Let’s Watch That Train Wreck Together Some More Tonight
8:05: Thanks everyone for reading and commenting along. Have a great weekend.
I am now going to go eat everything in the world I can find.
7:59: For some reason, I’m finding it easy to be snarkier tonight than last night. Maybe that’s not cool. OK, it’s for sure not cool. I — and a lot of people — need to remember that even if he’s not telling all the truth, he’s at least telling some truth.
And that’s something.
7:54: A commenter just asked whether I posted on the VeloNews live blog. No, I didn’t. I’m busy typing here. What did the person impersonating me say, though?
7:52: Lance just used “apoplectic” in a sentence. Nobody can ever take that away from him.
7:50: He’s talking about his mom. My wind is wandering. I snapped back to attention to wonder, “Really, she didn’t know? His mom didn’t know?” Because if not, she wasn’t paying attention.
Or she knew and he didn’t know she knew. That’s my guess.
7:47: Did you try to pay off USADA?
A: No. That’s just not true.
Personal note: I don’t care very much about these nitty-gritty things. There’s so much he has done that specific small things he has or has not done don’t really factor in. He’s admitted so much that most people’s impression is — and I include myself — he did everything he was accused of.
7:44: Talk around the couch is about the 2 emotional points of this interview so far: talking about his kids, and talking about his foundation.
I’m happy to point out that he shows real emotion when talking about the really good things he’s made in his life.
7:43: Oprah asks why he’s doing this interview, Lance says it’s for the well being of his kids. Oprah and I share a baffled look.
7:36: Talking about his oldest son, “What you’re saying about my dad isn’t true.” And he starts crying. “He never said, ‘Dad, is this true?’ and he trusted me. And I heard about it in the hallways….”
O: what did you say to him?
A: At the time I didn’t say anything, but I knew I had to say something to him. And I had to have the talk with him, over the holidays. I said, listen, I’ve always denied that, but I want you to know that it’s true.
A: I also told my 11-yr old twins. And they didn’t say much, they just accepted it.
Personal note: I get a sick feeling even thinking about having to convey a message of such incredibly deep deception to my children.
A: I told my son, “Don’t defend me anymore. Just don’t.” He’s been remarkably calm about this. Just say, ‘hey, my dad says he’s sorry.’ He said, “OK. I love you, you’re my dad, this won’t change that.”
O: Did you expect defiance, anger, disappointment?
A: Thank God he’s more like Kristin than like me.
The cancer dr beside me said, “Maybe Lance should have sued him.”
7:35: Some demographic stuff I’m wondering about. I wonder how many people who watched the first half of the interview are watching the second half?
Also, I wonder about how many non-cyclists are sticking around for the whole 3 hours of this?
7:31: The reason he didn’t dope when he came back to racing is because Kristin – his X – made him promise not to.
K, I’m the most believing person in the world, but that makes no sense at all to me. He doped even when they were married. Why would he care what his X requested and start heeding her advice now?
7:29: Does anyone know the whole truth?
A: Yeah. And then a weird laugh, and no elaboration.
I’m going to be honest here folks, I’m feeling like the real meat of this interview is behind us.
7:27: Were there people who knew who wanted you to quit?
A: Yes
O: Could they have gotten you to stop?
A: Probably not. But if there was one name, I would say Kristin. She’s a smart, spiritual lady who believes in truth.
7:26: A commenter is worried about the fact that I’m sitting by a cancer doctor. The cancer doctor is Heather, Kenny’s girlfriend. She’s very handy to have around during this.
7:22: Remorse
A: Do I have it? Absolutely. Will it grow? Absolutely.
I think
7:21: How has this changed how you see yourself? “It hasn’t, entirely.” So that’s honest, it seems like.
7:18: Do I want to compete again? Hell yes. I’m a competitor. I don’t think anyone will say that this is not a perfectly honest moment.
“But this isn’t the reason I’m doing this.” Ugh, not everyone’s going to believe that.
“I got a death penalty, everyone else got six months.” He doesn’t feel like this is fair. Weird that someone who has cheated his whole life is now interested in fairness.
7:16: Who he owes apologies to: Frankie, Betsy, Lemond, more. Even Walsh, though he says it (IMHO less than convincingly).
He says he’d like to tell lots of people he’s sorry. And he’s going on an apology tour.
7:14: Did doping cause his cancer? No, I don’t think so, says Lance. The cancer Dr sitting next to me says she’s not aware of a causal effect. She says testosterone is linked to prostate cancer, though. So don’t go thinking you’re out of the woods if you dope, cancer-wise. You just might get a different kind of cancer.
7:10: I wonder what the “moments” from tonight will be. Last night’s were the first couple minutes, the fat joke (I personally think “Fat” is a fine first name, BTW), and the “Oh, I dunno, we sue a lot of people.”
I worry that tonight’s going to get ickily personal. Am I the only one?
7:07: Lance says that of everything, losing his connection is the hardest. And it seems like this is genuine emotion.
I absolutely positively believe this part. I have talked with Lance about a number of things, but his intensity and his “realness” seem much at their strongest when he’s talking about LiveStrong. Whether he’s there or not, I guarantee that he thinks of it as his.
7:03: Lance talking about all of the sponsors leaving him. “The one thing I didn’t think would leave would be the foundation.”
The cancer Doctor I’m sitting by says that it’s silly to say that his chances were less than 50%. She says his chances were way better.
For me, it seems like the very most obvious thing that he’d leave the foundation. I can’t imagine trying to fundraise for LiveStrong right now with him there. Meaning I can’t imagine anyone donating stuff for me to give away, and I can’t imagine anyone donating.
7:02: Lance feels disgraced, humbled, ashamed.
Me: How about humiliated? Trapped?
7:01: The announcer’s voice is ssscaarrrrry.
6:59: Welcome to the LiveBlog. I can’t believe I arrived on time. Only just.
