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[QUOTE=Villages PL;611375]....and sports fans in general.

There was a lesson learned by those who invested with Bernard Madoff. If I remember correctly, they wrote their checks to him directly rather than a clearing house. So, hopefully, a valuable lesson was learned.

What about Lance Armstrong and other sports heroes? What is the lesson to be learned, if any?

Is it once again about investing? Should sports fans be investing so much of their hopes and/or emotions in someone they really don't know?[/QUOTE]

As opposed to what? Hope is a great thought that makes people happy. To dare to dream that someday, one can achieve success at a high level is something only a handful of talented people can accomplish. When one watches a football game, does anyone reqlize these athletes represent only a slight fraction of the total world population. But it's true.

I tend to root for team type sports where players have to work together to achieve a goal. In days gone by, I used to be interested in boxing but it has gotten too violent with boxers being bigger and stronger. I can honestly say that I never watched more than 10 minutes of the Tour De France races. I was never interested in that sport.

I was never a big fan of Lance Armstrong although the appeal of someone overcoming cancer to achieve a very hard goal was very intriging. He cheated, lied and intimidated people with lawsuits. All in all, not a very honorable person.

Lesson Is - What's the movie line, "don't look up to some people as they have a way of disappointing you". We must choose good role models for our children and grandchildren. Athletes are like most everybody else except they have a unique set of skills that some of us admire as we cannot do them in our wildest dreams.

BTW - Bernie Madoff is a dirt bag.