Official Lance Armstrong Thread **READ POST #1 BEFORE POSTING**

[Dr. Maserati]

it's only those 3 lines with no source or article so I don't really get it either.

It is taken from this AP piece in November.

PARIS (AP) - A U.S. federal probe into doping in cycling, including whether Lance Armstrong cheated, appears to have made significant headway and is getting closer to its end, say officials who attended or were briefed on meetings between European and American agents this week at Interpol headquarters.

........

 

[mewmewmew13]

Nice find there thirteen! That makes me sick---"masters of disasters". What a biz Fabiani has...save the uber-rich from their massive bad karma...with a huge profit ratio no doubt.

That news of VS and Universal merging is unsettling at best. I fear what will happen to the wonderful coverage and am afraid that they will prefer Bobke and P&P over Gogo and Steve...but the biggest downer is Frankie.
...go Betsy!

 

[JRTinMA]

Nice find there thirteen! That makes me sick---"masters of disasters". What a biz Fabiani has...save the uber-rich from their massive bad karma...with a huge profit ratio no doubt.

That news of VS and Universal merging is unsettling at best. I fear what will happen to the wonderful coverage and am afraid that they will prefer Bobke and P&P over Gogo and Steve...but the biggest downer is Frankie.
...go Betsy!

Do you just like Frankie as an extension of Betsy? I can actually see that as a reason to support Frankie since Betsy is so respected. In reality though Frankie is another ex-pro with little to offer as a commentator, I wish they would have dumped Frankie, Roll and Robbie, they all suck. Given the choices of the merger I would take Gogo and Steve because they seem comfortable with some silence now and then, while P&P constantly babble. I don't need any behind the scenes crap or who overcame what, just call the racing and thats perfect. I don't love P&P but I only watch the recorded live broadcast of the tour I Tivo on VS because you don't have to deal with all the production extras the prime time show has.

 

[Granville57]

it's only those 3 lines with no source or article so I don't really get it either.

It's there but not too obvious.
If you follow the few rows of linked words just below that short paragraph, the word "source" shows up right next to the Facebook icon. Not sure why they're tagging a story from November though.

 

[DirtyWorks]

anyone know why this is posted? not exactly CNN

I copied and pasted the quoted text into google and found an AP story dated 19/11/2010.

Nothing new.

 

[DirtyWorks]

I've already confirmed on the "blurred lines" thread that Liggett and Sherwins' media company are paid by Livestrong. For journalistic integrity they should highlight this in each program they broadcast. None the less they categorise themselves as "entertainers" not journalists.

I agree with the "entertainers" label. I'm from a different Phil/Paul era. Mine goes back to pre-Internet/pre-Versus and the horrible coverage on ABC or CBS. Having missed all of their versus entertainment, I still give them a break.

Let's give team Pharmstrong a big round of applause for embedding the commercial inside the broadcast in an entirely new and frightening way. Some pro athletes in other sports looking to boost their image should do the same. It would be interesting to observe any blow-back from the fans.

 

[patricknd]

Do you just like Frankie as an extension of Betsy? I can actually see that as a reason to support Frankie since Betsy is so respected. In reality though Frankie is another ex-pro with little to offer as a commentator, I wish they would have dumped Frankie, Roll and Robbie, they all suck. Given the choices of the merger I would take Gogo and Steve because they seem comfortable with some silence now and then, while P&P constantly babble. I don't need any behind the scenes crap or who overcame what, just call the racing and thats perfect. I don't love P&P but I only watch the recorded live broadcast of the tour I Tivo on VS because you don't have to deal with all the production extras the prime time show has.

i gotta agree

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Do you just like Frankie as an extension of Betsy? I can actually see that as a reason to support Frankie since Betsy is so respected. In reality though Frankie is another ex-pro with little to offer as a commentator, I wish they would have dumped Frankie, Roll and Robbie, they all suck. Given the choices of the merger I would take Gogo and Steve because they seem comfortable with some silence now and then, while P&P constantly babble. I don't need any behind the scenes crap or who overcame what, just call the racing and thats perfect. I don't love P&P but I only watch the recorded live broadcast of the tour I Tivo on VS because you don't have to deal with all the production extras the prime time show has.

If all 4 mentioned were replaced, then I would agree.

You said "Frankie is another ex-pro with little to offer as a commentator" - technically he is not a commentator - this might seem pedantic but his role was to get access and interview the riders.
Anyone can talk crap into a mic- but what he brings is someone who is both popular and respected by everyone which gets him access to the riders at the Tour, there are few US ex Pro's who can fill his role.

 

[mewmewmew13]

Do you just like Frankie as an extension of Betsy? I can actually see that as a reason to support Frankie since Betsy is so respected. In reality though Frankie is another ex-pro with little to offer as a commentator, I wish they would have dumped Frankie, Roll and Robbie, they all suck. Given the choices of the merger I would take Gogo and Steve because they seem comfortable with some silence now and then, while P&P constantly babble. I don't need any behind the scenes crap or who overcame what, just call the racing and thats perfect. I don't love P&P but I only watch the recorded live broadcast of the tour I Tivo on VS because you don't have to deal with all the production extras the prime time show has.