I finished last night’s live blog of the Oprah / Armstrong interview by saying this:
I didn’t do a lot of actual commenting — more just writing what I heard. So I will have to think about whether there’s any point in my doing this again tomorrow night. My current thinking is “no.”
But you know what? I’m going to get back on that horse. Or, for those of you who aren’t good at metaphor, I’m going to live blog the second half of the interview. But I’m going to try to balance writing about what is said with what I’m thinking, on the rare occasion I have a thought to share.
Join me, if you care to. I’ll be traveling and might be a little bit late, or a lot late, so if I am, um, sorry? I guess?
Here’s info, which I have carefully copied and pasted from yesterday’s post, on the where and when:
When is it? 9:00pm ET / 7:00pm MT tonight. Also at 9:00pm PT, although I personally will not make the time-shift. I have not yet mastered time.
What channel will the interview be on? It will be on the OWN network. You can find whether you have OWN and where it is on your service provider by clicking here.
What if I don’t get the OWN network? It will also be streamed online from oprah.com.
Where will the live-blog be happening? Right here. You’ll just have to refresh your browser every couple of minutes, because I don’t know how to make it auto-refresh.
Comment by John | 01.18.2013 | 12:02 pm
I’d like to think positively and ask: Let’s assume that Lance is sorry (and not just about getting caught) and really wants to support and improve cycling. What, if anything, can he do? Is it too late for forgiveness?
Comment by bikemike | 01.18.2013 | 12:03 pm
I laughed until i cried and then i laughed again.
Comment by Kristina | 01.18.2013 | 12:25 pm
I mentioned in a comment a few posts ago that I’m not a cyclist, and so don’t have much of an opinion. Last night’s interview changed my mind in that I now have an opinion of Lance himself — I’d never realized how many people he walked on to weave his web. He may be sorry, but only because he was caught. Public apology (on OWN, no less) is the only way to stay in the spotlight at this point.
Comment by Pat in Westminster Co | 01.18.2013 | 12:28 pm
“We hope now we can close this chapter. The truth is out. Maybe we can move forward, without forgetting it. We must learn lessons and not let it happen again,” Voigt said. “But there is also a moment that we must move forward.” Jens Voigt/Velonews.com
Jens has a way of making sense.
Comment by phaty | 01.18.2013 | 12:28 pm
Thanks for going on tonight. I am in Germany so when I woke up that whole thing was over and I decided to only read it on your blog. Mainly because you have some kind of past with HIM. I honestly can say, that I did HATE that bugger (and I really did!) as long as he raced and as long as he lied and everybody who was willing to see smelled that there is/was something wrong. With this interview I feel like I am fine with letting him off the hook. He was part of the system, for sure he overdid it and I feel sorry for the people who got bullied by him. If he cleans that closet and simply tells them in their face that he was wrong and frankly an asshole that is all that counts! I even thinking about getting myself a LiveSTRONG Shirt now and wear it together with my LiveWRONG bracelet. That guy is on his knees now it is time for the rest of the world to leave him alone and give him a chance. In case he wants to start any kind of comeback I want to see him burning in hell … buy a Ranch Lance and go mountainbiking. Life is great on two wheels if you don’t think you are on a mission.
Comment by Christina | 01.18.2013 | 12:30 pm
YOU FAT CRAZY BI…
Whoa, don’t know what came over me. I mean, I look forward to the live blog again.
Comment by NJH | 01.18.2013 | 12:44 pm
Watched last night on one computer and followed your blog on the other. We were at RFR in ‘09 and part of the same group. I’ll always remember your speech at the dinner and meeting you and your sister at the ride. You put a big part of your heart and hurt and hope out there for all of us and you made a difference for a lot of us. Thank you…. Keep on keepin’ on!
Comment by Wife#1 | 01.18.2013 | 12:48 pm
“I have not yet mastered time.”
Damn. It would have been so cool if you had actually turned out to be a Time Lord. Not to mention, I’m kinda over Matt at this point.
Not YOU Marsupial Matt. :-)
Yes, I am a total geek and if you don’t understand there references above, it just means your life has less color than mine. Hahaha.
Side note: I thought there were a lot of great comments on the page of Livestrong’s official statement they posted. I am heartened to see so many continue to focus on the fight against cancer as the thing that’s really important in all this.
Cuz it is!
Nice work on the weight loss this week. I am a very stubborn half pound away from getting to 55#. Maybe tomorrow. Then just 45 more before Davis. :-)
Comment by Wife#1 | 01.18.2013 | 1:07 pm
@Wife#1
Martin just told me your ‘Town Bike’ is due in the shop today. No more pick’n on me for ‘too many bikes’.
xoxo
Comment by Skippy | 01.18.2013 | 1:10 pm
“I have not yet mastered time.”
Had you been the ” Master of Time “, many of US , would have demanded you GO BACK in TIME , tweaked Lance’s nose in 1997 , so that he would have taken the Path that led to LiveSTRONG , without Suppliments !
Think what good he would have done , and how his Legacy would be now ?
Looking forward to doing as Christina did , reading the blog and comments on separate screens . Thanks for your efforts for helping the likes of ” Phatty , other Europeans & myself , get some sleep .
Comment by ClydeinKS | 01.18.2013 | 1:18 pm
I believe in seeing the interview that he is sorry, and not just for getting caught. It was an epidemic (as in other sports during the same time period) and of course he denied, it became so commonplace that it wasn’t being seen as cheating. I figured it was as common as airing the tires! Not sure here, but I’m assuming all the other confessed users also denied initially. Lance’s denials were larger because he was larger (team leader, TdF winner) than other riders. I wish we could hear the interview questions responded to from others who took deals – have a feeling some would’ve been eerily similar.
Admission is HUGE, and is a great step toward a fix.
