Lance's legacy

Turns out Lance Armstrong used drugs. This obviously feeds the never ending discussion regarding PEDs and professional sports, but my thoughts don't turn there at all. Upon the first allegations of doping against Armstrong I immediately thought about his cameo in "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" and worried what might happen to a truly wonderful cameo in this all important movie of our times.

The scene takes place between Lance and Peter La Fleur (Vince Vaughn) who is quitting his dodgeball team moments before the championship match. Here is their exchange:

Lance Armstrong: Could I get a bottle of water. - - Hey, aren't you Peter La Fleur?
Peter La Fleur: Lance Armstrong!
Lance Armstrong: Yeah, that's me. But I'm a big fan of yours.
Peter La Fleur: Really?
Lance Armstrong: Yeah, I've been watching the dodgeball tournament on the Ocho. ESPN 8. I just can't get enough of it. But, good luck in the tournament. I'm really pulling for you against those jerks from Globo Gym. I think you better hurry up or you're gonna be late.
Peter La Fleur: Uh, actually I decided to quit... Lance.
Lance Armstrong: Quit? You know, once I was thinking about quitting when I was diagnosed with brain, lung and testicular cancer, all at the same time. But with the love and support of my friends and family, I got back on the bike and I won the Tour de France five times in a row. But I'm sure you have a good reason to quit. So what are you dying from that's keeping you from the finals?
Peter La Fleur: Right now it feels a little bit like... shame.
Lance Armstrong: Well, I guess if a person never quit when the going got tough, they wouldn't have anything to regret for the rest of their life. But good luck to you Peter. I'm sure this decision won't haunt you forever. 

Hmmm, in the light of his drug use these words may be seen as less inspirational now, but is it still funny? After all, this was one of my favorite parts of the movie. I say yes, but perhaps less so. Maybe we need an asterisk indicating that this was indeed very funny, but now slightly tarnished? A friend has reassured me that not even Lance Armstrong can ruin "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story". No, no one can take that away from us. Fortunately Lance also appeared in some Dick's Sporting Goods commercials and I think with or without a history of PEDs these stand the test of time:

There were some others, but really this is the best one. See its probably not as important that it is Lance Armstrong saying those things here as it was in his cameo. It could have been any crazy health nut and still be funny whereas any crazy health nut could not have pulled off that cameo. Of course he's got nothing on Jimmy Rollins who so far has proven to be PED free:

So there's a new (and possibly the best) reason for athletes to stay drug free; so all their cameos and appearances in movies, commercials and TV shows can remain uncontroversial and funny. It is good that from all the lies and deception we could come out of this having learned a valuable lesson.