Bad Time to be an Armstrong

Generic photo of Lance not looking pleased

This article is totally about Lance Armstrong, but hey, I can’t write this article and not mention that a few days later, an even more famous Armstrong in the great Neil Armstrong passed away. I certainly don’t think there was any performance enhancing drug scandal about the moon landing though.

I deliberately waited a while before writing about the Lance Armstrong case, partly so some of the dust could settle, but also because I figured and still think this story isn’t over yet. Yes he has officially been stripped of his titles and says he is done fighting the charges, but I still think you’ll hear the occasional comment from him in the media and you’ll also get new information from others coming out every once in a while.

Overall, public opinion on this one seems to be divided. Most people I’ve spoken to or read their thoughts seem to think Lance is guilty. Others think he is either innocent or that they didn’t get anywhere near close enough to proof to take this sort of action. As usual, I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle. I do think Lance most likely was doping, however I think he was doping only as much as literally every other guy in the race was. Also I do have some concerns about the unusual way in which this decision was reached.

Normally when someone gets banned for doping, it’s simply a matter of failing a drug test, testing the B sample to confirm and then taking the appropriate action. This situation on the other hand came from testimony in court from witnesses and blood tests that whilst not proving he was on drugs, imply that he may have been taking EPO. If that sounds confusing, it is because it is. The best source I’ve found to explain the situation is this piece from Deadspin.

Whilst the testimony of some of Lance’s former teammates doesn’t really carry much value with me because it’s obvious why these people may have been willing to cut a deal, there is one man whose testimony certainly stands out. George Hincapie, at least in my opinion, had nothing to gain by lying to cut a deal. The guy is by all accounts one of Armstrong’s closest friends in cycling, even after his testimony, he was retiring anyway so a reduced sentence on his own doping ban was irrelevant and most importantly he didn’t have to testify that he was doping at all. No one was coming after George Hincapie and he is one of the most respected guys in the sport, yet he chose to testify that he was cheating along with Armstrong. The only options in my mind as to why this would occur is that he took being under oath seriously and wasn’t going to lie, or he was bribed or something else sinister. Of course I don’t believe he was bribed, so I’m going with the former.

If I had to believe one conspiracy theory in all this mess, it’s probably the long standing rumour that Armstrong did in fact fail drug tests in 2001, but they were covered up by the UCI because it would destroy the sport. However, obviously those are just rumours and I can’t use that as complete justification for what has happened now.

I still have concerns about the precedent that has been set by this situation. Regardless of whether I personally think Armstrong is guilty, it should take a serious amount of proof to get to the stage where you strip him of his titles. I know the stakes aren’t the same, but if Casey Anthony is found not guilty because there wasn’t enough proof, you’d think it might be similar in this case, but I guess USADA disagrees.

That’s why I don’t think Armstrong should have had the titles stripped, I just would put an * next to them. Much like Barry Bonds’ home run record and other controversial drug scandals, there isn’t the proof to wipe it from the books, but I think we can all agree it was very fishy. Most importantly, I don’t want the titles given to the guys who came second. Much like giving the 1988 Men’s 100m sprint gold to Carl Lewis, giving titles to guys like Jan Ullrich and others who were either definitely doping or allegedly doping doesn’t sit right with me. Let those years be blank and let’s just move on.

I would like to think these sorts of scandals are going to become a thing of the past as testing improves, however that is probably somewhat naive, as newer and sneakier drugs are always coming out and some athletes are always going to look for that edge. But as long as they get caught at the time, the sport should be able to maintain some level of integrity.

Are You OK?

Depression can hit us all

I know this is a sports blog and normally the topic I write about is something that whilst we consider it important as sports fans, at the end of the day they really are just games. Now of course the results of our favourite sports teams impact our mood and even can impact the mood of an entire community, city or country and thus can become quite important beyond just the game. At the end of the day however, sport, along with the arts, is something that is supposed to enrich our lives without being the be all and end all. It’s the cherry on top of the sundae rather than the sundae itself.

