Lance Armstrong Sends Lame Apology Letter to ESPN's Rick Reilly

ESPN's Rick Reilly has long been in Lance Armstrong's corner, defending the shamed cyclist from allegations of doping. Today, he received an apology from Armstrong. 

At least, you can call it an apology letter. I mean, there are the words "I'm sorry" and some level of emotion. 

Still, it's rather hilarious to see the 20 words typed to Reilly when you consider the hours of work and words poured out from the columnist to support the former cyclist who will appear in an interview with Oprah Winfrey on Thursday night. 

The letter is posted in a Reilly column entitled, "It's All About the Lies."

"

Riles, I'm sorry.

All I can say for now but also the most heartfelt thing too. Two very important words.

L

"

OK, forget what we said. 

That might be the lamest apology we have ever seen aside from every single apology offered when someone takes the last slice of pizza. 

Reilly goes on to write the following: 

"

And my first thought was ... "Two words? That's it?"

Two words? For 14 years of defending a man? And in the end, being made to look like a chump? 

Wrote it, said it, tweeted it: "He's clean." Put it in columns, said it on radio, said it on TV. Staked my reputation on it.

"

Someone please send Reilly a hug, because he certainly needs one at the moment, especially as the man he defended is about to embark on an interview we all assume will divulge his part in a career's worth of doping. 

Busted Coverage went through and captured some examples of poor Riles sticking up for Armstrong on his Twitter account. 

I encourage you to go back and read Reilly's column, which paints quite the frustrating picture of a columnist pushing the issue and getting thrown into a stubborn wall at every turn. 

Even off the record, Reilly said Armstrong denied he ever touched performance-enhancing drugs. 

At least Lance had the time to fire off an email. 

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