Why You Should Support Livestrong Now More than Ever

To say that this week has been an eye opener on who Lance Armstrong really is would be putting it lightly. After explaining his logic, and the incredible amount of lies and deceit that he continued throughout his reign over the cycling world was damaging to not only Lance, but also the organization that he founded, Livestrong.

It is nearly impossible to find someone who hasn't had a friend or loved one affected by Cancer. Lance Armstrong's incredible story as a Cancer survivor who dominated the world of cycling in a way that no one had done before helped propel his career, and the exposure of his organization to new heights. However, over the past months, as more and more former teammates  and others associated with Armstrong came forward about his steroid use, the organization which he founded began distancing themselves him.

If I'm going to be totally honest, I don't care about Lance Armstrong. I've never watched a bike race, and I don't race bikes enough to appreciate how talented he must have been. I think it's important to note that before any of the allegations about Lance came out, no one saw a Livestrong bracelet and thought, "There's a Lance Armstrong Fan".

As part of my brother's wedding this summer, he got his wedding party all Livestrong bracelets. I haven't taken mine off since then to show support for the organization, and over the past couple days I've been getting a lot of "Are you still wearing that?!" from several people. I can definitely understand the statement, but I think now more than ever is the time to show that you support the organization, not the man who founded it.

I would encourage anyone that has gotten rid of their Livestrong bracelet, or is thinking about getting rid of it, to instead educate yourself more about what the organization does, and encourage others to get involved. There will definitely be a lot of fallout from their founders poor decisions, but let's not let it cripple the organization. When someone asks you, "Are you still wearing that?!", tell them what the organization told their supporters, "Livestrong isn't about one person. It's about millions of people facing cancer who need support as they battle the toughest battle of their lives".

Farewell Alexisonfire

I've thought about writing this for a long time, but never really knew what to say. Alexisonfire has been a constant between my group of friends for a over a decade now. It has outlived several relationships, hair dos, and fashion trends. They've been around from when I was fourteen to twenty five; those are some pretty fundamental years in your life, especially musically.

When I heard they were breaking up, it was more than a band breaking up. My first band was essentially formed to rip off Alexisonfire. After coming home from a show at a local high school that half my band went to see, they came back with a totally new perspective on music. These guys weren't superheroes, they were just like us. They gave it all on stage, and they cared about their fans. Everybody in this area has an Alexisonfire sighting as if they were Big Foot; I saw Dallas Green at a local 7/11 once and he turned down my offer to buy him a slushie, my friend Kevin saw the whole troop going through a Wendy's drive through.

I think that's the thing that I find so crazy about this break up. So many people I know have such a personal connection to the band. While they may have gotten a huge following, they never seemed to forget their roots. They have always seemed to stay one step ahead of the mainstream curve. Certainly not the heaviest, certainly not the poppiest, but always with a lot of heart. And yes, while I may not think Crisis is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I find it incredibly frustrating that their final EP, Dogs Blood, has been my favorite album for two years running.

You don't have to like Alexisonfire, or even like music to know what I'm talking about. For a hockey fan in the 80's it was seeing Gretzky get traded to the Kings. Football fans, can think of all 9 times Brett Favre has retired. Baseball fans can think of the feeling Boston fans must have had at the trade of Babe Ruth. We are talking some epic times here folks.

Getting a chance to see Alexisonfire one more time over the holidays, during the farewell tour, was like saying goodbye to an era in my life. A lot of the friends who grew up listening to them with me have like the band, have moved our separate ways. As the band said, it's not a funeral, but a celebration of an era. The end of one thing, can only mean the beginning of something new, so I hope the next era can top the last, cause it was a good one.

What kind of experience did you have in your life that has been similar?