I'm not saying that was necessary, but you should've expected something similar. It'd be kin to a Jazz fan going into the GARM and saying that Hakeem was cheating during the championship runs. Armstrong is a hero to many. He was an inspiration to my future mother in-law who was given weeks to live, but beat the cancer that was inside her. He defied the odds and has won the Tour de France five times in a row. He's beloved by millions here. It should be no surprise that people may take these unproven allegations personally.
I repeatedly said I am happy for him that he survived cancer. He has proven that he has a lot of willpower. He is without a doubt an exceptional athlete. Personally, and I have more indications than those which I have posted, I also have absolutely no doubt that he is one of the biggest frauds, cheats, arrogant pricks and liars the sporting world has ever seen. Greg Lemond was almost killed in a hunting accident in 1986. He made it back and won the tour in 89 and one more time. He is a hero as well. I don't know if he used illegal substances, but I think it is very unlikely. He is/was probably an inspiration to many people as well. He has no reason to lie about Armstrong. Do I believe the phone call has taken place exactly as Lemond reported it? Absolutely.
"If [Armstrong's] clean, it's the greatest comeback. And if he's not, then it's the greatest fraud," Lemond said. So even Lemond admits to not knowing. He says "If." So what proof is there?
He needs to protect himself from being assaulted by Armstrong's lawyers. People in the bicycle racing scene are afraid of Armstrong's camp. Lemond should be commended for even saying as much as he says.
He doesn't seem all that scared to me, considering he is pretty much alleging that Lance is cheating. He doesn't go ALL the way though, because he doesn't know. I found this quote by LeMond: "I was a big supporter of Lance the first year that he won the Tour," LeMond told the newspaper. "But with all these stories it's difficult to stay a supporter." Is he basing his accusations on the stories he's read in France?
SJC Dylan is right, you are acting like an ahole and a jerk. RM95 is right too. Go to a "I hate Lance" site and have fun there.... Cmon man...be for real, what do you expect?!
Did you read the article about where Lemond is quoted as having been threatened by Armstrong? Lemond also discussed the aftermath of his 2001 statements, including receiving an angry phone call from Armstrong. In the call, Lemond claims that Armstrong said that doping was rampant in cycling and threatened to spread rumors that Lemond doped as a rider. "He basically said 'I could find 10 people that will say you took EPO'," Lemond said. "He basically said 'you know, come on, everybody's done it,' basically kind of like 'hey everybody, EPO's fairly common.' " Lemond also claims that Armstrong's camp threatened his business interests. "The week after, I got multiple people that were on Lance ... Lance's camp, basically saying 'you better be quiet,' and I was quiet for three years," Lemond said. "I have a business ... I have bikes that are sold ... and I was told that my sales might not be doing too well if ... just the publicity, the negative publicity."
Thanks. How does disagreeing with the popular opinion and reporting from news reports and stating what many people in the world believe and know make you an a-hole and a jerk? Does anyone here still believe Florence Griffith-Joyner did not use illegal doping substances?
I wouldn't be surprised if some in Armstrong's camp were too aggressive in dealing what could be false accusations by Lemond. That doesn't prove Armstrong was doping. And nowhere in that article does Lemond state that Armstrong is doping. And even if that phone call is true, Armstrong never admitted anything in that phone call. I just don't see any proof. Lemond even said the stories in the French press convinced him. Come on.
Maybe Lemond's not happy about not being the most famous American cyclist ever? Motive right there to lie.
You are a liar too. Hmmmm..... Really? Let see...... Lance is from Austin, Clutchfans.net is from Austin. Most of the people here are Texans. As RM95 said, what do you expect?
I guessed you people haven't heard about the doping in Track and Field right? Marion Jones is pulling out of the 100metres. Tim Montg caught with steroid. ect. Man, Marion Jones is making it so damn obvious she is on something. I mean she married a guy who got caught on steroid. She was about to let the Charles Francis(the famous Ben Johnson's coach) guy coach her. And now she didn't qualify for the 100metre and so did that Tim guy who is the record holder. So is Armstrong on some kind of enhance drug? Drug are damn hard to detect nowaday because they have special Doctors who getting paid big bucks to be ahead of the Anti doping.
I would probably not have been interested if Ullrich had not been competing with Armstrong in the first place. I expect people to think, and to be fair. And yes, I was not all that serious about this topic because it really is not the most important in the world. But some of the comments here are just a bit much...people believe what they want to believe. As I said, sooner or later, the truth will be known.
