. [/quote]

I'd imagine those years will simply show as 'No winner'.

I still find it an amazing story and sad in so many ways for the man himself and for the sport in general. Its not a topic i have read much about but if he was beating known drug cheats year in year out with ease then i suppose we can only draw one conclusion.

I would like to believe that the authorities have got it wrong and that he was clean but the evidence against him would appear to be water tight. Its a bit like the Omagh bomb and other atrocities during the troubles (sorry for bringing politics into this) everyone knows who done it but the police and gardai have been unable to convict them in a court of law.

It does beg the question though in this day of modern science that a test cannot be developed which can take one blood sample and test it for every banned substance in one fell swoop. I spoke to a cousin lately whose friend works in a lab were they analyse blood samples of professional atheletes including all cyclists. In his opinion they are all at it and he included this years Tour winner in that sweeping statement. His take on it is they were a step ahead of the testers - much like what TC said earlier - and so it will be years before the truth comes out.

With that in mind was the recent Olympics just a farce? How many of the athletes on view are drug cheats? It seems winning is all that counts and that many will go to any length to win.

Makes you wonder.............................

RMDrive wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:

RMDrive wrote:I never though that I would have the same number of TDFs as Lance Armstrong.

And the best bit is you still have a chance to add to your tally. Lance, being banned for life, doesn't!

True, I'm feeling really positive about next year.

Reminds me of a joke I heard on the radio yesterday

"He is that much of a pessimist if there was an olympics for pessimists he wouldn't fancy his chances"

Great recorded interview here with David Walsh, Chief Sports writer at the Sunday Times, and one of the first to expose Lanceas cheat.

He recounts some excellent stories, like Armstrong's bullying of Christophe Bassons (the only Festina rider not implicated in that scandal), and Frankie Andreu's wife calling him out for using drugs.

http://media.newstalk.ie/podcast/66136/?uniqueID=7810

I always thought Lance an odious blot on the sporting landscape, but he really does sound like a nasty piece of work.

All this hoopla would make you wonder did he walk on the Moon at all......

I'll get me coat.....

Boxtyeater wrote:All this hoopla would make you wonder did he walk on the Moon at all......

I'll get me coat.....

I think a few of his former admirers must have headed there, as they are thin on the ground here. Even young Sami hasn't been around to shed a tear for his fallen hero...

LOL "Why won't anyone argue with me so I can bitch-slap them into submission with my carefully crafted Armstrong-is-a-charlatan argument"!!!

RMDrive wrote:LOL "Why won't anyone argue with me so I can bitch-slap them into submission with my carefully crafted Armstrong-is-a-charlatan argument"!!!

Here, there were plenty happy to argue before last Friday!

Thomas Clarke wrote:

RMDrive wrote:LOL "Why won't anyone argue with me so I can bitch-slap them into submission with my carefully crafted Armstrong-is-a-charlatan argument"!!!

Here, there were plenty happy to argue before last Friday!

Like most people there was a lot of good and bad in Armstrong. There's something particularly poisonous about the way he thought he could fool everyone though. Up his own hole as they say.

RMDrive wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:

RMDrive wrote:LOL "Why won't anyone argue with me so I can bitch-slap them into submission with my carefully crafted Armstrong-is-a-charlatan argument"!!!

Here, there were plenty happy to argue before last Friday!

Like most people there was a lot of good and bad in Armstrong. There's something particularly poisonous about the way he thought he could fool everyone though. Up his own hole as they say.

I'd agree with that, RMD, and he has done great work for cancer sufferers. But I can't stand the arrogant bullying of other cyclists, journalists, officials and just about everyone else who didn't do what he wanted, especially when he was sport's biggest cheat all along. There were a lot of decent, hard-working cyclists who never got a shot at a decent career because of the likes of Armstrong.