Why do people go so nuts about athletes using performance enhacing drugs?

So I’m stuck working late and am left having to hear the TV in the back and the biggest story, apparently, after the end of the world and before Middle East-U.S. peace talks, is the allegation that Lance Armstrong was doping his blood and taking testostorone or what have you. I get that it’s a federal offense since it involves controlled substances and that there are pretty serious investigations into these kinds of things but why does it have to be paid this much attention? Do people really think no one ever uses performance drugs to achieve the results they’ve had? And really, since we don’t know and will never know who these people are personally, aren’t we all just imagining whatever we want about them on top of their accomplishments (sort of like a mass delusion but as long as it feels good, ah well). These people exist, effectively, to entertain the masses and the masses could care less, I think, whether Lance Armstrong did this or that (a few college freshmen everywhere will now throw out their bracelets but oh well) or am I wrong and is this really about people being somehow surprised that the business of sport involves something like cheating? And, oh geez, is it really about the kids, think of the kids (!) who, presumably, have no other people to look up to other than good old Lance? I just find it interesting that these allegations and negative reactions and the bru-hah-hah over this come up pretty often and just are the same basic story and it has to say something about us as society.