Lance Armstrong: Long Live the King

[underpants]

http://www.sports-central.org/sports/2005/07/25/lance_a...

He climbs better than the mountain specialists, he outperforms sprinters at the end of time trials, and he outlasts the endurance riders.

Armstrong's seven consecutive victories in the world's greatest bike race is spectacular enough, but the way he did it — by first climbing off what should have been his deathbed — only burnishes his legend.

I can appreciate Armstrong's feat of whipping cancer in a way that only someone who has watched a loved one die from the disease can. Both my father and brother succumbed to cancer, almost exactly 30 years apart.

Whenever anyone beats cancer, whether it's a second-grader or an Olympic cyclist, which Armstrong was before being diagnosed, it's a cause for all of us to celebrate, especially those of us who have seen it go the other way.

Even before crossing the line, Armstrong belongs not to cycling today, but to the ages.

[opihimoimoi]

1. The Western White House has requested Lance to show W, HOW TO STAY ON THE

BIKE w/o scrapping his face on the pavement as in the last 25 times this year alone....

[underpants]

2. They will never let anyone show up W

NOTE- being able to ride a bike qualifies as showing up W

[Lost4words]

3. because he is physically superior he is KING? WTF

I glad LA beat cancer, I am glad he won 7 TdFs, I am glad he is a nice guy. But because he was borne genetically superior to most of us which probably helped him beat cancer, he is KING? He is gifted, he is fortunate and he has earned all he has accomplished, but he is still only an athlete, he hasn't found a cure for cancer, he hasn't prevented wars, he HAS made himself lots and lots of money but I really don't see any King qualities.

He may be your saviour but I don't think he is mine!

[Texasgal]

4. Uhhhhh....

How about him starting one of the largest and most profitable cancer charities in the United States?

Can you say you have done that? Hmmmmm?

What's wrong with people looking up to him?

[underpants]

5. I'd like to add a note on Nike and Oakley sunglasses

A cycling friend told me this years ago. When Lance was diagnosed with cancer the health insurance company (I think it was the same provider) tried to dump him from the Nike and Oakley contracts. Phil Knight and the Oakley CEO (name?) got together and both called to tell the insurance company that if they dropped Lance they would lose the business's contracts. The insurance company decided to cover Lance's treatment and rehab.