Lance Charged With Doping

Nothing really new, but well written IMO:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/12/opinion/sunday/how-to-get-doping-out-of-sports.html

I liked Vaughters's NYT piece also.  Here's an assessment on Jonathan Vaughters from the Inner Ring:

http://inrng.com/2012/08/vaughters-confession-usada/#more-10398

Thanks to Peter of oxygenfedsport.com for this link:

http://cyclinginvestigation.usada.org/

Nowhere to hide now Lance.

Thanks for the link. I had already read the Reasoned Decision but it is nice to be able to look through the actual Affidavits which are posted on that site.

Reception of the guys that gave affidavits to USADA and admitted to doping has been generally positive. Everyone knows you had to do it to compete back then. Lance might be able to preserve something of his image by finally coming clean (no pun intended) and being honest, but I don't see that happening.

I concur w/ River.  Reading the supporting material was fascinating.  Super heavy stuff.  Them guys coming forward took courage.

 

I'm not sure how much courage was involved.  Hincapie, Leipheimer et al were originally subpoenaed for grand jury testimony when the FDA was looking into fraud charges against US Postal.  Don't show up for the grand jury: go to jail.  Apparently when all these guys testified for USADA, someone from Dept of Justice was there comparing their testimony to USADA vs. what they'd earlier said in grand jury.  Keeping them honest so to speak.

Peruring yourself vs. federal government: big no-no.

The sport may be cleaner, but plenty of doping characters still involved.  

Been trying to figure out WHY Lance would come clean.  Doesn't make sense to me.

This article from the Daily Freeman says that the statue of limitations on perjury has run out:

Lance to Admit to Doping on Oprah

I don't know about the statute of liability on perjury, but LA still faces lawsuits trying to claw back money.  IMO a confession on Oprah is no confession at all.  He still thinks a different set of rules apply to him.

I can just hear him telling Oprah, "This had been terrible for me and my family."  Glad we don't own a functioning television.

Peter Minde wrote

I don't know about the statute of liability on perjury, but LA still faces lawsuits trying to claw back money.  IMO a confession on Oprah is no confession at all.  He still thinks a different set of rules apply to him.

I can just hear him telling Oprah, "This had been terrible for me and my family."  Glad we don't own a functioning television.

I read somewhere that the statue of limitations for both perjury and civil suit from SCA are both long past. Doesn't matter any ways because he didn't have a "no doping" clause with SCA, but that ain't gonna stop the lawyers. I feel really bad for the British paper that paid him a crap ton of money after they suggested he doped and he sued. They'll be after money and I hope that their lawyers find a way to make it work. I don't think Lance has much to fear at this point but it is going to be expensive in the lawyer department whether anything sticks or not.

From what I've read, there are rumors he was trying to work a deal with the regulating body that if he admitted then he would get to do competitive triathlon again. I can't think of any other reason than that for a confession. It is going to cost him a ton of money in legal fees fighting off the suits that will be filed. And he certainly isn't doing because he suddenly feels the need to be honest. The other thing is he may want to rehab his image, perhaps for Livestrong's sake, but also perhaps because people love a fallen hero admitting wrong doing and making a come back. He can also be remembered as "the best of the dopers" if he can get control back. It is all about control with Lance and he has no control until he gets back on the offensive. Might be a combo of those things.

This is an excellent read summarizing what may or may not be some driving factors:
http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/01/analysis/commentary-forget-oprah-what-is-armstrong-offering-usada_271409

I love the idea of LA trying to reclaim his legacy by bringing everyone else down. I can't even imagine the ramifications of what would happen if LA spilled everything he knows about everyone in pro cycling. He could make a serious claim to the "best of the doped" by laying it out that every other serious contender was juiced throughout his years.

Given LA's history of enforcing zipped lips, this would be a supremely ironic turn if he threw other Pro riders under the bus after he was caught. I just can't imagine him doing that... it seems like he has a code against speaking against other riders. But his code of trying to preserve his legacy as being the best may be more important.

Good find there... I am not holding my breath on a full confession.

Peter, what do you speculate will happen on Oprah?

I read the article and it was great to read about the feud with Filippo Simeoni which I never really understood.

Still seems like a stretch to me that throwing all of cycling under the bus will help him.  As far as I'm concerned the sport from the Armstrong era is so far under it can't get out.

What, me pontificate? :D  

Based on USADA's reasoned decision, a full confession would take more than one episode of Oprah.  It also IMO wouldn't carry the weight of a direct confession to USADA.  At this moment, I'm viewing it as "confession lite."

The Inner Ring has a fine analysis of what may be coming down the pike for LA.  More eloquent than I could write.  Herewith:

http://inrng.com/2013/01/lance-armstrong-redemption-agenda/#more-12534

Here's some public perception ...This morning while skiing at Greek Peak, Campy and I noticed some yellow wrist bands in the snow beneath the lift...Recently discarded apparently...

Great article. I didn't realize the lowest reduction of suspension could be is eight years. He'll be well past his prime by then but could still yet be competitive in triathlon given his talents.

Also an interesting idea suggested that he will throw the governing bodies under the bus, I hadn't even thought of that... that he would accuse UCI top officials of egging him on and encouraging him and clearing positive tests and all that. Fireworks!

I think any of us that have followed the doping issues also clearly see the issue with LA accusing guys like Landis and Hamilton of only talking openly once they were caught, now LA is caught and he is talking openly, so by LA's own logic, we can't trust him. Love the irony.

Regardless of why he has decided to talk, I say amen, he is the best of the dopers and let's get on with it once he fesses up. I'm cool with LA once he talks.

SCREW him and ALL dopers !!

warp daddy wrote

SCREW him and ALL dopers !!

+1000

I hope the Great American Liar gets put in jail---imo, he deserves that

I guess I should reserve judgement. But... I smell bullshit.

I you are like me and don't have 1000 channels of TV, you can watch the interview here:
http://ownspecial.oprah.com/lancearmstrong.html

Currently on commercial.