Lance Armstrong: A war would make racing difficult

Reuters ^ | Jan. 30, 2003 | Reuters

[jern]

Thursday, January 30

Armstrong: A war would make racing difficult

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reuters

MILAN -- American cyclist Lance Armstrong, the four-time Tour de France champion, says he is concerned about his security if the United States goes to war against Iraq.

"We Americans do not enjoy much sympathy abroad at the moment," Armstrong said in an interview with the Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport published on Thursday. "If I have to do the Tour with a war under way it would be very difficult for me."

"In cycling you ride in the open -- there is no fencing or protection nets. But I will be there just the same, it won't be the war that stops me," said the American.

Asked if he would pull out in the case of direct threats against him, Armstrong said he would not be intimidated.

"I hope that it won't happen. But even if I am advised to pull out for security reasons I will still go," Armstrong said. "I am not afraid and anyway I am not convinced that that there will be a war."

Texan-born Armstrong, 31, said he broadly backed Bush's stand on Iraq.

"I support President Bush. The only thing I would say is to let the (weapons) inspectors do their work. Let's take the decisions afterwards and anyway we can't go against the rest of the world," the U.S. Postal cyclist said.

Armstrong, who fought off testicular cancer, is a member of a U.S. presidential commission on cancer and was personally congratulated by Bush after winning his fourth consecutive Tour last year.

Cycling has been plagued with a series of doping scandals in recent years, but Armstrong said the situation had improved significantly.

"Cycling is under the microscope but I am convinced that if you look closely at soccer, tennis, athletics and rugby you would find the same things," he said. "I am convinced that cycling is now cleaner than ever and we have done much more than other sports," he added.

Armstrong also said he is totally focused on winning his fifth Tour next season.

"I am thinking only about winning that race. Ever since I have been on a bike I have been riding only for success in the Tour.

"I will be a cyclist as long as I enjoy it and at this moment my love for this sport is stronger than ever," he said.

[WaveThatFlag]

You really are incredible. First you lie, then you come up with a false observation about my statement to try and abslove yourself. Or else you lied again. I'm not sure which it is. The two statements from me mean exactly the same thing. Your claim that I said you "should be shot as a spy," was a LIE. I am not making this up. You can't run away from it. And you can't change it. You tried calling me stupid, Soviet, and gay. None of those worked, so you lied. Like a weasel.

And saying that you are not a baseball fan does not excuse you for being hopelessly out of touch if you never heard of Ted Williams. The man trenscended baseball. He was a highly decorated hero of two wars, and the also the greatest sportfisherman who ever lived. A search of "notable deaths of 2002" typically yields Williams' name mentioned first or second. FOR GOD'S SAKE HIS KIDS FOUGHT AN EXTREMELY PUBLIC BATTLE OVER THE FATE OF HIS BODY. It was front page news for weeks. This is not a simple oversight. This is like not knowing who Davey Crockett was. And I find that amazing.

[RoughDobermann]

What exactly did I lie about?

[WaveThatFlag]

What exactly did I lie about?

"You accuse me of being unAMerican and should be shot as a spy because I didn't know who Ted Williams was" -RoughDobermann

This in response to me calling you juvenile because you said I had a homosexual fixation on Williams. You didn't like hearing the truth, so, like a good weasel you lied to deflect blame. You are wrong, wrong, wrong. And you are hopelessly out of touch.

Yet another fact which emphasizes how valuless your take on American interests really is: On ESPN.com, one there is absolutely no information on Lance Armstrong, or bicycle racing in general for that matter. This is in direct contrast to Sailing, Iditarod and Snow Mobile Racing, among others (all of which have dedicated sections).

[RoughDobermann]

Yep, I said the following...

"You accuse me of being unAMerican and should be shot as a spy because I didn't know who Ted Williams was"

This was in response to the following two statements by you...

Lance Johnson is a nice, feel-good little story, but never having heard of Teddy Ballgame? That's unAmerican.

By "Teddy Ballgame," I assume you mean Ted Williams. If I had never heard of Ted Williams, then according to you, I'm unAmerican. Clear enough?

There was a time when the failure to recognizr the name "Ted Williams" would almost certainly get you shot as a spy

True, you don't openly say I should be shot for not recognizing his name, but the implication is certainly there.

[RoughDobermann]

Yet another fact which emphasizes how valuless your take on American interests really is: On ESPN.com, one there is absolutely no information on Lance Armstrong, or bicycle racing in general for that matter. This is in direct contrast to Sailing, Iditarod and Snow Mobile Racing, among others (all of which have dedicated sections).

ESPN? Please tell me you're joking... It's just a TV station. Oh, BTW, ever watch OLN? The cover every international cycling race in the world. Also fishing, hunting, etc.

[1Old Pro]

Let's take the decisions afterwards and anyway we can't go against the rest of the world," the U.S. Postal cyclist said.

