The Patrick Lefevere Depreciation Thread

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I love to see him in talkshows and interviews, because he's a very interesting guy, an extremely savvy manager with specific insights and a no-nonsense approach. But god-damn, they have to stop inviting him to these talkshows if he can't bother to show up sober. That wasn't "tipsy", that was flat out drunk. Due to his speech impediment it's often difficult to tell when he's drunk and when not. But too often there is absolutely no doubt about it.

 

[Volderke]

After what happened with Bennett: who wouldn’t get drunk once in a while?

 

[tobydawq]

After what happened with Bennett: who wouldn’t get drunk once in a while?

Before going on national TV?

 

[noob]

I just watched PL in Vive le Velo on Sporza and paid attention to what he said, and how he said it.

While there wasn't much new / worth noticing about what he said, it struck me how he said things:
He looked old and even fragile, and he talked slow with a lot of pauses, and not very sharp / witty (like he used to do in the old days). He also looked tired and uninspired, even when talking about e.g. Evenepoel.
Imho, even without all the controversy with Bennett, he looks like someone who should take a step back and make room for a younger CEO, and enjoy his retirement.

(or, instead of all above, he drank too much)

That's it for me. I won't need any more reasons to stop gloating. Not coming to gloat on someone with an addiction. Everything hereby explained as far as this noob (mean me) is concerned. Thanks for sharing.

(Language barriers makes it harder to appreciate some events because it's not like one watches a talk show in a foreign language.)

 

[Rackham]

I haven't seen the video but if he was indeed drunk, then based on some experience around alcoholics we can assume it's a drinking habit which impairs pretty much everything. Hence his comments & behavior in recent months.

Alcoholics are touchy, paranoid, agitated, indecent, rude & lose sense of their own behavior. They also flip between extremes, i.e. super jovial versus super depressed versus super angry & nasty.

It's no joke. And there's often no helping such people (especially at his age).

 

[Red Rick]

Yes he was obviously very tipsy at least. And although he didn't say that much nonsense, it was quite embarrassing to see him struggle with words and how to pronounce them.

The hard life of someone in the VIP, I guess.

Not sure if that's being drunk or West-Flemish

 

[Monte Serra]

But god-damn, they have to stop inviting him to these talkshows if he can't bother to show up sober.

Isn't it mainly Lefevere's responsibility not to show up drunk for media events? Can't be something his sponsors are too happy about.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I haven't seen the video but if he was indeed drunk, then based on some experience around alcoholics we can assume it's a drinking habit which impairs pretty much everything. Hence his comments & behavior in recent months.

Alcoholics are touchy, paranoid, agitated, indecent, rude & lose sense of their own behavior. They also flip between extremes, i.e. super jovial versus super depressed versus super angry & nasty.

It's no joke. And there's often no helping such people (especially at his age).

Doesn't seem to stop Matt White from doing his job properly...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Isn't it mainly Lefevere's responsibility not to show up drunk for media events? Can't be something his sponsors are too happy about.

And it's the television network 's responsibility not to invite drunks.

 

[Volderke]

And it's the television network 's responsibility not to invite drunks.

or to fill up their glass more than once!
Lefevere himself said that, because of his diabetes, he had a strong decrease of glucose in his blood (a so-called hypo), resulting in him having difficulties to express himself.

 

[BlueRoads]

Of course tv will like that, at least in the short term.

For me, drunk or not, he's a really unpleasant character and I'm not willing to cut him much slack because he's an addict. He always gloats about how everything good is just good because of him, he's a sexist and he hardly ever says sorry. I don't think that's due to alcohol, it's simply his character. The alcohol will very probably make his outbursts worse though, add some paranoia, and do a lot of damage to him, which I certainly don't wish on him.
Yeah, hopefully people will (be able to) help him (but I suppose not, because I think this has been a problem for a long time, just not as clear in the public?) and media should not show him or his opinions in public when he's drunk, but a huge alcohol problem will not make me say "it's okay, leave him alone, he's an addict" when he's making other people's lives worse.

Apart from that his public statements he's still doing a really good job, though, it's not like the team is in shambles. Hopefully he will be able to find some solution to his problems, for the benefit of himself and the team.

 

[Boes]

Can't be something his sponsors are too happy about.

Well, my guess is he was enjoying VIP with his sponsors the entire TT WC day.
Probably thought he'd enjoy himself for once during a race because he didn't have to work himself with no DQS riding.

Still, he was clearly drunk. It was a bit sad to see him stumble over his own words with bloodshot eyes. No good television.

 

[Bonimenier]

Well, my guess is he was enjoying VIP with his sponsors the entire TT WC day.
Probably thought he'd enjoy himself for once during a race because he didn't have to work himself with no DQS riding.