I write this today after another famous person took their own life in film director Tony Scott. It has nothing to do with sport but it’s a topic that is very close to my heart and I felt compelled to write about it. I also really hope you not only read this, but also pass it on to others to read and not just so I can get my reader stats up, but because this one is important.

To people I meet in the real world, I make no secret of my own battles with mental health issues, namely depression, anxiety and mild OCD. It’s something that I knew I had for many years, but only at rock bottom did I admit it to my family and finally seek the help I should have been getting since I was around 14. The reason it took so long for me to reach out and admit I had a problem was because I, like many other people out there (especially men), felt like I was simply being weak and that these sorts of things are just part of life we all deal with and to man up and get over it.

Because we can’t read the minds and feelings of everyone else, we don’t actually know that the way we feel is not how we are supposed to feel. There is no “control group” to compare ourselves to because we only know what we feel. But then, even once we realise that perhaps we have a problem, too many of us don’t give mental health the respect it deserves compared to more physical illnesses.

The idea that we just need to “toughen up and get on with it” is still very prevalent in society, even with the increased understanding we have of the seriousness of mental illness. But the key word in the previous sentence is the word illness... as it’s exactly what it is. When we are sick, we go to the doctor and no one ever questions that, but when someone feels mentally ill there is still a stigma around seeing a doctor for that. This is a huge problem. Mental illness is not only a legitimate medical condition, but it’s also one that is very difficult to cure and can take years to fix, or even manage.

I personally am still on a journey to improve my own condition, but I am thankfully in a much better place than I was when I first sought help. Unfortunately, there are too many people still stuck where I was years ago, trapped inside their own mind and too afraid or ashamed to get the help required.

It’s amazing how many people open up to me and admit their own mental health issues once I share mine first. There are so many people out there desperate to talk to someone, even if it’s just to get something off their chest, but they won’t do it without some help first.

I am so lucky I never quite got to the place where I actually attempted suicide, but I admit I certainly was close to that point. I am also lucky to have an amazing family and group of friends who have supported me through my own battles and journey. Many people aren’t as fortunate as I am in terms of their support system and also financially to get the help required. But that doesn’t mean they can’t get help or improve their situation. Sometimes all it takes really is asking if someone is ok.

So please, if you yourself are struggling with mental health issues or you think you know someone who might be, take a step in the right direction, even if it’s a baby step. Ask someone for help/ask if they are ok.

There are some great initiatives out there like R U Ok?Day and all the great things beyondblue do. There are others as well. But it still comes back to us to improve ourselves and improve the way society views these things.

I hope it won’t be long before the stigma around mental illness is gone forever, but until then all I can do is my best to get the message out there and talk to anyone I can who needs me.

If you would like to contact me personally and are not a Facebook friend/don’t have my number, you can email me at danielcousens@gmail.com.

Take care out there. I hope you’re ok.

So Now What?

My greatest idea to date

The Olympics are finally over and I’m mostly upset about that, however the part of me requiring sleep is ecstatic. At least Australia found a modicum of respectability in terms of the medal tally towards the end, however let’s not hide the fact that seven gold medals is nowhere near our recent Olympic results and lower than what was reasonably expected.

Now the questions will begin around government funding and all sorts of other blame game tactics. I do hope some sort of review takes place that can get Australia back on track in elite sport, both through increased spending, but also more efficient use of current spending. Anyway, I can’t pretend to know exactly how to fix these issues outside of throwing money at it, so I’ll mostly leave that to the real experts on it.

Much more important than that is how I would improve the Olympics overall. Yes I know the Olympics are awesome, but there are some events I would get rid of and a few I would bring in. I’d love to get your thoughts on what you would change about the Olympics too in the comments.

Firstly what I would get rid of:

Dressage – If you aren’t sure what dressage is, I’ll tell you in two words. Horse dancing. Basically, it is one of the three equestrian events and whilst the other two events are fine, show jumping and cross country, the dressage is something I just cannot support being in the games, no matter how traditional it is. I have a bit of an issue with judged sports in general, but at least some of them make some sense and have their place in the games, but I don’t want human dancing in the Olympics let alone a human getting a horse to do it. Maybe if someone gets the horse to stand up and do a moonwalk or line dance we can talk, but until then, there is no way in my mind this “sport” belongs in the Games. Besides, the horse is the one dancing so they should be the ones getting the medal.

