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Here we go. Where to start with this? First, I'm about to puke. Whoever is Lance's publicist should be fired. Here is my dissection of this 'interview' and I use that term loosely. It's very obvious that this was an opportunity for Outside Magazine to boost visitation to their site with the agreement from Lance Armstrong's camp of pre-loaded questions to give Lance a safe platform to present himself as an everyday guy (even down to the attire). That's fine, I guess but this leaves me with an even worse taste in my mouth. Armstrong should try to continue to stay out of the public eye but for some reason (sociopath?), he can't help it.
So here's the plan from Armstrong's camp:
First, let's put out a video of Lance changing a flat tire to show the world that he has a sense of humor. Then, let's conduct a controlled interview in a dirty bike shop where Lance is wearing everyday work attire to appear like the common man. People will view this as Lance being open (note last question) and will connect with Lance on a personal level.
Gross. I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop since Outside released the video of Armstrong happily changing a tire so I'm happy to dissect this interview for my audience.
"The questions"
Did you feel like you won those bike races? - Armstrong goes on about how he feels like he won the bike races and that it was a level playing and that 'someone' should be named winner of those Tours. So far, I'm actually with him, kind of. I can see his point, to a degree. BUT, we all have to remember that their were major implications that he continued to dope during Lance 2.0 during an era where there were supposedly clean teams. Armstrong says it was a messy time and that everybody played that way. Not true. That era is ruined and I think having those victories listed as vacant is the right message to send to anybody THINKING about using PEDs to prepare for a Grand Tour.
Were you just the best at the arms race or was it a level playing field? - He puts the perspective of training and eating, and the technology. Drugs were just a part of that and again, he talks like EVERYBODY was doing the same thing. Again, not true. While maybe the top cyclists of that era also had doping programs, Armstrong and his team had THE BEST program. THE BEST illegal program. He knew it and it seemed like so did everybody else in the pro peloton.
What have you been doing the past year? Okay..this is where I start projectile vomiting all over my keyboard. First, the viewer HAS to notice that Lance is pretty damn tan. He still has houses in Hawaii, Texas and Colorado. Not feeling too damn sorry so far. He gives the popular answer 'making sure my family is alright' but follows it up by saying 'he's working on his golf game.' WOW! His answer should be "I've been in therapy 5 times a week for my narcissistic tendencies and have been asking for forgiveness from everybody I hurt." Just my opinion.
Been on the bike lately? Don't care about this...except he mentioned that he needs to be fit to ride in Colorado. Puking again.
What do you want your legacy to be? Again, not caring at this point but he does seem to have come to terms that he can't control that. Maybe he
HAS been talking to somebody to seek self improvement....or maybe he just talks to his publicist who tells him the right thing to say in a pre-loaded interview.
Do you think you paid a high enough price? - He's been stripped of his titles. He's had to pay up some serious money. However, it still seems like he has enough to go around. Again, he says he can't answer that question because so many people have different opinions on what his punishment should be. Awww..poor Lance.
Is there a part of you that's happier now that you can be so open? I didn't think I had anything in my stomach to vomit out anymore but apparently I did! First of all, the question itself. We have not seen Lance since his Oprah interview last year and even in the teaser article below the video it says: "In
his first public appearance since his Oprah confession, Lance Armstrong opens up again about his revoked Tour titles and how life has changed since the doping scandal peaked"
How is doing this video being 'more open'?
Armstrong uses triathlon training and Livestrong as main talking points where he spent the majority of his time (rather than fighting legal issues) before shit went down. Also, puking points for me.
Man, I really don't know what else to say here. Lance, you need help in more ways than your public persona. PLEASE seek help. Use whatever money is leftover and hire the best shrink you can. Apologize to people and mean it. Find religion. Give your jerseys back. Use your knowledge of doping and do something to help combat it for future generations. THAT should be your legacy. Don't just be a guy that jetsets around the country running and cycling. What you did for cancer was big. That was an achievement. You might be able to do the same thing for anti-doping. Don't seek attention for it. Do the right thing.