What irks me most is the media now nitpicking Lance’s behavior during the interview and suddenly now polygraph experts and behavior analysts. Once believing in something for as long as Lance had, then coming to admission that it was all a lie would understandably cause some uneasiness. Some of the teammates have spoken as seeing remorse (Hamilton) and having made a good start (Vaughters). I have a feleing those who raced with him were hurt and betrayed more than those reporting news. When Lance sent apology to Rick Reilly and article was written basically writing him off and he can keep the apology.
Lance said a 40 min call couldn’t repair yrs of damage but it was a step. Seems the majority of media has already decided no matter what is said, he will always be the arrogant prick. Just self admitting that is pretty big, but glad he went much further in admission. No need to forgive and forget, but could at least start leaning toward forgive? (sorry if choppy and random, trying to get some thoughts in quick during a break)
Comment by Wife#1 | 01.18.2013 | 1:24 pm
I’m in the camp of the ‘head hunters’. Much like Barry Bonds and baseball, the effort to expose an athlete’s past PED use and it’s impact on their success seems amplified by the athlete’s own outsized personality.
Tyler, Floyd, Levi, and many others, all reaped their own benefit from the practices of Lance, none of them spoke up then. The UCI and bicycle racing benefited from the increased sponsorship, participation, and revenue during this ‘dark period’ yet demurred from asking how or why?.
Lance has a long road ahead, that journey is long and hard, but that journey must begin with a first step. I for one am pulling for him.
Comment by davidh-marin,ca | 01.18.2013 | 1:27 pm
Just wanted to clarify that Wife#1 is not suffering from multiple personalities. The bike shop told ME that her bike was in(1:07pm), and the (1:24pm) comment is mine as well. Sorry honey.
Comment by Weller | 01.18.2013 | 1:49 pm
Lance used A HORSE? That’s just outrageous!
What’s a metaphor?
Comment by Marsupial Matt (formerly known as MattC) | 01.18.2013 | 1:50 pm
@davidH, I left a comment for you in yesterdays comments (just an hour or so ago), just before this one was published about the Catalina fondo.
Also, I’m headed up to Sunnyvale on Monday for 2 weeks, should be there over next weekend (planning on bringing only the mt bike at this point, but I could slip the road bike in the rental too..just that much more crap to carry tho)… maybe we can hook up somewhere in the middle for a ride?
@Wife#1, you had me all depressed there for a few seconds…wondering how you were over me so easily (since we haven’t even met yet). But you did say ‘kinda’…so maybe I still have a shot…(GRIN!)
Comment by Wife#1 | 01.18.2013 | 1:51 pm
Dear Davidh-marin aka Husband #1,
Oh please, I’ll have 2 at some point in the future (and let’s be clear, I have NONE right now), and it’s not like I would be able to leave the sweet Specialized out in front of the store when I go grocery shopping anyway! The town bike is a cheap 3 speed cruiser with a skirt guard. Does that even count as a bike if you’re not in Europe? ;-)
Honey, sweetie, love of my life…. You have 3 road bikes, 3 mountain bikes and a tandem, and that’s just the ones I can remember!
Oh and to all other Fatties, yes we actually do sometimes talk to each other off this blog.
Comment by Cyclin' Missy | 01.18.2013 | 2:01 pm
Thank you for doing the live blog! I don’t have cable, so I can’t watch the interview, and probably wouldn’t if I could. But your reporting of the major points told me everything I needed to know! Looking forward to the second half.
Comment by Barton | 01.18.2013 | 2:02 pm
I’ve spent all week explaining to non-cycling fans what all the poo is about re: Lance. “So he doped, all professional athletes dope.” Let me tell you about Andreu, O’Reilly, Kimmage… “Oh, um, yeah, more than doping I guess.” With that frame of reference, I didn’t even bother last night – I read some twitter feeds (comic stuff at 1st, then …not so much by the end) and your round-up. Gonna avoid it tonight as well, and catch up tomorrow reading your play by play.
ps: can’t hold back re: he comment on Besty A. Never called her “fat?” that is your response? wow.
Comment by Clydesteve | 01.18.2013 | 2:16 pm
Several FC readers asked yesterday whether LA ever actually answered up or down, straight out, yes or no, the question” Did you dope?
http://www.oprah.com/own/Lance-Armstrong-Confesses-to-Oprah-Video
Here is a 2-minute clip from near the front of the interview for the yes or no crowd.
Comment by don | 01.18.2013 | 2:17 pm
Did I hear him correctly,? did he try and blame the fans? I guess a lot of people bought into the product he was selling and then couldn’t bring themselves to admit there might be something wrong with this picture. So I guess in a way he could think the fans were party to his deception.
Well it’s one thing to deny the truth and get caught in a lie, but it’s another thing to go after people the way he did. If he gets the fans invested and thinking what he did was understandable, then perhaps we really are partly to blame. If he’s succeeded in getting the fans to confuse right from wrong the way he has, then heaven help us. He always tries to win in the court of public opinion but I don’t think that’s working now.
Comment by Kirk | 01.18.2013 | 2:30 pm
For 10 years a large portion of the cycling public has been screeching for an admission from Lance. Now comes the admission and we begin the screeching that the admission doesn’t satisfy our requirements.
The only thing we love more than a hero story is a “hero destroyed by his own hubris” story.
Are you not amused? (Maximus voiceover)
Comment by Jenni | 01.18.2013 | 2:40 pm
@phaty
I’ve got a Livestrong jersey I’ll sell you to match your ensemble. I will never wear it again.
I was completely unimpressed with last night, but more than anything, I’m over this. I’d like to ride bikes with good people who do good things and eat pie afterwards. That’s pretty much it.
Comment by centurion | 01.18.2013 | 3:15 pm
Dude, the finale of Fringe in on tonight.
