Lance. Oil. Politics. Texas.

mfin

This isn't an anti-lance thing, more a thought, no motivations, just a (might be interesting) discussion point. But... let's presume loosely as its been reported that LA will see his future in politics...

If this is so, I'd assume that he'd set his sights high, Govenor of Texas maybe?

In a state that's the 'oil capital of the US' with all the money behind it, would it be realistic to assume that 'digging for dirt' would reach new heights where the gain in the political and economic stakes could reach new levels when the debate's implications move outside just that of cycling? More companies with more to lose etc etc and more to gain from bringing him down in whatever way possible?

Is this a realistic seed of thought? Could we see more aggressive, more funded and structured attempts to expose him. Rightly or wrongly aside, might this happen?

When the gains in exposing him (if he has done wrong) always having been in relation to the future of cycling, surely this will pale into insignificance when the 'motivations behind it' get mixed with the billions of dollars at stake in the oil economy and the potential that movements with some with serious money and political interest might set their sights on bringing him down?

This is not 'anti-lance' as people like to say, just a point of discussion OR is everything that could be thrown at the guy already been done in the strongest way and nothing will be new?

Please no-one say 'he's the most tested cyclist ever' either, cos that, whilst maybe true, doesn't mean a thing as to whether he's clean. That is so obvious I can explain it to my 10 year old daughter.

moray_gub

mfin wrote:

This isn't an anti-lance thing, more a thought, no motivations, just a (might be interesting) discussion point. But... let's presume loosely as its been reported that LA will see his future in politics...

If this is so, I'd assume that he'd set his sights high, Govenor of Texas maybe?

In a state that's the 'oil capital of the US' with all the money behind it, would it be realistic to assume that 'digging for dirt' would reach new heights where the gain in the political and economic stakes could reach new levels when the debate's implications move outside just that of cycling? More companies with more to lose etc etc and more to gain from bringing him down in whatever way possible?

Is this a realistic seed of thought? Could we see more aggressive, more funded and structured attempts to expose him. Rightly or wrongly aside, might this happen?

When the gains in exposing him (if he has done wrong) always having been in relation to the future of cycling, surely this will pale into insignificance when the 'motivations behind it' get mixed with the billions of dollars at stake in the oil economy and the potential that movements with some with serious money and political interest might set their sights on bringing him down?

This is not 'anti-lance' as people like to say, just a point of discussion OR is everything that could be thrown at the guy already been done in the strongest way and nothing will be new?

Please no-one say 'he's the most tested cyclist ever' either, cos that, whilst maybe true, doesn't mean a thing as to whether he's clean. That is so obvious I can explain it to my 10 year old daughter.

Not being funny mate but who really gives a monkeys............its what he does on the bike that concerns me not what he does off it.

mfin

To the extent that you don't care if he's been taking whatever 'off the bike' to do it? Fair enough.

Not really the point Im getting at anyway... point is just that there could be serious money thrown at all this in the future? ...there are a lot of people who are interested in these investigations, could they go up a gear? In politics there could potentially all of a sudden be people with a real vested financial interest in bringing him down with the financial capacity to take it on with ease?

Ramanujan

........or, what if,,,,,,,,,,,, he becomes governor of Texas and the doctor that was in the infamous hospital room with him when he allegedly admitted to EPO , HGH, testosterone etc, gets abducted by aliens and is programmed by the aliens to only ever tell the truth and the aliens make him become president and while President, he reveals the plot behind 9/11 and the new world order and forces Armstrong out as Governor of Texas which Lance doesn't like so Lance has him assassinated but doesn't realise that the president made a tape of what happened in that hospital room and the truth comes out and Lance is revealed as a fraud and goes to prison for the murder of the President and while in prison has a sex change and reveals all about his doping history to Jonathan Ross on a live TV show from prison.

mfin

Ramanujan wrote:

........or, what if,,,,,,,,,,,, he becomes governor of Texas and the doctor that was in the infamous hospital room with him when he allegedly admitted to EPO , HGH, testosterone etc, gets abducted by aliens and is programmed by the aliens to only ever tell the truth and the aliens make him become president and while President, he reveals the plot behind 9/11 and the new world order and forces Armstrong out as Governor of Texas which Lance doesn't like so Lance has him assassinated but doesn't realise that the president made a tape of what happened in that hospital room and the truth comes out and Lance is revealed as a fraud and goes to prison for the murder of the President and while in prison has a sex change and reveals all about his doping history to Jonathan Ross on a live TV show from prison.