I like Betsy because she is not intimidated by standing up to belligerent and overbearing men. She has her act together.

Frankie I like as he has been rolled over and leaned on by His Majesty you-know-who and used as a flunky....or so it seems. He is so far above Bob Roll in the interviewing and presenting /knowledge department that it isn't funny. He does his stuff and does not try to have a 'gimmick' onscreen as many others we know.

Maybe I phrased my first sentence poorly and too abruptly for my meaning to come across well, not unlike the manner in which you challenged my opinion in your intro.

have a nice day,
mew

 

[flicker]

Actually, I like Magnus Bankstedt, most of the Aussie commentators, the Italians, Spanish, Basques, phil+pAul, bOb rOll, the French,Walloonies, Mesikins, and my favorite iBan mAyo. Frankie however is a dUd. so is sEan Kelly. After 1800 hrs. Betsy would do just fine in her commentating. Kimmage would be atrocious though as a commentator unless it was for Space Docking or commentating a funeral.

 

[JRTinMA]

If all 4 mentioned were replaced, then I would agree.

You said "Frankie is another ex-pro with little to offer as a commentator" - technically he is not a commentator - this might seem pedantic but his role was to get access and interview the riders.
Anyone can talk crap into a mic- but what he brings is someone who is both popular and respected by everyone which gets him access to the riders at the Tour, there are few US ex Pro's who can fill his role.

You're right he is not a commentator, he gets the post race interview. He may very well be the best of the group as he certainly is better then Robbie Ventura. I can't think of any former US pro riders who could step in but surely there must be someone. As far as how much respect he gets, considering his past I would hope its minimal but I know its probably unlikely in this game.

 

[Granville57]

Versus and Universal sports have merged. Soon all bike racing will be on Universal Sports. On the bad side Frankie will not be part of it, thanks to a nice call from Wonderboy's people he will no longer be part of the Tour broadcast team. Only person not invited back

I suppose that might explain why, when I went to the Universal Cycling site to check up on Pais Vasco, I had to be subjected to this crap just below the video highlights:

CYCLING TWEETS

Lance Armstrong Ran into Tyson @uchiaustin when on date night w/ @annahansen. Best sushi anywhere. Period.

chris carmichael What to do on a warm spring evening? Jumps on your bmx bike, of course...

Oh yea, oh yea, oh yea! Wow, Lance & Chris, that's just soooo entertaining, interesting and informative!
Should we expect more of this in the future as a result of the merger?
Universal Sports

 

[Hugh Januss]

You're right he is not a commentator, he gets the post race interview. He may very well be the best of the group as he certainly is better then Robbie Ventura. I can't think of any former US pro riders who could step in but surely there must be someone. As far as how much respect he gets, considering his past I would hope its minimal but I know its probably unlikely in this game.

Frankie's past? You really need to throw away the crack pipe dude.
Oh and that should be "it's minimal"

 

[JRTinMA]

Frankie's past? You really need to throw away the crack pipe dude.
Oh and that should be "it's minimal"

I guess you are implying there are good dopers and bad dopers. Let me guess in your feeble mind a good doper speaks out against Lance and a bad doper supports him, you're a hypocrite. Your arguments are weak like you, move on troll.

 

[jimmypop]

I guess you are implying there are good dopers and bad dopers. Let me guess in your feeble mind a good doper speaks out against Lance and a bad doper supports him, you're a hypocrite. Your arguments are weak like you, move on troll.

In the end, Frankie did the right thing and admitted what he'd done. So, at least he's not an outright liar.

Betsy is as genuine and thoughtful as they come. Others who've interacted with her can probably verify this as well: What you see is what you get.

 

[Benotti69]

I guess you are implying there are good dopers and bad dopers.

no there are those that dope, admit it and own up to the cheating on the realisation it is that, cheating and there are those that believe it is the right thing to do and deny..

 

[flicker]

In the end, Frankie did the right thing and admitted what he'd done. So, at least he's not an outright liar.

Betsy is as genuine and thoughtful as they come. Others who've interacted with her can probably verify this as well: What you see is what you get.

I have to say, as much as I trash talk, I have a great deal of respect for Betsy. I like strong, intelligent women, and although I do not have much insight to hers and her husbands relationship to doping, I also respect how they have dealt with the issue.
As far as announcers go, I prefer Europeans or Aussies, as cycling to me is a European sport, I feel they have an understanding of cycling that far exceeds ours the Americans'. Frankie and some of the guys from Universal come off to me as if they are announcing track and field events, which cycling was never and is not.
Roll is a joker and I like that, corny yes, but his purpose as well as Phil and Pauls' are to draw in newcomers.(yes even the dreaded yellow band wearers.)

To grow the sport of cycling it is important to develop a fan base. I feel that is what Versus and Universal cycling coverage is about. I applaud them for that.

