Eki frustrated by AC's comments

[knewcleardaze]

Tweets and twittering !!!! Am I alone in thinking all this is a bizarre way for adults to behave?

I am totally sick of the Lance and Bertie show and there is nothing to it but the fct that they don't like each other which they are not obliged to do.

What adults?

 

[saphblue]

So, maybe I'm misremembering, but didn't AC thank his team while he was on the podium at the end of the Tour? Wouldn't that count as publicly thanking his team?

 

[Anonymous]

Well, it's sure starting to look like there was a team named Astana with 8 riders and a director and one really fast Spaniard that alienated himself from the team and has no idea how to conduct himself. I said yesterday that it would be interesting to see what some of the other Astana riders would say and the sure look like AC was more of the problem than Lance. Not gonna be good for his career. Lance is just too popular and has accomplished too much respect among his peers - not to mention 7 yellow jerseys. It's the wrong fight to pick. Before this thing is over, we're gonna find out that Lance picked up the whole tap for Astana and never mentioned it to anyone. Am I wrong, or were these guys going down the financial toilet before Lance signed up?

Its okay little buddy, you'll get the hang of English soon, just keep trying!

 

[Publicus]

So, maybe I'm misremembering, but didn't AC thank his team while he was on the podium at the end of the Tour? Wouldn't that count as publicly thanking his team?

You just don't get it do you? He didn't thank Lance personally. And that means he didn't thank the team. Lance IS the Team.

 

[UpTheRoad]

I agree with you, there is no side to the stupidness. You think a 27 year old who just won the Tour de France would focus on his achievement and move on. much to learn.

He has made one statement in an interview. To the best of my knowledge, he has only made one public comment and *has* moved on.

Has the 7x TdF winner moved on? Have his acolytes? At this moment, LA, JB, VE and the rest have parted ways with AC, so why can't they get past the "snub" and unflattering remark from AC?

 

[Ninety5rpm]

Yes.. that's the "out of context" quote. Here is the full qoute (in English)



And after all the stunts, twittering, skipping celebrations etc., I do think that statement was pretty benign.

The full context does not change the meaning of the words. It's still very mean-spirited and totally uncalled for.

Vague references to alleged stunts, twittering, skipping celebrations again? Talk about benign...

Would you attend a celebration for someone who has never admired you, and says he never will? Yes, yes, he didn't say that until after the celebration, but I'm sure he made it very clear to Armstrong long before that. Don't you realize that that is what this is all about? Contador finally put it out there, in black and white.

 

[Anonymous]

Lance and His Merry Band of Nut Huggers are taking their team and going home. Mean, mean Alberto Contador. How dare you not love Lance! He won 7 TdFs, which makes him the greatest one testicle man in the history of one testicle men! Admire him dammit!!!!

In all seriousness, there is no side to this stupidness. You'd think at 38 year old man would learn know that no one is required to admire you. Apparently he has a lot to learn....

The best thing is that Contador has something Lance doesn't, a 2009 yellow jersey. Lance's are all dusty and a little faded. 3rs place is pretty good though, so there's always that...

 

[Publicus]

The full context does not change the meaning of the words. It's still very mean-spirited and totally uncalled for.

Vague references to alleged stunts, twittering, skipping celebrations again? Talk about benign...

Would you attend a celebration for someone who has never admired you, and says he never will? Yes, yes, he didn't say that until after the celebration, but I'm sure he made it very clear to Armstrong long before that. Don't you realize that that is what this is all about? Contador finally put it out there, in black and white.

Why do you type so many words when "Leave Lance Armstrong Alone!!!" pretty much sums up your point?

 

[Anonymous]

The full context does not change the meaning of the words. It's still very mean-spirited and totally uncalled for.

Vague references to alleged stunts, twittering, skipping celebrations again? Talk about benign...

Would you attend a celebration for someone who has never admired you, and says he never will? Yes, yes, he didn't say that until after the celebration, but I'm sure he made it very clear to Armstrong long before that. Don't you realize that that is what this is all about? Contador finally put it out there, in black and white.

