One side of my family is littered with prostate cancer. My father, every uncle, my grandfather, and all the great-uncles have had prostate cancer. Some of the cases were mild (meaning caught early and treated effectively), some of the cases have been very bad (metastasis set in fast and the cancer spread and sometimes recurred).
One of my great-uncles is 83 and doesn’t follow sports. So I was shocked to have a conversation with him last night about Lance Armstrong. When my Uncle was undergoing treatment last year for his prostate cancer, he said Lance’s story kept him motivated to get better. Not because my Uncle wanted to get back into any sort of competitive (did I mention he’s 83 with a bad back?), but because he kept thinking, “not me, not now, there is other stuff I still want to do. Lance did it, so why can’t I?”
Having Lance as a hero figure may not mean much to the world at large, cynicism is more popular than denim, but what about an otherwise healthy, intelligent kid who’s laid up with lymphoma, or your daughter, son, sister, mom, dad, wife, husband? What does Lance as a hero figure mean to them? If it’s inspiration to fight and they get healthy because of it, then the loved ones should count their blessings Lance is getting so much support while selfish ingrates drag his image through the mud.
Lance Armstrong has transcended being just a cyclist. He’s an icon and a hero. How he got there is a moot point now because it’s TOO LATE FOR SECOND GUESSING. Disagree with me? That’s fine, but who’s gonna be your kid’s hero when he’s fighting leukemia?
If someone accused Superman of kicking puppies they damn well better show-up in court with more than a pencil sketch from an anonymous homeless guy.
It happened a few weeks before the LTF triathlon…as I was the ride group leader on Tues mornings.
We usually run a brisk pace and saw a few folks dragging by mile 4-5ish. I went back, talked, made them laugh and checked out the situation. One guy was smiling ear to ear, laughing…while all the others were saying “slow down-slow down”. I started chatted with the positive guy.
As it turns out…
He had BOTH knees REPLACED that year (where they shove rods into your leg bones)
Survived Bone Marrow cancer…I hear that’s downright nasty
Was currently under-going Chemo for Luekemia
2 weeks away from his 2nd triathlon
Riding 20mph on a cross-bike
This guy was/is my hero. Name withheld for his privacy. Amazing guy, successful Attorney in town, world class human being…
Cool story…I came across a guy named “Gino” a few weeks back on a ride; we hooked up for a while and he admitted to me that he was nearly blind; could only see very blurry images straight ahead but still had near perfect peripheral vision. He had just started riding again within the last few months (apparently his vision loss is a hereditary deal) and he told me one of his first rides back was on Mt. Diablo with another buddy…I just rode along with him, both dumbfounded and amazed at what was happening.
Indeed, superheroes don’t just show up on green fields, comic books or on Larry King. They’re all around us if we just take the time to look close enough or listen hard enough.
My father died of cancer when I was 16. It changed my life forever. All i can think of when I think of Lance is that he is doing so much for the fight.
$55 million live strong bracelets sold…I do not care who he is, that is a hug thing for families and will make a big difference in the fight! Of course they all want to discredit his win because no one wants to believe that someone can be that much bigger than life. Even if he isn’t, why piss on what he can do for the cause. Cycling is so much the smaller thing here than the real value he brings.
The whole issue here is one of credibility. If, as it appears, Lance cheated on his way to using cycling to gain fame and wealth, then he has to answer these questions. nt to know if he cheated in his races and if he did, I want him to answer to those people that look up to him.
that makes me sick.
it ‘appears’ lance is guilty.
no, it doesn’t. there are methods of testing and proving when someone is guilty
that’s not been done, so lance is innocent. period.
For those poor kids in cancer wards, the only thing they can learn from Lance Armstrong is that pharmaceuticals work. Take your medecine and good things will happen. I’d steer them to real heroes like a 250 LB mom who jumps into the pool to start getting in shape or the dad or aunt who completes their first triathlon, or the family friend who dusts off his old college running shoes now that his kids are grown up and brings out that speed that is lying deep within him.
I wouldn’t steer any child to any professional athlete as a role model.
I wouldn’t steer any child to any professional athlete as a role model.
Precisely the point Charles Barkely was making a few years back—“I am not your kid’s role model”; unspoken or unprinted by most of the media was the real point, that being mom and dad should be the role models for young America. Relying on anyone outside the home as a role model and character-shaper is just asking for a letdown.** **