Is it possible for Lance Armstrong to redeem himself
 

Is it possible for Lance Armstrong to redeem himself ????????
Sometimes I wonder if our grandchildren will have any heros left to look up to. We always followed the Tour de France..........and just now guess that we were naive about it all...........

Report: Lance Armstrong tells Oprah Winfrey he used PEDs to win Tour de France - News | FOX Sports on MSN

In a word: No.

Bill :)

His claim that it was a level playing field due to the fact that everybody was doping doesn't hold water IMO because earlier testimony claimed that he was the one who set the doping bar.

There are still some good guys out there, but you just never know which ones to hold up to your grandchildren. A new crop of nasties seems to get outed every season in every sport.

We follow the Tour every year, I support Livestrong! With that said not sure what he could do now. I always wanted to believe not him, but soon as George Hincapie testified to it, I knew it had to be fact. Besides Lance, I have always loved the riding style of Big George along with a few others.
My thought is this, He did it, now he has admitted it from what ESPN is posting. But what about the others that did, a few admitted it only to avoid lifetime suspensions along with other punishment to testify against him. Even George has come clean with the story. I would think that all the cats that did the same as Lance should receive the same punishment. Remember this is not one race, it is over a few years............. So if one is in the boat, then all should be. One of the guys I think Maybe Hamilton said everyone did it in those days. If you did not you could not compete. So it just seems that Lance was the best of the cheaters.
With all said, it was because of Lance that I started cycling and getting into shape and had a dream while on the bike. So I still support his cause, LIVESTRONG!!!!

Who cares?
 

Who cares? My hero is my father, who raised 4 successful children with an 8th grade education and a lot of hard work. The Heros of the world are our Parents, the Soldiers, Firefighters and Police Officers. They are the ones that put their "well being" on the line ! The athletes are doing it for the money and fame.:shrug:

I believe he harmed egregiously people who were trying to tell the truth about the extent of doping in US cycling. So, no, he should not have a chance at redempion as far as his status as a sports hero is concerned.

'Lance Armstrong is a bully. I could not let him win,' says whistle-blower Betsy Andreu - Telegraph

You are right, there is always a flip side. Good things (Livestrong) came of what Armstrong did by winning those races and gaining the fame that ultimately allowed him to start Livestrong. Plus encouraging the sport of cycling with its good health benefits.

They all should be sanctioned, but I'm guessing they went after the guys at the top.

You are so right! I look up to many people on my life, some I have never met, but not one is an athlete or entertainer!

He can pedal his reasoning someplace else!

:agree:

I wanted to believe Lance when he was winning all the Tour De France's but he turned something that should have been a heroic story into lies and decption. I read his book. It's not about the Bycicle" and now it is so true. It was all about PED's.

The problem is that children naturally look up to athletes and (some) entertainers. As long as their parents are watching/rooting for their collegiate and pro teams, esp. on television, they will be inclined to follow suit and gather some possibly false heroes.

So we should start young, teaching them to look up to the people who really count, not the ones who are there through fame or because they happened to be born with good athletic skills.

I don't mean to brand all athletes/entertainers as false heroes. There are many to be admired. But children need to be taught discernment.

I agree!

Britain's female cycling gold medal winner from the 2008 Olympics Nicole Cooke announced her retirement from the sport yesterday and took an almighty swipe at drug cheats. She applauded all those athletes that stayed clean and lamented how many were cheated out of success by those that succumbed to doping.
Nicole made a telling comment about Armstrong; "When Lance cries on Oprah later this week and she passes him the tissue, spare a thought for all those genuine people who walked away with no rewards - just shattered dreams. Each one of them is worth a thousand Lances"...well said!

Unfortunately there are very few athletes that talk the talk and walk the walk in terms of being clean. Some can be admired like Tim Tebow, Derek Jeter et al. Kids should look up to these types as they live a clean lifestyle and do not cheat by using PED's.

