Professional Cycling For the Fans - What a drop off in activity since Lance is gone!

http://i.eurosport.com/2006/06/24/290725-1212041-458-238.jpg
no comment.

Comment: "I will say it only once: I never had sex with that woman!" WOOAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA. Sorry, couldn't resist.

My sponsor/shop told me that they are looking at around a 12% drop in business over last year at this time. Is it the 'Lance' effect or is it the fact that interest rates are rising and the economy isn't so rosy for those of us not in that special 1%?

I would actually think the rising gas prices would help bike sales. Hm..

Not for me....I am loving every minute of it and am enjoying just how wide open the early stages have been. I am not a Lance groupie...never have been and like to see some of the heretofore "lesser" riders getting some airtime.

By the way...although he isn't looking very sharp, Boonen does look good in yellow, even though he won't have it for long.


Cheers,

Brian

^^^^word to that^^^^

Kessler is on a one man mission.

^^^^word to that^^^^

Kessler is on a one man mission.

He was awesome the past 2 days. I felt so sorry for him getting caught within 50m of the finish...THAT was some courage!

Cheers,

Brian

Hey Jammer...are you anywhere near Burlington ON?

Toronto...'bout 50k

Oh so you are actually IN Toronto....I have only been there once but am working on moving to Burlington from here in New Jersey (oddly enough I currenty live in Burlington NJ). I loved the St Lawrence Market and The Jersey Giant Pub.

Cheers,

Brian

Can't go wrong with the Market.... good eats there.

You maybe too young to know this, but Cassius Clay (mohammad ali) was a draft dodger.

NFields

You are confusing him with George Bush and Dick Cheney. They, and their families and their political networks strongly supported the war in Viet-Nam and supported the draft. And both of them pulled every string they could stay home boozing and drugging during the war. Cheney used six different deferments to avoid serving in a war he was supporting (as long as Blacks and Hispanics and working class White kids did all of the fighting and dying).

Ali was a Moslem minister and was ineligible for the draft. He was drafted anyway, to punish him for speaking out against the war. The U.S. Supreme Court voted 8-0 to vindicate his position that he was not eligible for the draft.

And, as we all now know, Ali was correct about the war. Unlike the two amazingly craven cowards who are today in high office, promoting another war, and yet another war.

Although I would have liked to see Basso and Ullrich go at it, I actually think it's more exciting this way. I think it's interesting to have a little bit of a shake-up occur so that the teams need to reformulate their strategies. I was never one to enjoy a formulaic event.

Isn't there something wrong with being a commentator for the TDF and being a paid spokesman for Trek?

i.e. Bob Roll aka Bobke

You mean like Eddy Merckx having his own brand of bikes and being a commentator? Or Bernard Hinault working for the TDF and Look. I'm sure I could think of more examples if I gave it more than 10 seconds. I don't think Bobke is exactly setting a precedent, in more than one way.

Also, I don't think I've seen a thread get off topic like this one. From cycling, to Muhammed Ali, to Lance bashing, American bashing and politics. It's hard to keep up with this one.

I'm enjoying it as much or more than in previous years. I just enjoy studying bike riders that are better than I.

I have forgotten more about Muhammad, his career, and boxing in general than you will ever know.

That's still probably less than Ali has forgotten about boxing and his own career.

It is still way early in the tour...
I bet activity will perk up as we hit the mountains.


she"ll warm up around stage 15 :)

That's still probably less than Ali has forgotten about boxing and his own career.

Ouch.

That's still probably less than Ali has forgotten about boxing and his own career.

Duh. Ali has PARKINSON'S. It doesn't affect memory. Get your diseases right before you start making fun of them. :rolleyes:

Koffee

That's still probably less than Ali has forgotten about boxing and his own career.

Duh. Ali has PARKINSON'S. It doesn't affect memory. Get your diseases right before you start making fun of the people afflicted with them. :rolleyes:

Koffee

99ers are gone !!

im looking forward to watching it myself, an unpredictable race is more fun to watch

im looking forward to watching it myself, an unpredictable race is more fun to watch
Agreed. I am more interested in watching the TdF in order to see a race than I am to see a specific rider. It's sort of like the movies. I'm more interested in the plot, storyline and visual effects than I am in the actors and actresses.