Comment by Lori | 01.18.2013 | 4:41 pm
Yeah, I’ll be watching Fringe and reading the live blog. (I don’t have OWN anyways.). I was hoping Fatty would do it again.
Comment by Lurker move4life | 01.18.2013 | 6:00 pm
Fatty, Long time reader (since 2008, I think?) / lurker. This was the first place I checked online this morning following the LA interview, which I coincidentally did not watch because I fell asleep while putting our youngest son to bed :) My hubby was keen to watch said train wreck. I do not think I can endure the videos online so I have steered clear. I wanted LA to be innocent in my head but my heart knew otherwise (for years, of course….) My personality is such as to offer forgiveness, believe the very best in people, but the stuff I’ve heard as of late makes me think of a possible LA DSM-IV diagnosis and little else. The destruction of others in an attacking manner is difficult to hurdle.
Thanks for keeping it real in the past few posts, including the weight bar on the side :) you are braver than I but maybe 2013 is my year??
Heidi in Ontario Canada
Comment by Jeff Bike | 01.18.2013 | 6:15 pm
If you listen closely you hear a man who got caught up in winning at all cost. That winning was the goal and he would do anything to get it. So he is like many who are willing lie, cheat, steal, bully or whatever it takes to be the best. We see it in the business world, in politics, in entertainment, in any endeavor that people reach for with so much effort. I have had the impression that he was so self-driven that he was really hard to be around. We call that being a jerk or a lot of less polite words. We teach our young people that they should be winners. I wonder how often we have failed to instill the concept of fair play. That winning only counts if it is not just within the rules but that it is truly fair.
When someone lies then they must tell another to cover the first. It becomes a cycle and when someone challenges the lie the liar finds he must defend the lie. If you combine that with win at all cost, the winner/liar goes on the offensive. In the school yard it was the bully beat up the other kid. As adults the bully beats the other verbally then he sues and beats them up in the courts. It is the same motivation with just a little change of the means. It’s time for Lance to grow up, get out of the school yard mentality. It will take time, this interview is a first step.
Comment by ChrisA | 01.18.2013 | 7:48 pm
I’m out for tonight. Sorry guys. Have fun!
Comment by ChrisA | 01.18.2013 | 7:52 pm
FYI, Clydesteve, there is a big difference, no just semantic, between answering yes or no to a cross-examination and saying the words “I took X Y OR Z” Further, at the two minute mark he says, “There was uh cortisone and then the EPO generation…”
That’s a cop-out passive voiced non-admission.
Now I’m out.
Comment by UpTheGrade SR,CA | 01.18.2013 | 8:05 pm
In light of Armstrong’s admission of guilt on Oprah, a lot of people are asking “should we now forgive Lance?” What you should be asking yourself is “should I forgive myself”
We the fans are the ones who put Lance on a pedestal of Hero worship. We believed his myth and ignored any evidence to the contrary. We are the ones who allowed him to bully others and supported his blacklisting of them. We were too ready to idolize someone just because it fit our preferred Disneyland version of human endeavor. No one is ever worthy of that, and by concentrating all the rewards on just a few in sports of all kinds, we encourage unscrupulous people to stop at nothing to get to that vaunted top slot and reap the outsized rewards. Should we be surprised then it happens?
How will you deserve to forgive yourself for creating Lance? How will I? Well we could start by making it up to those hurt by our actions, the Andreus, Emmy O’Reilly, Paul Kimmage, Filippo Simeoni, Greg LeMond and the multiple others who were harmed or destroyed for telling the truth while we lapped up Lance’s Lies. Let’s support their second chance, rather than an undeserving former star. Let’s support women’s cycling that has been devastated by the doping scandals and subsequent loss of sponsorship. Let’s speak out against the autocratic UCI/IOC bureaucracies and their leaders who were complicit in Lance’s saga and still remain in charge of the sport. Do this, and then we may earn our own forgiveness for our wanton worshipping of such a false god of cycling.
Comment by aussie kev | 01.18.2013 | 8:14 pm
After this interview i will do my best not ever mention LAnce’s name again – however i will still continue to donate money to livestrong, we should never forget the people whom the foundation helps.
WIN WIN
Comment by Leroy | 01.18.2013 | 8:17 pm
That Lance? Oh that was just some guy I knew.
Comment by Zhwang | 01.18.2013 | 8:21 pm
Death penalty? Hyperbole hyperbole hyperbole.
Comment by Leroy | 01.18.2013 | 8:23 pm
“I deserve to be punished.”
Okay, but don’t think it stops when you say your safe word.
Comment by Wife#1 | 01.18.2013 | 8:23 pm
Fatty, do we need to be worried that you are with a cancer doctor on a Friday night? It does worry me a bit.
Comment by aussie kev | 01.18.2013 | 8:25 pm
didnt do drugs for his come back tours –
LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE !!!
surely nobody believes that.
Comment by Wife#1 | 01.18.2013 | 8:34 pm
*whew*
Thank you. :-)
Comment by kmccoy | 01.18.2013 | 8:36 pm
I am appalled that he is possibly putting his family through this Oprah horror show for the chance to compete in sanctioned events. How in the hell can a father be so damn selfish? His kids must be going through he$% at school!
Comment by Clydesteve | 01.18.2013 | 8:37 pm
Fatty – I think LA said he asked the current girlfriend about the comeback. This was right after the comment that Kristen’s opinion was very important.
Comment by Nurse Betsy | 01.18.2013 | 8:38 pm
from what I have heard, his ex really doesn’t like him much, cause he screwed her over too.
Comment by Leroy | 01.18.2013 | 8:39 pm
If the Kristin story isn’t true, he is profoundly unbalanced mentally.
If it isn’t true, this is like watching someone uncontrollably cutting himself.
I can’t watch that.
Comment by Jim | 01.18.2013 | 8:43 pm
Agree the comments about Kristin were odd. Felt like he was throwing her under the bus.