Alright. Don't quite get how what I was saying was wild at all but there you go. He's expressed interest in going into politics, Texas is his home ground and I don't think his idea of where he would want to go with politics would be to become some kind of low-key town councillor, that's all perfectly realistic.

Also, he's not really had anyone go after him who's had serious financial resources that make his own look miniscule, nor anyone who could have a lot to gain/lose outside of the cycling world. That's all.

Eau Rouge

My understanding is that Texas, as a republic, has a governor that doesn't actually have much political power, it's a little like the British monarch's role. Someone looking for power in Texas would be looking to be lead Texas's version of Parliament, or better yet, represent Texas in Washington.

If Lance has no real political ambitions though, Governor could be ideal.

That's my understanding, but I'm not exactly the political correspondant of the Dallas Times.

cougie

All of this will be a few years off - and theres a hell of a lot of ifs about it. So many that I'm not gonna bother thinking about it.

Kléber

Some have speculated he'll stand to become a senator, not state governor. This will involve a full examination of his personal life, from his cycling to charity but also to his divorce, religion and "bagging" so many celebrity girlfriends in a short space of time, something that might inspire some but that could dismay the Christian fundamentalists and extremist clerics that live in Texas and across the southern states.

Garry H

Bush made President despite having had quite a colourful past, alcohol, alleged use of cannabis, DUI etc. Much worse that what LA may or may not have done...

mfin

Garry H wrote:

Bush made President despite having had quite a colourful past, alcohol, alleged use of cannabis, DUI etc. Much worse that what LA may or may not have done...

But then again Bush wasn't using celebrity status from another field as a leapfrog I suppose. Plus the attempts would be hitting at the very core of his fame in the first place.

bristolpete

Interesting.

The question I ask is that does LA have the ability to be a politician. He seems verbose, has good vernacular and can answer a good question, which I suppose he has learnt from his cycling. Ever see that Paul K retort.

I think he could be a good politician, much like Arnie, he may get the peoples vote, but dirty laundry will be aired and I fear for him, as much as I like the guy.

I suppose at the end of the day, he aint no silver spoon kid from Oxford, just a brash Texan with ambition, so good luck to him - I will be watching what happens because it is safe to say there there are brains behind the LAF other then Lance himself....

Monty Dog

Any why exactly is this thread in Pro Race? If you want a 'Hello' style column, why not ask the mods?

georgee

Given bush was governor and he became president it hardly says much about the IQ needed.

Surely Americans uncovering the fraud of Lance is destroying the American story they love so much so I am sure they’ll always be more efforts to discredit his accusers than him. Let’s face it I can’t see anyone coming out with a smoking gun so as much as I’d love to see the whole affair blown open, I’m not sure even this would particularly change things.

shinyhelmut

bristolpete wrote:

I think he could be a good politician, much like Arnie

Arnie's use of steroids doesn't seem to have compromised his political career. Why should liberal use of EPO affect Lances?

I'm sure there should be an alleged somewhere in my last sentence...

FOAD

ShinyHelmut wrote:

bristolpete wrote:

I think he could be a good politician, much like Arnie

Arnie's use of steroids doesn't seem to have compromised his political career. Why should liberal use of EPO affect Lances?

I'm sure there should be an alleged somewhere in my last sentence...

Erm..because the use of steroids in pro body building wasn't illegal per se? So by doing so he didn't cheat anyone out of anything?

Anyway, I think Lance is perfect for politics. Have you ever seen a top politician answer a difficult question with the answer as opposed to wandering completely off on a tangent?

all show no go

"I am the most tested Senator ever!"

Stuey01

FOAD wrote:

ShinyHelmut wrote:

bristolpete wrote:

I think he could be a good politician, much like Arnie

Arnie's use of steroids doesn't seem to have compromised his political career. Why should liberal use of EPO affect Lances?

I'm sure there should be an alleged somewhere in my last sentence...

Erm..because the use of steroids in pro body building wasn't illegal per se? So by doing so he didn't cheat anyone out of anything?

Anyway, I think Lance is perfect for politics. Have you ever seen a top politician answer a difficult question with the answer as opposed to wandering completely off on a tangent?

What about the fact that he is on camera in Pumping Iron smoking a giant doobie in the back stage area after a show. Something that is and was illegal. Also his reputation for grabhandling the ladies with impunity.

Arnie is awesome.