Smoke and Fire

Is that the soundtrack from Jaws that I hear every time I read about Lance Armstrong and the drug culture of cycling? Sad to say, it's becoming increasing difficult to believe Armstrong's claims that he never never never ever ever ever used performance-enhancing drugs.

Given the absence of definitive proof, Armstrong no doubt will continue to state his case for innocence. But in order to believe Armstrong, you pretty much have to accept that -- virtually alone among world-class cyclists in a time when his sport was dirtier than a bus station bathroom -- he excelled on talent and hard work alone. Maybe. But in what other sport driven by individual performance (track? baseball?) does the clean guy outperform the dirty guy?

I want to believe Lance Armstrong. And it's sad to even think about what will happen if it can be proven that his denials are untrue. Given his fame, health history, and all those books and bracelets, he will fall farther and harder than any of the others who have been or will be exposed. Cue the music.