Comment by Barton | 01.18.2013 | 8:43 pm
Demos on who is sticking around? Will non-cyclists? Well, the Oprah cult will stick around b/c IT’s OPRAH!
Comment by aussie kev | 01.18.2013 | 8:45 pm
i wasnt going to watch i feel he started being untruthful after the yes / no questions finished . but here i am back again
Comment by RodNeeds2Ride | 01.18.2013 | 8:46 pm
I’m not much of a cyclist and I’m watching! :) wife too.
Comment by Doug (way upstate NY) | 01.18.2013 | 8:46 pm
The kids. More victims. That kills me.
Comment by Leroy | 01.18.2013 | 8:47 pm
+1 for Heather. Nothing says I respect and admire you like suing for divorce.
Comment by Kim | 01.18.2013 | 8:49 pm
Don’t own a bike. But a cycling fan. Don’t know yet whether that’s past tense. Watched every minute. I feel like you’ve read my mind. I have to purposely remind myself to not defend. Disappointed that I feel the need to be more cynical, therefore less gullible.
Comment by jl | 01.18.2013 | 8:50 pm
to your question of demographics
i am a rec biker
mid 50’s female
watched last night and again tonight
i have been judged in my life(fairly or unfairly….???) because of a choice i made
i am dedicated to reaching out to all to say that no one has the right to judge anyone else
if you have any hope in humanity, please always look for the threads of desire in anyone….for anyone to change, grow, make apologies, and become a better person
i watch this program to look for that, and hope to see it from him, and all of his observers(you), “friend or foe”
i wish him and those who love him… and those who have been hurt by him, much love, caring and acceptance
Comment by zeeeter | 01.18.2013 | 8:52 pm
Oops missed it tonight. Friday night is ice cream night. Significantly more enjoyable . . . I’ll pick it up in the morning on DVR
Comment by David | 01.18.2013 | 8:52 pm
Fatty, did you post on the VeloNews live-blog? ‘Cause someone using your handle just did.
Comment by Clydesteve | 01.18.2013 | 8:55 pm
With all the ad breaks, the train wreck is kind of slow motion train going over the bridge that is out above a 500 foot gorge
Comment by Nurse Betsy | 01.18.2013 | 8:56 pm
late 50’s, female, cyclist and Sprint Tri’s. Watched last night, watching tonight. Will be tuning into AC 360 after this.
Comment by Gabi | 01.18.2013 | 8:57 pm
He said: Everyone who’s NEVER lied or cheated at anything feel free to judge… the rest of us can watch and reflect on our own shortcomings.
Comment by Lesley | 01.18.2013 | 8:59 pm
It seems to me he has a good therapist who is trying to make him understand that we cannot control most outcomes in life. Things most of us have to learn on smaller (arguably just as life-changing) scales. After having done so for a good 20 years, I can see why he keeps using the word “process.” Especially in the eye of fame and fortune, it is hard to learn we cannot control things when we have only practiced throwing money at problems for years.
Comment by Wife#1 | 01.18.2013 | 9:04 pm
For some reason this REALLY made me LOL:
“Lance just used “apoplectic” in a sentence. Nobody can ever take that away from him.”
Yes it was funny, much of what you write is, but I am still chuckling. Perhaps I just needed a light-hearted moment. I completely forgot about his kids being in the middle of all of this. UGH.
Comment by Pete | 01.18.2013 | 9:04 pm
Johan Brunnnel was never mentioned, I wonder why?
Comment by Pete | 01.18.2013 | 9:08 pm
For a long time I admired Lance. It was difficult to accept his cheating. The last emphasis was on him making a comeback (I know that does not mean racing, but fame, respect, influence) I hope that he doesn’t. I hope that he accepts that there are some misdeeds that change everything forever.
Comment by SteveB | 01.18.2013 | 9:08 pm
On a much more positive note than all of this B.S… I’ve just upped my Davis LiveStrong Challenge goal to $1000…
It’s the most direct response I can think of to all of this.
Comment by Jeffrey | 01.18.2013 | 9:09 pm
“Everyone who’s NEVER lied or cheated at anything feel free to judge… the rest of us can watch and reflect on our own shortcomings.
by FatCyclist 8:50 PM”
The post you posted but didn”t post at Velo.
Comment by Maggi | 01.18.2013 | 9:13 pm
I had to stop watching when he kept comparing his ban to “the death penalty”. “Everyone else got six months, I got the death penalty.” Really? A ban from competition is the same as being strapped down and killed by the state? REALLY?
Comment by Pat in Colorado | 01.18.2013 | 9:30 pm
Lance was using an sports metaphor for the NCAA canceling a season or two when a university is “caught” doing something outlandishly bad……sorta like this
Comment by roan | 01.18.2013 | 9:31 pm
Is that all there is, is that all there is ?
If that’s all there is my friends, then let’s keep dancing (on the pedals that is).
Let’s break out the bikes and have a ball.
Comment by Tom S. | 01.18.2013 | 9:31 pm
I think we need to smash the team fundraising record for the LiveStrong Challenges. It will help show the foundation and the general public that cancer is the enemy we fight not any person.
Comment by Jae | 01.18.2013 | 10:16 pm
Needless to say but nothing in my life remotely compares to what he has done. When I think, however, about times that I have done or said something wrong to someone. Especially, times when I initially didn’t think what I did was all wrong and could justify lot of it in my mind. There’s a range of emotions that go through my head. Anger, hatred, remorse, you name it. When I finally have to come to the point of apology, sometimes I haven’t sorted out everything. I can’t completely take the blame yet even when it was completely my fault. It takes time for the words to come out. Sometimes it comes out all wrong or need a do over on another day.
