Official "be nice" Lance Armstrong thread

[ggusta]

I rate lance is 2 categories.

Lance on the bike and Lance off the bike. In both he is a Monster.

Love a monster on the bike.

Off the bike well I am just not interested in the dude put it that way

Perhaps two threads can be born and this one can be euthanized.

1. Lance on the bike. Which will prolly get a fair amount of debate but I would expect near universal respect. If you don't respect his achievements on the bike, that would probably stoke a thread.

2. Lance OFF the bike, and I would not anticipate a lot of takers (but some) who adopt the pro-lance position in his life off the bike.

 

[pmcg76]

I think this idea that Lance is really popular in the peloton and with team-mates is incorrect. I wonder what Livingston, Hamilton, Landis, Andreu, Vasseur, Swart, Vaughters, Hoj, Vandevelde would say about that and some of them were close friends of his. My own impression is that Lance has never been very popular among the peloton even in his early career but is respected for his achievements.

I have heard through an inside source that people have been falling over themselves to kiss his **** since his return but it is purely to carry favour with his highness rather than any form of popularity. Lance was recently named the most powerful man in cycling by Procycling so you dont want to be on his wrong side(Bassons/Simeoni). This quote from Franco Pellizotti from 2005 says it all and kinda reflects what Contador said

"I think its good for the sport that Lance Armstrong is coming but I like Jan Ullrich better as a person. In fact, in the peloton, only Ivan Basso likes Armstrong"
Franco Pellizotti, May 2005 talking about Armstrongs decision to ride the Tour that year

Gotta love it.

To add to the Pellizotti quote, got this from an interview with Claudio Chiappucci in Winning Magazine March 1995. El Diablo was asked to comment on his rivals, Indurain, LeMond, Pantani, Berzin, Roche, Argentin, Rominger, Leblanc, Boardman and Lance. He was only negative on two, Argentin and Lance, he described Argentin as a champion on the bike but a viper of it, on Lance-

"Hes too clever for his own good. He's false. I know LeMond and Hampsten quite well, and they are not like he is. He has very few friends in the gruppo..."

Taken from Winning 1996 April edition, an interview between the late Rich Carlson and Lance. RC "How do you get along with other riders? There have been reports that some of them consider you brash"

 

[Glaucon]

A gem from America's finest news source

From this week's Onion: http://www.theonion.com/content/news/lance_armstrong_inspires_thousands

 

[ggusta]

From this week's Onion: http://www.theonion.com/content/news/lance_armstrong_inspires_thousands

You haven't made a name for yourself in this culture until The Onion parodies you:

"My wife loved Lance. He lifted her spirits when she was diagnosed. Susan hung on his every word.... She couldn't wait to watch him in his comeback Tour, and I've never seen her more moved than when he finished," said St. Vincent's Board of Directors chairman Gary James. "I'm really going to miss her."

Despite having inspired people around the globe, a visibly moved Armstrong held a press conference Wednesday morning to thank his fans and supporters and to explain that he may have sent the wrong message with his third-place finish and his starring role in a endless cancer-themed promotional campaign.

"Please, I beg you, if you have cancer, please realize that while I may have more or less set myself up as a heroic personification of the struggle against cancer, well.... This is hard for me to say, but I think a lot of cancer patients out there can do better than I just did," Lance said. "I mean, I wanted to win."

 

[Anonymous]

From this week's Onion: http://www.theonion.com/content/news/lance_armstrong_inspires_thousands

Thank you, I haven't laughed that hard in some time.

 

[ThisFrenchGuy]

Haven't got the impression I "lifted" the issue of Cancer. The discussion was heading (as one of the later post aknowledges) on whether or not LA cared about cancer, was it really bad or 50/50... all this while the main issue at stake (or so it seemed to me) was his attitude during this TdF.

LA or his apologists played the cancer card in relation to his sports career or his doping defense, so I understand this is difficult to keep that completely out. And yeah he came back to "raise awareness", but we all knew the formidable competitor he is wanted to win too.

Cancer or his love life are part of his public persona, which we discuss in relation to TdF, but bringing that in here does not make for good "cycling" discussion and brings more harm than good. My take on it anyway.

I think this idea that Lance is really popular in the peloton and with team-mates is incorrect. I wonder what Livingston, Hamilton, Landis, Andreu, Vasseur, Swart, Vaughters, Hoj, Vandevelde would say about that and some of them were close friends of his. My own impression is that Lance has never been very popular among the peloton even in his early career but is respected for his achievements.

