How is lance armstrong a hero

He even contemplates running for public office at the national level. Their compiled testimonies, combined with detailed background research, form a portrait of an athlete dangerously obsessed with winning and with protecting his own idea of himself as a winner—both in sports and otherwise. So much so that he presented a benevolent, Superman-like public persona to the sports world, one that emphasized perseverance and integrity, while secretly running and aggressively protecting what the U.

According to the authors,. And in March ,. In the year since the U. Audiences have, after all, been known to empathize with fictional al Qaeda-aligned terrorists avenging the murder of the boy they loved like a son.

If the speculation proves true, and Armstrong was a monster to people that could have smeared his name, potentially ruining their lives along the way, then the damage is even worse. If Armstrong is conceding his PED usage on Thursday, it's fair to assume that he is doing it for financial reasons, or because the seven-year statute of limitations has expired, or to clear his name and get back into the sport he loves.

It's fair to assume that Armstrong is a selfish, hateful, intimidating bully and to wrap him up into one wife-leaving, drug-taking, money-stealing package. That doesn't mean said assumptions are correct, but they are definitely understandable. So why allow him to still be worshiped, as I suggested in the title and at the beginning of the article?

Hundreds of thousands of cancer patients have benefited from what he did in a formerly irrelevant sport at least to the mainstream sports fan. So, yes, he stole his way to the top and likely duped millions of dollars for himself out of endorsements and race winnings. The reason I'll be more inclined to forgive Armstrong is because of the way he used his stolen fame and money.

You've seen the wristbands. Hell, you've probably bought and worn one. Knowing what you know now about Armstrong, would you give that wristband back and demand the reimbursement of your dollar?

Are you going to tell me the moral value of cheating in a bike race outweighs the good that comes of such an epic philanthropy mission? I don't think it's possible.

Cancer is an evil, deadly disease with no known cure. Tragic hero, or heroic villain? A tragic hero, as defined by Greek philosopher Aristotle, rises to a transcendental height, only to spectacularly fall -- a character with a fatal flaw or hamartia that ultimately leads to his or her own ruin.

How do we reconcile Armstrong's ostensible status as savior of his sport and the lurking reality? Is the Texan a tragic hero, or heroic villain? Walsh, thus far effervescent in his responses, pauses for the first time. Lance himself used the word 'flawed' when being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey , so I would maybe call him a 'flawed hero. During that interview, Armstrong unequivocally admitted that his seven Tour de France titles had been unjustly won for the first time.

In the sporting world, many think winning is everything -- no matter how the victory is achieved. But Walsh argues that sport needs to remember what is "right and wrong. I would say it does matter, and I would say this story is proof that it matters how you win.

Read More: Armstrong loses tour titles Why do we cheat? The moral of this morality Tale. Walsh believes professional sport "has killed a lot of what we love. Armstrong was cycling's poster boy after that Tour de France. His story seemed destined for the silver screen.

However, "The Program" is not quite the portrayal that those inspired by Armstrong would have foreseen. What do you think about Armstrong? Lance Armstrong: I would dope again Read our discussion about what makes a hero. To do so requires exceptional skill and physical attributes, but also a very strong team.

Having been subsequently found to have taken banned doping substances during this period does not really diminish his performance, as during that time the majority of his competitors also did the same, and he was still clearly better than them.

He had years of strong allegations of drug use, which he always denied though not always convincingly. When finally the USADA caught up with him he was unconvincing in his denial and uncharacteristically decided not to fight the charges any more as he would have lost. His biological father moved out when he was a baby.