Magazine Photoshops Vulgar Acronym On Lance Armstrong's Shirt For Cover

June 19th, 2010 12:22 PM

The most-recent cover of "Outside" magazine features a picture of famed cyclist Lance Armstrong wearing a t-shirt with the phrase "38. BFD." Photoshopped on it.

Although the magazine did note on the cover the shirt wasn't Armstrong's -- albeit in print so small most likely won't see it! -- the seven-time Tour de France winner is not pleased, and voiced his objection to his Twitter followers Wednesday.

As there is vulgarity involved in what the acronym means as well as Armstrong's response, the full cover photo and details follow after the break.

 

For those unfamiliar, "BFD" means "Big F--kin Deal."

As the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, Armstrong thought this WAS a BFD and tweeted the following:

 

As the Journal pointed out, there was a note on the cover advising readers, "Not Armstrong's real T-shirt." However, its placement on the lower left just above Armstrong's knee along with the font size likely made it largely unnoticeable.

With this in mind, does Armstrong have a beef, and if so, what is it?

After all, if he didn't like the vulgar acronym, his displeasure would have been better received if his response lacked vulgarity.

This just makes it appear that he's throwing stones in his own glass house.

On the other hand, even if "Outside" disclosed the Photoshop, shouldn't the magazine have gotten his permission to do so? 

Whose property is the picture once it's been taken: the magazine's, the photographer's, or the subject's?