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So the show finally aired last night and was as expected pretty interesting. Few things that jumped out at me.
1) If Hamilton is lying he's a very good actor, he looked on the verge of tears throughout and based on what I heard, he actually did cry they had to stop taping several times when he got emotional.
2) This is without question the worst of all of these someone calling out Lance events because 60 Minutes has a rep as being serious journalism they don't just pay people who want to get on tv, they do their homework.
3) The claim is Armstrong tested positive for EPO in 2002 in the Tour of Switzerland but authorities covered it up. INcluding the ICU and US officials. at one point Lance and Bruyneel(head of US Postal team) went and met with cycling officials which according to one expert if true is "completely inappropriate and without precedent." Hamilton said Lance told him it happened and said we were all terrified he was the team if he got suspended we were all out of jobs. Lance told him it was taken care of ,it would go away, and it did. His results came back suspicious and results consistent with EPO usage and there are in fact records of letters going back and forth that seem to verify that. There is no official copy of the test because the lab that has it said privacy rules prevent them from releasing it. Not long after that happened he donated 25K to the ICU and 100K later, one official said they are not aware of any other cycler ever making such donations and said it was totally inappropriate in light of them literally holding his career in their hands at the time.
4) Armstrong has been saying on his website this is all to get notoriety and money for a book Tyler Hamilton wants to write. He also said if he was being honest and is so ashamed he should give back his gold medal, he has in fact done so did it about a week ago turned it over to USADA.
5) Hincapie, a man about a year ago Lance called "like a brother to me" has also under oath admitted to doping and that he saw Lance doping on many occasions. This is without question the single biggest part of the story. The standard Lance defense is to attack the accuser, he's not credible, he's been lying for years, bitter ex employee etc. Hincapie rode with Lance on every one of his TDF wins, he never tested positive himself(but admits he doped), and there has been no falling out with Lance publicly or privately, Lance did not know Hincapie was going to do this, he's doing it because he's under oath to a grand jury now.
I'm hoping after all this time that if Lance simply owns up and admits it they will sort of handle it without crucifying him. Yes he used US Postal service funds for years in violation of his contract(which specifically prohibited doping) so he should be heavily fined for that. He probably would face jail time there are drug trafficking issues and fraud charges. He also has won settlements in numerous cases that would now presumably be reversed. So the cost to him financially could be staggering. I would assume jail time ala Marion Jones.
But if he continues to deny it, he better be prepared for the Feds to go after him MUCH harder than they did Barry Bonds because it's clear now they have enough testimony and evidence he can no longer just intimidate people with legal threats.
1) If Hamilton is lying he's a very good actor, he looked on the verge of tears throughout and based on what I heard, he actually did cry they had to stop taping several times when he got emotional.
2) This is without question the worst of all of these someone calling out Lance events because 60 Minutes has a rep as being serious journalism they don't just pay people who want to get on tv, they do their homework.
3) The claim is Armstrong tested positive for EPO in 2002 in the Tour of Switzerland but authorities covered it up. INcluding the ICU and US officials. at one point Lance and Bruyneel(head of US Postal team) went and met with cycling officials which according to one expert if true is "completely inappropriate and without precedent." Hamilton said Lance told him it happened and said we were all terrified he was the team if he got suspended we were all out of jobs. Lance told him it was taken care of ,it would go away, and it did. His results came back suspicious and results consistent with EPO usage and there are in fact records of letters going back and forth that seem to verify that. There is no official copy of the test because the lab that has it said privacy rules prevent them from releasing it. Not long after that happened he donated 25K to the ICU and 100K later, one official said they are not aware of any other cycler ever making such donations and said it was totally inappropriate in light of them literally holding his career in their hands at the time.
4) Armstrong has been saying on his website this is all to get notoriety and money for a book Tyler Hamilton wants to write. He also said if he was being honest and is so ashamed he should give back his gold medal, he has in fact done so did it about a week ago turned it over to USADA.
5) Hincapie, a man about a year ago Lance called "like a brother to me" has also under oath admitted to doping and that he saw Lance doping on many occasions. This is without question the single biggest part of the story. The standard Lance defense is to attack the accuser, he's not credible, he's been lying for years, bitter ex employee etc. Hincapie rode with Lance on every one of his TDF wins, he never tested positive himself(but admits he doped), and there has been no falling out with Lance publicly or privately, Lance did not know Hincapie was going to do this, he's doing it because he's under oath to a grand jury now.
I'm hoping after all this time that if Lance simply owns up and admits it they will sort of handle it without crucifying him. Yes he used US Postal service funds for years in violation of his contract(which specifically prohibited doping) so he should be heavily fined for that. He probably would face jail time there are drug trafficking issues and fraud charges. He also has won settlements in numerous cases that would now presumably be reversed. So the cost to him financially could be staggering. I would assume jail time ala Marion Jones.
But if he continues to deny it, he better be prepared for the Feds to go after him MUCH harder than they did Barry Bonds because it's clear now they have enough testimony and evidence he can no longer just intimidate people with legal threats.
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