Synchronised Swimming and Rhythmic Gymnastics – I’m grouping these two together as I have similar issues with them. Whilst both events are admirable as entertaining feats and require skills and athleticism and such, they are performance art more than they are sport. At least in artistic gymnastics and diving you are required to perform specific dives which can then be compared to everyone else’s. In rhythmic gymnastics you basically do whatever routine you want with the ball or hoop and then the judges vote like it’s a Rock Eisteddfod. Again, if you are buying tickets to a Cirque du Soleil then it’s fine, but this is the Olympics and they don’t belong. Hell, the individual synchronised swimming isn’t even synchronised because there is only one person.

Race Walking – OK so this one is at least a race and in some ways is similar to the marathon. Also, to prove there is no bias towards keeping events Australia are good at, we are most certainly good at this one (actually we go alright in dressage too). But I have never been able to see the point of a sport where you are racing but only if you are walking and you are penalised as soon as you accidentally break into a jog for even one step. Fans of the sport might say it’s like how swimming doesn’t just have freestyle but also slower strokes like breaststroke, however to me it’s like having a swimming race for doggy paddle. I’m very happy for Jared Tallent winning silver and yet another Olympic medal, but if I had my way the sport wouldn’t be there in the first place.

On The Bubble – There are a few sports which in this hypothetical I am not yet getting rid of, however they are ones that I certainly thought about removing. Tennis for example, whilst obviously a real sport, I have issues with it in the Olympics because the athletes often don’t consider it to be that important compared to the Grand Slams. Modern Pentathlon is a weird event but kind of cool, however very few countries take it seriously anymore and thus there is talk it’s being removed in real life. Although I’d be fascinated in knowing how one becomes interested in becoming a pentathlete, as it’s such a bizarre combination of sports now that we don’t fight wars like it is 1896.

What I would bring in:

Jousting – Yes you read that correctly. The first sport I would bring into the Olympics is jousting, like a modern day version of that Heath Ledger movie. Yes, it does still exist as a sport and has even been covered by ESPN. Also you cannot possibly sit there reading this and not be thinking that you would watch every single minute of Olympic jousting. I honestly see no downside to this, as they already have these tournaments but just not at Olympic level. Let’s get these awesome humans into the biggest sporting event in the World please.

Mixed Martial Arts – This one would be difficult to actually get done as I’m sure the professional associations like the UFC would not let their contracted fighters risk injury in a two week tournament that wasn’t even part of their company. Also many top fighters might not be willing to risk the injury either. Thus this might have to be done as an amateur sport in the same way boxing is. I admit that takes much of the fun out of it, but I still like the idea of it in the Olympics.

We already have judo, tae kwon do and wrestling in the Olympics and they are all elements of MMA, however actually putting people from different backgrounds and really seeing who the best all-round fighter is at each weight division makes sense to me. With how MMA has begun to overtake boxing as the biggest fight sport in the world already, I think it’s time it gets to be showcased at the Olympics. It also allows people from other fighting backgrounds to compete in the Olympics, such as jiu-jitsu or Muay Thai practitioners. If the pros were allowed to compete, it would also create the opportunity for fights we can’t see due to promotional conflicts actually occur. Examples of this would be Gilbert Melendez (Strikeforce champion) vs. Benson Henderson (UFC champion) in the lightweight division or Daniel Cormier (Strikeforce) vs. Junior Dos Santos (UFC) in the heavyweights.

Motor Sport – OK this is one idea that I haven’t quite been able to flesh out properly yet. Motor Sports are some of the biggest in the world and many countries take them very seriously and thus I feel like there is a place for at least one of them in the Olympics. However, I also see numerous problems actually making this happen. Partly in terms of deciding which sport to put in but mostly in terms of making it work at an amateur event. Motor Sport is usually about funding and building the best car/bike, not just having the best driver/rider. At the Olympics it would have to be the same equipment across the board. The A1 Grand Prix did try and pull this off outside of the Olympics, but something about that event didn’t do much for me and then it died. We might have to come back to this one another time.

