The Fall of Heroes Part 1: "A Little Bit of Lance"

“So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.”1

Today’s post begins a series of posts about the fall of heroes and the dynamics which accompany these crises.  Earthly heroes are human, and being so, experience struggles and temptations which are common to all.  The purpose of this series is not to exploit or insult these individuals, but instead to study elements of their lives which have lead to their moment of exposure.  My rationale is that these individuals placed themselves in the public eye by choice, thus are open for discussion.  My hope and prayer is that through such study, we may learn some things that will help us to avoid common pitfalls.

Part 1:  “A Little Bit of Lance”

Lance Armstrong has long been a hero of mine.  He had an extraordinary story.  In his recovery from testicular cancer, Lance won seven consecutive yellow jerseys in the Tour de France.  Overcoming adversity and obstacles in his path, he dominated a global sport, which had traditionally been ruled by Europeans.  He made Americans proud, and gave inspiration to those battling cancer, as well as motivation for couch potatoes worldwide (such as myself) to purchase a quality bicycle and begin training.  Images of Lance conquering the Alpe d’Huez floated through our heads when trying to ascend the hills of our local communities.  He was a true hero.

When Lance gave up the fight against the allegations of doping which he faced, cycling fans worldwide were amazed, as he had been denying such accusations for many years. The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has now placed a lifetime ban upon Lance’s participation in all competitive sports. This led to him being stripped of all of his Tour de France victories. Some held out hope that the allegations weren't true until last Thursday night’s interview by Oprah, where he finally confessed to the illegal use of EPO, blood transfusions, human growth hormone, and testosterone throughout his career to boost his performance. Lance said these banned substances were “like having air in our tires and water in our bottles.”  Dale Carnegie once wrote that “If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.”2  Lance has finally emphatically admitted to his wrongdoing, but it definitely hasn’t been quickly. 

Perhaps the most interesting piece of the confession interview to me is when Oprah asked the following question:  “Did you feel in any way that you were cheating?”

Lance answered, “At the time, no.”  Shortly afterwards, he continued, “I went and looked up the definition of cheat.  The definition of cheat is to gain an advantage over a rival or foe.  I didn’t do it that way.  I viewed it as a level playing field.”

Lance’s answer was a form of justification of his actions.  He said that the fact that he didn’t feel that he had cheated, although he was breaking the rules, was “scary.”  Truly, it is scary.  It is not scary that he was capable of lying to cheat others, but that he was able to lie and deceive himself.  Twitter and Facebook blew up with comments such as, “How crazy is this guy to believe that?” and “What kind of monster is this?”

Before we rush into judgment, we need to take time to reflect.  As “scary” as it might be, we all have a little bit of Lance in us.  There are areas in our lives where our consciences are uneasy, yet we have justifications by which to explain to ourselves (and in some cases, others) the rationale by which our case is legit, or different from others.  We create grandiose explanations of our wrongdoing, in a battle against conviction and uneasy conscience.

Beware when you begin to use the following pieces of justification rhetoric:

• Everyone else is doing it, thus it is right for me. 
• Due to my specific set of circumstances, what I am doing is not sinful.
• What I am doing is not technically hurting anyone else, thus it is acceptable.

My prayer is that Lance will begin a new chapter in his life, receiving healing and having his brokenness mended.  The work that the LIVESTRONG foundation has done has made a difference in many lives.  A lesson we should learn from this account is to be truthful to others, and also unto God and yourself.  Come clean, and "the truth will set you free."3


WORKS CITED

1 - 1 Corinthians 10:12.  All Scriptures contained herein are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved. 

2 - Carnegie, Dale, How to Win Friends and Influence People, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1936, p.142.

3 - John 8:32.   All Scriptures contained herein are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved. 

4 - Interview quotes taken from "Oprah's Next Chapter", Episode 64: Lance Armstrong:Part 1, OWN Network, 1/17/13.

Who is Right?

I enjoy to watch a television show entitled, “¿Quién Tiene la Razón?,” airing on the Spanish language network Telefutura. The show’s title translates literally to “Who has the reason?” which is a Spanish way of asking, “Who is right?” On each episode, individuals involved in a personal conflict come onto the show to argue their “side” of a dispute. At the end of the show, the live studio audience votes on who, indeed, is right. The winner receives nothing other than an affirmation from the audience that they are “right” and that his/her nemesis (who is often a friend or family member) is “wrong”. It can be entertaining, based upon the circumstances, but I often wonder what the point is in making such a determination. Although a winner is declared, it does not appear to persuade anyone to change their mind.

When you engage in conflict with someone, is it important to be right? Many times in my life, I have been convinced that “being right” was important, even if there were no implications to the detail being disputed. One time, when I was a college student, I was involved in an argument over a trivial fact, and wanted everyone to know I was correct so badly that I brought in a book to verify that a statement I had made was indeed accurate. Although everyone then knew that I was “right,” there was something that felt strangely about it deep inside. There was a hollowness to the victory. We should certainly seek truth in all situations, as is important to be knowledgeable. However, we must tread carefully when trivial conflicts arise.  Which is more important: to prove yourself “right”, or to maintain your relationships with friends and family?

1 Peter 3:8 states, “Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”

In the spirit of unity, humility, and tenderness of heart, sometimes it is best to let it go, move forward, and save your energy for a battle worth fighting!