Pat wants global superstars

[jimbob_in_co]

50-75 years ago, in baseball (sorry you cricket and football fans), we (arguably) had bigger "superstars", but it wasn't because these guys were being propped-up by the sporting body. It was because they were genuinely superb individuals. They were appropriately recognized as such by fans and media.

"Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? A nation turns its lonely eyes to you."

Of course there was a fair amount of 'hero worship' in the media back then as well. George Herman Ruth was a well known womanizing boozer.

Another thing going for baseball in the past, they'd throw out the known/proven cheats, no matter if they'd just won the World Series or held the all time record for number of base hits.

Of course, in the last 15 years baseball had its own doping crisis.

Still your point valid (to me AT LEAST) and well taken.
Let the fans decide who the superstars are based on their performance in competition and the lives the lead outside of it.

 

[The Hitch]

And AC, you can join Rasmussen, Li (and many others) under the bus:
]

If thats true thats a significant development nonetheless.

Rasmussen Landis Kohl Vino, those are all scape goats paying for the emperor sins. But the king is invincible.

Name me an emperor who was ever struck by a cannonball


But with AC getting thrown under the bus, you have the greatest rider of his generation thrown after 5 gt wins.

Its the sword of damocles now. If you want power, you have to live with the sword dangling by a single hair, above your head.

"Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown" - Shakespeare's Henry IV.

 

[BotanyBay]

But with AC getting thrown under the bus, you have the greatest rider of his generation thrown after 5 gt wins.

He's a liability now.

Personally, I think had he been an anglo, Pat would have gone to bat for him. But... there's a new hope (Edit: "In McQuaid's opinion"... not mine).

 

[D-Queued]

You can always tell the good guys from the bad guys.

Andy's wearing white!

Dave.

 

[BikeCentric]

You can always tell the good guys from the bad guys.

Andy's wearing white!

Dave.

And, of course, Graham Watson thinks he's hawt.

 

[hfer07]

There are certain things we have to do … the anti-doping still has to be worked on. Maybe we will have to look at the regulations in relation to races, the grand tours maybe. I think we have to strongly consider introducing a third rest day into the grand tours. And I think the UCI will have to look very closely at any ideas the organizers come up with to bring the grand tours to far-off places, because we always have to consider the health and sporting aspects of the athletes … and that will determine how a proposal such as the one for starting the Giro d’Italia in Washington, DC, works logistically for the riders.

The other thing is to continue to create stars and try hard to find another global superstar. Despite everything that may be going on at the moment, Lance Armstrong was a truly global superstar for our sport who was a household sport and did a lot for cycling. We need to find one or two others who can communicate by their persona, their performances and the way they interact with the media to become international brand names. Because that’s what every sport needs to be a global sport.

that bit just tells me that Pat didn't find in Contador the cash cow he was hoping for - so he's still in the search for "the One" whose dominance of the sport & its market make huge profits for his Bank account and broaden the UCI influence over race organizers-as LA used to do.
McQuaid is just a piece of rotten meat who stinks at levels never reached...

 

[Beech Mtn]

The other thing is to continue to create stars and try hard to find another global superstar. Despite everything that may be going on at the moment, Lance Armstrong was a truly global superstar for our sport who was a household sport and did a lot for cycling. We need to find one or two others who can communicate by their persona, their performances and the way they interact with the media to become international brand names. Because that&#8217]

that bit just tells me that Pat didn't find in Contador the cash cow he was hoping for - so he's still in the search for "the One" whose dominance of the sport & its market make huge profits for his Bank account and broaden the UCI influence over race organizers-as LA used to do.
McQuaid is just a piece of rotten meat who stinks at levels never reached...

I agree that it's about the money. It's certainly not about the way they interact with the fans/media. Pre-cancer LA was terrible at interacting with the media. He got a little better after cancer, but still was a difficult interview, gave non-answers, rolled his eyes, acted annoyed to be asked questions, and came across as having little humor or personality.

I've been thinking about Pat's statements about creating global superstars. Lance had the inspiring cancer narrative. But Floyd's riding on a bum hip should have been a big story too. Alberto's cavernoma should be a great comeback-from-near-death story also. Tyler riding the Tour with a broken collarbone and grinding down all his teeth. Ullrich coming out of a rough childhood. There a lot of riders out there with interesting stories, great human-interest angles, that could have been spun into an interesting narrative, but none of these stories really got traction like Lance overcoming cancer.

Apparently it's not just about riding the bike, but having good PR too. Being able to sell that story. I suspect the UCI never made that much money off Floyd, Alberto, etc. I suspect that in the UCI definition superstar = massive moneymaker.

 

[BotanyBay]

I've been thinking about Pat's statements about creating global superstars. Lance had the inspiring cancer narrative. But Floyd's riding on a bum hip should have been a big story too. Alberto's cavernoma should be a great comeback-from-near-death story also. Tyler riding the Tour with a broken collarbone and grinding down all his teeth. Ullrich coming out of a rough childhood. There a lot of riders out there with interesting stories, great human-interest angles, that could have been spun into an interesting narrative, but none of these stories really got traction like Lance overcoming cancer..

I think the UCI is just in its infancy of trying to involve itself in the creation of superstars. I think they came to recognize "having" one in Armstrong, and once recognized, they crossed the line in protecting him. As far as Landis goes, he was black-balled by Armstrong for having left USPS and taking the secrets with him. Armstrong only "retired" in 2005 to deal with Walsh and his covered-up doping positive, and there was no way that Landis was going to be handed the throne. Naturally, Landis was tossed under the bus as soon as the test came back positive (remember?). If that had happened to Lance, Pat would have sat on things until he could figure out his game plan.

 

[Beech Mtn]

I don't think LA was going to be happy with another American Tour winner so soon after him. Especially not a smartmouth like Floyd.