Back when I was younger, Lance Armstrong was THE athlete. He was bigger than Brett Favre and that’s coming from a family of life-long Packers fans. Armstrong was the shining example of the never give up attitude. He was the ultimate comeback story. Obviously, we know that was a lie. But I wasn’t angry. In fact, for the paper I wrote for, I had this to say (this was back when the report first came out):
With the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s report on Lance Armstrong, it seems pretty clear now that Armstrong was one of the biggest frauds in sports history. The testimonies, the evidence, it all seemed stacked against him. Then, Armstrong quit, refued to admit guilt, but refused to fight the chargers too.
It wasn’t a surprise. We could all see the end coming and the sharks circling. And yet, I wanted so badly to believe Armstrong.
This is an age where we’ve seen so many sports titans fall. Tiger Woods with his scandal, the steroid outbreak in baseball, NBA stars turning into whiny annoying pre madonnas. And then there was Lance. The inspiration to millions. The ultimate American comeback story. The one athlete that had been tested over and over again, the one athlete that showed us all success was possible no matter what we were facing. Growing up as a child during Lance’s Tour De France wins, I was in awe of this man. This man who overcame so much. This man that made me motivated to work harder, to give a little more, to face whatever challenges I was facing.
As the evidence piled up against him, I desperately hoped he was telling the truth, that just one sports titan could remain unscathed, and was above all the crap that was going on in the sports world. I wanted to know that the one true sports hero we had was just that, a hero, that he could be the legend we tell our grandchildren about.
Now, I’m not left with anger, or resentment. I’m disappointed. I’m disappointed that, aside from Michael Jordan, the last great sports figure of my time, the man who inspired millions and showed the American spirit, was a fraud.
I’m disappointed that so many people believed in him when he was just another cheat abusing the system. I’m disappointed that the former sports icon that I looked up to, that I tried to, in part, model the way I lived after, adopting that never give up and always keep pushing ahead attitude, was all just a ruse.
The release of the USADA’s report marked a sad day for me. It was the day the last great, inspirational and transcendent sports icon of my generation was exposed. I don’t think I’ll ever feel the same way about an athlete as I did growing up watching Lance. After this report, I’m not so sure I want to anyways.
Now, after his confession with Oprah, I have this to say. Lance is still trying to shape his narrative. And it’s pathetic. Lance you are not the victim here. Just because “everyone was doing it” doesn’t excuse what you did. It makes you weak for not standing up and doing the right thing. Confessing now after you have sought to destroy anyone who accused you of lying doesn’t mean you’re truly sorry. In fact, the timing of your confession is suspicious at best. You’re not sorry. If you were, you would have come clean. You’re simply a cheater who found himself cornered. You’re worse than any baseball player who took steroids and lied about it. You’re worse than any football player who has gotten in trouble with the law. You’re the worst kind of liar. The one who not only tried to keep up your narrative, but tried to burn down anyone who was looking to tell the truth. I used to think you were a shining example of how to live my life. Now, you’re an example of a man I hope I never become.
Lukas Eggen can be reached at eggen.lukas@gmail.com.
Lukas Eggen 