The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

With Lance Armstrong in mind, isn't his "comeback" from cancer a little bit overrated? Sure he was very ill, but assuming he didn't die, was there any reason to think he wouldn't return to full strength? Do you know anyone in remission from cancer who remains partially or severely impaired from the lingering effects of cancer or chemo?

I had an uncle who had advanced stage cancer in his 50s, subsequently recovered and within a year had returned to bench pressing over 300lbs and running marathons. Several athletes have undergone cancer treatment and returned with no lingering effects. To me it seems that someone who suffers a severe injury that is supposed to permanently disable them and yet returns to greatness has done something much more impressive. Just thinking out loud here.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

based on the stage of cancer he had, and how badly it would affect you...I'm shocked he recovered as quickly as he did. I personally think he used some form of enhancement, but that's just my opinion.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

I hate lance armstrong.

I don't know why but I just do.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]
I hate lance armstrong.

I don't know why but I just do.

[/ QUOTE ]

To the OP, I think people consider it amazing not just because he came back from cancer, but because of how much of his body was ravaged by it. It's not quite the same as when cancer is caught early, and people have a 50/50 diagnosis, etc.

That being said, while I find what he did amazing, I kind of agree with Boris. For some reason I just find him really unlikeable. I can't figure out why.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I hate lance armstrong.

I don't know why but I just do.

[/ QUOTE ]

To the OP, I think people consider it amazing not just because he came back from cancer, but because of how much of his body was ravaged by it. It's not quite the same as when cancer is caught early, and people have a 50/50 diagnosis, etc.

That being said, while I find what he did amazing, I kind of agree with Boris. For some reason I just find him really unlikeable. I can't figure out why.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's easy.

The guy beats cancer, nearly dies, and decides to show the world that he is still a great cyclist.

Anyone else would have realized how important their wife, kids, and other family is to them. They would have taken account of their life and devoted it not some machismo bullcrap, but to the above.

This guy instead decided to devote himself to being the best at what boils down to an individual sport. He divorces his wife. He leaves his kids for months at a time. There are sound bites of him talking about surviving cancer and getting back on the bike in Nike ads. He turns all People magazine and starts dating Sheryl Crow. The guy's post-cancer life is that of an attention whore on an ego trip.

Is he the best cyclist ever? Absolutely. May be even one of the best athletes ever. Is he a good example of what you can accomplish even after cancer? No doubt.

Is he a good example of how to use your second chance in life? Not in my book.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]
Anyone else would have realized how important their wife, kids, and other family is to them. They would have taken account of their life and devoted it not some machismo bullcrap, but to the above.

[/ QUOTE ]

He's a professional cyclist. To him cycling is a job, not "some machismo bullcrap." What was he supposed to do, get a job at McDonalds? Plus now he's retiring a multimillionaire, and he can spend all the time he wants with his kids.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

Thank you. We really needed a third Lance Armstrong thread.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]
I hate lance armstrong.

I don't know why but I just do.

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I hate lance armstrong.

I don't know why but I just do.

[/ QUOTE ]

To the OP, I think people consider it amazing not just because he came back from cancer, but because of how much of his body was ravaged by it. It's not quite the same as when cancer is caught early, and people have a 50/50 diagnosis, etc.

That being said, while I find what he did amazing, I kind of agree with Boris. For some reason I just find him really unlikeable. I can't figure out why.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'd start with him leaving his wife and kids for that [censored] sheryl crowe.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

Dude your avatar is prompting me for a password. Please change. Or you will be my first ignore. You don't want to my first ignore.

How was St. Cloud State?

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

ignoring him won't do anything.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]
ignoring him won't do anything.

[/ QUOTE ] [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

c'mon people, he thumbs his nose at the French for 7 straight years and you don't like the guy!?!?! unbelievable.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]
Is he the best cyclist ever? Absolutely.

[/ QUOTE ]

No.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]
I hate lance armstrong.

I don't know why but I just do.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think he seems like a jerk, and all the woman-leaving doesn't help. I also think he took some sort of performance-enhancing drugs, making him an unbelievably big phony. I'm also not a huge fan of the bracelets.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]
I'm also not a huge fan of the bracelets.

