The Fall of Lance Armstrong

How about LIVEHONEST?

We probably could all see this coming. Lance Armstrong, the testicular cancer survivor, the seven-time Tour de France winner, the founder of the Livestrong Foundation is a a confessed cheater and liar. At least that's what we believe we will finally find out on Thursday.

For years rumors swirled around the cycling world that Armstrong, like so many other cyclists, had used steroids or other outlawed performance enhancing drugs or therapies. He spent years denying those charges which had dogged him much of his career...vehemently denying them. That is, until recently.

For whatever reason Armstrong decided to change his course. Last August he said that he would no longer fight the doping claims made by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, essentially clearing the way for him to be stripped of his seven Tour titles and the bronze medal he won at the 2000 Olympics. Former teammates were willing to testify against him providing details of the elaborate manner in which he broke the rules. Finally trapped in the corner, Armstrong said "no mas."

On Thursday, it is widely believed that he will admit to Oprah's worldwide television audience that he, in fact, cheated. Which also means he lied.

So Lance Armstrong has come clean. Really? Don't I mean that he finally got caught and then confessed when he could no longer keep up the charade? Is there a difference? Uh....yeah.

The Baseball Writers Association of America members vote annually to decide who gets into the Baseball Hall of Fame. In order to be elected, an eligible player on the ballot must receive 75% of the votes cast. Approximately 570 ballots were cast meaning 427 writers have to vote for a player to make it into Cooperstown. This year the ballot included newly eligible candidates Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire; all of whom have been associated with steroid or other performance enhancing drug use. Just a few years ago all these players were considered likely first time ballot inductees. None of them were elected. In fact, no living player was elected for 2013. The last time that happened? 1996. Maybe there are some consequences, albeit slight...to cheating in baseball. I say slight because all four of these players got extremely rich playing baseball despite their alleged doping. But they may have lost the more "eternal" prize of being in the Hall of Fame.

So, Lance Armstrong is a cheater, a liar and a thief (the US Postal Service, who sponsored Armstrong and his teammates from 1996 to 2004 wants some of its $31 million sponsorship money back.) I guess they believe that Armstrong took that sponsorship money under false pretenses. You know...like stealing.

So how should we feel about all this? Are you sad for Lance? Happy he finally got caught? Glad to see justice prevail? Yeah, he cheated, lied and stole....big time.

I, on the other hand, have never cheated, lied or stolen on such a grand scale.

There, I feel better already. #Livehumble