I’d also consider bringing in one of the following sports which are often considered games more than they are legitimate sports: Ten pin bowling, darts, pool or snooker and finally poker*. I definitely wouldn’t bring them all in, but I honestly think given how big all these sports are and the fact they all have international TV coverage, you can make a legitimate case that they have as much right to be in the Games as table tennis does. So I feel like they should all get a chance to pitch to the IOC, with one of them getting in for Rio. I just wish they’d bring in air hockey, as I’d finally have a chance to represent my country.

*Obviously there wouldn’t be real money at stake in poker; everyone who qualified would be given the same amount of chips in a non-cash tournament. It may however lead to people playing overly aggressive and hoping for the best as they have less to lose.

OK so this article is getting way too long and I’ve given you my ideas, now I want to hear yours.

Thank You For Being a Friend

Sally Pearson and Anna Meares.... Wait... That's not right

So this blog is in some ways a sequel to my previous blog about losing. Finally we have tasted some success with three gold medals in only two days. I’ll certainly say this for losing... it makes winning taste that much better when it finally arrives. This is where I should make some sort of Rabbitohs comment, but I’m too superstitious to predict anything so I’ll shut up about that right now.

First Tom Slingsby did what he was originally expected to do in Beijing, by dominating the Laser class sailing regatta and winning gold comfortably. He was dominant throughout the series and he helped ease the collective pressure and anxiety the entire nation was feeling, even if 99% of the country hadn’t heard his name until about an hour before he officially won the event, or even the next day.

In fact, Australia is not done in the sailing as we have teams who are in front/favoured to win three other categories. The Men’s 49er class literally just need to show up and start their final race to claim gold, the Men’s 470 class are in front, but those dastardly Brits are not too far behind so they will have to earn it by sticking with the Brits in the final race, much like Slingsby did with his Cypriot challenger to win his. We also went undefeated during the round robin stage of the Women’s 6m Elliott class, although that event works differently to the others, so they are now in a quarter final battle against the Dutch and you never know what could happen there.

Meanwhile, whilst the sailing is great, the real story is the success of our very own Golden Girls. Sally Pearson and Anna Meares have been high profile athletes for years and carried not only the burden of expectation they knew they would have, but also the increased pressure of needing to make up for the nation’s poor showing to date.

If Anna had lost to her arch-rival Victoria Pendleton again, everyone would be disappointed by understand as Pendleton has been the best in that field for so long, but to finally get one up over her great rival with the entire country needing her to do it, took super human balls to go along with her super human thighs.

Sally on the other hand, I can’t even begin to imagine the pressure on her going into her final. Many people had simply assumed she’d win gold and that would be that. But Sally was facing several worthy opponents, as well as the fact that hurdles is one of those sports where it can all go wrong very quickly and out of nowhere. No hurdles race is ever guaranteed, as the tiniest clip of a hurdle and you are put off for the entire race and you don’t even need to fall over. But knowing the stakes, knowing how close she came four years earlier, knowing the pressure and expectation she carried, she went out there and ran an Olympic record to win by the barest of margins. If Anna Meares has super human balls, then Sally Pearson must possess Vince McMahon’s legendary grapefruits.

Now the two of them can fight over who gets to carry the flag at the closing ceremony.

So where to now for the Aussies?

Firstly I’d say the remaining Australian contenders should be able to relax just a little as whilst 4 gold medals isn’t great, we should add those sailing golds and the pressure to come through will subside, if only the slightest bit. Plus, I would imagine it would be very inspiring to the remaining athletes to see what Anna and Sally accomplished.

The best case scenario I can fathom now would be somehow getting to 10 gold medals. That would require winning the three sailing events, the men’s hockey and another couple of events such as the BMX events, the open water swimming, equestrian, maybe Steve Hooker finds form at the right time or perhaps the Opals find a way past the Americans in their semi final. More realistically I think we can get to eight, which is two-thirds of what I predicted before the Olympics and considering how dire things looked a few days ago, it isn’t the worst result.