[/ QUOTE ]

The gay little yellow bracelets that are everywhere are reason enough.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]
I also think he took some sort of performance-enhancing drugs, making him an unbelievably big phony.

[/ QUOTE ]

And no other cyclists take performance-enhancing drugs?

If he is a big phony he's a big phony amongst many other phonies.

In addition, this kind of talk tends to ignore/dismiss

1)Lance trained solely for the Tour
2)No one trained harder
3)No one trained better
4)No other team was as single-minded and committed to one rider winning the tour
5)No other team spent as much attention to equipment improvements
6)No other team studied and prepared for individual stages anywhere near the level Lance and his team did.

Maybe he took drugs, I don't know. But what I do know is he worked harder and better than everyone else.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

The only thing I hate about lance is that stupid Nike commerical where they show lance at his cancer press conference.

As if the normal clip wasn't enough to help Nike sell a lot of shoes and clothes, they have to add "to his abdomen and brain" just to hype it up a little more.

Yeah just do it guys, just exploit cancer for your company.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I also think he took some sort of performance-enhancing drugs, making him an unbelievably big phony.

[/ QUOTE ]

And no other cyclists take performance-enhancing drugs?

If he is a big phony he's a big phony amongst many other phonies.

In addition, this kind of talk tends to ignore/dismiss

1)Lance trained solely for the Tour
2)No one trained harder
3)No one trained better
4)No other team was as single-minded and committed to one rider winning the tour
5)No other team spent as much attention to equipment improvements
6)No other team studied and prepared for individual stages anywhere near the level Lance and his team did.

Maybe he took drugs, I don't know. But what I do know is he worked harder and better than everyone else.

[/ QUOTE ]
You forgot:
NO OTHER ATHLETE IN THE WORLD WAS TESTED FOR DRUGS/DOPING AS MUCH AS LANCE ARMSTRONG and he never failed one test.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]
I hate lance armstrong.

I don't know why but I just do.

[/ QUOTE ]

I might agree, but his cameo in Dodgeball makes me happy. I think he's a cool guy.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

Your post indicates that you don't know much about cycling.
- cycling is not an individual sport. It is a team sport. Team tactics play a major role and it is impossible to win without a fairly strong team even if you are the top rider in the race. There are some events in track cycling that are individual, and some stages that are individual time trials but road racing is a team sport.

- Lance Armstrong isn't the best cyclist ever and it's not close. Eddy Merckx is. Lance trained exclusively for the tour dominating the race in his era like no other, but Eddy was a much better cyclist. He won
- tour de france 5 times
- giro d' Italia 5 times
- Vuelta a Espana once (these are the three big stage races)
- world championship 4 times (self explanatory)
- Milan San Remo 7 times
- Liege Bastogne Liege 5 times
- Paris - Roubaix 3 times (these are so called classics, three of the most important 1 day races)
These are only the most important, he won several other events. Compare that to Armstrong who has won the tour 7 times, some lesser stage races (Dauphine Libere), one world championship and it's clear that Eddy Merckx is far superior.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]
Dude your avatar is prompting me for a password. Please change. Or you will be my first ignore. You don't want to my first ignore.

How was St. Cloud State?

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, it was an honest mistake. I got rid of the avatar as soon as I realized it was doing that.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

Two things about his body: The cancer took some mass out of his upper body, while leaving him his power-making ability. In the long run it helped him.

Also, he is a born freak of nature. His heart started 10% larger than normal, now it is 30% larger than average. His lungs are far more efficient than most people's. And most importantly, IMHO, his tolerance for lactic acid buildup is superhuman. In short, his body already is what most cyclists have to dope up to try to acheive.

That said, I believe personally he's an arrogant, self-centered dick.

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]
based on the stage of cancer he had, and how badly it would affect you...I'm shocked he recovered as quickly as he did. I personally think he used some form of enhancement, but that's just my opinion.

[/ QUOTE ]

fun allegation-type crap

we have some unsubstantiated press stuff leaking...any more thoughts?

Re: The Amazing Comeback from Cancer
 

[ QUOTE ]

fun allegation-type crap
we have some unsubstantiated press stuff leaking...any more thoughts?

[/ QUOTE ]

The french were fooled!

don't they blame armstrong for using drugs about once a month... I guess it is that time of the month.