Lance Armstrong’s history of lying – ESPN

As expected all of Lance Armstrong’s boosters have reiterated being oblivious to his use of PEDs.  Armstrong definitely deserves the criticism he’s received since his public admission.  A group that has received far less scrutiny and criticism for their actions during Armstrong’s run are the sports reporters who covered Armstrong and who opted to look the other way.  Or as in the case of ESPN’s Rick Reilly, at times did Armstrong’s bidding for him:

Wrote it, said it, tweeted it: “He’s clean.” Put it in columns, said it on radio, said it on TV. Staked my reputation on it.”Never failed a drug test,” I’d always point out. “Most tested athlete in the world. Tested maybe 500 times. Never flunked one.”

via Lance Armstrong’s history of lying – ESPN.

Athletes have long been powerful and mesmerizing, but over the last two decades, many athletes have managed to turn the press into courtiers.  Rather than serving as truth seekers, writers of Reilly’s ilk have opted to instead to go along for a joy-ride with their idol du jour.