“Speaking of presidents: I have been reading a lot about Lance Armstrong lately, in order to write something for National Review. His lies, over that long period, were insistent, vicious, and hot. They were also filled with self-righteousness. He attacked all those who told the truth, and did everything he could to ruin them. When he was forced to come clean, he was still self-righteous, and self-justifying.

One word kept coming to me: Clintonian.”

I always figured it had to be worth something to be able to look at the guy facing you in the mirror without loathing and disgust.

After all: you have to face that face every morning.

It seems a rather odd thing to devote one’s life to (although each to his own): breaking a record just so it can be your name up there rather than someone else’s (oh yeah, and getting a load of money into the bargain).

It’s not just athletics; it’s true at the top of almost everything, I suspect, but certainly academics. There are (a few) nice guys who, monomania notwithstanding, are at the top of academia because they are truly brilliant. There are snakes at the top of academia because they are truly ruthless and amoral. Those of us who were neither truly brilliant nor truly ruthless and amoral were necessarily relegated to the second rank.

I suggest “The Secret Race” by Tyler Hamilton–even if you just browse thru it, you can see the extent of who Lance is/was.
And I think he’s more Narcissistic-Bully than Sociopath–but neoneo, you’re the mental health prof.
( and no, I’m not fan. But my husband has been following cycling since he was a kid, so some rubs off…)

If we were to go back in history with the same focus as this inquiry took, there would be no medalists left. None.

They were all …e v e r y o n e o f t h e m …participants.

Everyone knew. Everyone.

But so long as all participated, so long as all shared in the common guilt, all were silent.

Going forward, that will remain as true as it has in the past.

What do make of this, given that, umm, insight?

Nothing.

Armstrong’s enemies were more powerful than his allies.

…but Armstrong and his history will never be worse than the story of his accusers.

Because unlike them, he remains a lion.

And they will always be pathetic scavanging jackals.