Media amnesia and reactions

[Turner29]

Cycling is the tip of the iceberg and suffers the most due its structure, or lack thereof. Doping is as rampant in every other professional sport and in these, the media is equally or even more culpable.

Just look at the New York Yankees. Oh the irony that the #1 biggest sport fraud (Lance Armstrong) and the #2 biggest sport fraud (Alex Rodriguez) essentially meet their demise in the same week...

 

[summerhill]

NBC sports sticking up for Phil and Paul

@joelfelicio
nbc sports cycling producer

see stream

Phil might be doddery; but Lance and Paul go back a long way - Paul was the Motorola spokesman that phoned Cofidis with Lance cancer diagnosis.

 

[summerhill]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DkM5Nf_l1w
Lance Armstrong: Rumors of Drug Use
Samuel Abt, Joe Lindsey et al

 

[Turner29]

In defense of Sam Abt and a handful of others, sociopaths such as Lance Armstrong are not like any other person. They are solely self-motivated, do not play by any rules and possess neither guilt nor shame.

 

[M Sport]

I've seen no evidence that Keenan has ever bagged whistleblowers. He is usually the only commentator who mentions riders previous convictions or involvement in cases. I'd go as far as calling him a journalist (as opposed the the rest of the rha rah squad)

Late reply to your response, I don't get much time for this site during the week.

I was at an event in May 2010 that Keenan was commentating and he absolutely bagged Landis for being a liar in relation to all the allegations he had made against Lance, White, Hincapie et al during that previous week. As far as he was concerned they had no basis whatsoever. He then did the same thing at another event during 2011. If Keenan was any sort of cycling journalist he would know Landis's allegations had basis, we all did.

So at some point between mid 2011 and last week he has changed his mind, for the record I don't mind that as long as somewhere he acknowledged he was wrong.

What really annoys me is all these commentators and journalists who wrote one thing two to ten years ago and now tell another version from last week, they think we have short memories.

 

[Shortleg]

Tomalaris on Lance Armstrong: “an ambassador for the human race” … “stomping his way

I've just spent the morning trawling through a few blog posts over the past 4 years from host of the Australian TV network SBS's Cycling Central, Mike Tomalaris.

Here are a few:

"Few would have believed, others are still convinced he was helped by performance-enhancing substances. Either way, it marked the start of an era – one that probably may never be repeated."

"Some sceptics may argue the cancer promotion is a smoke screen if Lance fails in his quest for a successful comeback. I say so what!"

"Lance is a living legend and win, lose or draw he will be the center of attention in Adelaide whether he comes first, second or last. He has nothing to prove. I compare his appearance on two wheels to Tiger Woods."

"He is a character, a personality and a media magnet the sport desperately needs at a time when the headlines are filled with doom and gloom. Above all he is the best modern-day cyclist the world has ever seen."

You can see the rest of my picks here

 

[onimod]

Late reply to your response, I don't get much time for this site during the week.

I was at an event in May 2010 that Keenan was commentating and he absolutely bagged Landis for being a liar in relation to all the allegations he had made against Lance, White, Hincapie et al during that previous week. As far as he was concerned they had no basis whatsoever. He then did the same thing at another event during 2011. If Keenan was any sort of cycling journalist he would know Landis's allegations had basis, we all did.

So at some point between mid 2011 and last week he has changed his mind, for the record I don't mind that as long as somewhere he acknowledged he was wrong.

What really annoys me is all these commentators and journalists who wrote one thing two to ten years ago and now tell another version from last week, they think we have short memories.

Cheers; not that surprising - it's a pretty common theme and I agree with your sentiment. I hadn't paid much attention to him (Keenan) in the past.
Thanks for the reply though.

 

[Shortleg]

Mike Tomalaris the Lance fanboy suddenly hides behind being a 'serious journalist'. I'd love to see him asked the same questions.

See my selection of Tomalaris' greatest hits from his SBS blog here

 

[Tinman]

I've just spent the morning trawling through a few blog posts over the past 4 years from host of the Australian TV network SBS's Cycling Central, Mike Tomalaris.

You're a brave man. I simply cannot listen to him or read his stuff anymore, actually switched off very early on. What he does is just too simple. Has he ever ridden a bike? He just seems to lack any understanding of what goes on in bike racing. And as to his journalistic skills, I just get the impression he goes with where the public opinion is. Just says what everyone already knows or wants to hear. A follower. Probably fine for those who watch cycling less than a few hours a year or read the occasional article. But not good enough for SBS who have made cycling a key pillar for their brand. In soccer they have/had a great team of journo's... Suspect Tomalaris didn't quite cut it there and we ended up with him in cycling.

Makes you think how broadcasters/newspapers choose their cycling journos. Just way too many real average types in critical roles. And it's not as if there is no real talent. They are out there and can be relatively easily identified.

 

[Shortleg]

He just seems to lack any understanding of what goes on in bike racing. And as to his journalistic skills, I just get the impression he goes with where the public opinion is. Just says what everyone already knows or wants to hear. A follower ... In soccer they have/had a great team of journo's... Suspect Tomalaris didn't quite cut it there and we ended up with him in cycling ... Just way too many real average types in critical roles. And it's not as if there is no real talent. They are out there and can be relatively easily identified.

Spent the afternoon trawling through Tan's blog posts.

Nowhere near as fan-boyish (on its face) but lots of very ordinary journalism (always suspicious when people write about 'the life/work of a journo') but streets ahead of Tommo, though that is damning him with the faintest of praise.

