LiveStrong for life

I believe in Armstrong.         I believe in the LiveStrong brand. I believed that Lance Armstrong was innocent.  Up until the exclusive interview with Oprah Winfrey, I could not be convinced that Armstrong was guilty of taking performance enhancing drugs.  
During the interview, Armstrong admitted, among other things, that he had taken Human Growth Hormone, Testosterone and Cortisone.  Additionally, Armstrong admitted to blood doping.  Blood doping was explained as a sophisticated way of using blood transfusions to put banned substances into the blood stream. I was in complete disbelief of Armstrong's confessions. I, like many others, had placed an enormous amount of pressure on the super-athlete, seven-time Tour De France winning, cancer surviving man named Lance Armstrong.
Armstrong fed this super-ego which was multiplied by the media. He denied accusations of banned substance abuse for more than a decade.  He embarrassed his accusers and pursuers with verbal insults, profanity and law suits. Armstrong said he felt "invincible." Now, Armstrong has a much different approach.  "I am no longer in the business of calling people liars," Armstrong said during the interview. Armstrong said he owes apologies to many including Emma O'Reilly (team massage therapist and assistant), David Walsh (journalist), Frankie and Betsy Andreu (team member and his wife), Tyler Hamilton (team member) and Floyd Landis (team member). Is a verbal apology enough to reconcile these relationships? I think not.
On the other hand, what more can Armstrong do? He has been stripped of his seven wins and his ability to compete in any sanctioned sport.  He has stepped down from his foundation.  Armstrong has admitted he has a serious character flaw. He has apologized to his supporters. He said he is committed to a scheduled therapy regime. He said he is dedicated to the "process" of recovery and re-gaining the trust of the American public.
Armstrong said one of the most humbling moments was when he told his 13-year-old-son not to defend him anymore. During this part of the interview, Armstrong showed the most humility. I think his willingness to share that vulnerable moment will benefit his perception with the media and public.
Since the controversy, the media have portrayed Armstrong like a villain. I think some backlash is to be expected, but the media seem fixed with disappointment. The media have unrealistic expectations of Armstrong. After all, he is a man. I believe that he has taken the necessary recourse to address his mistakes.
I will still wear a LiveStrong band.