Lemond/Trek new thread

[Anonymous]

Anyone is welcome to speculate on the nature of the relationship. Is LeMond? That's the question at the heart of this business dispute.

Why wouldn't he be allowed to make a statement in regards to his feelings about the subject if posed a question? I will also point out that you were the one making statements about the language used by others in regards to this subject. Then you turn around and use the "wild assertions" in reference to something that is actually common knowledge.

 

[scribe]

Trek is claiming the speculation was hurting their brand as they were sponsoring LA and he was endorsing their product lines.

 

[ChrisE]

Trek is claiming the speculation was hurting their brand as they were sponsoring LA and he was endorsing their product lines.

So what? Nothing GL did absolves them of what he claims they did afterwards.

I'm really having a hard time believing that you don't see what the problem is with this whole issue.

 

[Anonymous]

Trek is claiming the speculation was hurting their brand as they were sponsoring LA and he was endorsing their product lines.

Oh, I understand that. Funny thing is that they have no evidence that it did considering the success of their marketing. Greg on the other hand seems to have evidence for his assertions.

 

[Digger]

Anyone is welcome to speculate on the nature of the relationship. Is LeMond? That's the question at the heart of this business dispute.

So you're going from Lemond making 'unsubstantiated' claims to 'speculate' on Ferrari's relationship.
He did neither. He said he was disappointed. What part of this is unsubstantiated or speculative?

 

[scribe]

Oh, I understand that. Funny thing is that they have no evidence that it did considering the success of their marketing. Greg on the other hand seems to have evidence for his assertions.

If you can believe it, Trek actually lists emails from customers as their evidence. Although, once a company takes a position and asks their representatives to comply (for right or wrong regarding the greater good of cycling in general), that should really be enough. I am still trying to find LeMond's evidence proving Trek sought to hurt the LeMond brand. I am only halfway through his complaint.

 

[Race Radio]

If you can believe it, Trek actually lists emails from customers as their evidence. Although, once a company takes a position and asks their representatives to comply (for right or wrong regarding the greater good of cycling in general), that should really be enough. I am still trying to find LeMond's evidence proving Trek sought to hurt the LeMond brand. I am only halfway through his complaint.

Hiring a PR firm to spin that Lemond is a wacko is a good place to start. Add to this the fact that Lemond brought European distributors that were interested in selling Lemond bikes to the table, Trek ignored them. Of course part of the discovery process will show the reduction in marketing budget, Ad buys, and support.

 

[British Pro Cycling]

I assume you are talking about Armstrong. Yes, he can be hard to reason with when he gets emotional. When he told a table full of people that he was going to call John Burke and get him to "Screw" Lemond he was certainly emotional.

Um, not necessarily. When I receive the mail in the morning, I sometimes refer to it as "that pile of sh*t". Sometimes people just have a way of speaking that sounds more sexy when it's quoted.

 

[British Pro Cycling]

Hiring a PR firm to spin that Lemond is a wacko is a good place to start.

I've heard this a lot, but do we have any evidence for this? And even if it's partly true, what precisely did the PR firm do to portray LeMond as a "wacko"? It's all very vague. It's like a smear itself really.

 

[British Pro Cycling]

I have mixed feelings about the other thread being closed down. Some said to me it was closed down just because it contained too many good points from myself. If that is true that would be unfortunate. But on the other hand, it was good that the stated reason for it being closed was trollery that was nothing to do with myself. Indeed the thread went down hill after I stopped posting on it.

Unfortunately I'm probably a bit too tipsy to make any meaningful contribution to this thread tonight, which could be another conspiracy.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I've heard this a lot, but do we have any evidence for this? And even if it's partly true, what precisely did the PR firm do to portray LeMond as a "wacko"? It's all very vague. It's like a smear itself really.

Are your eyes really that closed?

Only someone completely blinded by allegiance would not acknowledge that something like this was created by Lance fans looking to damage Greg's image:


(click the photo for a bigger version).

 

[scribe]

Hiring a PR firm to spin that Lemond is a wacko is a good place to start. Add to this the fact that Lemond brought European distributors that were interested in selling Lemond bikes to the table, Trek ignored them. Of course part of the discovery process will show the reduction in marketing budget, Ad buys, and support.

Now Trek hired the PR firm?
Euro distributors ignored might be a good place to start. Interested to see this.
Reduction in marketing budget, etc? Once Trek were committed to leaving the LeMond brand in 2004, it stands to reason they would just drop the budgeting down to the minimums so long as LeMond Cycling insisted on the terms of the original agreement.

 

[ChrisE]

Are your eyes really that closed?

Only someone completely blinded by allegiance would not acknowledge that something like this was created by Lance fans looking to damage Greg's image:


(click the photo for a bigger version).

A PR firm did that? I really think the rabid LA hate has pickled some brains in here.

 

[Race Radio]

Now Trek hired the PR firm?
Euro distributors ignored might be a good place to start. Interested to see this.
Reduction in marketing budget, etc? Once Trek were committed to leaving the LeMond brand in 2004, it stands to reason they would just drop the budgeting down to the minimums so long as LeMond Cycling insisted on the terms of the original agreement.

You might want to read some of the court documents as some of the more aggressive initial disputes were over Lemond's Legal team asking for the internal communication between Trek and Public Strategies.

Trek used PS to develop the Powerpoint presentation that Trek presented to Trek Employee's and the Media. There are many Trek employee's who like Greg personally, and dislike Lance personally. Gathering all of your employees and assorted media into a presentation hall is a good way of insuring all of them toe the company line.

Armstrong threaten Greg saying "I will find 10 people who say you used EPO" Not long there after many of Greg's former teammates were contacted looking for dirt. Some were offered significant sums of money to invent a story. None took the offer.