Still, he was clearly drunk. It was a bit sad to see him stumble over his own words with bloodshot eyes. No good television.

I don't think he usually has that much work on racedays anyway. He leaves that to the DS's.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

I don't think he usually has that much work on racedays anyway. He leaves that to the DS's.

There's important schmoozing and wheeling-dealing to do in the hospitality area.

 

[yaco]

Doesn't seem to stop Matt White from doing his job properly...

Who is no certainty to keep his current job.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Lefevere himself said that, because of his diabetes, he had a strong decrease of glucose in his blood (a so-called hypo), resulting in him having difficulties to express himself.

lol, he was clearly drunk.

 

[Volderke]

lol, he was clearly drunk.

I can't judge. Don Patrick knows who I am.

 

[Monte Serra]

Lefevere himself said that, because of his diabetes, he had a strong decrease of glucose in his blood (a so-called hypo), resulting in him having difficulties to express himself

If you have a hypo, drinking several glasses of wine is probably the last thing one should do. If he has diabetes, he should seriously consider cutting down his alcohol intake, which by most accounts is significant.

 

[Akuryo]

Lefevre may be old school and out of order at times but it's interesting that he has not lost a sponsorship dollar - Maybe he is reflecting the views of his Belgian sponsors.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. A few seasons ago it took them a very long time after Quickstep announced they would step down as main sponsor. In fact, the news that Deceuninck would take over broke here on CN as late as October 8th in 2018. And we are talking about a team that won 2 monuments that year alone and finished on the Vuelta podium. Also got the polka dot jersey and 4 stages at the Tour. Viviani secured 4 stages and the points jersey at the Giro. Not to forget one day victories at E3, Fleche, San Sebastian or Hamburg. They had a VERY successful year yet somehow it took Lefevere until mid October to find a new main sponsor to keep the team going...

 

[bill1109]

Of course tv will like that, at least in the short term.

For me, drunk or not, he's a really unpleasant character and I'm not willing to cut him much slack because he's an addict. He always gloats about how everything good is just good because of him, he's a sexist and he hardly ever says sorry. I don't think that's due to alcohol, it's simply his character. The alcohol will very probably make his outbursts worse though, add some paranoia, and do a lot of damage to him, which I certainly don't wish on him.
Yeah, hopefully people will (be able to) help him (but I suppose not, because I think this has been a problem for a long time, just not as clear in the public?) and media should not show him or his opinions in public when he's drunk, but a huge alcohol problem will not make me say "it's okay, leave him alone, he's an addict" when he's making other people's lives worse.

Apart from that his public statements he's still doing a really good job, though, it's not like the team is in shambles. Hopefully he will be able to find some solution to his problems, for the benefit of himself and the team.

He is probably being paid on the side to generate click bait for some sites

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

I can't judge. Don Patrick knows who I am.

Ha, fair enough. I liked that he didn't deny that he was drunk. Like it was a given.

 

[Rackham]

Of course tv will like that, at least in the short term.

For me, drunk or not, he's a really unpleasant character and I'm not willing to cut him much slack because he's an addict.

This is a "what came first? The chicken or the egg?" situation.

Has anyone ever met a "nice character" who is also an alcoholic? They only exist in movies & literature. In real life they're quite unpleasant & Lefevere fits the profile.

 

[BlueRoads]

This is a "what came first? The chicken or the egg?" situation.

Has anyone ever met a "nice character" who is also an alcoholic? They only exist in movies & literature. In real life they're quite unpleasant & Lefevere fits the profile.

Well, I did have at least two teachers in school with big alcohol problems who were actually quite nice, but I don't know what they were like in private life.

 

[Bonimenier]

This is a "what came first? The chicken or the egg?" situation.

Has anyone ever met a "nice character" who is also an alcoholic? They only exist in movies & literature. In real life they're quite unpleasant & Lefevere fits the profile.

Everyone that I've met in my life have met a nice character who is an alcoholic.

 

[yaco]

I wouldn't be so sure about that. A few seasons ago it took them a very long time after Quickstep announced they would step down as main sponsor. In fact, the news that Deceuninck would take over broke here on CN as late as October 8th in 2018. And we are talking about a team that won 2 monuments that year alone and finished on the Vuelta podium. Also got the polka dot jersey and 4 stages at the Tour. Viviani secured 4 stages and the points jersey at the Giro. Not to forget one day victories at E3, Fleche, San Sebastian or Hamburg. They had a VERY successful year yet somehow it took Lefevere until mid October to find a new main sponsor to keep the team going...

There is no withdrawal from his current sponsors - Nor his sponsors issuing public statements disassociating themselves from LeFevre's many questionable public comments.