2012 Anti-V Moment of the Year: Bullies are really just pussies
As referenced in the 2012 V-Moment of the year article and ensuing discussion, it was a most Vawesome year for cycling. It’s been hypothesized here and on cycling sites with more integrity that the fantastic racing of 2012 may be, at least in part, attributed to a cleaner peloton. Unless you watched the Tour de France you’d think the days of foregone conclusions and three week coronations are quickly becoming a thing of the past. It is in this vein we bring to you the Anti-V Moment of 2012: Lance Armstrong’s ceasing to fight the charges against him.
Now usually, we try our best not to delve into the seedy side of cycling. There is just way too much cool about our sport to focus our collective energy and attention on asshats. Besides, we’ve got bikes to ride. But the COTHO’s public announcement that he would no longer fight, er, defend himself against allegations of systematic doping, money laundering, blackmail, intimidation, and international douchebaggery has to be the biggest Anti-V moment of the year, if not in the history of pro cycling.
The COTHO could have feasibly taken one of three tacks as the winds of pressure, evidence, and public opinion continued to blow against his house of cards. Tack one would have been to continue lying, bribing, and digging an ever deepening hole as he steadfastly proclaimed his innocence. This obviously hadn’t been working for the past 10-odd years but at least it allowed him to maintain his base of supporters. Even as it became more difficult for him to maintain the façade he still had a sizable group of survivors, apologists, journalists, and mis-guided cycling fans who believed.
Tack two would have been to come clean (pardon the pun) and admit to the whole sordid mess he created but he didn’t have the ball to do this either. Who knows what his reasons are for not being honest? Best guesses are he’s rationalizing a set of excuses ranging from mitigating his financial liability, evading criminal implications, and blaming the corruptness of the sport. Maybe he’s trying to save face in some twisted way. But for as cliché as Tyler Hamilton even admitted in his tell-all; the truth will set you free. The COTHO could have stood in front of those microphones and cameras and said “Hey, you know what, I doped. I made some poor choices and lied to everybody and for that I’m deeply sorry.” Had he done so his detractors would probably still be his detractors and he would have given his supporters a legitimate reason to continue supporting him but at least everybody could say he fessed up and there is some integrity in doing that.
Alas, he took the Anti-V tack. He stopped defending himself, er, lying without admitting to anything and seems to be hoping to just fade into the background. In essence, he’s taking his toys and going home. What’s striking about this is that it is contrary to what we’ve come to understand about the guy. If anything, we’ve come to know him as a fighter, both in life and on the road. But this latest, and hopefully last maneuver was just plain weak. (Notice I’ve added the categories of “Evanescent Riders” and “In Memoriam” to this article in addition to “Awards”. The first two are much more fitting.)
Perhaps it belies the true nature of the man. A nature that involves intimidation, serial emotional and physical aggression and even violence. A nature that includes socially isolating his victims, arguing them into submission, and propagating rumors, gossip, and lies about them to sway public opinion in his favor. A nature that involves amplifying the mistakes of others in order to strengthen his own self-image. A nature whereby there are many innocent bystanders who are too fearful of repercussions to come forward themselves. The nature of a man who may be trying to compensate for his own insecurities and feed his own narcissism and megalomania. The nature of a simple bully who ultimately shows himself to be a big pussy.
If his ban gets reduced to 8 years and if they believe that his last doping was 2005 then he could be back doing ironman this summer…….some big ifs
Found this on a news site this AM. Which one of you posted it?
Li(v)eStrong. The “V” is silent.
Didn’t watch it last night, but I DVRd it so I can zip past the BS. I’m guessing it will only take me about 10 minutes. I’ll readily admit to having been a Lance fan in the past. I don’t think he can fall any further in my opinion of him. When I was diagnosed with cancer I contacted Livestrong and got some support from them. I still keep my medical records in a Livestrong notebook(it has nice pockets to hold shit). I feel sorry for the organization, for all of those people who need a lift that they provided. Especially the kids that looked at him with hope that they could win their battle. Hopefully they can shed the taint of Lance and still do some good work, maybe stop paying so much in lawyer fees and even fund some research again.
As far as I’m concerned he is still an inspiration to millions, or I mean an example to millions – never act like COTHO.
He is now inspiring millions of retches and gags.
and congratulations are in order on LA moving up from being the biggest lying jerk in the cycling world to being the biggest lying jerk in the entire world.
What a scuzzy slimy interview. I think that I’ve seen enough, not gonna watch part two or anything with him in it ever again.
Hopefully we can put this behind us and get on with the important stuff, like making fun of @brett ‘s single-speed.
@seemunkee
That one wasn’t mine, but I did post “Liestrong – there is no V” on another forum.