A hero to me is my late uncle who was a family man, fought in WWII and always woke up each and every day living the motto, "I only want to do what's right". Nuff said.......

I believe ALL athletes, past and present, use some kind of steroids or other enhancement substances.:boxing2:

Is zero tolerance too absolute?
 

Armstrong alleged that drugs are prolific in all sports. I believe he is correct. It leaves us all confused disappointed and concerned about the state of sports and young people attracted to sports.

How has that affected the records being set by all athletes and what do those records mean? How has it effected the integrity of sports? If a player has no qualms about doping, steroids, etc will they draw the line as to bribes, fixes, etc? Essentially has the alleged widespread of drug use corrupted sports? I admit zero tolerance has great appeal to me and so when it comes to the topic of integrity I automatically default to zero tolerance. Perhaps some may see that attitude as too absolute?

Doesn't seem to be too practical with respect to testing. Armstrong certainly got a way with it a long time as have many other athletes. They develop a new drug and then they need a new test for it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/sp...anted=all&_r=0

"Critics, however, question how rigorous the company’s programs are. They say Drug Free Sport often fails to adhere to tenets of serious drug testing, like random, unannounced tests; collection of samples by trained, independent officials; and testing for a comprehensive list of recreational and performance-enhancing drugs." from above linked article.

No.
It seems he did it to win races and now he wants to say he did it so he can go back into sports. Seems that he is willing to change is public appearance to get whatever he wants.

unfairness to others in race
 

It seems that these days we are all looking for that miracle to give us extreme speed, extreme life expectancy, to be smarter be stronger, etc. and all the enhanced vitamins and supplements that enhance strength and energy it seems unfair that all the other contenders didnt have the same advantage that he did. We followed him and was a great supporter of his, but felt let down as if he somehow tricked us into thinking he had a natural gift and supernatural strength that was born to win. Hes gonna have a hard time if ever at all to come back from this one.

Armstrong lied to everyone for so many years about not using Performing Enhancing Drugs but now admits doing it. He is scum.

In addition to the lying and cheating, he tried to destroy or keep quiet other people thru intimidation and lawsuits. That bothers me even more.

Not every athlete is using PED's but there is an awful lot of it going around.
Baseball records are now muddled by the PED users. I say, don't admit them to the Hame of Fame as punishment for their cheating.

Athletes are getting bigger and stronger. This should only be attained through natural means like food, nutritional supplements, (no PED's), and hard training.

Let the PED athletes go into The Hall Of Shame.

As far as cycling goes, no, he can not redeem himself. That being said do not forget what he has done for cancer research and support for cancer victims. Does that mean it's OK? NO! It does mean that many people cancer patients have benefited from Livestrong. His organization has made a significant contribution to these people. Too bad he has tarnished it all. I hope the Livestrong organization can continue it's great work....probably with a new name.

I blame it all on sports addiction. Armstrong is so addicted to his sport that he wants to confess and be forgiven so he can get back into competition. And millions of sports fans are addicted to watching. Let's stop being sports addicts.

I have to agree to disagree. Armstrong is finished with competetive racing.

A certain a mount of the athletic community are users of PED's and I would like to think it's a small percentage but the actual percentage is undertermined. I certainly wouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

For those of use sport nuts, I would never stop watching sports but certainly hope that whatever sport I watch, it's athletes are clean and true competitors.

I have to sit back and think on all that is said. If a man can claim he did not have sex with that woman, and still be respected as he is, then anything is possible in this era of story tellers.
Can it be blamed on the athletes them selves, or should some of the blame be also put on the companies and so on that sponsor them. And the people that tell them you need to do this because this guy or girl is better than you.
I agree with a earlier post that Tim Tebow and others are great role models. Some athletes will get no attention what so ever. It is the ones that play the support role on a team and do not want to be the superstar that we should look up to. Without the team, no individual will be great!!!!

Same question goes for Pete Rose, Barry Bonds, and Shoeless Joe Jackson!

:agree:

I truly wonder if anyone really cares? The US Postal Service could their money back.