diverkb, i think you're missing the point. this is not a trial. it is speculation. it is what people do.
we all make conclusions about the world based on the information we have. much of that information is circumstantial. it would not be enough to convict somone and i would certainly hope that a decision on armstrong's future would be based on something more than circumstantial evidence.
however, we are not deciding his fate. we are deciding -- for ourselves -- if he lives up to the superman-boyscout image promoted by his marketing and pr department. i have enough information to reasonably conclude that he does not, and that the image is a sham [just as all manufactured media images are].
he is clean like britney spears before her image change was a virgin saint. i did not personally inspect her hymen, and i do not know anyone who did and published the results, but the context and circumstance certainly indicated that her image was bogus.
i want you to understand something: i do not have anything against armstrong personally. i have never met the man and, from what i can tell from his interviews, he seems to be someone i could probably respect at a personal level. professionally, i admire his accomplishments. however, i find the puiblic image and -- more than that -- the cult of personality around him to be offensive.
the image and the cult are bs. i hate bs.