@Tobin
When I saw this I thought it was simply an advertisment for COTHO’s new line of work.
@San Tonio
As I have said, I think he should now be “HeWhoShouldNotBeNamed”…or we could just call him by his real name..VOLDEMORT!….c’mon…get it in the Lexixon…you know you want to!
@VeloVita
Chapeau! That one made me laugh out loud!
Stewie, the voice of reason. Man my respect keeps growing and growing for that man. ”
Reaction was strong among riders here on the ground. Stuart O’Grady (Orica-GreenEdge), another veteran who raced during the Armstrong era, said the confession was long overdue.
“Lance deceived everyone in the planet, us included. We all suffered up the mountains and wanted to believe that he was working harder than everyone else,” O’Grady said. “How do I feel? Deceived, annoyed, frustrated.”
When asked him if we would have a beer with him (a pressing question in Australia): “No way.” Forgive him? “Probably not.”
“I think he said it, he was an arrogant prick,” O’Grady said. “The problem with people like Lance is that they say everyone else is doing it, when in fact, not everyone is doing it … I am very glad that he has finally come out and confessed. As much as it’s been shocking to the cycling world, hopefully something good can come out of this.”
@scaler911
That would be a V-adge, no?
@Sauterelle
Glad I wasn’t the only one with this reaction! I was going to skip it but the VMH wanted to watch it. During the yes/no part I thought and said, “Hmm, I’m liking everything he’s saying. I’m surprised he’s admitting this.”
And then he actually spoke. And then allowed to muddy the waters and make things grey. And while I figured he was going to do this and it didn’t piss me off too much, what did anger me was that it was making things cloudy enough that all his apologists can say, “See, he was just competing on a level playing field, he wasn’t acting alone, and it was his drive to win.”
I loved the “Are we talking semantics?” Yeah, get used to it because after the yes/no…that’s all it was gonna be!
@Marko
Easy there, Mate, this could get messy.
@Buck Rogers
It bloody well could.
Did I really say that?
@Buck Rogers
So Stuey, you’re telling us you were a pro rider for 15 years (more ?) covering the era of Riis, Pantani, Ullrich and Armstrong and you had literally no idea that he was doping. You just thought he trained harder. In fact not just you, but the rest of the bunch as well.
Pull the other one mate.
@Sauterelle
Wow, alright I admit it, you deserve the V-adge award for that one!
Oh yeah, I luuuuuved the fact that he claimed to have stopped in 2005. And never doped during a race. “See, he raced clean!” the idiots will say. And by claiming he stopped in 2005 he’s alluding to the fact that they were out to get him. Damnit.
I did enjoy it when he called himself a prick job. And a jerk. A jerk is such a great term, perfect for him.
And when asked if they were shooting up in a tent with fans just outside and he said something along the lines of not recalling that specifically. I thought that was perfect. Just like anyone with something to hide, at first you are nervous and trying to hide it. Then slowly you are using/shooting/doing it in the bathroom at a party, just around a corner, anywhere & everywhere. Just like any dope fiend of any kind. It becomes easy & normal.
Denying they were the most skilled/organized doping scheme – argh! again this opens the door for apologists. And saying he knew he’d never be caught. Jerk.
Careful now, once you start handing out the V-adge so freely everyone will want a piece. It’s a slippery slope.
OK, I’m done now. Back to the testosterone and other manly stuff.
@ChrisO
It’s interesting. I ALWAYS thought that Stuey had doped but recently I changed my mind on him. But, good point, he had to know that he was doping as well as a number of other riders. Not sure that he is saying that he never suspected the COTHO as a doper but that knwo he knows for a fact.
Still, it’s better than Jensie’s “Lance has suffered enough” bullshit response.
So much to say/comment on this. A particular favorite of mine is his claim that the USPS doping regime wasn’t as bad as the East Germans. Well no shit Sherlock, you’re comparing a privately-owned individual cycling team to a state sponsored program across many sports. Of course it doesn’t compare! But of course, Oprah failed to bring this up.
He’s so conditioned for spin and deceit that it would take a team of psychiatrists, at the University level, in Vienna to peel back all those layers so he could get to something closer to the truth. Oprah does not have the skill for that, she’s in way over her head. Might as well of had Dr. Phil on too, for the freak show aspect.
@Marko
Even Lance does not know what is going on deep inside Lance – He has serious issues….denial, borderline megalomania, possible psycotic behaviour, anger management issues and that’s just warming up, if he ever opened that pandoras box I suspect a complete meltdown would occur!
