Cycling is entering a clean chapter, says Phil Liggett

[red_flanders]

Good points all. And CVV does offer some good commentary. But he was still a key component in the greatest fraud in sproting history.

My concern is that broadcasting provides people with a pulpit to in turn set the tone! Surely the networks are aware of the criticisms of Liggett due to his unabashed love in with Armstrong and his extreme ignorance about doping in the peloton.

Agreed his voice is synonymous with cycling and he does have a good broadcasting voice. But he continues to make simplistic mistakes in his broadcasting that are very annoying.

Sherwin is a lot more measured in his comments and does not come off sounding like a dufus.

Oh, Phil has long since become kind of a joke, he's been mailing it in for years. The only times I've seen him in person, both at the ToC in presentations or events, he was completely hammered. Don't know if those were aberrations, but he seems more interested in hob-nobbing with the stars and hanging out than offering any meaningful commentary. Wouldn't be shocked if he was drinking while running the commentary.

I can't get too worked up about Vandevelde. I think calling him a "key component" is a bit much. He was there and he did what he did. Not a driver, not a key component IMO.

Sure, better to get some unsullied (hey all you GoT fans) announcers, but VdV is OK with me. He's not really pushing some ****er agenda like Bobke was, and he knows what's what. Sure he doped but can't think of a single time he ever treated anyone badly or came off other than a relatively normal dude. I can't say I'd have acted any differently than he did were I was in his shoes. Maybe, I don't know. He's OK with me.

Maybe they could pull Creed out of the wheel-building factory at Colorado cyclist and get him on the air. Can't see any reason to think he was dirty.

 

[red_flanders]

You are right. But.

How important is a bit of cheating in a bike race in the grand scheme of things?

Of course the networks don't care. With all that is going on in the world why would they? Why should they?

Let's try and keep a sense of perspective shall we. Cheating in a bike race isn't the Holocaust.

Its nothing.

Who's acting like it's a big deal, let alone a "Holocaust"?

Come on.

 

[stutue]

Who's acting like it's a big deal, let alone a "Holocaust"?

Come on.

If everyone else can indulge in hyperbole then so can I

Look at the bolded part in the quote. I'm talking about why the networks don't care. There might be lots of angry stampy-foot little people in this tiny ecosystem but outside in the big wide world nobody gives a *** about bike race cheating apart from very occasionally enjoying a bit of tabloid titillation

 

[red_flanders]

If everyone else can indulge in hyperbole then so can I

Look at the bolded part in the quote. I'm talking about why the networks don't care. There might be lots of angry stampy-foot little people in this tiny ecosystem but outside in the big wide world nobody gives a *** about bike race cheating apart from very occasionally enjoying a bit of tabloid titillation

Kind of my point in writing the bolded part.

 

[stutue]

Kind of my point in writing the bolded part.

Yeah.....durrr....I was agreeing with you

 

[Benotti69]

I just watched the end of the first stage of the ToC. Why is it cycling continues to countenance Phil Liggett a renowned Armstrong apologist and fanboy to announce races. In addition they are using Christian Van de Velde as the commentator, a cyclist who eagerly participated in the doping programs of two pro teams, USPS and Once.

Do the networks, USA Cycling or the UCI not understand that the use of these types of people only perpetuates and gives some credence to the culture of doping.

Phil in his usual way miscalled the winner in spite of the fact it was a photo finish.

Cycling just doesn't seem to learn or get it with respect to cleaning out the dead and tainted wood!

But, but, but, how can this be possible when the sport is cleanER......sport is cleanER is BS. The likes of all the enablers, apologists, and everyone associated with doping(excluding the 'reasoned 6') have not left the sport.

Look at Hincapie sportivo, Leipheimer sportivo, Ligget sill considered the voice of cycling........

Doping is part of the oxygen of doping, you cant see it but everyone is using it......

 

[blackcat]

its Zeno's paradox. cycling is cleaner than last season

 

[blackcat]

can anyone confirm if Phil slept with Rochelle Gilmore


#thats_wut_sleeping_with_your_pop_is_like

 

[frenchfry]

its Zeno's paradox. cycling is cleaner than last season

I just hope that rather than hate, judge, or feel cheated, that our community will choose to do the same - to move forward without forgetting and to ride, not for greed or fame, but for the unbridled joy and love that the simple act of cycling brings us.
that bombastic tosh is courtesy of Allen Lim

Somewhat, but not completely, off topic in this thread (it does concern the cleanliness of cycling).

After reading Cycle of Lies I have erected a shrine in my home to Allen Lim, renowned anti-doper and ultimate savior of the sport. My hero and should be yours too.

