A GOOD DAY TO LIVE STRONG

A couple of months ago I'd posted about the doping scandal surrounding Lance Armstrong and the media pile-on.

I was torn then, because I'd given Armstrong the benefit of the doubt.

I was wrong-he did cheat.

While I certainly do not condone cheating, or even him lying about cheating, there was behavior Armstong exhibited that is even more deplorable.

And I'm not talking abouit him getting in between me and Sheryl Crow (although I really think I had a chance except for the fact that the closest I ever got to her was the lawn seats at Phoenix's Desert Sky Pavillion).

Lance Armstrong went after people who accused him of doping like a mad dog.

He has filed lawsuits for defamation of character and libel, been sued for behavior described as "systemic bullying and harassment," and earned a vicious reputation for going after people who went after him, to the point of  damaging the reputations of people who, as it turns out, were telling the TRUTH.

And last week, Armstrong went on Oprah to "confess."

No one goes to Oprah to confess. They go to Oprah to get all misty-eyed and act contrite and win back the approval of the people.

Lance, you are full of shinola.

I read an interesting post this morning from C'est La Vie discussing whether it was acceptable to support the Livestrong charity, or whether that was simple an attempt by Armstrong to buy himself some respect.

I do believe it is acceptable to separate Armstrong's deplorable behavior from his good behavior, and in fact, even if his involvement in Livestrong was a ploy, Livestrong does some good, so I think people should go on supporting the organization.

No one is all "good" or all "bad."

Well maybe Mother Theresa and Ghandi were all "good."

Maybe Hitler and Saddam Hussein were all "bad."

But Hitler liked dogs. And Saddam's children probably loved him.

Life is not black and white.

You had to know I was going to find a way to justify a Sheryl Crow picture in this post, right?

Sheryl Crow said that it would have been difficult for her ex-fiance, former cycling champion Lance Armstrong, to keep his doping secret any longer.

"I think that honesty is always the best bet and that the truth will set you free," Crow told ET's Nancy O'Dell. The musician told ET she only saw "bits and pieces" of Armstrong's confession interview with Oprah Winfrey. "To carry around a weight like that would be devastating in the long run."

Ms. Crow is right-the confession is a good start, assuming it is truly a confession and not a public relations ploy.

Armstrong has lost a lot.

Of all that he has lost, I believe his integrity is the most precious commodity.

With time, he may be able to win that back.

SAY OW!

The family of Junior Seau has sued the NFL, claiming the former linebacker's suicide was the result of brain disease caused by violent hits he sustained while playing football.

The wrongful death lawsuit, filed Wednesday in California Superior Court in San Diego, blames the NFL for its "acts or omissions" that hid the dangers of repetitive blows to the head. It says Seau developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) from those hits, and accuses the NFL of deliberately ignoring and concealing evidence of the risks associated with traumatic brain injuries.

Seau, a linebacker who played 20 seasons in the NFL and retired in 2009, died at age 43 of a self-inflicted gunshot in May. He was diagnosed with CTE, based on posthumous tests, earlier this month.

Helmet manufacturer Riddell Inc., also is being sued by the Seaus, who say Riddell was "negligent in their design, testing, assembly, manufacture, marketing, and engineering of the helmets" used by NFL players. The suit says the helmets were unreasonably dangerous and unsafe.

Plaintiffs are listed as Gina Seau, Junior's ex-wife; Junior's children Tyler, Sydney, Jake and Hunter, and Bette Hoffman, trustee of Seau's estate.

The lawsuit accuses the league of glorifying the violence in pro football, and creating the impression that delivering big hits "is a badge of courage which does not seriously threaten one's health."

It singles out NFL Films and some of its videos for promoting the brutality of the game.

"In 1993's 'NFL Rocks,' Junior Seau offered his opinion on the measure of a punishing hit: 'If I can feel some dizziness, I know that guy is feeling double (that),' " the suit says.

You know what is missing in the above text, which came from ESPN’s site? 

The fact that no one held a gun to Seau’s head to force him to make MILLIONS playing football.

In fact (let me apologize in advance for this one), the only one who held a gun to Seau’s head was SEAU!

I’m sorry-his death was certainly regrettable, and a tragedy for the family, but for them to act like the NFL was covering something up means that they are saying it was unforeseeable for them that all of those collisions and concussions might cause future problems.

Seau is not accountable for his choices-it's all the fault of the NFL, Riddell, and NFL Films for leading poor little choirboy Junior astray.

As far as I am concerned, the lawsuit makes the NFL's case by quoting the “NFL Rocks” video! 

Seau was PROUD of delivering those punishing hits! 

He REVELED in his "Say-Ow" nickname! 

He LOVED being on the weekly highlight reels!

If Gina Seau and Bette Hoffman truly believe that Junior Seau was a victim, they are stupid, and I do not think they are stupid.

I know that after a death, people reach out for someone to blame, and I am saddened for their loss.

But I would have had more respect for them if they would have reached out to the league to set up some sort of resource for former players.

The lawsuit claims money was behind the NFL's actions. 

Well, money is certainly behind the lawsuit, and that’s a fine footnote to the Junior Seau legacy

Sorry, but in my mind, the greedy bloodsucking leeches in this story are the millionaires who filed this lawsuit.