My Thoughts on "The Lance Armstrong Situation"

A lot has been written in response to "The Lance Armstrong Situation". I've read more than 20,000 words on the subject—in the past week.

Too many words.

Too many emotions.

My thoughts?

One sentence: "I don't care if Lance Armstrong doped."

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"Evolution" (extended remix)

I used to think:

• Lance Armstrong is a transcendent athlete.
• Lance Armstrong doesn't need to dope.
• Lance Armstrong wouldn't dope.

Then I thought:

• Lance Armstrong didn't dope.

Recently I thought:

• I don't care that Lance Armstrong doped.
• I don't care why Lance Armstrong doped.

I now think:

• I don't care if Lance Armstrong doped.

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"Cycling" (extended remix deux)

Cycling is sport; it's not life. It governs itself—badly, mind you—and it exists on its own terms.

Times change. Standards evolve. Tomorrow's peloton will be different from yesterday's or today's. Chapeau to those who seek to change the sport for the better. Fight the good fight!

But, please remember: Coppi doped. Merckx doped. Simpson died.

They remain champions.

So does Lance.

I don't care if Lance Armstrong doped.

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"Cancer" (extended remix finale)

Have you ever sat in a meeting when someone—seeking to provide perspective—chimes the old refrain: "we're not curing cancer, here!"

Exactly.

Cycling is sport. Doping, and the conspiratorial morass it engenders, is ugly.

It's not curing cancer.

You can't separate Lance Armstrong from cancer. For many, he's the Platonic ideal of The Survivor.

He became a symbol of hope.

That remains.

I don't care if Lance Armstrong doped.

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(250 words, above.)