Being a cyclist and triathlete, I’ve had lots of discussions about Lance in recent months. His fall from grace was a long time coming; but when it came, it was fast and furious. The on-line forums and social media have been buzzing with comments, most vilifying him. No doubt, the higher they are, the harder they fall. But do we not share some of the scrutiny here? Perhaps a time for self-reflection?
As a culture, “we” celebrate the Cinderella story. We love someone who can beat the odds and triumph. And Lance, more spectacularly than most, had an amazing story to tell. Athlete gets cancer, athlete overcomes cancer, athlete goes on to win seven record-breaking Tour de France titles. And if that wasn’t enough, he started a non-profit to fight a deadly disease that impacts millions. The fact that he dated Sheryl Crow and had his own rock-star status just added to the allure.
We love a winner! And Lance seemed to be all that and more. So we put him on a pedestal and he smiled triumphantly. But while Lance took in the accolades and racked up the yellow jerseys, he was hardly a winner.
Of course, I’m disappointed in his latest revelation…what Paul Harvey would call “the rest of the story.” But more than anything, I feel sorry for Lance. Not in a “poor Lance, he’s been wronged” kinda way. Because Lance made his own bed. Instead, I feel sorry for him because he’s a broken man. He did not do all the things he did, because he is whole. He did them because he is flawed. Lance is a mere mortal with his own issues. By his own long-overdue admission, he’s a liar and a bully. And in an era when we are finally putting a national spotlight on bullying, we can see first-hand the ugly effects of being a bully through Lance’s actions.
What we know about bullies is that they bully because of their own insecurities, short-comings and weaknesses. In other words, they LiveWeak…not strong. They lash out to intimidate and threaten others. Lance was skilled at deflecting attention from the truth and doing his best to control the situation without regard to his own internal hemorrhaging as a compassionate and honorable human being. More disturbing was his total lack of regard for the pain he caused others who challenged his lies through his threats and mean-spirited accusations. All in an effort to preserve his ego, maintain his status and fool his adoring public.
The saddest part is that Lance knew he was wrong, but he was able to rationalize his behavior. Were his actions acceptable? Of course not; far from it. But I for one have caught myself rationalizing my own behavior at times when I had no business doing so. Perhaps the public outrage is as much a disappointment in ourselves as it is in the man who was once our fairy-tale hero? We’re all flawed to different degrees and Lance’s fall is further evidence that things aren’t always as they seem and certainly not what we would hope the world to be like.
But if there is anything I believe in, it’s the potential and strength of the human spirit. Ironically, it’s part of what made Lance loved by millions. Now, I hope that he has the capacity to want, seek and become the man he is capable of being and that we can all learn to do the same.
