In the long run, cheaters never win, do they, Lance?

I’ve been collecting my thoughts about Lance Armstrong over the last few days, what with the news of the teammates who came forward to testify against him. They have made a most solid case that he was, in deed, doping – in fact, he was the ring leader of it all.

I remember watching with a great deal of pride as Lance sprinted up the Alps leaving the others in his wake. Always some fool racing on foot beside him, carrying a Texas flag. There was a great deal of pleasure in seeing that. A fellow Texan, kicking ass and taking names.

But then the truth settled in. Lance was a cheater.

He took the rules and bent them. He broke them. He walked all over them. He destroyed what we love about sport – the competition. Two guys, two gals – going at it head-to-head…best person win. But not so with Lance. He had an unfair advantage.

He was a doper.

I will always remember the days watching him winning his seven Tour de France races. But instead of remembering them with pride, I will now remember them with a sense of betrayal. We gave our trust to Lance. We gave him our hearts. We cheered for his efforts.

He gave us lies and soiled results.

I remember when Carl Lewis lost his world record to a man who had doped before the race. It took a year, but the guy was convicted and Carl’s record was restored. But as Carl said, “…it is not the same. I won only in the record books. I didn’t get to enjoy the fruits of my hard work on the track. That was taken away from me.”

Same is true with all those riders who finished second to Lance Armstrong. They will now be champions. But only in the record books. Their day on the track was taken from them.

By a cheater.

Contador did it. Armstrong did it. Others as well. Cycling has to clean itself up. Or we won’t follow it anymore. We hate those who win by cheating. Play hard. Compete head up. And if you lose, you lose. But if you win, then you are a champion. Take short cuts, and you are just a has-been. Like Lance Armstrong is now.