Topic: It's a bad time to be named Armstrong.

[Pugnate]

Lance Armstrong banned for testing positive, and Niel passes away.

[Cobra951]

    

Lance I don't know.  But Neil . . . shit.  RIP, my pioneering friend.

[Cools!]

Well, Lance wasn't really banned for testing positive (in fact, he's tested positive before, like samples of his blood frozen from '99), it's that he's simply "chose" to give up fighting his innocence in the face of the possibility of members of his former team testifying against him. Which is basically an admission of guilt that he doped.

Now as shocking as that might be to some the reality is that doping in cycling is very common. So common that if you go back and look at all the runner-ups in the Tours he's won pretty much everyone on the list has been caught doping at some point or another. Also, while this will tarnish his reputation a bit, I think most people have already made up their mind about him. The Europeans dislike him for being the Texan that came and won their contest, while here in North American he'll be remembered as the guy who rejuvenated cycling (and helped Trek become one of the most popular brands).

And yes, Neil. RIP.

[Pugnate]

Whoops. I don't even know why I wrote that. He didn't test positive at all. I know that.

I was very said to hear about Niel Armstrong though.

[Cools!]

Here's the list of the top 5 in each year Lance won a Tour and how many of them got caught doping. If anyone is interested in reading more about doping in cycling this is a great article on the subject.

[scottws]

I don't think Lance giving up the fight is an admission of guilt at all.  He's had to deal with these issues since the last couple of years he was in competition.  I would get tired of it after awhile too.  No one can go back in time and take those yellow shirts off of him or take away the feeling he had when he stood up as the victor.  So who really cares?  I wouldn't.  I'd rather just be done with it that be bothered with it for a decade or more.

It's the same as going back and taking away Reggie Bush's Heisman or Mark McGuire's home run record or the record of an undefeated high school football team because they had an ineligible player.  No one can go back and take away the sensation of victory or accomplishment, even if the circumstances later come under the microscope.

Note that I don't condone cheating at all, but I just think going back and stripping titles, records, and awards is kind of silly.  I guess the idea is that its the most that can really be done.

As for Neil, R.I.P.  I didn't know until yesterday that he taught at the University of Cincinnati, but I did know he was a native Ohioan and have been to the Neil Armstrong museum in Wapakoneta.

[Cools!]

It is an admission of guilt.

Lance has always maintained that he never doped and was very vocal about fighting any accusation. If you are innocent and have survived numerous accusations in the past, then why would you give up now? Maybe it's because they finally have something substantial against him, like testimonials from his past teammates, etc. that Lance has decided to stop digging his own grave and spare himself (and his family, charities, foundations, etc.) further humiliation if this actually went further.

You are right that being stripped of all your titles might not mean much, because we will always remember him for winning 7 Tours. However it is still an important message to all the other cyclists that if you dope you will get caught.

[Pugnate]

Writing a piece on Niel. Any tips?

[Xessive]

Writing a piece on Niel. Any tips?

Well, it's spelled "Neil" for one Sorry, I'm a stickler for grammar Which is ironic considering the emoticons in this sentence!

[Pugnate]

No, not a stickler. That was just bad on my part.

[Cobra951]

Thanks, X.  I couldn't bring myself to be the grammar nazi.  It was like an itch I couldn't scratch. 

[Xessive]

Haha same here, it's an irresistible twitch!

It's all good, Pug! Link it here when you write it, I'm a fan of your work

[Pugnate]

Thanks, X.  I couldn't bring myself to be the grammar nazi.  It was like an itch I couldn't scratch. 

I don't think this was a grammar nazi situation.

Maybe if I hadn't added a full stop (period) or something 

[Xessive]

Any idea which aspect of Neil you'll be writing on?

[Pugnate]

http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/13626/neil-armstrong-never-the-showman-always-the-astronaut/

[Xessive]

Nice A well-written piece as usual

[Cobra951]

Very nice, Pug.  My only criticism is the prominent mention of some of humanity's worst miscreants.  They don't deserve a place in his spotlight, even if the attention is negative.  Otherwise, great piece.

[K-man]

Video from one of my favorite bands:

[Pugnate]

Very nice, Pug.  My only criticism is the prominent mention of some of humanity's worst miscreants.  They don't deserve a place in his spotlight, even if the attention is negative.  Otherwise, great piece.

I know what you are saying.

Had this been for the newspaper or the magazine, I wouldn't have. In blogs we are allowed to go unprofessional a little. The morons on the comments section are just absolutely ignoring anything I wrote and going on with their conspiracy theories.

[Cobra951]

Yeah, that's just it.  They cannot be argued into rationality.  Therefore, they need to be ignored.  Their existence should not even be acknowledged.

[Xessive]

Yep, no sense in arguing with idiots; they'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

[Pugnate]

hahaha I've heard that before somewhere X.

Cobra, I am going to use that line.

[Pugnate]

My friend Hassaan, who is my cousin's husband, and a really really smart kid has weighed in. His comment is gold:

@Atif:
@Appollo Hoax:

The level of abject stupidity that you people possess is actually bordering on impressive. All of the questions you, and others like you have asked have been answered. Linking to a website with “ufo” and “alien” in the url is not smart. In fact, I dare to say that it is the opposite of smart. It shows that you draw from the blithe, moronic, bottom-of-the-barrel genetic cesspool that incessantly breeds the sub-human creatures that have dragged humanity down for far, far too long. Even your questions are moronic. Have you ever seen a telescope, or tried to determine how they work? Have you ever done the calculations necessary to determine what sort of impact 0.17 Gs have on human motion? I doubt it, because if you ever even attempted to do so, you wouldn’t even ask such inane questions. Enjoy your ignorance, and please, for the love of God, spare humanity eons of suffering and don’t ever breed.

/rant

[Cobra951]

Hahaha!  I think I would get along with your cousin very well. 

[Cools!]

Donors standing by Lance's foundation.

[K-man]

My friend Hassaan, who is my cousin's husband, and a really really smart kid has weighed in. His comment is gold:

Eh, feels like he tried a little too hard there.