Lance has done it again. After battling cancer and everything else during his lifetime he has won a record 6th TourDeFrance. Does everyone agree that he is an American Hero?

Yes and one the best!

Our local paper had a editorial comic yesterday that showed Lance way ahead of a pack of bycylists. One of the t shirts on one of the riders read "too old" another read
"steroid scandals" and yet another read "Cancer"! He has defintely beaten the odds.

No grander scene than Lance carrying the American flag in his victory ride down the Champs Elysses. Take that, France!

Does everyone agree that he is an American Hero?
A hero? No. What did he save us from? Is he a survivor and great athlete? Yes. I prefer to save "hero status" for true feats of heroism.

I have to agree with Anon - I don't view him as a hero. That said, even though I don't particularly lump bicycling into the "sports" category, I should say I don't think I would ever consider any athlete a "hero" for his/her athletic achievements. Plus, I will open myself up to bashing with this, but the cynic in me believes that Mr. Armstrong has some scientific assistance in his triumphs.

Bash away, but why would you put Lance and his 6 titles in any different category that a number of "great" athletes who have achieved success (and multiple successes) only to be later indicted on using steroids or similar banned substances?

And by the way, I am not saying it is true that he has taken anything - I believe in innocent until proven gulity, but as I mentioned, this is the cynic in me writing, the same way I just know that someday they will tell us to pour gobs of butter on a potato to help reduce heart attack risk!

Regardless of the peripheral issues. The man is a great athlete, not a hero in my eyes. I tend to reserve the term hero for those that have done something heroic.

However, Merriam Webster seems to agree with the initial poster:

Main Entry: he·ro
Pronunciation: 'hir-(")O, 'hE-(")rO
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural heroes
Etymology: Latin heros, from Greek hErOs
1 a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage
2 a : the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work
b : the central figure in an event, period, or movement
3 plural usually heros : SUBMARINE 2
4 : an object of extreme admiration and devotion : IDOL

I just got back from visiting relatives in Austin, TX where Lance is from. There are plenty of Texans that don't like him too much because of his committing adultery. Apparently, their marriage was front page paper quite alot.
I think he is a great athlete, but wouldn't call him a hero.

Speaking of heros, what about this group?

The end of the Civil War was near
When quite accidentally,
A hero who sneezed abruptly seized
Retreat and reversed it to victory.

His medal of honor pleased and thrilled
his proud little family group.
While pinning it on some blood was spilled
And so it was planned he'd command F Troop.

Where Indian fights are colorful sights
and nobody takes a lickin'
Where pale face and redskin
Both turn chicken.

When killing and fighting get them down,
They know their morale can't droop.
As long as they all relax in town
Before they resume with a bang and a boom
F Troop.

RANT WARNING! I suppose those of you who don't consider bicycling a "sport" do consider NASCAR a sport? Or golf? How about billiards and darts? Or is it only a sport if you have teams and keep score like in baseball and football? That would mean track and field, or any other physically demanding exercise, where one individual tries to be better than other individuals aren't sports either.

OK, rant over. Oops, maybe not. Here is a mini rant about us "ugly Americans" as many Europeans see us.

One newspaper article had a Frenchman complimenting Lance, saying, "At least he had the decency to learn French". I mean, we go over to other countries for long periods of time, we should learn their language. Don't we get mad at people who move here and don't bother to learn English? By learning French, Lance showed that not all Americans feel they are above it all.

OK, NOW rant's over!

Rant away Nanwa, and I assume that your first rant was kind of at me since I definitely implied I don't feel bicycling is a sport. Everything you listed is a sport I guess. We could go on and on about the definition of what a sport is. I was just talking about my perception of a sport - I have no problem with people thinking bicycling is a sport - I think poker is a sport. My problem is more with Lance Armstrong. And being entitled to my opinion, I just think he is a phony - I do believe he has taken some sort of steroid, etc. Unfounded? - Definitely, but it's just how I feel. I also don't feel that it is fair for those who put him on a hero pedestal to lump his survival of Cancer in the equation. Could he serve as an inspiration to those battling cancer - certainly. But so can legions of people who fight and survive everyday. Most of us have someone in our family or close to us who have either lost or won the fight. My mom and dad are survivors and I am happy as hell they won the battle but that does not define who they are to me. I guess what I am saying is that there are lousy people in the world who have fought and won that battle too. Good or lousy, I wish for anyone stricken with cancer to win the battle, but it won't be what I see when I judge someone.

Hero? Yes. Athlete? One of the greatest in the world today.

Disagree strongly on both counts Jeremy, but that's what makes America great.

Not since he left his wife who supported him thru his trials and tribulations and left her for Cheryl Crow.

This next statement will not make me too many friends:

The word hero, it's been said on this thread, should be reserved for those doing courageous things, putting their lives on the line, etc. Our soldiers and sailors in Iraq being the prime example, I can only assume. Having lived around the military for the last 7 years, and especially during wartime, I can attest that a very large percentage of these heroes have cheated or cheat constantly on their spouse. Does that mean that they are no longer heroes?

Lance Armstrong is a hero. He faced death and beat it. Not only did he beat it, but he got better and better even through the ordeal. Taking that away because of his infidelity issues is a stretch. Yeah, he may have made some mistakes in one area of his life, but he still did all that he did, regardless. I'd like to hear his side of the story regarding his personal life. Maybe his wife was cheating on him while he was in the middle of his ordeal. We don't know that. Maybe she's really a raging ******.

Dave, you're a baseball fan and you don't consider Lance Armstrong an athlete? I'll guarantee you that the majority of the baseball players out there will say that he's a superior athlete to them. The physical accomplishments that his body is capable of far outweigh the physical abilities of a baseball player.....or racecar driver.....or jockey.....even many football players, etc.

Yes, this is my opinion and it's subject to bashing. So, feel free. I can play 9 inning of baseball, but I'd be hard pressed to ride a bike in the mountains for a couple hours at any kind of pace resembling even the worst finisher in the Tour de France.

Actually, Anon, she is the one who decided to end the marriage. She was not comfortable with the level of preparation and commitment it takes to be an elite athlete at that level. She thought he spent too much time in Europe training and preparing for the race.

Dave, I understand your concerns, but cannot disagree more. This guy has been tested, in competition and out, for the past 6 years. If he was cheating, he would surely have been caught by now.