1. A quick note before we get started: Please send me any questions you have for this week's SI Media Mailbag. You can email them to jimmy.traina@si.com or send them via Twitter.
In 2012, Lance Armstrong was stripped of his cycling titles after an investigation found he used performance-enhancing drugs during his career.
“Using PEDs” is totally underselling what Armstrong did, The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) said Armstrong was the ringleader of “the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.”
Cut to 2023. Armstrong, who has a podcast to promote, recently interviewed Caitlyn Jenner to discuss trans athletes and fairness in sports.
The fact that Armstrong is concerned about fairness in sports didn’t sit well with many people. Before we get to that, let me just point out the absurdity of this tweet from the disgraced athlete.
Climb down from the high horse Matthew. I'm actually not lecturing anyone rather bringing all sides to the table and inviting rational and open dialogue. And I might add, having a conversation that almost nobody dares touch. If they stream podcasts up in your rarified air, check… https://t.co/QAcHASpG7o
— Lance Armstrong (@lancearmstrong) June 26, 2023
“Having a conversation that almost nobody dares touch.”
Right. Absolutely NOBODY is talking about trans athletes these days. You can’t find coverage of it anywhere. It’s not being discussed on cable news or social media or newspapers or websites at all these days.
While that tweet was just ridiculous, this tweet proved to be hilarious thanks to the addition of information from Twitter’s Community Notes.
Have we really come to a time and place where spirited debate is not only frowned upon, but feared? Where people’s greatest concern is being fired, shamed or cancelled? As someone all too familiar with this phenomenon, I feel I'm uniquely positioned to have these conversations. pic.twitter.com/De7xs3PUq3
— Lance Armstrong (@lancearmstrong) June 25, 2023
From there, Twitter users did their usual thing and lit into Armstrong for his unabashed hypocrisy. It wasn’t pretty, but it was definitely funny.
If Lance Armstrong actually believed people are pretending to be trans to cheat at sports, he would have tried it already
— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) June 25, 2023
lance armstrong actually hates unfairness in sport . google “lance armstrong doping” if you want to learn more https://t.co/necwpQ517g
— Hurt CoPain (@SaeedDiCaprio) June 25, 2023
Thank you Lance Armstrong it would be terrible if anyone used hormones to give themselves an unfair advantage in sports :( https://t.co/n8CkFhceLV
— Colby Gordon (@badinfinity2) June 25, 2023
Reminder: Lance Armstrong didn't just consistently cheat and lie and shit all over his sport for years and years and years. Lance Armstrong used the money that he cheated to get to viciously, vindictively destroy anyone who tried to expose him. He is a terrible human being. https://t.co/8rSZRgEHOo
— Eugene V. Belitsky 🇺🇦 (@Jhenya_Belitsky) June 26, 2023
“That was Lance Armstrong reporting on fairness in sport. Next up, we have Satan to discuss fire safety this summer.”
— Kirsty Webeck 🦈 (@KirstyWebeck) June 25, 2023
Lance Armstrong (specifically) taking to Twitter (specifically) to plug his podcast (specifically) looking at “both sides” (specifically) of ‘the debate’ around “fairness” (specifically) of trans athletes (specifically) is just about the most June 2023 shit I can imagine.
— Mike Rugnetta (@mikerugnetta) June 26, 2023
Lance Armstrong worrying about fairness in sports https://t.co/Fl024Hqsrw pic.twitter.com/kIMdXsNbaz
— Sosa (Not associated with Borna Sosa) (@xDMCAbreachP90) June 25, 2023
— Paul Fistinyourface (@PFistinyourface) June 27, 2023
Lance Armstrong pic.twitter.com/lDT3crLAcZ
— E.N 🇺🇸 (@EN45763313) June 25, 2023
2. It blows me away that even one person thought this was funny or original.
Big Papi had a special gift for The Captain's studio analyst debut...
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 24, 2023
A @derekjeter Red Sox jersey 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/Doy3UFAxmI
3. One of the most iconic moments in pro wrestling history took place 25 years ago when The Undertaker threw Mick Foley off the top of a Hell in a Cell cage. The two men recently sat down together to celebrate the anniversary by rewatching the match and offering commentary.
4. AppleTV+ will begin streaming Stephen Curry: Underrated, a documentary on the Warriors superstar, beginning July 21. It looks excellent based on the trailer, which was just released.
5. Time2Play.com recently conducted a study to see how far fans would go for their love of sports. Some highlights from the study:
• 1 in 5 would miss a family event like a wedding or birthday to catch an important game
• 42% would ditch a work meeting to watch their favorite team play
• 61% would plan their entire vacation around a sports game
• 1 in 5 fans would name their child or pet after their favorite team or player
• More than 1/3 would travel to another country to catch a big game
6. The latest SI Media With Jimmy Traina features a conversation with The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis about the latest sports media news, including Stephen A. Smith’s wild podcast, what’s going on with The Athletic, coverage of Zion Williamson’s off-the-court drama and much more.
Following Curtis, Sal Licata from WFAN radio and SNY TV in New York joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week, Sal goes in-depth on his huge promotion that will see him going from the overnight show to the 10 a.m.–2 p.m. show on WFAN, what the response has been like, whether he’ll still be able to do the “Traina Thoughts” segment every week and more.
You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify and Google.
You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on YouTube.
