Lance May Admit He Doped

If this report is accurate, I will have to eat my words. I never thought Lance Armstrong would be able to do a complete 180 and admit to doping.  I even predicted he would go to his grave denying. However, according to the NY Times, he is considering confessing. Why would he do this now you ask? Here is what a Sports Illustrated blog has to say...

Lance Armstrong...has told associates and antidoping officials that he is considering publicly admitting that he used banned performance-enhancing drugs and blood transfusions during his cycling career, according to several people with direct knowledge of the situation, as reported by Juliet Macur of The New York Times. 

Armstrong’s motives for making a public admission include regaining his eligibility to compete in triathlons and running events, and pressure from wealthy supporters of Livestrong to protect his charity from further damage, one person with knowledge of the situation said. 

Armstrong, 41, reportedly has been in discussions with the United States Anti-Doping Agency and its chief executive, Travis Tygart, to lift the lifetime ban, according to one person briefed on the situation. 

Armstrong is also seeking to meet with David Howman, the director general of the World Anti-Doping Agency, that person said. 

The most amazing thing I read about all this is this quote from Armstrong's lawyer. Tell me if you think that this isn't basically an admission already:

When asked if Armstrong might admit to doping, Tim Herman, Armstrong’s longtime lawyer, said: “I do not know about that. I suppose anything is possible, for sure. Right now, that’s really not on the table.” 

Herman's statement that "Anything is possible" says it all! Admitting to something he never did is not possible in my book so this is basically saying, he may admit that he doped, since he did dope...How can anyone doubt that he doped. After all, there is a 1,000 pages of evidence including his closest associates and "friends" if he has any friends, saying that he doped.

The amazing thing is that Lance's lawyers, and apparently Lance too, are apparently considering confessing as just another strategic opportunity. Like buying Park Place in a game of Monopoly. "Will it mean I'll be richer or poorer? That's all that matters anyway..."

The NY Times article discusses the reasons Lance is supposedly hesitant to admit to lying including jail time for perjury and numerous lawsuits, including the whistle-blower lawsuit by Floyd Landis. I can just hear Lance talking to his lawyers:

"Give me your best advice. Should I admit that I lied for a couple of decades, defrauded all sorts of people, ruined lives and livelihoods (e.g., Frankie and Betsy Andreu and Greg and Kathy LeMond, among many others) so I can now go make more money?" "Hmm" (thinking out loud) "not if I have to go to jail for it. Hmm, what will it cost me? Let's see, if I can get the government to agree not to prosecute me for perjury (even though I did commit perjury in order to take $7.5 million from SCA Promotions and I destroyed several friends' lives in doing so) and if it costs me less to settle lawsuits than the present value of the LiveStrong funds that I can pocket, maybe I'll confess."

I've known for a long time that Lance was strategic but I didn't think anyone could be this strategic and still live with himself. If this is true, I was very wrong. I'll believe it when I see it though. Nothing is too surprising in this drama of all dramas though.

In any case, I can't help but have Gollum (of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings fame) come to mind...a sad, pitiful soul. Maybe Gollum can join the team.

I hope he confesses for Floyd's sake. I also hope he someday realizes that life is not one big Monopoly game and people are not pawns.

I'm still doubtful of either case but I could be wrong. Unfortunately, if I am wrong it will likely be that he confesses and not that he realizes life is more than a game of Monopoly...