http://www.grahamwatson.com/view/viewmain.html
I'll at least give him credit for being willing to admit that he won't criticize LA because he made buckets of money off him.
It's one of the better posts on the subjects I've read. Balanced and honest. Can't say that of many.
/He didn’t kill anyone along the way, and as a father of five, he’s no child molester either. /
/I’m surprised USADA hasn’t also fixed an ankle-bracelet to Armstrong’s leg, just in case he tries to sneak into a triathlon or ultra-distance running event in disguise./
Mmmmm...that's some GOOD hyperbole! It is positively polish or spear of lance-worthy!
OC, I won't hold my breath waiting to hear the same from Liz.
well although he at least acknowledges his self-interest (money) he proves himself no better than liggett, bobke et al; you know, the old guard that's part of the problem and not the solution.
Couldn't agree more with Watson, everything he stated I've alluded to.
O.C.'s byline says it best. "And the men who spurred us on sit in judgement of our wrongs".
Bob I don't get any reference to Patrick Lefevre and the other dirty ds's who ran team wide programs but now act holier than thou and now try to re-shore the omerta by firing riders who cop to past cheating in what Watson wrote. That's what you mean, right?
I didn't read the entire thing (the font and black background were baaad), but I differ with Graham's defense of the UCI. I still don't believe the UCI is really putting its back into the PED issue and the perceived if not actual conflicts of interest only raise the normal skepticism.
I've heard this a couple of times and it never sits well with me. (And no, I am not accusing LA of doing this.)
"and as a father of five, he’s no child molester either"
There are many child molesters who are fathers. Many have molested their own kids. I don't see being the father of five as proof of anything except fertility.
Again, I am not accusing LA of child abuse. I just wish that I never hear such a false argument again.
Ben
X2 Ben. Pretty stupid statement.
Spot on Ben.
What about the Olsen twins?
I find his whole attitude to be one of the problems that allows incidents like doping in sports to not only continue but to fester. His main conclusion is that if LA did indeed dope that he only cheated other cheaters. And now that he is banned for life other sports will miss out on his greatness. And that we need to stop concerning ourselfs with it and move on. IMO
And one final thing that pisses me off even more. The U. S.Postal Service, of which I am still employed, never had anything to do with the doping. Some writers make it sound like we supplied the dope for them.
He's the biggest fraud in the history of sports. I could careless what anyone says about him, or how they defend him. Dude is a liar and a fraud period.
Watson's pics may be worth 1000 words / $1000, but his words...not so much.
He's essentially just another LA apologist.
mondonico, a light hearted comment. You will never know if if the US Postal Service had any hand in LA's doping. Who knows? A USPS driver could well have been one of the (unwitting) delivery agents (in the US anyway). Seriously, I agree. It sure looks like USPS was not in on the shenanigans. I suspect that each following sponsor knew progressively more.
Ben
Personally, I would not bang on GW, not Merckx, Bobke, Sherwin, Ligget, the boys from Belgian, Italian, Dutch TV.
They know the score, they know the game. Pro sports, ruff!!
anyone who understands cycling knows that it is not about who wins the city limit or crosswalk sprint during the Saturday Morning 'group ride.)
taint like that.
Grahm Wilson tells it like it is except for one exception. There are protected riders and teams.
interesting points for sure,
I like this line: "is he any different from a President, an army General, a corporate leader of industry, a career politician, or any other sporting great?” NOPE
the opening line is also good, "Outright angels do not win a Tour de France. That is the domain of the most talented, hard, driven, ruthless and selfish riders."
If you are not outraged you are NOT paying attention.
Only true statement:
"Sport has to be kept as pure as possible, not just for the sakes of the world’s youth, but for the bridge it offers into all walks of life."
in the entire article. The rest is happy horse shit.
Why should Watson care, he's just a photog. He makes his money with pics of superstars, no stars no money. This is news why??? And is anybody suprised....
Never mind that USADA has plunged a blunt knife through the heart of the sport – they got their man, after a ruthless hunt, and that’s all they care about.
Gratifying the instincts of the same kind of people who became orgasmic when Clinton's 2nd term was jammed up to the point of almost bringing the workings of government to a standstill in hopes of getting to see Monica Lewinsky strip searched and crotch inspected on the floor of the house of representatives.
The fallout from that being accusations and ridiculed aimed at his administration's attempts to highlight the by-then-clearly-recognized danger and threat of terrorism.
Armstrong best of the best of his era. Years from now they will be laughing at you fools who did so much flitting and fluttering over what most people accepted as doing what he had to do if he want to be a professional cyclist. Lance was the doping era's biggest victim. He was forced to adopt the methods of the people he would have dominated were they not using PEDs.
A few decades ago there were many people whose intense antipathy for use of marijuana was comparable to those of you whose brains squirm at the thought of cyclists using medical performance enhancers.
Mouth foaming rabid haters who saw no injustice to incarcerating thousands of people and inflicting incredible financial hardships on people for doing no more than what a significant proportion of the population at large was doing but not getting caught at doing.
Looking back on it now it has become increasingly more obvious what fools the haters were (and still are) for imposing their preposterously artificial moral standards on what they expected of the rest of humanity. And of course they can use the same bogus claim that those people were breaking the rules so they deserved to be sentenced to long prison terms for cheating.
Nevermind if a person worked hard, supported a family, lived as a good person otherwise, if they smoked pot, destroy their lives or whatever it takes to convince everyone else to live by your myopic standards.
I AGREE ALUMINUM FROG. The USADA report was like the impeachment procedings agaisnt Clinton.
So much like the Monica smear job on Clinton. Cigars, adultrey, stained skirts. What exactly does that have to do with the work of our president?
Cycling is, and was a dirty sport, end of.
To the haters, love it or leave it. Lance did what he had to to compete. Watch the classics during the 90s.
Telling.
"To the haters, love it or leave it. Lance did what he had to to compete. Watch the classics during the 90s."
Always interesting to see a bit of revisionist history
speaking of mouth foaming rabid haters... AF, step away from the keyboard and immediately seek medical attention.
but your avatar really is quite appropriate.
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