Is Lance pulling a Jordan?

[Q]

Lance is in 3rd right now, which is great, especially at his age (and for anyone), but I also read he said today that he is probably going to be back for one more Tour.

I hope he doesn't pull a Jordan -- he should have left on top, and never made a return. Don't get me wrong, I'm 100% pulling for him, but I don't know if he'll do it.

 

[Mo0o]

He'd be 2nd if catandor didnt do what he did. I think he's still competitive enough that its reasonable to come back for one more. For someone that competes at such a high level, probably really frustrating to retire if he thinks he still has enough to have a shot at winning.

 

[herkulease]

They are not even half way through yet. Lance usually pulls away from when they start getting into the mountain climbs.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Why retire? If he enjoys it and still is very competitive then let em have his fun. They all know when he was in his prime he was the greatest.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Honestly, I didn't think he would even be competitive, and I thought this was more of a, I'm proving I can still just complete the tour (not win it).

The Tour de France seems completely different than team sports. Kinda like the people competing in marathons, where its motivation to stay in shape and keep going, not about winning. I guess the Tour might not be different, and for someone who's goal is strictly competing at the top I understand what you mean.

 

[sao123]

they havent even got to the hard part. he will win this year for sure.

 

[13Gigatons]

I hope those steroids kick in soon.

 

[sjwaste]

Whatever, a professional athlete can quit when he's good and ready. I don't buy the crap about going out on top. If he still wants to play his sport, so be it, he's earned that right. After all, retiring at his age, wtf is he going to do with his time? Pro athletes became that because they never knew anything else in life -- they trained, competed, and trained some more. Once you take that away, these folks don't know what the hell to do with themselves, so they decide to just go back to sports.

I don't even particularly care for Lance Armstrong, but he absolutely doesn't have to quit just because you think his best days are beyond him. Even if they are, when you're the best at some point, you've earned the right to sputter out if you so choose.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: herkulease
They are not even half way through yet. Lance usually pulls away from when they start getting into the mountain climbs.

this

 

[Udgnim]

I don't mind what Lance is doing

he retired, but felt compelled to come back

it's obvious he's still in shape. whether it's to the point where he can win the 2009 Tour de France remains to be seen.

when Jordan came back, he wasn't a bad player. he just wasn't a dominant player anymore. people talk about ruining a player's legacy, but if the person is still contributing in a positive fashion, I don't see anything wrong with what they're doing.

 

[KevinH]

Originally posted by: sjwaste
Whatever, a professional athlete can quit when he's good and ready. I don't buy the crap about going out on top. If he still wants to play his sport, so be it, he's earned that right. After all, retiring at his age, wtf is he going to do with his time? Pro athletes became that because they never knew anything else in life -- they trained, competed, and trained some more. Once you take that away, these folks don't know what the hell to do with themselves, so they decide to just go back to sports.

I don't even particularly care for Lance Armstrong, but he absolutely doesn't have to quit just because you think his best days are beyond him. Even if they are, when you're the best at some point, you've earned the right to sputter out if you so choose.

Agree completely. We as fans care more for their legacy than they do. Those guys compete because it's what they do and who they are.

 

[Miramonti]

Jordan didn't even make the playoffs in the miserable eastern conference. Armstrong is in 3rd. Not as bad as some years before the mountains, but it really remains to be seen what he has in him. I think he'll be more than respectable, altho Cantador is an awesome climber at the top of his game.

 

[Miramonti]

Bottom line with Jordan...his knees couldn't handle the workload anymore. That doesn't appear to be Armstrongs problem.

 

[Reckoner]

Better a Jordan than Favre

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: Mo0o
He'd be 2nd if catandor didnt do what he did. I think he's still competitive enough that its reasonable to come back for one more. For someone that competes at such a high level, probably really frustrating to retire if he thinks he still has enough to have a shot at winning.

Can someone explain to me what it is he did? I really don't understand the "rules" or customs of the TDF and all that..

 

[Sentrosi2121]

Lance is back for one thing; to prove to the world that he doesn't dope. For three years he has had to answer the same questions over and over. And even if he does win the Tour the questions will still keep coming. But he will just have to point to the yellow jersey he'll be wearing on entering Paris at the end and tell everyone to shut the hell up.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: herkulease
They are not even half way through yet. Lance usually pulls away from when they start getting into the mountain climbs.

Um, they've been in the Pyrenees for 3 days now. Lance has been right at the front of the field in the climbs so far but he did nothing to answer Contador's break two days ago. I think there is some friction in the team and it may unravel in the coming days.

I'd like to see Lance Armstrong win but I'm not sure that he can answer the challenge of the strong younger climbers like Contador...he hasn't proven it yet anyway.

 

[senseamp]

Good for him. He's being the best he can be now, I don't see how that takes away from his earlier success. Being 3rd in TDF at 37 is pretty amazing, and an inspiration to a lot of people. I could see if he was not keeping up with the field and just whoring publicity, but he is still a contender.

 

[JS80]

lulz 3rd at tour de france man. that's still on top.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: JS80
lulz 3rd at tour de france man. that's still on top.

There are still almost 2 weeks of riding left. One bad day can kill you in the Tour day France.

 

[dougp]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: JS80
lulz 3rd at tour de france man. that's still on top.

There are still almost 2 weeks of riding left. One bad day can kill you in the Tour day France.

Typically Lance isn't even in the top 5 for most of the tour - it's generally the last week where he makes up most ground because people have burnt themselves out trying to get a lead on him.

 

[CallMeJoe]

Originally posted by: Syringer

Originally posted by: Mo0o
He'd be 2nd if catandor didnt do what he did. I think he's still competitive enough that its reasonable to come back for one more. For someone that competes at such a high level, probably really frustrating to retire if he thinks he still has enough to have a shot at winning.

Can someone explain to me what it is he did? I really don't understand the "rules" or customs of the TDF and all that..

Lance made a good run late in the leg, looking like he was going to move into 2d place. Alberto Contador (real leader of the team) blew right by him and showed up every other rider in the Tour.
So far as the rules, the Tour is a cumulative time competition. They add all your times and the lowest total wins. There are some oddities about "time trials" and the like, but that's the gist of it.

 

[Locut0s]

What's the evidence via a vi him doping? I'm not saying he is just curious what the general opinion is? I know there were accusations before though most were probably fuelled by jealousy. The thing is that doping is so prevalent in the cycling world from what I've read that one begins to feel that almost everyone is juicing especially if they manage to win over and over.

 

[oogabooga]

Originally posted by: Locut0s
What's the evidence via a vi him doping? I'm not saying he is just curious what the general opinion is? I know there were accusations before though most were probably fuelled by jealousy. The thing is that doping is so prevalent in the cycling world from what I've read that one begins to feel that almost everyone is juicing especially if they manage to win over and over.

If i remember correctly (and I might not since I don't really follow cycling) - there isn't any solid evidence that he doped. There were announcements of questionable (even positive) test results for steroids or steroid related/hiding materials - but I don't think any of that panned out.

Regardless - Like most hitters in the major leagues - everyone assumes because he was so dominant at a time when it seems like everyone was doping up he must have been doping up to. He's fighting (or at least some are arguing that he is) that perception you just mentioned having - he was the best by far when people were doping, he must have been doping to.

 

[RadioHead84]

I think it is fine that he is back....let him do what he wants..

I am just confused about what his goals are. He says he wants to just support and is not going for the win, but deep down you know he does want to win. I don't think he can win tho...He was out for too long and didn't train as much as he did before.

Contador is no slouch