And you are right about how shabbily SBS has treated viewers/readers/etc in comparison to their football audience.
Thanks.

 

[Benotti69]

Ashenden tells Journalists to be

"The media has to be more vigilant this time around. And they must start today. Armstrong fobbed the media off and, with a few brave exceptions – like [the Sunday Times's] David Walsh and Paul Kimmage – they failed to pursue him. Be vigilant and be sceptical."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012...eam-sky-cyclin

Some posters, including me, have been sceptical of the sport and so called clean teams. Nice to see someone like Ashenden agreeing.

 

[AussieEdge]

its a cop out to say everyone does it than to actually state who you believe is where on that scale

 

[Benotti69]

its a cop out to say everyone does it than to actually state who you believe is where on that scale

on a scale of Doping?

well there is no scale in doping. You either dope or you dont!

 

[AussieEdge]

yeah I guess I could of put that better still a copout

Gives me the pharken ****es the 'everyone dopes' attitude and heaven help anyone here if they believe any rider doesn't (sorry for the swearing )

 

[taiwan]

Gives me the pharken ****es the 'everyone dopes' attitude and heaven help anyone here if they believe any rider doesn't (sorry for the swearing )

Your problem

 

[sairyder]

http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentra...mands-full-investigation-by-cycling-australia

Orica-GreenEDGE meanwhile has renewed statements that it will wait on the investigations of the ASADA and Cycling Australia before ruling on the future of several of its riders and staff.

Bannan told Cycling Central on Friday that the team would be reviewing the USADA documents in full before conducting its own internal investigation, but would allow the ASADA to lead the way.

Along with White, the team also employs several riders and staff with links to the US Postal setup.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

Ashenden tells Journalists to be



http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012...eam-sky-cyclin

Some posters, including me, have been sceptical of the sport and so called clean teams. Nice to see someone like Ashenden agreeing.

It's ironic really because the Guardian is one of Sky's biggest cheerleaders out there.

yeah I guess I could of put that better still a copout

Gives me the pharken ****es the 'everyone dopes' attitude and heaven help anyone here if they believe any rider doesn't (sorry for the swearing )

Why are you here then? If you want to go back to your delusional, wrap yourself in the flag and believe in your brave boys world then there are plenty of other subforms on the board here where you are free to believe in whoever and whatever you like. You are free to believe in clean riders and unicorns, and we are free to believe that everyone is dirty. I'd also add that delusional nationalist fans are as much a cause of the problems with doping within cycling as the riders, teams, doctors and the UCI.

 

[Mrs John Murphy]

According to this clown - 'Armstrong is taking the high road'

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nike--livestrong-abandoning-lance-armstrong-at-wrong-time.html

Wetzel is a rah rah USA USA cheerleader, when he's not busy patronising non-American athletes.

 

[cineteq]

Good piece in The Independent saying Wiggins needs to be doing more to address the issues in cycling.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...--so-wheres-king-bradley-wiggins-8221936.html

Closing his twitter account is a start.

 

[Lukenwolf]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/robin-scottelliot-forget-war-on-doping-uci-president-pat-mcquaid-is-happier-fighting-critics-8221931.html

Hillarious piece about yesterdays shambles of a presser

Nobody sent in the clowns in Aigle, the UCI's Swiss HQ, yesterday but if a man with large feet and a big red nose had taken a seat at the top table he might have gone unnoticed.

I LOL'ed

 

[onimod]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/robin-scottelliot-forget-war-on-doping-uci-president-pat-mcquaid-is-happier-fighting-critics-8221931.html

Hillarious piece about yesterdays shambles of a presser

I LOL'ed

Why wasn't the journo (Robin Scott-Elliot) in the room though?

 

[Lukenwolf]

Why wasn't the journo (Robin Scott-Elliot) in the room though?

Probably didn't get selected by the UCI goons. I can't imagine they didn't pre-select the audience.

 

[bobbins]

Good piece in The Independent saying Wiggins needs to be doing more to address the issues in cycling.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...--so-wheres-king-bradley-wiggins-8221936.html

Why? He's a bike rider. Let the self promotion specialists like Millar talk the talk. As long as Wiggins wins clean then that's fine by me. His team need to sort out their terrible PR but it's not up to him to take it upon himself to be spokesman. You must have seen his interviews? He's not that comfortable and won't come across great so best to keep his head down and get on with the day job.

And by wins clean I mean passes the tests and is happy for his team to be transparent. He may need to move teams though.

 

[cineteq]

And by wins clean I mean passes the tests and is happy for his team to be transparent.

You sound like Samuel Sanchez.

 

[Benotti69]

Why? He's a bike rider. Let the self promotion specialists like Millar talk the talk. As long as Wiggins wins clean then that's fine by me. His team need to sort out their terrible PR but it's not up to him to take it upon himself to be spokesman. You must have seen his interviews? He's not that comfortable and won't come across great so best to keep his head down and get on with the day job.

And by wins clean I mean passes the tests and is happy for his team to be transparent. He may need to move teams though.

Is Wiggins not the patron of the peloton? I think he is! As the defacto leader it is up to him to comment on what is a monumental moment in cycling's history.

Considering he had no problem speaking out in the autobus what is wrong with him saying osmething now and something more than cursing at fans!

I feel that in the modern era of social communication the silence of the peloton on a whole is very saddening. That they wont let their voices be heard does not say much for a cleaner peloton!