Overall, what I was most surprised at was that for someone who is known for preparing so meticulously, Lace seemed unprepared in being able to answer some of Oprah’s questions, thereby either a. making himself appear entirely unbelievable and nonredeemable and/or b. setting the stage for more fallout (legal or otherwise). Perhaps some credit has to go to Oprah for at least making him uncomfortable with her questions and not just coddling him (as frankly I expected she would) Apart from the obvious ones like saying he was clean in 2009/2010; saying he didn’t know whether or not he sued Emma O’Reilly because he sued so many people; and refusing to say if whether the hospital room confession actually happened or not, some of my favourites were:
– saying that it was a ‘level playing field’ but then saying he was able to ‘phone in’ the TdF victories. As Tim Johnson pointed out, if its a level playing field, you CAN’T phone it in.
– referring to suing people you knew to be telling the truth and receiving damages as a result as a ‘serious flaw’
– and of course, the best was actually debating whether or not he called Betsy Andreu ‘fat’
@seemunkee
Livestrong does not fund research.
@Sauterelle
Ha! Who wouldn’t want a V-adge?
@VeloVita
Yeah, given Oprah’s well publicized weight issues over the years, I’m amazed COTHO made a “fat” jibe and that OW let him get away with such a pathetic attempt at levity. Given the whole COTHO/Betsy dynamic, I’d say she was the last one I’d make a “joke” about.
From DrunkCyclist:
“One of my favorite statements to come out of last night was from long time DC friend and impaler, Vlad.
“That’s why Ulrich was my favorite, he only got busted for coke & weed when he crashed his Porsche while driving drunk. He is a real hero for the kids””-Drunkcyclist.com
Hmmm, is it only in the UK that vadge is a synonym for a lady’s nether regions? Of course AV-adge might be appropriate when discussing COTHO.
@wiscot
@VeloVita
Then I wasn’t the only one thinking the “interview” devolved into a he said/she said romper room tiff. Of course Doprah and COTHO being the kiddies in the romper room talking about whether or not Betsy was called fat. Utterly ridiculous. Makes the Andreu’s look even better.
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/17/betsy-andreu-furious-at-armstrong/?hpt=ac_mid
Of course there is a talkshow pulp flavor to the video above.
@snoov
I hear ya. Vadge is indeed slang for a lady’s nether regions in the UK. Mind you, I think most women would find it less offensive than the “C” word. LA was a C last night, OW was a bit of a vadge at times.
@wiscot
I’m in the US and hear “vadge” a lot.
@Sauterelle Seems pretty ubiquitous these days. Based on all the women I hear using it it doesn’t seem to offend. Happy Vajanuary btw.
This. I’m firmly in the Cav camp now.
Oh wow, I completely forgot about the “but I didn’t call her fat,” discussion. WHAT?!!! Even as someone who puts his foot in his mouth often, then just might make things worse by trying to explain them, I couldn’t believe this.
A friend or uncle or someone pulled me aside long, long ago and said, “Whatever you do, no matter how innocent you think it might be, NEVER, EVER bring up weight with a woman.”
Maybe as the world’s greatest cyclist who just knew he was going to win the Tour, he felt he was allowed to…
@Sauterelle
Love it! +1
@Marko
I did think that exchange, perhaps petty as it was, allowed #Doprah (without a doubt the best hashtag of the evening) to really get at the way the COTHO operates and views things – he said yes I called her a bitch and jealous, but I never called her fat and Oprah responded with something to the effect of ‘So that’s how you see things then? if one part isn’t exactly as it was, the whole thing is false even if the other parts are 100% accurate’. From a legal prospective that may work for you, but in the court of public opinion you may as well just hang yourself.
@Sauterelle
Well, I apologize for posting that. Maybe someone can remove it. »
Having lost my mother to cancer (Pancreatic) in 2012 and now nearly 5 years cancer free, I did not find the fun in the Takei post but was gratified by the community’s reaction and your truly sincere apology.
Thank you to all.
@Buck Rogers
Doping, motors in the frame and now a magic carpet. What’s next?
Not seen the ‘interview’ though it is Sky+’d and on ‘series link’. Not likely that I will bother now, no need to other than to see if he is sitting there stroking a fluffy white pussy…
@Marko Look at the expression on Cav’s face at he end – pure annoyance and exasperation about being asked about Lance, Lance, Lance. Cav has a mouth for sure and I dare say he’s a wee bit of a PR nightmare in his unpredictability, but in this case it was justified.
Press release from the UCI:
The UCI welcomes Lance Armstrong’s decision finally to come clean and to confess to using performance enhancing drugs, in the first part of his interview with Oprah Winfrey.
UCI President Pat McQuaid said: “Lance Armstrong’s decision finally to confront his past is an important step forward on the long road to repairing the damage that has been caused to cycling and to restoring confidence in the sport.
