Lance Armstrong: The Downfall of a Champion - Book Excerpt

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HammerTime2
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by HammerTime2

Today's (October 8, 2013) Wall Street Journal has an excerpt "Lance Armstrong: The Downfall of a Champion", from a forthcoming book "Wheelmen: Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever", written by some Wall Street Journal (which over the last few years had broken some stories related to Armstrong, Landis ratting him out, etc.) reporters. I think this particular article is (at least as of now) available without a Wall Street Journal subscription. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304171804579121642118958198.html.

It seems pretty good, although there are some dubious items such as 1) describing a climb so steep that most people can hardly walk it, then saying that the hill went up to an eventual grade of 8% (I think even plenty of obese American couch potatoes could walk up an 8% grade for at least a little bit) and 2) "With 6.2 miles still left" (obviously 10 km) and "With 164 yards to go" (obviously 150 meters).

Introduction to Walls Street Journal article "Lance Armstrong: The Downfall of a Champion" wrote:In 2013, Lance Armstrong confessed that he had cheated to win the Tour de France. The moment marked the breathtaking fall of an athlete who had transformed himself from a brash and undisciplined teenage triathlete to a global sporting icon. In their forthcoming book, "Wheelmen: Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever," Wall Street Journal reporters Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O'Connell give an inside account of Armstrong's career, from his enormous commercial and competitive success to his take-no-prisoners approach to protecting a devastating secret. The book arose from more than 100 interviews with former teammates, federal investigators and antidoping officials. Some of these figures spoke on background, asking not to be quoted so they could speak freely.


As a warning, the article is even longer than prendrefeu's recent magnum opus in the "PRO" Cycling Discussion thread http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=75179&start=21030#p1020699

KB
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by KB

Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever. Hyperbole. Don't know how old these people are, but I would put the state sponsored doping regimes, especially of the Eastern Bloc, on a much higher scale than what Lance did.

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HammerTime2
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by HammerTime2

Sheryl Crow - President of the Lance Armstrong Fan Club - NOT!!

Sheryl Crow: 'I Hate Questions About Ex Lance Armstrong' wrote:Rocker Sheryl Crow is urging reporters and media folk to stop asking her about her former lover Lance Armstrong's drug-use scandal - because she is tired of responding.

The singer/songwriter dated the disgraced cyclist for three years a decade ago, and when he confirmed reports about his doping, which landed him a lifetime ban from the sport, Crow became a media target, constantly asked about how she felt and what she knew.

And now she has had enough.

She tells the new issue of Rolling Stone magazine, "It probably sounds really insulting but this is one of those 'I-don't-give-a-f**k moments; I don't think about him. It's a nuisance when I'm asked about him, because they weren't the happiest days.

"People still attach me to him, and it's gross... I don't really want to talk about that."

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tymon_tm
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by tymon_tm

well... isn't she just an angry ex-gf?

IMO 'the greates conspiracy' is to claim LA's case is the gratest conspiracy so the doping business can proceed as usual, and other's sins can be diminished by 'what Armstrong's done'

as KB pointed out - read about the former soviet bloc. or what's going on in China. that's pretty scary
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Calnago
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by Calnago

I'd much rather make this entire thread about Sheryl Crow, else end it now. I'm sure most people have had a few "dating indiscretions" in our lives. Let's not hold this one against her.
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stella-azzurra
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by stella-azzurra

Film out in November

In 2009 documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney set out make a film about Lance Armstrong's return to professional cycling. Gibney’s project was shelved in the wake of the doping scandal that erupted in the months and years that followed. But it's now been turned into The Armstrong Lie, a two hour film that will premiere in the USA on November 8.

"The Armstrong Lie" http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... b-8lQ#t=20

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/video-t ... ie-trailer


Nothing new there.
I never took drugs to improve my performance at any time. I will be willing to stick my finger into a polygraph test if anyone with big media pull wants to take issue. If you buy a signed poster now it will not be tarnished later. --Graeme Obree

elSid
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by elSid

Actually, there is some new stuff in the flick. Below, the director provides a few examples.
http://www.vulture.com/2013/09/lance-ar ... ibney.html

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stella-azzurra
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by stella-azzurra

People ask me a lot, “What’s new here?” To me, I think what’s new — or, not so much what’s new, but what’s interesting about this film — is that it gives a level of emotional detail to how the lie was constructed and how it was protected, and how Lance saw it from the inside out.

