Quote: "An individual can never dictate their legacy. That's not my job. It doesn't matter. Whatever the people decide it is, it is. I'm a kid from Texas that learned how to ride a bike fast and overcame a life-threatening illness to come back and win the hardest sporting event in the world seven times. So I'll let the other people write on the tombstone."—Lance Armstrong, after winning his seventh and last Tour de France
Figure of Speech: apophasis (a-PAH-fa-sis)
Apophasis means “denial” in ancient Greek. You deny what you actually mean. It’s not my job to dictate my legacy, says Lance, and in the same richly oxygenated breath, he dictates his legacy.
The reigning masters of apophasis are the politicians who say, “I’m no politician.” Not that I have anything against politicians, those lying, thieving bastards.
Snappy Answer: "Uh, Lance, didn't you just write your tombstone?"
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