Hate to break it to you all, but The Rest of The World doesn't give a rats arse if more Seppos discover what a bike is (or undiscover, as the case may be), and The Rest of The World is much happier sans Lance because he made the tour boring.

If you disagree, you obviously weren't around in 1989!

I'm sorry, but that's the facts! Lance = boring. He's the quinessestial Americanism, which is facinating if you're American, but for the rest of the universe it's kinda like KFC opening up down the street.

How was that for bait? Did I do okay? :)

Tour is WIDE OPEN this year and I'm more excited about it than I have been in years. THAT'S GOOD.

That's still probably less than Ali has forgotten about boxing and his own career.
Parkinson's disease is wholly physical. It effects his motor functions, not his mind or memory.

Hate to break it to you all, but The Rest of The World doesn't give a rats arse if more Seppos discover what a bike is (or undiscover, as the case may be), and The Rest of The World is much happier sans Lance because he made the tour boring.

If you disagree, you obviously weren't around in 1989!

I'm sorry, but that's the facts! Lance = boring. He's the quinessestial Americanism, which is facinating if you're American, but for the rest of the universe it's kinda like KFC opening up down the street.

How was that for bait? Did I do okay? :)

Tour is WIDE OPEN this year and I'm more excited about it than I have been in years. THAT'S GOOD.
I just looked up what a 'seppo' is. I'd be insulted (mildly) if I weren't laughing. Come on, us Americans just want to be loved. Is that so wrong?

I started really watching the tour in 2003 and the Giro in 2005. The Giro was interesting last year, a yawner this year. Last year the Tour was a grand, beautiful snorefest.

But now that Basso, Ullrich and Valverde are out (too bad about Valverde, I wanted to see him do well), it's been amazing. Robbie McEwan is fourth or fifth on GC? Boonen in yellow? How friggin' cool is that? And if Robbie wins today, he could be in yellow - unbelievable. Best tour in years.

Duh. Ali has PARKINSON'S. It doesn't affect memory. Get your diseases right before you start making fun of the people afflicted with them. :rolleyes:

Parkinson's disease is wholly physical. It effects his motor functions, not his mind or memory.

For the sake of pretending I wasn't making fun of Ali, I give you this:

I was referring more to the task of getting hit in the head and face for years as a boxer. That's got to do something to your brain power.

However, because of your two comments, I decided to get an Ali refresher course and went to WikiPedia to read about his career and life. Summary: He's great.

Koffee, I'm sure you'll have something to cry about.

Oi Tiger boy. . . not bad, not bad at all . . .
but don't forget we saved the world and made it
a better place for democracy. . .

OLN, Bobke et al. Hey don't forget its an American station, clawing and
fighting for Nielsen share, they have to cater to the US public and
yes Lance was the big draw. If I were in the same position I'd do exactly the
same.
bike sales are up about 15% here, I can't walk into the LBS to get a tube
of mastik without tripping over some future fred or wilma looking to buy
either a trek or specialized.

whether lance, ivan, der jan or Eddy himself were riding the tour or
not I'd watch. I'm still glued to the box mezmerized by the beauty
and grace of the whole thing, the Gestalt of it (if I may).
from the sprinters to the mountain goats, the futile breaks
the crashes, the wins, all of it is beautiful to me.

marty

whether lance, ivan, der jan or Eddy himself were riding the tour or
not I'd watch. I'm still glued to the box mezmerized by the beauty
and grace of the whole thing, the Gestalt of it (if I may).
from the sprinters to the mountain goats, the futile breaks
the crashes, the wins, all of it is beautiful to me.

marty

Ditto. Well said.

Ditto. Well said.

Absolutely!!

I am enjoying this TdF more than any Lance show that has gone on the past 7 years. This is a TdF for the CYCLING fan and not the Lance fans....I like that, but then again, I was pulling for Ullrich:( .

Cheers,

Brian

^^^^+100^^^^

I'm pulling for whoever is pulling the most/hardest or riding injured. O'Grady with fractured vertebrae? HERO Kessler with the caught on the break with 50m left and a win the next day? HERO They've all worked damned hard to get to the toughest athletic event on the planet IMO and they all have my respect. If it's easy, they're doing something wrong.

I was referring more to the task of getting hit in the head and face for years as a boxer. That's got to do something to your brain power.