Just telling the same story with a different point of view.

Have you seen this documentary?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOPPPCZotWI
I never took drugs to improve my performance at any time. I will be willing to stick my finger into a polygraph test if anyone with big media pull wants to take issue. If you buy a signed poster now it will not be tarnished later. --Graeme Obree

LeePaton
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by LeePaton

tymon_tm wrote:well... isn't she just an angry ex-gf?

IMO 'the greates conspiracy' is to claim LA's case is the gratest conspiracy so the doping business can proceed as usual, and other's sins can be diminished by 'what Armstrong's done'

as KB pointed out - read about the former soviet bloc. or what's going on in China. that's pretty scary


Got any articles on Chinas doping? I would actually be interested in reading them.


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HammerTime2
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by HammerTime2

Stephen Colbert's comedic interview with the authors of the "Lance Armstrong: The Downfall of a Champion" book

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/429707/october-10-2013/reed-albergotti---vanessa-o-connell

It's possible that some of the jokes won't be fully evident to non-Americans.

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stella-azzurra
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by stella-azzurra

"I Can't Believe it's not Butter"

Image
I never took drugs to improve my performance at any time. I will be willing to stick my finger into a polygraph test if anyone with big media pull wants to take issue. If you buy a signed poster now it will not be tarnished later. --Graeme Obree

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HammerTime2
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by HammerTime2

We all know Sheryl Cirow is a singer, right? Well, she sang ... to the Feds.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/i-team/new-book-claims-crow-sang-feds-armstrong-article-1.1481152 wrote:Sheryl Crow sang to feds about Lance Armstrong's illegal activities, new book claims
Armstrong received an illicit blood transfusion in 2004 and Crow later told federal investigators about it, according to 'Wheelmen,' which is due out next Tuesday.

Sheryl Crow was with Lance Armstrong when he went to receive an illicit blood transfusion and later told federal investigators about what she'd seen, according to a new book about the doping conspiracy that propelled Armstrong's cycling teams.

The musician accompanied Armstrong during a trip to Belgium in Armstrong's private jet for a 2004 procedure according to "Wheelmen," a book due out next Tuesday from Wall Street Journal reporters Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O'Connell.

"Rather than try to hide the transfusion from her, Armstrong was completely open about it," the authors write. "He trusted that Crow would have no desire to tell the press or anyone else about the team's doping program. He explained that it was simply part of the sport - that all cyclists were doing the same thing."

Crow and Armstrong were dating at the time, Armstrong having left his wife, Kristin, just as his romance with Crow became public. The singer and cyclist were briefly engaged, but they split up in 2006.

A representative for Crow, apprised Wednesday afternoon of the book's contents, did not offer a comment.

Crow was forced to revisit her relationship with Armstrong five years after it ended when federal investigators launched the criminal probe that hastened Armstrong's downfall. The Daily News reported last year that Crow spoke with investigators in late 2011.

"Wheelmen" states that Crow informed on Armstrong after Food and Drug Administration criminal investigator Jeff Novitzky gave her a proffer agreement, a document that protects witnesses from criminal prosecution if they cooperate honestly.

Blood transfusions allow athletes to increase the number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells in their bodies, boosting endurance potential without using drugs. Armstrong used transfusions in conjunction with a wide array of banned substances throughout his entire career.

Armstrong escaped criminal charges when a grand jury dropped the case without explanation in 2012. But he hasn't outrun the government yet; the Justice Department is currently suing Armstrong and several members of his inner circle. The lawsuit cites the False Claims Act in an effort to retrieve the tens of millions the U.S. Postal Service paid to Armstrong and his teams.

The role of Armstrong's closest friends and supporters in perpetuating his deceptions is one of the central themes of the new book, which is due out Tuesday and bears the full title "Wheelmen: Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever."

elSid
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by elSid

The idea of a movie starting out as a sort of inspirational sports bio, then repurposing itself as a candid, inside look at the expansive PR front of team Armstrong IS interesting, and as the director says, offers some new perspective on the lie that unfolded in front us. Even if you somehow know every conceivable angle and detail story already, you must understand that not everyone has followed it with your zeal, and therefore might learn something from a new film.

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H0RSE
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by H0RSE

So now a book's already been written.

This world is a comical circus full of fiction.

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