Like everyone here, I don’t believe he was truthful about everything and he omitted lot of details that I wanted to know. There’s lot more he could have said or said better. But that’s who he is at the moment. I thought at least he was honest if I can use that word. Honest about how he was and how he is feeling at the moment. It doesn’t change the fact that he was a jerk to put it mildly and probably still is largely a jerk from what I can gather from the interview.
I hope he keeps his word and make some peace with people he has hurt over the years. It will be a very long road to redemption. He took a step forward and that’s a positive thing even if it was because his back was against the wall.
Comment by ChrisA | 01.18.2013 | 10:25 pm
Scanning the comments, I read “no one has the right to judge anyone else.” I’m tired and really don’t have the energy to get too deep into this, but this is a terrible and indefensible argument.
Sure, there are judgmental people. And being judgmental is wrong. People who are self-righteous and feel that they are above reproach and all others are scum. Those who would call a woman a whore for wearing a short skirt are unduly judgmental. Those who look down on those different from them.
But criticizing someone who admittedly violates the most basic societal norms (lying, cheating, bullying) is not being “judgmental.”
Lance would not have come clean and admitted his failings without judgmental people like Tyler, Betsy, Greg. I feel better knowing that there are cynics, critics and “judgmental” people in the world.
Comment by Heidi | 01.18.2013 | 10:35 pm
“Oprah and I share a baffled look.”
Hahahahaha!
Comment by MattF | 01.18.2013 | 10:50 pm
My wife posted this on Facebook this morning after listening to the network talking heads working themselves into a frenzy:
Much talk on the morning news shows this morning about how evil and horrible Lance Armstrong is, following his confession to Oprah about doping. Yes, he cheated and he lied. But none of that negates what he has done for the fight against cancer and for cancer patients through his Livestrong Foundation. I just hope people remember that fact as they rake him over the coals.
LiveStrong was a great help to her in her fight. Does this mean we let LA slide? Hell no. Just don’t forget that LiveStrong is for people living with cancer, and LiveStrong is not LA.
Comment by Wife#1 | 01.18.2013 | 11:30 pm
@MattF – right on! The share I got from LiveStrong today and have been passing along…
Comment by davidh-marin,ca | 01.19.2013 | 12:58 am
Just home from work and reading the comments. The fact you made it to the end of the interview and your live blogging leads me to believe that both Kenny and Lisa were OK with you sitting next to Heather.
Comment by Skippy | 01.19.2013 | 1:41 am
Thanks ” wife#1 ” , your LiveSTRONG Plaque is going on my blogs !
Thanks FATTY , for this post , not only your commentary but the avenue for your readers to Express their POV !
Regretably , this Oprah series , is only the start for Lance , since he did not reveal , so much of the knowledge , that he feels , we , the public , are not entitled to be made aware .
Lance & Johan , were virtually locked at the hip , since they met up after his 4th at the Vuelta , long before his 1st Tour , in 1998 .
Anyone who thinks that Race Cyclists needed to take ” Drugs ” , like putting water in their bottles , need to read my blogs ! Better still read what Nicole Cooke said as she retired this week , and she pulled no punches : http://www.nicolecooke.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=1&Itemid=18
Comment by MCR | 01.19.2013 | 2:06 am
Nobody who whoops it up when Bill Clinton takes the stage nowadays can sit and spit on Armstrong.
Go sit in judgement on yourselves. – Footloose
Comment by Skippy | 01.19.2013 | 2:45 am
Those that want the ” word for word ” script , can find it here :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/21072708
Comment by buckythedonkey | 01.19.2013 | 4:20 am
You said something the other day that caught my eye. You referred to the “bandwagon of condemnation”. The interesting thing is just how few people in the media were prepared to ride on that bandwagon. David Walsh and a few others.
Er, case in point: “my compromise position was that I’d leave doping out of my blog more or less altogether”. You and much of the cycling press.
Thanks for being open, as ever. Armstrong is one manipulative swine, eh?
Comment by buckythedonkey | 01.19.2013 | 4:26 am
Surprised to read that you think you owe us an apology. Don’t be silly.
Comment by T.J. Olaussen | 01.19.2013 | 6:01 am
Didn’t get to watch the last part of the inteview. Was sleeping soundly in between days of being stuck in a conference room and getting fat (now I know how you felt last week), so just commenting as I am reading your recap. So there might be many comments. As for the cancer, your doctor friend is right. Survival for testicular cancer here in Norway is 95-98 %, even when it has spread. If I were to choose among cancers, it would be among my top choices as it is very, very treatable. So even there he starts lying to justify himself.
Comment by T.J. Olaussen | 01.19.2013 | 6:10 am
I don’t belive for a second he is doing this mostly for his kids. I think this is just him being his manipulating self, tryin to get control of the public opinion (though probably not doing a very good job).
He is dodging too much and there are no follow-up questions when he does. (this in part based on part I)
I think he is still lying so much it makes my head spin.
But of course, I’m a bit of a cynic and tend to distrust people who has a history of lying.
Comment by Joan Grey | 01.19.2013 | 6:21 am
Everyone that has gotten caught doping wants to point out “it was the culture, everyone was doing it” . Well, I bet not. I also bet that those that were doping know others that weren’t. How about they name those names!! How about naming the true heros. Do any of the dopers have the courage to do that?? Bet not!
After watching Thursday night I didn’t waste my time last night. Off to ride my bike!
Comment by Rocky | 01.19.2013 | 8:42 am
I’ll bet Mr. Armstrong could use a good friend and a kind word at the moment.
Comment by Jae | 01.19.2013 | 9:02 am
I believe Lance had testicular cancer that spread to his brain. You can reference overall 1, 5, 10 year survival rate statistics for testicular cancer but individual prognosis may not match statistics.
I get the skepticism from people since he lied so much. I am surprised at the level of cynicism from so many people.
