Lance Armstong - Sportsman of the Year

Sports Illustrated ^ | December 16, 2002 | Rick Reilly

[Weimdog]

Lance Armstrong is more than a bicyclist now, more than an athlete. He’s become a kind of hope machine. About 300 pieces of mail find their way to him each week. They come from people who are suddenly pale-yellow versions of themselves, half gone from chemo, scared to die. They read his book, plug into his story, let him block the wind. They see a man who once sat around the same chemo rooms as theirs breaking tapes on the tops of Alps. He welcomes it. He wants to lead them. He calls it "the obligation of the cured." And every time he rides, he feels like they ride with him.

[Weimdog]

Lance Armstrong and The Lance Armstrong Foundation -

http://www.lancearmstrong.com/

[APBaer]

Here's a peice of "mail" for him.
Where the Hell does the money losing, postage raising, inefficient US Post Office get off paying hin $5 million to sponsor this activity.

[Cicero]

Good pick.

[CrossCheck]

In my humble opinion, Lance Armstrong is the the best, most courageous athlete of the past decade or so. I don't know if Sports Illustrated has honored him previously, but if they haven't, shame on them.

[concentric circles]

Thought you might be interested. Christmas time in Austin.

[Drango]

Men in Blue ping

[Minn]

Here's a peice of "mail" for him. Where the Hell does the money losing, postage raising, inefficient US Post Office get off paying hin $5 million to sponsor this activity.

And here's a question for you: When did you become such a bitter, small person?

[Ben Chad]

Plano Pacers bump

[isthisnickcool]

Where the Hell does the money losing, postage raising, inefficient US Post Office get off paying him $5 million to sponsor this activity.

Compared to the huge amounts wasted on silly ass sports stadiums around the country so very few people can watch football or basketball games 5 million bucks is nothing.

[EmmaPeel]

A Lance Bump from Austin....

[APBaer]

"When did you become such a bitter, small person?"

When I have to pay 37 cents for a stamp,
but I will be a sweet, large person on receipt 0f $5 milliion to pursue my hobbies, sport.

[clooney4824]

Postal rates are very small in the good ole USA.Just go to Europe and see what you would pay.Who cares who the sponser is?? Lance is a great human being and deserves all the accolades given to him.

[Cagey]

Thanks for the ping, CC's.

When LeMond won the same title in 1989, American sports writers were stunned. They wondered aloud how someone who rode a bicycle could be compared with such great athletes as baseball players, boxers, soccer players, golfers, and even bowlers! LeMond really broke the ice and for that Armstrong is grateful. He's earned it.

[dd5339]

Lance Armstrong Ping!

Semper Fi

[anymouse]

LeMond and Armstrong are great American sports heroes, not just for their unprecedented acheivements, but that they came back to championship fitness after a near-death major injury/illness. Both exhibited a humility on and off the (field) that is rare in professional sports. Kudos to Lance, who lets the World know what a real Texan is like.

[Coop]

People like you never cease to amaze me. A story of such inspiration and hope, and all you can do is whine.

[Dante3]

Not only is the postage rate going up but the service is going down. There was a time when mail was delivered twice a day and to homes. My daugher lives in a townhouse in town, yet has to walk two blocks to pick up her mail from a slew of boxes. I keep getting other peoples mail.

I agree that the five million should be going to improving service. As for Armstrong, I hardly know anything about him. All I know is that his sport (not he) has had more than its share of scandals.

[APBaer]

Thank you.
Amazing at all the "conservative" posters here who are happy to fork over *OUR* $ 5 million. It must be the spinning wheels that gets them, and as to shiney objects,.... well we better not even go there.

[Cagey]

Amazing at all the "conservative" posters here who are happy to fork over *OUR* $ 5 million.

Actually it's only *OUR* money if you purchased product or services from the USPS. Unlike taxes, you're not forced to pay. They don't use tax money and are supported by revenue they generate and this policy was established in 1970.

I think they've gotten a pretty good return on the 5 million invested in sponsoring Armstrong.

[Cagey]

I should add that once you purchase goods and services it is no longer *YOUR* money, but theirs. You got what you paid for.

Is the USPS a monopoly? I'd have to say they are, but that's quickly changing with the advent of electronic mail and banking. But, UPS and Fed-Ex have giving them a heck of a run for package business and that is the area where the USPS has had to advertise.