Lance Armstrong American Integrity

What a disappointment to find out yet another favored sports star isn’t what he claimed to be. Where is the inherent character of American integrity in today’s super status sports figures? Lance Armstrong repeated on several occasions that he had not taken performance-enhancing drugs. After numerous lawsuits and defamation suits, all settled in favor of Lance Armstrong, Lance decides to tell the truth. I felt a lump in my throat and my heart sank yet again.
The death of Nicole Simpson and Natalie Wood are tragic and suspicious. The Nicole Simpson case resulted in Orenthal James Simpson a football star I grew up with being defamed. Since found innocent of murder yet having committed other acts of violence. Finally, Barry Bonds, a large Oakland sports figure under disparity for alleged doping have left fans in a quagmire of disappointment and disbelief. Fans want to believe in these super heroes. Our children want to emulate these larger than life symbols of success. Is it all a lie? How do we tell our children that the persons who would have won were cheated?
Who would have been in these stars places if the truth had come forth as it should have in a timely manner? The big deal here is to the people who should have the recognition for being honest and playing fair, following all the rules even in the toughest of circumstances have been cheated. These honorable individuals have lost their deserved rewards, and time has passed so they may never be able to rise to the position they earned. Selfish single-minded sports athletes have forgotten the golden rule, sportsmanship. These human beings have trampled honesty and hard work. Faith and trust have been stolen from our society. The American name has been tarnished before other countries. This lack of integrity has cost our American Nation a hefty toll. How can it be repaid? This brings to mind Lou Gehrig. He stood and played even when he felt he was not the super star every one believed. He had the integrity to voluntarily take himself out of the game when he felt he could no longer do justice to his sport.
On May 2, 1939, Lou Gehrig's, iron man winning streak came to an end when he voluntarily took himself out of the lineup. Not long after, Gehrig retired from baseball. He returned to Yankee Stadium on July 4 of that year so that the team could hold a day in his honor. Standing on the field where he'd made so many memories and wearing his old uniform, Gehrig said goodbye to his fans with a short, tearful speech to the crowded ballpark. © 2013 A+E Networks. All rights reserved
http://www.biography.com/people/lou-gehrig-9308266?page=2
The NBC news online article by Vignesh Ramachandran, reported that, Jeff Schmidt a leg amputee completed the Iron man triathlon in Hawaii, November 30, 2012. He finished after nearly 18 hours on the course. He had struggled for more than ten years with physical and emotional battles that definitely place him in the hero category! Yet he is barely known. http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/30/15549270-amputees-18-hour-ord...
Many of these flawed figures have resorted to thug like activity to cover up their failure. This is the most discouraging aspect of those we look up to falling from our grace. When the integrity that is an inherent character of American prestige returns to our sporting figures we will once again be able to look up to American sports stars. Until then we will all be disappointed fans.