You are so full of it that I'll bet your house reeks. I mean, I will give you the fact that Contador's statement is pointed, but to suggest that Armstrongs twitters and comments to the media are "benign" is either willfully ignorant or intentionally dishonest. Really man, you guys always talk about "haters" being myopic, but how about showing some honest assessment yourselves before throwing that kind of mud.

 

[Publicus]

Would you attend a celebration for someone who has never admired you, and says he never will? Yes, yes, he didn't say that until after the celebration, but I'm sure he made it very clear to Armstrong long before that. Don't you realize that that is what this is all about? Contador finally put it out there, in black and white.

How are you so sure that he made it very clear? And while you are at, what has Lance done to gain Contador's personal admiration? Not professional, but personal.

 

[Parrot23]

What seems to have happened is that Lance turned the "team" into his camp and "against" Contador; hence, these comments by him and Eki etc. that Alberto doesn't respect the team, etc., as Alberto must have reacted to this as the Tour went on.

Alberto's English couldn't have helped: must have felt isolated and maybe suspicious. He shouldn't have said what he said, and Lance should have acted more professionally on the podium in the first place.

What is it with cyclists? Can't they congratulate each other? Didn't even see Andy S. offering congratulations to anybody. Maybe wrong here (may not have watched it closely enough). Perhaps they are just exhausted and can't think.

It was not an impressive podium sportsmanship wise--and that's all round, all three of them.

Lot of very petty stuff here on all sides.

 

[Publicus]

What seems to have happened is that Lance turned the "team" into his camp and "against" Contador; hence, these comments by him and Eki etc. that Alberto doesn't respect the team, etc., as Alberto must have reacted to this as the Tour went on.

Alberto's English couldn't have helped: must have felt isolated and maybe suspicious. He shouldn't have said what he said, and Lance should have acted more professionally on the podium in the first place.

What is it with cyclists? Can't they congratulate each other? Didn't even see Andy S. offering congratulations to anybody. Maybe wrong here (may not have watched it closely enough). Perhaps they are just exhausted and can't think.

It was not an impressive podium sportsmanship wise--and that's all round, all three of them.

Lot of very petty stuff here on all sides.

Reminds me of Survivor or one of the other reality shows. Lance formed an alliance within the tribe/team and has voted Contador off the Island.

 

[Parrot23]

Yes, it's something like that, because Alberto's comments seemed over the top to me (as did Lance's behaviour on the podium). Must reflect 3 weeks of shenanigans and petty slights magnified and reciprocated.

 

[Publicus]

Yes, it's something like that, because Alberto's comments seemed over the top to me (as did Lance's behaviour on the podium). Must reflect 3 weeks of shenanigans and petty slights.

Without having seen the question he was asked and was responding to, I think it is difficult to assess whether his comment was over the top. But you are probably right. Should have let sleeping dogs lie. Luckily is far enough away that he won't get any fleas.

 

[usedtobefast]

i expect this show will continue till next july. goodtimes ahead.

 

[richwagmn]

Benign?

"I have never had great admiration for him and I never will"

Those words are not benign. They are genuinely mean and nasty.

Why would anyone say that about anyone else?

Imagine if Lance had said that about Contador!!!

"I have never had great admiration for El Pistelero and I never will"

Oh, the uproar there would be!

It should be noted that I can safely say that Lance would not say that about Contador or anyone else. In at least that respect, he has that much class.

You mean like calling Sastre and Vandevelde jokes? Yea, that man oozes class.

 

[Anonymous]

You mean like calling Sastre and Vandevelde jokes? Yea, that man oozes class.

Also remember that he also said less than a week ago that he would have won the 2008 Tour. He makes a stupid statement, apologizes, then sticks his finger back in the wound again. The guy has more class than of any meth head trailer trash I have ever seen.

 

[Anonymous]

How are you so sure that he made it very clear? And while you are at, what has Lance done to gain Contador's personal admiration? Not professional, but personal.

How about staying on Wiggo's wheel until Wiggo cracked like a teammate's supposed to do when AC brilliantly shot off up the mountain? LA worked for AC like Klodi did and should get some thanks/credit/acknowledgment.

It just seems that AC's insecurities got the better of him and LA capitalized on that weakness and got to him. (Fault goes to both)

AC has the goods on LA and could have taken the opportunity to learn so much from a 7-time Tour winner.