Comment by Chris | 01.19.2013 | 9:10 am
OK. he thinks he got a death penalty and everyone else got six months. Probably because they didn’t sue the crap out of bully their accusers.
Comment by T.J Olaussen | 01.19.2013 | 9:48 am
I am aware that statistics can’t be applied to the individual. I have known people that have died from testicular cancer. That still doesn’t change the fact that testicular cancer is highly treatable, regardless of where it has spread to and it is rare for it to resurface
Comment by Clydesteve | 01.19.2013 | 12:08 pm
@ t.j.olaussen – He had testicular cancer that spread to brain cancer, IIRC. I think that has a much lower statistical survival rate. In fact, I am under the impression that anytime cancer has metastacized, the prognosis is very grim.
This does not mean that LA is not being evasive and dishonest about many things, still. My only point is that it is simplistic and overly cynical to assume that everything a person says is a lie, and then pounce on a single factoid which isn’t and harp that this, too is a lie.
As much as I have lost respect I once had for Lance, and as much as I abhor the extent and extensiveness of his cheating, bullying, lying, and walking allover people close to him, supporting him, far from him, advocating truth, well any catagory of people you care to name, he wrronged them; as much as I hate all that, the honest and truthful thing for me to do is say, “This admission is truth, that is good; this evasion is a half-truth, not there yet; I hope, for the sake of this mans’ soul that he can learn what integrity means and practtice it in his life.”
I can’t see that insisting that everything he ever said or did was a lie, and therefore he didn’t even recover from a very serious form of cancer is either truthful or useful.
T.J – please do not take this comment as a personal attack on your statement – I have no idea whether you were aware of the hisory of LA’s cancer or anything about you. Everything you said about testicular cancer (by itself) is, as far as my knowledge extends, completely true. And my comments about how being cynical and dismissive is not my idea of the right attitude are not directed at you at all.
I think i am just giving my reaction to some of the web-wide, world-wide reaction to LA’s ‘confession.
Do i think he has be absolutely reprehensible? Yes.
Do I think he has any excuses that mitigate his behavior? Nope.
Do I think he is coming clean? Not by a long stretch. I might add, however, that he has been so completely dishonest with everyone, that he has, psychologically deceived himself. I once heard an opinion from someone qualified to have an opinion that coming out of true self-deception is like retracing your steps backwards through thick brush – You have to keep pushing back until you get to the place where you jumped off the tracks.
My sense is that the guy is so screwed up in the head that he is still having a lot of trouble figuring out what truth is. He does not have much familiarity with the concept.
When his ex-wife, quoting the Bible says that “the truth will set you free”, she may have two things in mind: 1) the obvious Christian application of a knowledge and acceptance of the gospel, which LA rejects. 2) If you always are honest, it is easy to always be honest. You don’t have any untrue stories to keep straight. If you are always lying, you do not have freedom, because you have to juggle too many untruths and try to come out with a plausable statement.
I don’t think he is there yet. He is not free. So he is still coming off as all kinds of dishonest.
I hope for the sake of a fellow traveller on the road of life that he gets free.
Comment by Bykjunkie | 01.19.2013 | 12:59 pm
I can’t wait to ride my bike today!
Comment by Marilla | 01.19.2013 | 1:00 pm
It’s kind of weird to read these posts backwards.
Comment by MattC | 01.19.2013 | 1:10 pm
Wife#1..I think all us LS fundraisers/supporters got that email from Doug Uhlman…liked it so much I made 2 copies and posted them in the 2 buildings where I sell my ‘goodies’ for LIVESTRONG (for the last FOUR YEARS I’ve been doing that, this is now my FIFTH year of going into work 45 mins early EVERY DAY to get my goods out)…wrote a note on the emails explaining that THIS is why I will continue to support LIVESTRONG.
In fact, to show my support for LS last night after part 2 of the slo-mo-train-wreck was over I joined the 2013 Davis Team Fat Cyclist (it was obviously going to happen anyway, but that seemed like a GREAT time to show my support). I’d urge anybody out there who wants to show LS that you still have their back to join up now…and as always, you don’t even have to be planning on coming to Davis, or even be a cyclist…you can join as a ‘virtual’ participant (and I think your joining is free vice the $45 the participants will pay).
Here is the link to the Team Fatty Davis page for anybody interested:
http://laf.livestrong.org/site/TR/Challenge/Challenge/882150278?pg=team&fr_id=1400&team_id=5992
And as to the ‘judgmental’ discussion, “Judge not, lest ye be judged”. There’s a big diff between criticizing and judging. And prob the best thought is the good ol’ Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have others do unto you. Let the man try to make amends (if that is possible, it’s not for me to say), and go ride your bike! That’s my basic plan!
Comment by Debi | 01.19.2013 | 3:01 pm
So, Fatty, what DID you eat after the interview?
Comment by Michelle Gray | 01.19.2013 | 6:58 pm
I’m a non-cyclist and I watched both parts. I have no connection whatsoever to Lance Armstrong except that I, like most other folks, have not believed him for some time. I’m sad for him and his family and for his foundation. I believe he has some serious deep issues that have not even come close to surfacing. I’d like to see him do something positive to bring attention to and change bullying the way he has had an impact through Livestrong. This has made me want to read his book and Kristin’s book.
Comment by roan | 01.19.2013 | 8:26 pm
I’ve only followed this through this blog due to the venue of the original. The light bulb came on when reading the comments, even my own. What is next, what is left, where can he turn. If he feels that most of his life was a deception and that which was not may be slipping away he may ponder the…
Is he strong enough if there is nothing left ? I hope LiveStrong offers counciling.
What tipped me towards writing this comment was another posting on FB by a friend of Fatty, heading was ‘Suicidal Tendencies’.