Now back to Phil Liggett and acknowledgement of his superior knowledge and wisdom concerning all things cycling.

 

[MacRoadie]

Phil in his usual way miscalled the winner in spite of the fact it was a photo finish.

Phil's just one of those guys put on this planet to make the rest of us feel smarter and better about ourselves. In that regard, he's perfect.

 

[MacRoadie]

Bobke basically paints the view from somewhere lodged up Armstrong's nether regions, as do Phil and Paul.

Exactly. For Bob to get a clear view of the action, he has to peer out through Lance's belly button.

 

[MacRoadie]

After reading Cycle of Lies I have erected a shrine in my home to Allen Lim, renowned anti-doper and ultimate savior of the sport. My hero and should be yours too.

Rice cakes baby!

 

[Hugh Januss]

You guys are just being mean, Phil Limpet is an expert and iconic commentator on the sport of pro cycling. If he has looked pro cycling in the eye and deemed it to be clean, then who am I to argue?

 

[Alpe73]

Ligget sill considered the voice of cycling........

True ... by millions, excluding you, I assume. No worries ... little by little, chip by chip .... laying it bare here on the clinic ... I reckon the big guns like Phil ... their days are numbered. Soldier on. Somebody's got to do it. BTW, Robbie C's got your back.

 

[caryopsis]

Every time I read a tweet by UK Cycling Expert, I imagine Phil Ligget's voice speaking it aloud. I find it works pretty seamlessly.

 

[blackcat]

who said something about Rochelle Gilmore?

 

[Benotti69]

True ... by millions, excluding you, I assume. No worries ... little by little, chip by chip .... laying it bare here on the clinic ... I reckon the big guns like Phil ... their days are numbered. Soldier on. Somebody's got to do it. BTW, Robbie C's got your back.

You are welcome to him, good see someone gets value for money hanging on his every word.

 

[zigmeister]

What really is appalling as someone else already mentioned with the 2014 TOC commentating, how they have CVV and Phil...an admitted doper, and a nitwit commentating.

If I have to hear "fur sure" one more time from CVV, I'm muting the TV.

This is what is often wrong with US TV, they seem to think some former pro of the sport makes more sense...why not out of line with that thinking entirely, they got the wrong former pro for the job.

 

[doperhopper]

Btw, as the title suggests, Ligget says "cycling is entering...", not that is already clean... so he does not exclude that the cycling may stay in this "entering" phase and not reach any reasonably clean state for the next 5, 10 or 20 years. If it was meant like this, one can only agree.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Btw, as the title suggests, Ligget says "cycling is entering...", not that is already clean... so he does not exclude that the cycling may stay in this "entering" phase and not reach any reasonably clean state for the next 5, 10 or 20 years. If it was meant like this, one can only agree.

It's all anti-doping theatre, and means absolutely nothing.

 

[TANK91]

Im taking it people dont like Ligget i always have found him and Paul alright myself. They were abit better at reading a race though in the 90's than now.

 

[RedheadDane]

I don't think cycling will ever be 100% clean. It's a competition, whenever there's a chance to win something there will always be some who will do anything to win.
However, I do believe that cycling is becoming cleaner.

 

[blackcat]

It's all anti-doping theatre, and means absolutely nothing.

thisthisthisthis

 

[Clausfarre]

I don't think cycling will ever be 100% clean. It's a competition, whenever there's a chance to win something there will always be some who will do anything to win.
However, I do believe that cycling is becoming cleaner.

The fairly new thing is riders speaking out against doping. On the other hand, many believed that things were changing after the Festina affair even though Armstrong was ridiculous, as was the peloton.

Now, apart from a higher degree of outspokenness, the riders and their achievements are still very much ridiculous (not just Froomy) so I can not back up the statement that we are now in a cleaner era.

The main difference is that where everyone previously were well aware of epo being the widely used main drug of choice, we are now not so sure what they are on. But they are on something and on that I will bet anything.

 

[blackcat]

The fairly new thing is riders speaking out against doping. On the other hand, many believed that things were changing after the Festina affair even though Armstrong was ridiculous, as was the peloton.

Now, apart from a higher degree of outspokenness, the riders and their achievements are still very much ridiculous (not just Froomy) so I can not back up the statement that we are now in a cleaner era.

The main difference is that where everyone previously were well aware of epo being the widely used main drug of choice, we are now not so sure what they are on. But they are on something and on that I will bet anything.

they are like politicians, they say what they are expected to say, they say what cycling's consumers want to hear, and other weasel words and corporate speak like stake holders.

if you reckon you are getting an unvarnished filter and agency of the cyclist, you are dreaming lads