Whatever the anti-doping agency does to Lance Armstrong today, which apparently will be to strip him of his seven Tour De France titles for alleged use of steroids, nobody will be fooled. He won them. That’s obvious.
And while I have no more idea than anyone else whether the charges against him are true, I respect his refusal to play along with an agency that seems not to be governed by normal American rules of judicial procedure.*
Like most people in Austin and elsewhere who revere him, I’m with Lance.
* “USADA’s conduct raises serious questions about whether its real interest in charging Armstrong is to combat doping, or if it is acting according to less noble motives,” such as politics or publicity, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks wrote.
UPDATE: On Oct. 18, we learn that Nike, Trek and other big name commercial outfits have dropped their contracts with Lance. They say they’re convinced by the quasi-fed agency’s “proof,” though it’s more likely they don’t want to buck the feds.
I’ll still take Lance’s continued denial of using steroids and, anyhow, I don’t care if athletes use steroids and I don’t see how it’s any business of the government, which has far too much involvement in our lives as it is.
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 
Hm… well, so far most of the champs in cycling fessed up to use of drugs, so the first issue seems to be moot. As for why USADA got its teeth into Lance – anyone’s guess. Self-promotion couldn’t be rejected immediately.
Politics always carries the day with the feds, and the agency here is quasi-fed. Frankly, I don’t care if any of them use steroids and I don’t see why the government does.