Comment by T.J Olaussen | 01.20.2013 | 3:32 am
@Clydesteve. Just to lay the testicular cancer thing dead, it is among the few cancers where metastazising doesn’t really have much of an impact on treatment or survival. (the reason I feel I can have reasoned opinion about this is that I am a doctor) I have no dobut he had cancer and every cancer is a serious thing, no matter how treatable it supposedly is. I was just commenting on how he even cheats with statistics to further his cause.
Besides this I agree with everything you say in your very well written comment. He is buried in a web of lies so tight that I’m sure he doesn’t quite know what the truth is. But the feeling I’m left with is that he is still the same calculating, manipulating man he has always been and is trying to “be set free” without telling the truth.
Of course, I could be wrong. I’ve been wrong before, and if he comes out the other side a changed man, then I will truly be happy for him. I just don’t see that happening, yet.
Comment by ChrisA | 01.20.2013 | 5:36 pm
When LA said something to Oprah about losing $75million in a day, did anyone else expect Oprah to say, “That’s a typical Tuesday for me. BFD.”
Comment by Skippy | 01.21.2013 | 2:02 am
O#Reilly links :
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Irish-masseuse-Emily-OReilly-rejects-attempted-apology-from-Lance-Armstrong–VIDEO-187430331.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/lancearmstrong/9814557/Lance-Armstrong-may-be-sued-by-Emma-OReilly-the-former-masseur-and-assistant-on-the-US-Postal-team.html
The story about ” Customs ” was in October ?
Comment by Clydesteve | 01.21.2013 | 11:07 am
@ TJ – OK, now I am confused/curious. Not about LA’s particular situation, just how cancer works. I believe you when you say that metastacized testicular cancer does not generally have the large impact that the spreading of cancer often does…
But if the cancer has spread to the brain and the lungs, it is now brain cancer and lung cancer, and those are indeed serious, and tough to treat, right? Or, put another way, are you saying that if the original cancer was testicular, then the brain and lung cancer are somehow less serious and easier to treat?
Comment by Irnldy | 01.21.2013 | 2:54 pm
I am personally amazed at the things Oprah did not ask. In her interview with CBS she indicated she had read the Walsh books, Tyler’s book, as well as the Reasoned Decision. She used very little of this material IMO. I would have liked her to directly go after some of Tyler’s accusations (did you report Tyler to the UCI?) or the incident in the restaurant with Tyler in Colorado. I would have liked to have heard just ONE mention of Johann Bruyneel. How, I ask myself, HOW could he not come up? He is integral to the whole sordid mess. I was clenching hoping she wouldn’t ask some of her usual “Have you made peace with yourself?” type questions. I was also amazed that for what I thought was supposed to be a contrite interview, he just didn’t come off as all that sorry -
Case in point – the giggling through describing Betsy Andreu
-Saying he DESERVES to come back and compete
-I think she should have ripped him apart over his doping samples from 09 and 10 but she let the lie stand.
-Claiming he suddenly cares deeply about his ex-wife’s feelings towards his doping
-Claiming she knew very little when all the books seem to indicate she knew everything
-Throwing Christian Van de Velde under the bus but good (but he doesn’t want to mention names)
-Claiming he never read Tyler’s book (um, this is a guy who famously boasted that he has a service that pings him everything ever written about him.)
I found the whole thing so self serving and loathsome that I’m just glad it is done.
As a human, I hope he does what he says he will do – come down to earth with us regular folk and feel some humbleness. I think he is a stranger to that now and it will take a great deal of work for him to be able to be amongst the regular people.
As an ex-rabid fan, I’m just so disapointed in what I put my faith in, in how I choose my heros, in how the media contributed to the false story, in how the whole thing played out
As someone who’s lost two uncles to cancer in the last two years, I am praying Livestrong is enough of a brand without him and that as Oprah said, it is more than just being about Lance’s story.
As an aside Fatty, while I respect you immensely, noticed that you left something very key out in your interview with yourself, which was the time that you spent with Lance and the team at the training camp that you attended. I think it was a significant boost to your feelings for them at the time. I appreciate what you did write, but didn’t understand why you left that out.
Best,
Irnldy
Comment by NW Biker | 01.21.2013 | 3:50 pm
I am curious about one thing (well, one that I’m posting about, anyway): what is USADA’s jurisdiction?
I’m asking because of what Lance said about being penalized so much more harshly than others who also admitted doping, what he called the “death penalty.”
If USADA’s jurisdiction is only about detecting and eliminating doping, then I tend to agree with Lance that his punishment is too harsh. He’s banned for life; others got short suspensions.
But can USADA regulate/punish other behavior? What Lance did in suing people, etc., was truly reprehensible, and yes, it was all part of the cover-up, but is that part of USADA’s function? Other dopers have certainly lied about it. As someone else said in the comments, it’s comes with the territory.
Or was he punished more harshly because he was The Big Name. And is that the right thing to do?
Overall, I’m not sure that he was entirely forthcoming in the interview, and there’s definitely a flavor of being sorry that he got caught, but after the hole he’s dug himself for such a long time, it’s a start. As bad as he’s been, he’s still a human being, so I hope he can pull his life back together.
Comment by bikemike | 01.21.2013 | 3:59 pm
I also think it would’ve been cool for Oprah to have Greg Lemond come at about half way through as a suprise guest interviewer. That way we can get really creeped out good and proper.
Comment by Clydesteve | 01.21.2013 | 6:09 pm
@bikemike – re: Greg Lemond as surprise guest interviewer –
At THAT point, the slow-motion train wreck falling in slow-motion into the huge gorge becomes a slow motion total explosion!
Comment by T.J. Olaussen | 01.23.2013 | 3:59 pm
@clydesteve
Ah, I see why you get confused.
No, even if it has spread to the lungs and brain, the cells are still the same as the original cancer cells. A testicular cancer does not turn into a lungcancer, it is “just” a testicular cancer in the lung. And testicular cancer is very sensitive to treatment, no matter where it is growing.