I have heard through an inside source that people have been falling over themselves to kiss his **** since his return but it is purely to carry favour with his highness rather than any form of popularity. Lance was recently named the most powerful man in cycling by Procycling so you dont want to be on his wrong side(Bassons/Simeoni). This quote from Franco Pellizotti from 2005 says it all and kinda reflects what Contador said

"I think its good for the sport that Lance Armstrong is coming but I like Jan Ullrich better as a person. In fact, in the peloton, only Ivan Basso likes Armstrong"
Franco Pellizotti, May 2005 talking about Armstrongs decision to ride the Tour that year

Gotta love it.

Who needs love when they rule by power?
The guy may not be liked, but it is obvious he has a lot of influence on the peloton, whether during the actual race or off the bike. He has completely scared his opposition. Bruyneel is the same. If they retire for good, I think a lot of not-so-flattering stories will surface a few years from now. And just for objectivity's sake, he also get a lot of respect for his sporting achievements and he has charisma.

You just have to watch the race to understand: LA is almost every time at the very front of the peloton, and it seems natural. He is "The Boss".

 

[ggusta]

Who needs love when they rule by power?

Interesting phrase. Are you the originator?

The guy may not be liked, but it is obvious he has a lot of influence on the peloton, whether during the actual race or off the bike. He has completely scared his opposition.

Fear is a very powerful motivator. Keeps me showing up for work when I am not in the mood.

Bruyneel is the same.

Nahhh....he's wormy. LA has a whole Darth Vader thing working. JB has a slippery quality. If 2 guys faced down JB, he'd crack. LA wants the whole world against him just to get his juices flowing. ....but then the other hand he craves the adulation of the whole world. He is a bundle of major flaws.

If they retire for good, I think a lot of not-so-flattering stories will surface a few years from now. And just for objectivity's sake, he also get a lot of respect for his sporting achievements and he has charisma.

Totally agree. His image is gonna just take one hit after the next. All the comparisons I want to mention are political. I am not into that.

You just have to watch the race to understand: LA is almost every time at the very front of the peloton, and it seems natural. He is "The Boss".

I'll be watching next year, he is a sideshow to me, I have many better reasons to watch but the media (here) is going to force him on us again. I have a lot of doubts if he can achieve what he did this year, but it's dangerous to doubt what he can do on a bike.


This thread is just about knackered. The passion is dissipating.

 

[ThisFrenchGuy]

Interesting phrase. Are you the originator?

I think it is a pretty common cliché.

About Bruyneel, a lot of DS seems afraid of him.
As for next year, if RS is in TdF, the first question to me is how strong the team will be. Strong enough to assume leadership of the pack at all times, MJ or not? Not too sure other teams will allow it as they have during LA reign when he was expected to win at the end no matter what.

EDIT: I know lots of names are thrown around for RS, but I'll wait to see who joins the team for real before evaluating it.

 

[ggusta]

I think it is a pretty common cliché.

About Bruyneel, a lot of DS seems afraid of him.
As for next year, if RS is in TdF, the first question to me is how strong the team will be. Strong enough to assume leadership of the pack at all times, MJ or not? Not too sure other teams will allow it as they have during LA reign when he was expected to win at the end no matter what.

EDIT: I know lots of names are thrown around for RS, but I'll wait to see who joins the team for real before evaluating it.

The silly season game just doesn't get me excited right now, maybe in the winter.

DS's seem like a pretty insecure lot in general just like any manager. Doesn't tell me much about JB if a bunch of DS's think a certain way about him. His leadership qualities are arguable.

Aside: As a businessowner (formerly), competitors are usually clueless and mimic the next guy cause they have no clue but can't admit it. It's all a charade. I don't think it varies much from one line of work to the next. It's a human problem.

 

[hfer07]

From this week's Onion: http://www.theonion.com/content/news/lance_armstrong_inspires_thousands

LOL- I hope the Fanboys get "the Joke".....

 

[lucybears]

The agent of the Schleck brothers, Frank and Andy, stated that there has been no contact regarding the Schleck brothers joining the Radio Shack team to be launched by Lance Armstrong, and attributed the rumors to an Armstrong strategy to discomfit Alberto Contador.

"There is no possibility of this happening. I have had no contact with Bruyneel. It is only a strategy to cause Contador to lose next year" said Giovanni Lombardi, personal agent of the two brothers to L'Equipe. . . . "Andy has seen clearly everything that Alberto Contador lived through in this year's Tour and nobody can imagine that he would willingly embroil himself in all that with the ambitions he has for next year, " said Lombardi.