 

[Race Radio]

I guess you are implying there are good dopers and bad dopers. Let me guess in your feeble mind a good doper speaks out against Lance and a bad doper supports him, you're a hypocrite. Your arguments are weak like you, move on troll.

It is only the feeble minded who think that doping is the sole measure of a person.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

You're right he is not a commentator, he gets the post race interview. He may very well be the best of the group as he certainly is better then Robbie Ventura. I can't think of any former US pro riders who could step in but surely there must be someone. As far as how much respect he gets, considering his past I would hope its minimal but I know its probably unlikely in this game.

.....and why is it you can't think of any former US Pro who could do Frankies job? It's because if you use your criteria there are very few.

As for 'respect' - well as you say "I would hope its minimal but I know its probably unlikely in this game" - that is the reality, when Frankie goes to a bus to request access to a rider who can take a high moral ground?
At the Tour he is moving around with his peers who would recognize that he was an unselfish worker who completed 9 Tours.

I guess you are implying there are good dopers and bad dopers. Let me guess in your feeble mind a good doper speaks out against Lance and a bad doper supports him, you're a hypocrite. Your arguments are weak like you, move on troll.

I know this was directed at HughA but you have called them a hypocrite after asking them a question and then "guessing" their answer!!

Good dopers, bad dopers, meh.
They dope, in most cases not because they want to, but because they feel they have little choice.
I don't look at dopers as 'bad' people because doping is a sports problem, not an individual problem.

 

[JRTinMA]

It is only the feeble minded who think that doping is the sole measure of a person.

On this we agree. I care about doping in cycling and a clean sport for the next generation. You have a much broader agenda, or a much more narrow agenda depending on ones perspective. Good luck with that.

 

[JRTinMA]

.....and why is it you can't think of any former US Pro who could do Frankies job? It's because if you use your criteria there are very few.

As for 'respect' - well as you say "I would hope its minimal but I know its probably unlikely in this game" - that is the reality, when Frankie goes to a bus to request access to a rider who can take a high moral ground?
At the Tour he is moving around with his peers who would recognize that he was an unselfish worker who completed 9 Tours.


I know this was directed at HughA but you have called them a hypocrite after asking them a question and then "guessing" their answer!!

Good dopers, bad dopers, meh.
They dope, in most cases not because they want to, but because they feel they have little choice.
I don't look at dopers as 'bad' people because doping is a sports problem, not an individual problem.

You always have a choice doc, many riders have made the right one. I don't look at dopers as good or bad either which was my point, some do obviously. One thing for certain though, all dopers are cheaters and that says a lot about their character.

 

[Hugh Januss]

I guess you are implying there are good dopers and bad dopers. Let me guess in your feeble mind a good doper speaks out against Lance and a bad doper supports him, you're a hypocrite. Your arguments are weak like you, move on troll.

Only an outright idiot would believe that Andreu did anything different than any of the guys that he interviews, except that he admitted to it.
Maybe I got you wrong, maybe you think that Frankie is not due any respect because he broke omerta and actually fessed up to his cheating?

 

[D-Queued]

You always have a choice doc, many riders have made the right one. I don't look at dopers as good or bad either which was my point, some do obviously. One thing for certain though, all dopers are cheaters and that says a lot about their character.

As stridently as I express opinions on doping, even I don't believe that.

There are certain, centuries old, organizations that think all humans are sinners. Are you casting the first rock, here?

You don't like Frankie. Ok, we get it. How about you try and be honest, instead of trying to smear him?

Trying to typecast Frankie as an equal amongst those who claim to have never tested positive is just going to make you look more foolish.

Start with the fact that when confronted, Frankie didn't lie about it. He didn't establish an exclusive with Ferrari. He didn't set up a charity as a false-front.

Dave.

 

[JRTinMA]

Only an outright idiot would believe that Andreu did anything different than any of the guys that he interviews, except that he admitted to it.
Maybe I got you wrong, maybe you think that Frankie is not due any respect because he broke omerta and actually fessed up to his cheating?

Broke omerta?!? Frankie certainly didn't perjure himself in the SCA testimony, for that we can thank Betsy. Frankie came clean after the SCA documents were released in 2006 when he had no choice. Yeah, he broke omerta...

 

[Dr. Maserati]

On this we agree. I care about doping in cycling and a clean sport for the next generation. You have a much broader agenda, or a much more narrow agenda depending on ones perspective. Good luck with that.

What does this actually mean?
What 'agenda' are you saying RR has - because you state "I care about doping in cycling and a clean sport for the next generation", which is something that RR has been very consistent in saying.

You always have a choice doc, many riders have made the right one. I don't look at dopers as good or bad either which was my point, some do obviously. One thing for certain though, all dopers are cheaters and that says a lot about their character.

Really, what does it say about their character?

If doping was a character trait then WADA, UCI etc should just do away with traditional dope tests and subject athletes to a 'character' test.