Not getting to double digits would hurt, but we have certainly uncovered some stars of the future such as Jessica Fox and Vaucluse’s own Steve Solomon.

When you think about it, it would be quite amazing to get to eight when we will have won a total of two gold medals from the three sports that usually are our bread and butter in swimming, cycling and rowing. If those three sports alone get their act together going into Rio, we should be fine. Although that is a massive ‘if’.

But, if nothing else, it won’t be so hard to watch the rest of these Olympics after we finally got that sweet, sweet taste of victory.

News Flash: Losing isn’t fun

We're all watching... and taking photos on iPads

Ok so I know I’m not breaking any new ground by declaring that no one likes losing. But the thing is that how much losing sucks relates to the context of the loss itself. One example of this is Bill Simmons’ Levels of Losing, but that’s not specifically what I’m talking about here.

What I’m talking about is differences between losing at an event like the Olympics and losing, for example, a footy game.

When your team loses a footy game or whatever sport you hold dear, of course it sucks and you’d much prefer to win, but in context it’s usually not that hard to swallow. If you follow a team doing well and they drop a game or too, well it’s a long season and no one goes undefeated (usually). If you follow a team that sucks, well at least they are developing young players, implementing a new culture, whatever the guys running the club are telling you they are doing to keep you going while they suck. Plus if you don’t win the championship, there is always next year and the year after that and the year after that.

The Olympics is very different. First and foremost, it’s every four years. Yes there is the Winter Olympics too, but most countries seem to be more into one than the other. So it’s easy to explain why there is so much interest and excitement and pressure on each event when there isn’t a next year. It’s not just the athletes who have to wait that long for their next opportunity; it’s all the fans watching too.

See the thing with the Olympics is that for fans, unless you are Chinese, it’s 99.9% losing. In most events, even if your country has someone who qualified, they are just making up the numbers or maybe making the final and having a very respectable finish, but not really contending for gold. Sometimes I find it easiest and more fun to watch events Australia didn’t even qualify for, like most weightlifting weight divisions, so I can simply enjoy watching the competition and not really feel any tension or pressure about the result.

Now that 99.9% losing is expected due to the amount of events in the Olympics and for a country like Australia we don’t mind it as long as every once in a while we do get that sweet taste of victory. Eventually you become accustomed to a certain level of success, so no one expects Australia to compete with the Chinese or Americans on the medal tally, but certainly to finish top 10 and push for top 5. So when the Olympics turns out the way it has so far, things go ugly very quickly.

Without those semi-regular victories to enjoy between watching the guys and girls in green and gold come last or simply out of the running, it becomes difficult to continue to cheer on the entire Olympic team.

See the dirty secret about sport, even individual sports, is that fans don’t really care about the athlete themselves for the most part. Especially in sports you aren’t living and dying with each week like you would for your football team. What fans are supporting is what the athlete represents, be it the local team or the entire country. James Magnussen isn’t being supported by the nation because he is James Magnussen, he is being supported because he is the Australian representative in the 100m freestyle (and maybe in his case because he is good looking). When he showed over the past couple of years that he was the best in the World at that event, it built up the hopes of a nation that he would be one of those few and far between tastes of victory. That’s why some of the comments I have seen about James and other Aussie athletes who didn’t win don’t surprise me.

On the scoreboard there is no difference between Magnussen winning silver and someone like young Jessica Fox winning silver in the canoeing, but it’s all about the expectation built up over months or years prior. Fans don’t really have a right to expect anything, but it is human nature that they will. So we celebrate an unexpected silver medal in one sense and get disappointed by “winning” an unexpected silver in another.

For me personally, I would celebrate if the Australian Boomers won a bronze medal more than I would celebrate any gold medal we could win in everything else.

Is it fair on the athletes who prove they should be considered the favourite to win gold that we malign them if they don’t, whilst we celebrate others overachieving to the same result? Of course it isn’t. So I really hope James Magnussen and others don’t feel betrayed by their own country, but fans are selfish and it’s not something I see changing any time soon.

Now if only we could actually win something sometime soon, we’d all feel a little bit better.

Go Australia.