There was a reason Armstrong's press people sat Greg in the front of the room at the Catlin press conference. It was no surprise that shortly after the Press Conference Public Strategies had talking points out the clueless US media. It was also no surprise that most internet cycling forums suddenly had new members who talked the same Anti-Lemond talking points. One of these forums suddenly banned 15-20 of the more intelligent Pro Lemond posters.....it should be no surprise that one of the mods on the forum was also a mod for The Paceline forums. It also should be no surprise that one of the more active and vocal of of the Anti-Lemond was outed to be this guy http://garyseghi.com/about-us/ Armstrong's Chiropractor who tells everyone he is a surgeon. His office is only a few blocks away from PS

Of course it should be no surprise to anyone that Public Strategies shares office space with CSE, Armstrong's brand (Myth) building company.

 

[Race Radio]

A PR firm did that? I really think the rabid LA hate has pickled some brains in here.

It does seem rather amateurish, but this is intentional.

Public Strategies is a Political PR firm. Mark McKinnon is the principle that handles Armstrong is a veteran of the Bush/McCain campaigns. His specialty is social networking which is a growing focus of any campaign. The intention is to get your message across to a broad audience, but for it to appear like it is a grass roots movement. If you followed any political campaign these days you will see the same thing.

 

[blackcat]

There was a reason Armstrong's press people sat Greg in the front of the room at the Catlin press conference. It was no surprise that shortly after the Press Conference Public Strategies had talking points out the clueless US media. It was also no surprise that most internet cycling forums suddenly had new members who talked the same Anti-Lemond talking points. One of these forums suddenly banned 15-20 of the more intelligent Pro Lemond posters.....it should be no surprise that one of the mods on the forum was also a mod for The Paceline forums. It also should be no surprise that one of the more active and vocal of of the Anti-Lemond was outed to be this guy http://garyseghi.com/about-us/ Armstrong's Chiropractor who tells everyone he is a surgeon. His office is only a few blocks away from PS

who? this guy? http://hombredesubaru.blogspot.com/

says he is one of the Livestrong founders.

his son puts out 500 watts too. You gotta read it.

 

[ChrisE]

It does seem rather amateurish, but this is intentional.

Public Strategies is a Political PR firm. Mark McKinnon is the principle that handles Armstrong is a veteran of the Bush/McCain campaigns. His specialty is social networking which is a growing focus of any campaign. The intention is to get your message across to a broad audience, but for it to appear like it is a grass roots movement. If you followed any political campaign these days you will see the same thing.

So anybody pro-LA in this dispute is a plant by a PR firm?

I've got to run outside and check on those black helicopters.

 

[blackcat]

It does seem rather amateurish, but this is intentional.

Public Strategies is a Political PR firm. Mark McKinnon is the principle that handles Armstrong is a veteran of the Bush/McCain campaigns. His specialty is social networking which is a growing focus of any campaign. The intention is to get your message across to a broad audience, but for it to appear like it is a grass roots movement. If you followed any political campaign these days you will see the same thing.

if anyone was at Cali and saw the yellow chalk and the placards, that was nothing if not a political rally. Was like a primary "hope rides again". Not to original neither, ripping off Obama's branding.

 

[scribe]

So it's a vast internet conspiracy, this PR firm. With some of my viewpoints, I'd expect to get at least a PM from someone offering me some money. All i've got are some harsh warnings from moderators/administrators here.

 

[Epicycle]

It also should be no surprise that one of the more active and vocal of of the Anti-Lemond was outed to be this guy http://garyseghi.com/about-us/ Armstrong's Chiropractor who tells everyone he is a surgeon. His office is only a few blocks away from PS

He's not Hombre.

 

[British Pro Cycling]

Are your eyes really that closed?

Only someone completely blinded by allegiance would not acknowledge that something like this was created by Lance fans looking to damage Greg's image:


(click the photo for a bigger version).

Agreed. Obviously when you have a former champ from the 1980s criticising a current champ, who has won seven in a row, a lot of normal fans are going to find that suspicious. That might be the wrong view to hold, but you don't need a PR firm for people to take that view. All the people in the threads on LeMond who have questioned his tactics clearly weren't influenced by this poster, whoever made it. Is this the best evidence of a PR firm doing dirty work?

 

[blackcat]

if anyone was at Cali and saw the yellow chalk and the placards, that was nothing if not a political rally. Was like a primary "hope rides again". Not to original neither, ripping off Obama's branding.

Political rally anyone? Is there were a donation to a putative "cancer" charity should be spent?

image too large

think one of those bylines below here should read defamation

 

[Anonymous]

For the love of all that is holy, please do not respond to BPC. Ignore really is your friend.

 

[Race Radio]

So it's a vast internet conspiracy, this PR firm. With some of my viewpoints, I'd expect to get at least a PM from someone offering me some money. All i've got are some harsh warnings from moderators/administrators here.

Some would call it a conspiracy, most recognize it as a modern media campaign.

 

[British Pro Cycling]

Armstrong threaten Greg saying "I will find 10 people who say you used EPO"

That's LeMond's interpretation of a heated conversations I'm sure Armstrong reminded LeMond about the stories of his iron injections leading to extraordinary recovery during grand tours, but whether he said that exact line seems doubtful. LA knows you can't just find guys to say stuff. That never happens.

It was no surprise that shortly after the Press Conference Public Strategies had talking points out the clueless US media. It was also no surprise that most internet cycling forums suddenly had new members who talked the same Anti-Lemond talking points.

Woah, as someone said, black helicopters. Very revealing.

I wasn't even near an internet forum yet I too had the same view as many people about this press conference. No PR firm was needed. It just sounds absurd to me.