Right about now, most parents are probably crossing Lance Armstrong's name off the list of Good Role Models for the Kids. After all, he lied (and lied and lied and lied). He used banned substances. He did a whole bunch of stuff wrong. So that means we switch him over to the Bad Influence list, right?
Well, maybe not. He's finally telling the truth: He made big mistakes, and he made them all by himself. Nobody forced him. As he told Oprah in tonight's long-awaited exclusive interview, "All the fault lies on me." That's not an easy thing to admit. Still, does he deserve any credit for 'fessing up?
I think so. But "honesty is the best policy" isn't the main lesson I want my kids to learn from Armstrong's story. I would rather have my kids look at the disgraced athlete as an example of why we, as a society, shouldn't be making professional athletes (not to mention actors or musicians or models or politicians) "role models" in the first place. People are people, no matter how rich, successful or talented they might be -- people are not superheroes. Building any human being up to such great heights is completely unfair to everyone involved: They will fail and we will be disappointed.
I want my kids to believe in themselves, in their own limitless potential. But I also want them to accept themselves as human. Flawed. Real. To pretend otherwise is the real mistake.
What will you tell your kids about Lance Armstrong's confession?
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Comments 22
Do we now consider lying, cheating, doping, and deceiving a "mistake?" I have had enough of excuses! These are mistakes, these are serious character flaws. Did you see the interview? He is still hiding something. This man has serious issues. He harmed other people's lives and livelihoods. This man is sick and he still doesn't get it.
When we stop expecting, yes expecting honesty and integrity from ourselves and other people, we, as American might as well hang it up! Our country will not survive the number of people who use, abuse, destroy. Awful! Human, yes! But, a serious human problem is what Lance Armstrong is. My sympathies to his children!
Nope, sorry.
He let his entire team basically take the fall while distancing himself as the 'honest poster boy' for cycling. He lied and profited and lied and lied and lied and insisted that everyone trying to get him removed was somehow evil and out to get him. Now just because he finally admits what the world already knows he's still a role model, a good guy? Uh, no. He's a jerk.
Bernie Madoff admitted what he did in the end too. Guess he should be a role model and get a pass too, huh?
Lance had a choice and he made very bad ones every step of the way. Admitting something that everyone knows doesn't negate the selfishness and downright evilness of those choices.
I defended him and now to know the truth....I don't even know what to say. It not just that he cheated, he ruined lives and I feel guilty that I ever believed him.
Gina, then what's the point of sports at all? Lets force all atheletes to dope and competitions will all just be about who dopes the most. Doping has serious effects and athletes who dope have been proven time and time again to be able to train longer because of it (thus becoming stronger/faster) unfairly than the athletes who do it naturally.
It's like body-building. Where's the fun and inspiration in some jerk who jabs himself with steroids to bulk up? I want to see the guys (and/or girls) who dedicate themselves naturally and work their butts off for every inch of muscle that they have. Same with cycling.
Especially if we're then going to call these people role models. Where's the role model-ship in being a dishonest, cheating doper who thinks the rules aren't for them but are for everyone else? I don't view doping as any different than doing meth or heroin. I don't want meth-heads getting paid and put on posters in kids bedrooms as something to aspire to and I don't see people like Lance as any different.
Sports should be about honesty and positivity. People who live good, honest lives and follow the rules and work hard. Not about who can dope the most, cheat the best, cover up the most just to make the most money.
Your take on this is... bizarre. And for a parent, very disturbing.
He took his deceipt to levels unseen before. I always believed he doped, but didn't care. But as with our achetype model Watergate: it isn't the deed, it's the cover-up after and the unrepentant commitment to it. That wreaks untolled damage and makes the difference here.