Cyclist Lance Armstrong spent years vehemently denying that he was taking performance-enhancing drugs and attacked those who accused him of being a cheater. Now, he is essentially arguing that it was clear all along that he was a cheater so he does not have to give anything back to the U.S. government for the sponsorship contract with U.S. Postal Service. In his filing, Armstrong insisted “The government wanted a winner and all the publicity, exposure, and acclaim that goes along with being his sponsor. It got exactly what it bargained for.”
The problem of course is the Armstrong was busy attacking people who raised the allegations. Yet, Armstrong is now citing those people he attacked as evidence that he was clearly a fraud all along and yet the Postal Service gave him millions.
The more challenging issue for the government is the six-year statute of limitations for false claims. It will have to toll the statute by relying on Armstrong’s later confession.
The case should focus attention on the use of federal money in such endorsements. I fail to see how the Postal Service gained dramatically in such sponsorships while paying out millions. The government spent more than $31 million during a four-year contract signed in 2000. The government has also named the former team manager, Johan Bruyneel, and team owner, San Francisco-based Tailwind Sports, as co-defendants.
You can add this to the perils of going on Oprah.
On a side note, I found it curious to go to a counter to buy some shoes for my oldest son last weekend at a running store and finding it still selling bars to enhance your performance with the image and endorsement of Armstrong on the wrapper. I saw these bars at the registers to two different running shoe chains. I suppose if anyone knows how to boost performance, it is Armstrong. Then the kids and I watched the movie Dodgeball that night and, you guessed it, Armstrong appeared for a cameo. This was filmed before his confession but Armstrong is shown warning the lead actor about poor decisions that will haunt him the rest of his life.
Source: Washington Post
It has been said that when we lose our democratic principles and ethics as a nation, it will NOT be due to an outside force, but from within: “Like a rotten fruit that falls from the tree of liberty, eaten to the core by worms of corruption.”
i’ll believe americans care about performance enhancing drugs when baseball fans insist on putting an asterisks beside mark mcgwires and barry bonds names.
now, where did i put my viagra, i gotta big date tonight.
Well he still did it.
Complaining about his technique makes about as much sense as complaining that Neil Armstrong used a rocket ship to walk on the moon.
Show me someone who walks on the moon without a rocket ship and I will be truly impressed.
The USPS got more than it bargained for. They could have paid all that money and had a looser every year.
If I were Armstrong I would demand a contract re-opener and ask for more money.
As for Armstrong admitting anything…what part of doper don’t you understand.
Reminded of the story: Mr Frog is transporting Mr Scorpion on his back across the swollen stream. Mid way across Mr Scorpion stings Mr Frog.
Mr Frog: “why did you sting me? Now we will both drown.”
Mr Scorpion: “Its in my nature. “
I agree with the concept and that Armstrong is a major league liar, but I do not think the postal service receives any federal funds and their sponsorship of Armstrong and other bikers is fine, if these guys are clean. If a corporation can hire an athlete to promote their product or services, they should be allowed to as well. The military is a different situation, but they do have a promotional budget in order to aid in recruiting.
i’m like 59 years old and never uh used the us mail until armstrong promoted it
Darren Smith; The subject matter would deal with ungodly condemners.
If Æsop was alive today he would have a lot of subject matter to pick from for his fables.
I believe the reason for this was to advertise express mail using Armstrong. The post office makes money from Express Mail, as opposed to First Class where it more or less loses. The Postal Service wanted to take market share away from Federal Express and other overnight couriers and they used the same advert strategy as many other conventional businesses did, a celebrity endorsement to gain attention of the viewer. It is not different than using Shaq to promote Buicks.
I don’t know if the 30 Million + that was paid to Lance Armstrong was more or less than the additional revenue gained by the sale of more Overnight Mail. Given the trouble the Postal Service has been experiencing in recent years I hope it was of benefit.
In August 2011, a class-action lawsuit by 12 Cooley graduates was filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, alleging fraud and misrepresentation about Cooley’s published employment information concerning its graduates. In response the school filed a Motion to Dismiss.On July 20, 2012, Judge Gordon Jay Quist granted the motion, concluding: “The bottom line is that the statistics provided by Cooley and other law schools in a format required by the ABA were so vague and incomplete as to be meaningless and could not reasonably be relied upon. But, as put in the phrase we lawyers learn early in law school—caveat emptor.”
Sounds like LA has been reading this judge’s opinion.
We have to think about this: would have Jesus attacked Armstrong or the religious pharisees?
Hey Lance,
Marley for you….
http://youtu.be/IbFkXZWtTdc
The way the post office is going I’m looking forward to no more junk mail
When it comes to Armstrong’s graft, let’s not forget the “livestrong” crap and the credit card fraud at Radio Shack. People who bought things had money taken from their accounts without permission and “donated” to livestrong…in much the same way that Charles Keating “donated” $20 million to the catholic cult, money that he stole from accounts of Savings & Loan depositors. How much of that money went to line Armstrong’s pockets?
This and other recent cases just reconfirm what I’ve always said, that all “elite” athletes are dirty, whether Armstrong, Gay, Hamilton, Lewis, Jones, Hunter, or any of the countless others. If you still believe that Carl Lewis was clean, divest yourself of ignorance. People in the USOC have admitted covering up positive drug tests for many US athletes, and even Lewis now admits it.
http://theislandjournal.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/carl-lewis-who-cares-i-failed-drug-test/
“The case should focus attention on the use of federal money in such endorsements.”
That says it all.
RWL, That’s the same Selig who in the 90’s, when players looked like the Incredible Hulk, insisted there was no steroid use in baseball. Now he’s Carey Nation. He thinks he can change his legacy of the guy who cancelled a World Series and played Sgt. Schultz while players were juicing. The ONLY thing good about this idiot becoming commissioner was he left the Brewers. He left his daughter in charge, but she was so inept he sold the team.
I agree w/ Mike about the government sponsoring sports. And, when will this sociopath stop getting press. But this does remind me of what someone said to me a couple days ago. “All Anthony Weiner needs to do now is have an affair w/ Sheryl Crow, dump her when she has cancer, and he’ll be Lance Armstrong.”
So many people, corporations, and now, our government, have made billions of $$$ off of Lance Armstrong. As MLB, owners and officials (did you know that Bud Selig-CEO/President of MLB-made more than $20 million last year), made their billions off of the steriod use by MLB players.
“The case should focus attention on the use of federal money in such endorsements. I fail to see how the Postal Service gained dramatically in such sponsorships while paying out millions. The government spent more than $31 million during a four-year contract signed in 2000.”
This is what gets me also about this story. The government shouldn’t be doing public relations sponsorships of any kind. If my memory serves me correctly a NASCAR Team is being sponsored now by one of our military branches. The entire notion is not only ridiculous it speaks of attempts a subtle propaganda techniques that I don’t think our government should have the right to pursue.
This dood Armstrong is a classic study for Agnotology buffs.
Will there be any consequences for those “Long Receivers” getting kick-backs from the Government and Corporate charity entitlements, poured on to these smothering levels, that they worship entertainers with???
God, what a knob Armstrong is! Will he *ever* take responsibility for his actions?