Science ain't like that. Nobody says "I wanna become a geneticist because I want Nobel money." Nobody gets into journalism because they want a Peabody on their mantlepiece. The accolades are a side-effect of the job. They are a validation, not an end product.
Yeah you are right about that. I wonder, though, if people get into baseball or cycling because first and foremost they love love love the sport. Maybe love underlies all the cheating because they think they need the drugs to be able to continue doing what they love. Thanks for the story about your uncle. That's fascinating.
I think everyone gets into sports because they love it. I think 99.999% of them will never make any money from it. And I think those that are suddenly faced with Megabux find themselves staring at a little red dude with horns holding a contract and calling them Faust. Lance Armstrong didn't quit while he was ahead. As far as I'm concerned, his primary crime is pride.