You’ve goT to hand it to Oprah. She has established herself as America’s confessor, which, in a way, makes life easy for her interviewees. Oprah’s not going to absolve you or coddle you. She’s going to raise her eyebrows with majestic skepticism and speak grandly, for the nation. And so the person in her crosshairs — this week, Lance Armstrong — is freed to play his own expected part: the relieved confessee.
That’s how Armstrong tried to present himself for the last two nights, criticizing himself while displaying scant emotion, declaring — unconvincingly — that he’s happier now, with the truth laid bare, than he was when he was winning all those races.
Comments
Lance Armstrong should go into politics, he fits the criteria, lie, deceive and cheat.
How could you leave out Clinton, Warren, Tierney, Kerry, Deval and Obama? Atheletes deal in silly games, politicians ruin lives to enrich themselves.
Just so.
Gosh it seems like you've left some names out...
What's the point of this editorial ? They lied/embellished, there are consequences (as there should be) and we are all left to make our own judgments accordingly....should they be viewed or treated any differently that anyone else ?
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Right on point....
Great column. A proves again, they dont deserve the millions in money they make, nor the "hero" status confered on them. The everyday heros in our schools, at trajedies, at war fronts, at our first responders-they are the true heros and they deserve the fame and attention and the money...
Lance Armstrong and Manti Te'o lied because the lies were essential to augment their otherwise lackluster personas and talents. Like Truman Capote's assesment of the rich, he said, "Rich people I know would be totally lost if they didn't have their money." Similarly, these athletes would not rise to the level of stature they achieved without their backstories, real, fabricated or imagined.
Lance Armstrong is bad news and unconvicning in his apology. Still, I wish those who tanked the economy or lied about LIBOR would get the scrutiny this guy has. He is dispicable because the stuff he and his teammates took influences children. Personally, I believe, although not a doctor, that his blood doping had implication in the type of cancer he developed. Just my hunch.
Everything about him is disgusting BUT it falls into my who cares category. I'd rather see the banksters and the warmongers taking a nation to war based on utter lies and torture be held accountable. Lance Armstrong's unlawful behavior is bubkas compared to that!
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My guess is he's referring to Bush and Cheney. Of course, with you it's always Islamists.
Good column, And may I add that not only are these athletes like everybody else, they are no different from athletes and stars of the past who did what they had to for victory and to get ahead. You can admire someone's abilities and enjoy the game, but no one should be idolized to the level that we idolize these people.
I think this column is AWFUL. It takes up valuable space in the newspaper. "Oprah speaks grandly for the nation." Certainly not my nation. She's in the entertainment business! Get REAL. Soooooo, these lying athletes "for all the nobility we confer on them - are no stronger on the inside than anybody else." Is that supposed to be some mind binding revelation? They are 'star' athletes, they lied, then got caught - WHO CARES. Please write about something meaningful. I might expect to see a bad column like this column in a high school or college newspaper.