“Lance Armstrong has confirmed there was no collusion or conspiracy between the UCI and Lance Armstrong. There were no positive tests which were covered up and he has confirmed that the donations made to the UCI were to assist in the fight against doping.
“It was disturbing to watch him describe a litany of offences including among others doping throughout his career, leading a team that doped, bullying, consistently lying to everyone and producing a backdated medical prescription to justify a test result.
“However, Lance Armstrong also rightly said that cycling is a completely different sport today than it was 10 years ago. In particular the UCI’s introduction of the biological passport in 2008 – the first sports federation to do so – has made a real difference in the fight against doping.
“Finally, we note that Lance Armstrong expressed a wish to participate in a truth and reconciliation process, which we would welcome.”-http://www.uci.ch
So because COTHO all the sudden “quits lying”(*snark*), Pat and pals have decided that his testimony let’s them off the hook? Fuck them too…………
@scaler911 To summarize the UCI statement, “Whew! Nothing more to see here folks, let’s all move on, ok?” Wow. So Fat Pat says a confirmed liar has said nothing untoward happened so let’s take that as gospel truth? FFS. Also, Cycling is a completely different sport today than it was 10 years ago. Yeah? well 89 was different from 99 and 79 was different from 89 etc, etc. Put Nicole Cooke in charge of the UCI and we might see some progress.
Merckx to that. Fuck them.
Recent issue of some trade magazine I pay way too much for, but fits nicely in the basket in front of the toilet, had an article about trying to find an economic model for bike racing. Espoused were ways to keep traditional access avaialble: fans can stand by the side of the road, buy beer and get piss drunk, cheer their heroes and get sold advertizing when they do. Others have tried selling VIP access and others suggest an attempt to monetize TV coverage, making “reality TV” out of pro cycing.
It is all bullshit. Truth of the matter is that professional bike racing for monetary gain is a failed economic enterprise. As one of my fencing team mates said so eloquently after hearing about COTHO, “so now the world can go bak to not giving a shit about cycling?” Yeah. How well we know being participants in a very niche sport; one that can never be anywhere near as exciting to the spectators as it is to the participants.
Bike racing is about participation. See the article about the selection equation. If your ass hasn’t been on a bike, and you’ve not heard that little Voice say, “dude. you could go faster, your know?” you likely can’t appreciate the product so many people are trying to sell. OTOH, wacth an NFL game. This is a gladiatorial contest through and through. Seeing large men hit each other in ways that can kill them makes instant entertainment. Same for NASCAR – most people drive cars like that themselves (and I mean that both ways.) Those are easy to monetize.
Cycling and bike racing are for the participants. We ride. Fuck the UCI. I will never, ever hold a USAC license. Had a one day license to try it, and it was…uninteresting and scary to me. Fuck USAC. Fuck ASO. Fuck Tailwind and the rest of these assholes trying to make money off the hard work of people they’ve duped into dedicating their lives to making money for their masters.
VLVV.
Fuck the fucking fuckers!
@scaler911
…and the horse they rode in on!
I guess it is for the Velominati to step in to the gap. I vote the rules become mandatory on the pro circuit and Voldemort be set adrift somewhere in the central pacific ocean (obviously well away from our friends in Hawaii) to a life of loneliness and contemplation. Who knows after many years eating raw fish with his own company he may end up like Smeagol…
Let the proletariat of cycling take over the world (keep those nice people at Castelli and Fizik because they look after us, but let them give bigger discounts) and make cycling clean again….i,e, you got to suffer without any drugs to help you….pain is painful…suck it up an Rule #5. No matter your size, weight, disability or colour (color for those who live elsewhere) join the revolution and we can make a world that, if not better, is at least more fun…..
(p.s…I have just got back from the pub…this could be a very bad idea)
VLVV!
@CanuckChuck
Actually forget my manifesto…..this is a much better idea!
@VeloVita
Well, I guess I have to admit that I use rugs too. On a regular basis. Totally takes the barefoot experience to a whole new level. Just have to hope that the out of competition rug testers don’t show up.
@Marko @wiscot I agree with Cav on this one too. Also, those glasses make him look like a total hipster.
@EricW
Yeah, I can’t tell if they’re prescription or not. Hopefully so, or wearing specs just for the sake of looking cool is kind of douchey. (And that’s coming from someone who just moved into varifocals.)
@EricW Yeah, gotta watch out for those out-of-competition rug testers. There you are, thinking you’ve got a genuine Persian and you get told it’s a Chinese knockoff! Of course, rugs and Lance do have something in common – they lie really well, and can be used to sweep all kinds of unpleasant things under!
Cav can fuck off, so can Jens, Schleck, Stewie and Wiggins… Omerta is alive and well.
This pretty much covers it off…
In away it is more interesting from 6:20 onwards…but that is a different story!