Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong has been stripped of his seven Tour de France cycling titles. Now what? He has been found guilty of what? Of course he’s guilty because he grew weary and tired of all the years of accusations piling up against him by the US Anti-Doping Agency. Since he would no longer fight them on these accusations, the committee members said that showed his guilt. Really?

 

For me, Lance Armstrong was an incredible man; a courageous man who in 1996 was diagnosed with testicular cancer, and given less than a 40% chance of survival. My awe and admiration continues with his survival and his Seven Tour de France titles. To ride a bike was something but to ride in those grueling races and win was something else.

 

He rode not just for himself but he set up his foundation to help and inspire other cancer victims. He taught a lesson of survival to others. Armstrong had nothing to prove and what he has accomplished is amazing for himself, for others and for the sport of cycling.

 

It’s amazing how people always seem to look for heroes, and forget that they are mortal human beings. We settle on athletes that we seem to revere, and raise them and others to lofty positions. We enjoy watching them rise to the top. Yet, we are there to be the first to tear them down when we grow tired of them and are ready to move on. We love to watch them crash and burn. Why?  Maybe it is our boredom with them. We seem to take great pleasure in watching them rise to the top, as well as fall down in flames. Then we move on to someone new.  Why is it so important to take such pleasure when someone gets destroyed? I don’t know the answer to that. Maybe they are reminders that we are all human and not super human. That we all share common fragilities. Even our heroes that we have supported show they are not superhuman, but like us – mere mortals.

 

I still believe in Armstrong and wonder now – who will be next on that list to build up and tear down?