NIKE .... THE BIGGEST CHEATER OF ALL .....

REALLY?  REEALLLYYY?????

Nike.....  Big mistake.  Huge.

I'm not an active member of LIVESTRONG.  There is only one reason for that...... time.

There are only 24 hours in a day.  I need to sleep, I need to eat, I need to maintain some semblance of household order.  I have obligations, for lack of a far more acceptable word, to my loved ones.  I try to pursue my passions, I overextend myself.

At the AACR meeting, I confessed that I had a public life, a private life and a secret life.  While that all sounds very mysterious or exotic, I was merely trying to differentiate between 3D and 2D worlds.  This: the blog, twitter, social media, is my secret life.  It's not because I choose to keep it a secret, it just because people either get it.  Or not.  And if not, I'd rather not waste my energy trying to explain the power of this energy.

It's not easy juggling three lives with a chemobrain.  It can be exhausting and it can certainly get confusing.  Which brings me back to LIVESTRONG.

Make absolutely no mistake about it.  LIVESTRONG is not Lance Armstrong.  Although the organization will most likely always be linked with him in our minds, it's so extraordinarily far beyond the vision of one man.

I'm not expressing an opinion on what Lance did.  It's not up to me to sit in judgement of another human being for his transgressions.  He did what he did.  He will undoubtedly deal with the fallout for the rest of his life.

Here's the thing.  That foundation exists for the benefit of cancer patients.  All cancers.  All patients.  Nike has been a foundation partner since its inception.  Their support has provided over $100 million since 2004 thus enabling LIVESTRONG to provide direct services to help those of us who are living with a cancer diagnosis.  In treatment, beyond treatment, seeking treatment.... the list is all encompassing and Nike's announcement that they are severing ties to the foundation is a really lousy thing to do to the 14 million Americans that are faced with the challenges that accompany a life touched by cancer.

LIVESTRONG was gracious in its written announcement.  Nike, however, sucks.

The sticking point?  The one thing Nike will not tolerate?

Cheating.

OK, got it.

Wait.... Nike already pulled all of Lance's endorsements.  Lance cheated.  By his own admission.

Now they are potentially harming a substantial number of people that are helped every single day by LIVESTRONG programs.  Those people didn't cheat.  If anything, they've been cheated by virtue of a disease that steals so much from too many.

Riddle me this, Nike.  How did Michael Vick manage to find his way back into your good graces after spending nearly two years in jail?  And killing some dogs.

And cheating?

Let's talk about cheating......

How is Tiger Woods the recipient of a NEW $100 million - 5 year endorsement deal??  That kind of cheating doesn't count?? I guess not.  I don't know if I'm more bothered by the fact that Nike was instrumental in the "rehabilitation" of Tiger's image or by this recent Tiger tag line that has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Winning Takes Care of Everything

That's pretty insulting on many levels but I'll leave the feminism and the "I have a problem with a lying, cheating husband" out of the whole damn thing.  In my world, cheaters are cheaters are cheaters and Nike won't tolerate cheaters. Sometimes.

And again, I say.  Nike.  You SUCK.  Your actions aren't against a cheater.  You turned your back on millions of cancer patients with one big swoosh ......

And trust me, winning does NOT take care of EVERYTHING.  And not playing fair is akin to cheating, isn't it?  Nike, you're not playing fairly.  Not only have your actions cheated many, your foul play makes you the biggest and most hypocritical cheater of them all......

On behalf of cancer patients everywhere, I'm gonna just do it one more time:  You SUCK.

Fair warning:  Don't even think about showing up in October with some pink ribbon crap.  I'm pretty sure your target audience will be a bit less tolerant of your loose interpretation of what it means to be a cheater.  Trust me.  You know cheaters and I know women.

Do me a favor..... if you happened upon this blog and you are a Lance hater, don't leave a comment here.  This is not a discussion about Lance or Tiger or Vick..... it's about cancer patients and how this news will directly impact so many of them.  Mentions of individuals are solely to punctuate a point.  This is about Nike's stance against an organization that is relied upon by more people than we can possibly imagine.  Unless you are one of the people whose life might be directly affected by this ill advised move that Nike has made, kindly keep your comments to yourself......