by CAP » Sat Jan 19, 2013 1:59 pm
...And earns loads!
Well not enough to compensate for the $74 million outgoings, back to sponsors now that it's clear he's not fulfilled his part of their contracts, but at this stage every little bit helps, right? The consensus seems to be that Lance is just digging a deeper hole for himself by confessing to doping, since this is now an open admission of perjury, which under U.S. federal law is a jailable (or gaolable) offence. Okay, maybe only 18 months or so, but not exactly what Lance needs now, as he tries to build the image of regular family guy, at 41, looking to carve out a career for himself as a triathelete. Uh... what's wrong with this picture?
Yep - comes up short in the reality stakes. Not for the first time with Lance.
Apparently the idea was to plea-bargain with the Feds, in exchange for names in their own organisations involved in the conspiracy, he gets to remain a professional sportsman. See, it's not even just the ICC implicated in his corruption, it stretches back to U.S. sporting bodies. When you've got a mega-million dollar sponsor like U.S. Postal, you are up there on the top tier, dealing with government basically. All along Lance has maintained that the prosecution was politically motivated, and he's probably right. His mistake was pissing off someone in Washington, as well as in Europe. Hubris? - Texas style.
But playing both ends against the middle now, suggests others are getting squeezed. Lance has no doubt made discreet enquiries with former colleagues to see if they can help out with the repayments and all, and the replies were obviously a little disappointing. Hey it's a tough economy right now. So being the kind of resourceful guy we have come to know, he tries to trade in these very contacts with the other side, just to make ends meet. This is not something Bernie had to deal with. He's just doing the time, letting others get on with the crime. Lance wants others to do the time, and let him get back to the crime. Will the Feds play ball? Americans are crazy for this plea-bargain shit - you are only as guilty as your value as an informant. Only in America is the law negotiable, even before the courts. Basically everyone is above the law, unless they can't afford it.
The TV confession just rehearsed a few courtroom moves for Lance. He's not naming names until he knows he has a get-out clause. But since the bargain is being played out so publicly, will the Feds go along with it? Indications are no. Lance may well think he had nothing to lose by trying. But time will tell.