Much Ado ... Dopey Cyclists (Part 4)

(Preface: I have gone back and forth on this as to how Much Ado it is.  It is news worthy but ...)

What Lance Armstrong did was wrong.  Not just the doping but the lying and apparently the bullying of the other cyclists who apparently haven't the spine to stand on their own two wheels. That said, to hear the press it is as if he betrayed them personally.  Is it because so many of the press could not get enough of him and his cancer story?  Is it because they wanted to believe him despite all the evidence to the contrary?  Is it because they got caught not doing their job? Is it because they can now make much ado?

(from http://www.allvoices.com/cartoons/c/95024930-doping-scandals)

Let me try and put this into perspective.  The seven yellow jerseys taken or vacated from Armstrong have not been awarded to any other cyclists.  Why? Because the sport is so tainted at the top, the cycling association cannot find any others who actually haven't also been accused or convicted of doping.  Why is this not a much larger sports scandal than just Armstrong?  Not one of the winners of major cycling events in the last ten years have been without a doping violation.  If everyone really was doing it then did Armstrong really have an advantage?  I know.  I know.  If everyone else is doing it doesn't make it right.  The point is the sport has a problem.

I also know that many kids look up to these athletes as examples, but do you really think there are that many aspiring Lance Armstrongs who haven't also heard how wrong his actions were?  You see, while they may have admired him, most are also going to be aware of the price he has paid and may end up paying the law suits that are now coming down.

Another point I would like to make is effect on the sport.  All are acting as if the Tour de France and cycling is one of the big sports.  This may be true in some circles, but let me ask you a question or two.  Without looking it up on the internet, who else has won the Tour?  Can you name tow other famous cyclist?  Can you name one other winning American cyclist?  Now name two quarterbacks or famous basketball players.  Name two professional wrestlers.  The last are not so difficult to do.  I can do the latter parts, and I'm not even a sports fan.  Cycling is not a premier sport and Armstrong has also done a lot of good.  What he did? Wrong.  His behavior surrounding it? Also, wrong. The actual cost to him may ultimately be a law suit involving 100 million dollars. There was also a cost to those who he "bullied."

While this is certainly more of a scandal than some of the things the news spends its time on my question is exactly how long do we need to spend on it?  The press's massive coverage of it, including a three hour interview on Oprah's OWN,  as if it were an earth shattering, sports altering event? Much Ado...