The great story that wasn’t
What are we telling ourselves when it seems that every great story is a hoax? What future endeavors will we question? What next victory will we dismiss? How will this impact us going forward? When will common sense become common again?
Today we found out that what many suspected was true actually was; Lance Armstrong cheated. What a great story it made. Lance Armstrong almost defeated by testicular cancer make a triumphant come back to win the Tour De France 7 times. A feat that should have stood as complete domination in not just Bicycle racing, but in all sports. Many of us (me included) stood by Lance when allegations flew; dismissing them as sour grapes and jealousy. Lance Armstrong is a fraud; he cheated by blood doping. Blood doping is the removal of two units (approximately 2 pints!) of blood several weeks prior to competition. The blood is then frozen until 1-2 days before the competition, when it is thawed and injected back into the athlete. This is known as autologous blood doping. Homologous doping is the injection of fresh blood, removed from a second person, straight into the athlete. A second method of blood doping involves the use of artificial oxygen carriers. Hemoglobin oxygen carriers (HBOC’s) and Perfluorocarbons (PFC’s) are chemicals or purified proteins which have the ability to carry oxygen. They have been developed for therapeutic use, however are now being misused as performance enhancers. Tests were introduced in 2004, which are capable of detecting the use of homologous transfusions and the use of artificial oxygen carriers. A suitable test has not yet been developed to detect autologous blood doping.
Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o is in the middle of an amazing hoax. What was first an incredible story of triumph and love now looks like a calculated hoax to get sympathetic votes for the Heisman trophy. The story of Manti and Lennay captured the hearts of many sports fans; with many stories written about this incredible romance. Many admired Manti for standing by Lennay going through a terrible hospital ordeal after car accident and Leukemia. Only to have it all shattered when Lennay was killed off in a bad Soap Opera type scenario. I will not get into the particulars as there is much confusion, but the thing that stands out to me is that Mantis friend Ronaiah Tuiasosopo asked the real girl in the pics (Reba) to send him a pick with MSMK on a sign and was later posted as proof that Lennay existed on Manti’s twitter. Now that the story has been exposed Manti is claiming he was “catfished” and has no idea what is going on? Really Manti, you expect us to believe that? What about the story of you meeting her in person, about spending hours with her on the phone, sending flowers to the hospital, her funeral, or EVERYTHING? Admittedly I am not a professional investigator but it does not take a criminal Law PHD to see a lie this transparent.
In 1998 baseball was suffering from low attendance numbers when the Homerun race captured America’s attention going after Roger Maris’s record. By the end of June there were 3 in the chase. McGwire lead the pack with 37, Sosa, and Griffey close behind tied at 33. The three remained competitive entering August, a period which saw McGwire go on a season-high eight-game home run drought. After hitting a home run on August 8, McGwire’s lead had dwindled to two, his 46 home runs just above Sosa’s 44 and Griffey’s 41. At the end of the month, however, the McGwire and Sosa were locked at 55 home runs, putting them on pace for about 65 in total and, for the first time in 37 years, leaving the single-season home run record in imminent jeopardy. They were also each one short of Hack Wilson’s National league record. By this point, Griffey’s total of 47 home runs left him well behind the pace of his two rivals.
I was at the game on August 7th when McGwire tied the record of 61 hitting a pitch by Mike Morgan of the Cubs 430ft. I was at the game the next day still playing the Cubs when McGwire broke the record hitting the shortest homerun of his season 341ft just over the left field fence with the Maris family in attendance. The stadium was absolutely insane. I will remember that day for the rest of my life. One of the best stories in baseball; a neck and neck fight is all washed away because of cheating. Sosa and McGwire used steroids.
On August 7 2007 Barry Bonds hit a 435 foot home run, his 756th, off a pitch from Mike Bacsik of the Washington Nationals, breaking the all-time career home run record, formerly held by Hank Aaron. Earlier in 2001 Bonds hit a single season record 71 homeruns breaking the record set by Mark McGwire. These records should be celebrated but Bonds cheated. He tested positive for steroids and was convicted for lying to a Grand Jury about his steroid use. More hollow records and achievements.
The list of players that cheated in baseball alone is extremely long. As far as I am concerned, the Homerun record should go back to Maris at 61. No player that has used steroids should ever be allowed into the hall of fame.
Is it no wonder so many are turning to cheating? Our political leaders are as corrupt as they can get. We have tax payer money being used in criminal enterprises while the guilty laugh because they are immune. The Constitution is being shredded by those that took an oath to defend it. We fought in court over the definition of the word “is”. We have law abiding citizens made into criminals for defending their Constitutional rights while illegal aliens are praised and given taxpayer money. We are out of control with no end in sight. In the future will this all become the great story that wasn’t?