Who's going against the rest of the world???? SHEESH, maybe he should listen to Rush while he's training so he'd have a clue.

[WaveThatFlag]

True, you don't openly say I should be shot for not recognizing his name, but the implication is certainly there.

There is no implication there. Stop trying spin out of a lie you weasel. Saying someone "should be shot" is a pretty drastic call for action. Accusing somebody of such a call is not to be taken lightly.

Frankly it just boggles my mind that there was an Adult male in America who didn't know who Ted Williams was. Did you ever figure out who Sam Snead and Johnny Unitas were?

[RoughDobermann]

Yeah, you are right about the "should be shot" part. I admit I took some liberty and exaggerated there. I just can't believe that you actually believe that there was a time when the failure to recognize the name "Ted Williams" would almost certainly get you shot as a spy. Surely, you were just exaggerating, just as I was. I hope so, because there never was such a time. If so, prove it.

I couldn't help but notice you ignored the other point. Do you consider me to be unAmerican because I didn't know who Ted Williams was or not?

Without looking them both up, I believe Sam Snead played golf? Unitas played football (I watch and am interested in football, see?).

[WaveThatFlag]

OK, I am ready to let this go with one last Seriously, you really, really had no idea who Ted Williams was? Really?

Amazing.

[shhrubbery!]

Some posters are being too tough on this guy. I think all he's really saying is the Froggie @#$%!s are so anti-American at this point that Americans are in genuine danger in France. And that's not even considering all the Islamofascists who live in France now.

Yes, we Americans are in danger in our own country, too. But given the choice of taking a vacation this summer either here, or in Europe, I'll gladly spend my tourist dollars at home, thank you.

[RoughDobermann]

No, I didn't. I NOW remember that he was the guy whose kids fought over his body when he died, but I honestly didn't know who you were talking about when I first mentioned him. I've never even watched a baseball game, so it's no surprise to me.

Now, I answered your question, answer mine: Do you consider me to be unAmerican because I didn't know who Ted Williams was or do you not? Yes or no, please.

[AlGone2001]

In all honesty, Ted Williams would have gone down in history as the best player of all time with a full-carreer had it not been for his service to the country.

He would have possibly passed Babe Ruth on the all-time homerun list before Hank Aaron.

He also had a very high battin average of .342, which means he would have had 342 hits in 1000 official at bats (My guess is that you didn't know how batting averages worked if you didn't know who Ted Williams was).

It is rare to have such a continued high batting average along with awesome homerun hitting power.

[RoughDobermann]

Thanks for the info.

[Shooter 2.5]

Here's what I know about Ted Williams.

I know he played baseball but I have no idea what team.
From the posts, he flew aircraft for our country.
He was a spokesman for Sears and Roebuck.
I had a Ted Williams .22 that I had to sell for a lesser price because no one wanted a Sears, Ted Williams .22 instead of a Winchester.

Baseball is a game, not a prerequisite for citizenship.

[WaveThatFlag]

No it is not a prerequisite for citizenship. But I would charachterize and American adult who heard of Ted Williams for the first time yesterday as highly unimformed. Whether you are a baseball fan or not, if you presume to know anything about the entertainment tastes and interests of the American public, you have to know at least who he is.

[Shooter 2.5]

I don't presume a thing. I was at a bar last night and we were playing a trivia game. The person next to me knew baseball which I don't and he had never heard of the movie, "Close Encounters of The Third Kind".

So what?

I'm not going to get excited because someone didn't know a single fact of a subject that didn't interest the person.

[lonewacko_dot_com]

Are you a communist? Because, if you have never heard of Teddy Ballgame, I think you must be a pinko. Can I see your papers?

[RoughDobermann]

Are you a communist? Because, if you have never heard of Teddy Ballgame, I think you must be a pinko. Can I see your papers?

Are you being sarcastic? Please say yes...

[RoughDobermann]

Are you going to answer my question or not?

[Blue Jays]

Good Evening All-

RoughDobermann, rest assured that the sane people out here in cyberspace are in complete agreement with your position.

WaveThatFlag appears to find Ted Williams quite pivotal in terms of the American experience. Baseball is a very popular sport, nothing more, nothing less. My attention to posters diminishes whenever I see 50 pt. bold, "shouting" font.

Based on Lance Armstrong's interview, it looks like he is saying that war (lower-case, generic) is a "bad" thing but he supports George W. Bush. What's wrong with that? General Robert E. Lee had stated many years ago that war is a horrific thing and this very ugliness and violence is what prevents men from desiring war.

As an overview of my politics, I was for invading Iraq a decade ago, immediately following their first "No-fly Zone" violation. The United States need to invade them soon to stabilize the region and promote safety for everyone. My family has voted Republican for decades and has served in the Special Forces and a variety of law enforcement positions.

We Support Our President!

~ Blue Jays ~