 

[scribe]

Poor Contador. Vicious Shrek rumors are gonna cause him to lose.

 

[Hugh Januss]

From this week's Onion: http://www.theonion.com/content/news/lance_armstrong_inspires_thousands

Oh that is just sick.

 

[scribe]

By the by. An agent SHOULD NOT be poo-pooing suitors. That is not what agents are supposed to do. Keep all doors open to improve your client's negotiating status.

 

[Hugh Januss]

By the by. An agent SHOULD NOT be poo-pooing suitors. That is not what agents are supposed to do. Keep all doors open to improve your client's negotiating status.

Unless of course he knows there is no way in hell his client would want to go there.

 

[shankapot0mus]

Unless of course he knows there is no way in hell his client would want to go there.

..Well one might think this!!! ,,,,BUT In reality, it would be the best thing in the world for the "young padawan" ANDY to do ...

To learn from the 2 Masters Armstrong and Bruyneel truley a chance of a life time,,,

The fact that you or ANDY might not like Armstrong and Bruyneel,,,
is meaningless ,,,Alberto "Big Head" Contador ...had his chance!!!

 

[Anonymous]

..Well one might think this!!! ,,,,BUT In reality, it would be the best thing in the world for the "young padawan" ANDY to do ...

To learn from the 2 Masters Armstrong and Bruyneel truley a chance of a life time,,,

The fact that you or ANDY might not like Armstrong and Bruyneel,,,
is meaningless ,,,Alberto "Big Head" Contador ...had his chance!!!

...and he did sooooo poorly.

 

[ggusta]

By the by. An agent SHOULD NOT be poo-pooing suitors. That is not what agents are supposed to do. Keep all doors open to improve your client's negotiating status.

Maybe you can make a fortune tutoring agents how to handle their clients.

 

[ggusta]

,,,Alberto "Big Head" Contador ...had his chance!!!

yup, what a blown opportunity

 

[hfer07]

Prize money destination

Does anybody know what happened with the $100,000 Euros that LA got for his third place? (any proof like links, source,etc. will be appreciated)
He rode the Tour "For Free", so I was just wondering....

 

[Hugh Januss]

Does anybody know what happened with the $100,000 Euros that LA got for his third place? (any proof like links, source,etc. will be appreciated)
He rode the Tour "For Free", so I was just wondering....

I'm pretty sure he said he was not taking money from Astana, don't think that precudes him from accepting prize money. It probably went in the pot and Bruyneel doled it out as he saw fit.

 

[ggusta]

Saint Bernard Dog

This is off topic, but I think the thread covering the Verbier stage is very quiet. I searched 'dog', too short a term. Saint Bernard Dog didn't yield much. Nor did searching the 'net.

Sooo...

What was the deal with the dog up there on the podium with Alberto. One of the most surreal sites I have seen in a very long time.

Does he get to keep the dog? At work, we had fun with that one for about 10 days. I think I saw him pet it for a second, very tentatively. He lked baffled. Very well trained dog, beautiful dog.

They need to take Lance to the monks up there.

Thought I was having a flashback or something....

 

[Hugh Januss]

This is off topic, but I think the thread covering the Verbier stage is very quiet. I searched 'dog', too short a term. Saint Bernard Dog didn't yield much. Nor did searching the 'net.

Sooo...

What was the deal with the dog up there on the podium with Alberto. One of the most surreal sites I have seen in a very long time.

Does he get to keep the dog? At work, we had fun with that one for about 10 days. I think I saw him pet it for a second, very tentatively. He lked baffled. Very well trained dog, beautiful dog.

They need to take Lance to the monks up there.

Thought I was having a flashback or something....

I'm pretty sure it was a prize. They give a lot of stuff like that if you watch closely. I think its a little less now than in the old days,but "prizes" often have included things like bulls, prize stallions and 500 lb cheese wheels. I bet they would usually have some team worker selling them around the back of the podium on the spot.

 

[53 x 11]

Hey, this threads not sticky anymore! Now it can die for the second time. Dam it, this post will just bump it up again.

Now I have to go and post In all the other threads to cover it up.

 

[Carboncrank]

I'm pretty sure he said he was not taking money from Astana, don't think that precudes him from accepting prize money. It probably went in the pot and Bruyneel doled it out as he saw fit.

Astana got over 1/3 or all the prize money in the race.

It goes into a pot for riders and staff.

See why he wanted the sweep?

I don't know how they split it up. Anybody know what's "normal"?

The prize money would seem more important for staff and domestiques than the top riders who make much more in salary? Wonder what Levi gets?