While most of us have given up cycling well after the training wheels were removed, the sport has created an interesting item that is now open for debate. Lance Armstrong is the most decorated cyclist in the world, or at least he was, with seven Tour De France victories to go along with any other competition involving two wheels and pedals. After years of speculation that Armstrong may have used performance-enhancing drugs, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has ruled that based on their investigation, evidence and testimony, Armstrong shall be banned for life and shall return all medals and awards.
While several people have questioned his usage of PEDs, Armstrong never failed a drug test in his career. He has spent millions in legal fees to fight off those who say he cheated. Armstrong was not on trial in a court of law, as the USADA has their own set of rules. If they want you, they can get you and they got who they wanted this time. Some will say the testimony was suspect, while others will say because of the process of the investigation they had enough get him by their letter of the law. Armstrong is considered to be a very difficult person to deal with, which did not help his case. He consistently defied anyone to catch him and in most cases he just kept pedaling.
Changing history and saying that Armstrong was stripped of his titles means very little these days. Armstrong had retired from the sport some time ago, and if you really think the UPS guy is going to be delivering the medals Armstrong sent back then think again.
After being diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996, Armstrong beat it and created a foundation that has raised over $350 million by selling the Livestrong yellow bracelets for cancer research. Not bad for an alleged cheater.
So how will he be remembered? Is he a known cheater that put a sport on the map or is he a guy who tried to help save the next generation from the world’s most dreaded disease?
The NFL? Really?
I know this may sound stupid, but indulge me. I am really starting to wonder about the NFL and its methods..
Let’s talk about the exhibition season. You know, the four games that don’t count but they make you pay full price? Yes, that season.
With each game I notice that the so-called first unit does not play very long. Two, perhaps three series, and then the rest of the night they stand and watch for no real reason, as they will watch the game film the next day. They are saving them for the regular season, you know, the games that really count.
At first, I said OK, that makes sense. Then I started to wonder if you are the Rams or any team with a new coaching staff and system that includes new plays, would you not want to stay out there a little longer to work on some things? Oh wait, they said that is what practice is for. The practices that have been reduced because some of the players thought it was too hard. Gee, I’m sorry for inconveniencing you.
So you do not want to keep your best players on the field to improve and gain confidence, cohesion and conditioning? Oh, I’m sorry, you do not want to get anyone hurt in a meaningless game. Good point.
Here is something you might want to take to the huddle. If you are the Rams with an offensive line that has shown the ability in the past to send their quarterback Sam Bradford into an early retirement because of the unleashed beating that he suffers every Sunday, because you were resting and not working during the preseason, then you are only holding off the inevitable.
Instead of getting hurt in August, let’s wait for September or October when the games count to get carried off.
Here is the one that has me wondering about the sanity and credibility of those who claim they cover the sport and know something about the game.
In case you did not know, in the first two or three games of the preseason, teams do not have a game plan in how to beat their opponent. They simply run their plays to see how they look and see what works and why some do not work. “Getting a feel for the team” is how one alleged expert put it.
Now we have determined that the unit that has been charged with trying to win games when the season really counts does not play as much as they need to and the team does not have a real game plan.
If you were so bad that you win only two or three games in a season, should you not be in the “come early, stay late” category? I mean, let’s be real here, at least three quarters, please. Too tired, you say? What is all the off-season conditioning supposed to do, get you ready for a Bid Whist tournament?
If people who claim they know about the game and watch this organized mishmash without any defined resolution, because they are not given a playbook to follow the plays or allowed to meetings to get an explanation of what is what, then how can they give you a prediction of how the team will do when it comes to wins and losses? The next person who gives you a prediction, ask them what the winning Powerball numbers will be this weekend, as they may be better at that than predicting what a bad team from the previous year will do this year.
