Sports > October 2, 2008

By Phillip Brame | Staff writer

Dear Lance Armstrong, Why after a four year hiatus do you feel the need to enter the public eye and cycling again?

Certainly the sport of cycling could use your help.

Since you have left, we’ve seen Floyd Landis take an injection of something and then turn from a rider on the verge of collapse to a yellow jersey wearing copy of you in a matter of about 24 hours.

On top of that, the tour has seen an annual parade of superstars caught for various doping and steroid violations.

Despite the lack of honesty in your profession over the past few years, you have remained remarkably clean.

Sure you were associated with a less than reputable Italian doctor known for advocating the practice of doping, but you’re an American and an inspiring one at that.

You get the benefit of the doubt; innocent until proven guilty.

You survived cancer to come back and win one of the biggest endurance tests in sports seven times.

I’ll say that again, SEVEN times!

That’s one more title than Jordan, another athlete who came back for a cameo.

Care to take a look at clips from MJ’s run with the Wizards?

I couldn’t care less if that entire memory were to be erased from our collective consciences forever.

It’s not just “His Airness.”

Virtually every sport has a rugged but aged champion who feels the need to come back from retirement and test his competitive drive long after his prime has past.

Football gave us Troy Aikman, whose number of super bowl rings is only surpassed by the number of concussions he suffered in his last two years of his career.

Tennis would be nothing in the states without Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras dueling against each other throughout the 90s.

But Pete went out after a thrilling U.S. Open victory in 2002 while Agassi plugged away for a few more years gaining nothing except a couple of scars from repeated cortisone injections for a bad hip and back.

What about America’s pastime?

Barry Bonds could have just quit at 37 home runs without all the steroids and he could have been in Cooperstown by now.

Instead he’s headed for a messy perjury trial.

So don’t you see, Lance?

We don’t want you to come back and possibly ruin an unfathomable run of seven tour wins in a row without defeat.

Your predecessor in U.S. Cycling Greg LeMond says you’re not so squeaky clean although we can find no evidence to the contrary.

As a matter of fact, we don’t want to find anything.

And we won’t, provided you gracefully give up on you comeback and return to your place as one of the most inspiring athletes of recent memory.

Lance, do yourself a favor and stay retired.

Sincerely,

A concerned cycling fan.