I honestly think AC's inability to speak English really hurt him. Things he hears and says can easily be taken out of context when translated and the media will pounce on it immediately and construe it to get an adverse reaction.

 

[Anonymous]

I honestly think AC's inability to speak English really hurt him. Things he hears and says can easily be taken out of context when translated and the media will pounce on it immediately and construe it to get an adverse reaction.

Yea, it couldn't be the fault of English journalists not speaking Spanish...

Fact is that if you are going to write an article like the one in Velorag that completely misquoted Contador, you cannot blame Contador because he doesn't speak English. You can blame Velorag for acting like Fox News thought.

Funny, I'll bet they didn't have the contextual problem in Spanish media...you know, the country in which Contador resides.

 

[Publicus]

How about staying on Wiggo's wheel until Wiggo cracked like a teammate's supposed to do when AC brilliantly shot off up the mountain? LA worked for AC like Klodi did and should get some thanks/credit/acknowledgment.

It just seems that AC's insecurities got the better of him and LA capitalized on that weakness and got to him. (Fault goes to both)

AC has the goods on LA and could have taken the opportunity to learn so much from a 7-time Tour winner.

I honestly think AC's inability to speak English really hurt him. Things he hears and says can easily be taken out of context when translated and the media will pounce on it immediately and construe it to get an adverse reaction.

Look's like you jumped without reading. What has Lance done to expect PERSONAL admiration from AC? You've listed something professional (holding Wiggins' wheel), which he expressed admiration for. Try again.

And he returned the favor by covering attacks on Ventoux and protecting Lance's podium position. Lance thanked him by not showing up for the celebratory dinner. Now that's a teammate!

 

[Anonymous]

Nah, he prefers snide little digs on twitter.

Classy.

You really think Lance did not say this and more to el pistolero's face? Don't be naive.

 

[Anonymous]

Lance and His Merry Band of Nut Huggers are taking their team and going home. Mean, mean Alberto Contador. How dare you not love Lance! He won 7 TdFs, which makes him the greatest one testicle man in the history of one testicle men! Admire him dammit!!!!

In all seriousness, there is no side to this stupidness. You'd think at 38 year old man would learn know that no one is required to admire you. Apparently he has a lot to learn....

Whoa now.... you know how much I care about you so I'm trying to bring you back from the edge.

You have a man-crush on el pistolero perhaps? You cheatin' on me????

 

[balkou]

Jesus! This whole twitter thing is so silly. Are journalists boycotting them and they use telegrams?

 

[Anonymous]

You mean like calling Sastre and Vandevelde jokes? Yea, that man oozes class.

Not that fairness is your long suit but LA didn't call Sastre & VDV jokes. He said the Tour last year was a joke because Astana was not there. He was specifically referring to el pistolero not being there. He went on to say "Christian's a nice guy, but 4th overall, come on..."

Both are great riders and I believe LA apologized to their faces. But was he wrong? Nope.

 

[Publicus]

Obviously this non-troversy has probably consumed far more of our collective time than is truly warranted, but I went back and read the full translated quote after someone posted a link in another thread. I found one passage that hasn't really been discussed, with the focus mainly on the perceived "blasting" and Lance's twits.


Here's the quote:

My relationship with Lance is zero. Independently of his character, he's a great champion. He's won seven tours and played a big role in this one. But it's different when we speak on a personal level. I have never really admired him that much, or ever will. But as a cyclist he's a great champion.

Maybe I'm reading too much into that single underlined phrase, but that certainly SEEMS like an acknowledgement of Lance's efforts as a teammate. Not a pure "thanks," but one cannot seriously argue that he did not acknowledge Lance's role in his victory this year. Which brings me back to Lance's original tweets:

Seeing these comments from AC. If I were him I'd drop this drivel and start thanking his team. w/o them, he doesn't win.

and

hey pistolero, there is no "i" in "team". what did i say in March? Lots to learn. Restated.

Neither of these tweets actually makes any sense in light of Contador's actual statement. He's acknowledged Lance's role in this year's victory, which is the only thing Lance seemed concerned about.

I'd be interested to get the perspective of 95rpm, Mambo#5, Scott SoCal and any other stalwart Lance defender to explain (and frankly defend) Lance's twits in light of the above statement.