However, because of your two comments, I decided to get an Ali refresher course and went to WikiPedia to read about his career and life. Summary: He's great.

Then you know what? Get it right beforehand and have someone proof your statements. They are obviously uncallous and ignorant- and how are we supposed to know what you're speaking of if you can't frame your responses correctly to begin with? Next time, think before you talk.

Koffee

Hate to break it to you all, but The Rest of The World doesn't give a rats arse if more Seppos discover what a bike is (or undiscover, as the case may be), and The Rest of The World is much happier sans Lance because he made the tour boring.

If you disagree, you obviously weren't around in 1989!

I'm sorry, but that's the facts! Lance = boring. He's the quinessestial Americanism, which is facinating if you're American, but for the rest of the universe it's kinda like KFC opening up down the street.

How was that for bait? Did I do okay? :)

Tour is WIDE OPEN this year and I'm more excited about it than I have been in years. THAT'S GOOD.

I fail to see how the 1999-2005 Tours were worse than any of the other Tours after 1989. The only one that had a chance was 1998 and that was plagued by the scandal and rider protests.

I don't get it, really. There is some sort of odd grudge against Armstrong amogst some fans.

The drop in interest may also have to do with the World Cup and the lack of top riders participating. I wouldn't be suprised if some of you would say "the Lanceophiles are gone" if all the ProTour teams were banned.

Absolutely!!

I am enjoying this TdF more than any Lance show that has gone on the past 7 years. This is a TdF for the CYCLING fan and not the Lance fans....I like that, but then again, I was pulling for Ullrich:( .

Cheers,

Brian

It's been a long time since people remember there's more than one way to win the tour.

Then you know what? Get it right beforehand and have someone proof your statements. They are obviously uncallous and ignorant- and how are we supposed to know what you're speaking of if you can't frame your responses correctly to begin with? Next time, think before you talk.

Koffee

And you obviously needed someone to push around with your purple star and all. I'm so proud you picked me for the day. :)

Come to think of it... What's WRONG WITH YOU, KOFFEE?! You are so rude sometimes and on some sort of power-trip. Doesn't someone moderate you? See if you can figure out what F.O. means.

Am I really the problem with BF? Are you saying that you need me, and only me to hire a fact checker? Have you read posts on here. We're all not as perfect as you'd like us to be and the sooner you realize that, the happier you will be. My guess is you won't ever realize it.

Go away.

Then you know what? Get it right beforehand and have someone proof your statements. They are obviously uncallous and ignorant- and how are we supposed to know what you're speaking of if you can't frame your responses correctly to begin with? Next time, think before you talk.

Koffee

Madam moderator....what does the discussion of Ali and Parkinson's have to do with cycling?


;) :D

Absolutely nothing. Which makes it twice as ridiculous that the disease was brought up to begin with. So let's just end it here before the thread gets trashed for getting off topic.

Koffee

Mod

This thread needs more cowbell:D

I agree with the TDF being more interesting without Armstrong, but I miss having all the 99ers to ridicule.

Really?

Where we are, we are at record sales. We cannot build bikes fast enough.


I'm glad it isn't a nation wide phenomenon. I was surprised to hear him say it as well, I know that when I went into the shop on Sunday it was packed. He told me this on Thursday so maybe things have picked up.

Nah. My dropoff is due to the fact that everyone eliminated the night before the race were the key riders that were guaranteed to give us the most exciting tour in years. Instead, we have a "meh" tour with some greats, but this whole suspension crap the night before the tour is bogus. I just have less interest than before the announcement. Before that, I was all set to tivo and burn dvds. :(

Koffee

Personally, I think the race so far has been riveting. Boonen in yellow! Teams are fighting for every time bonus. I think it is going to be a great tour....

There has been some really good moments, what a text book sprint setup last night. It was like a how-to.

Personally, I think the race so far has been riveting. Boonen in yellow! Teams are fighting for every time bonus. I think it is going to be a great tour....

I'm ok with it. I'm still watching it, but I'm just not burning the race.

I was pulling for Magnus today, but those breakaways always get caught...

Koffee

I've seen enough flat stages already. The lack of TTT and the added flat sprint stage has made the tour drag on. I can see were a non cyclist wouldn't want to watch these opening stages. Even Bob Roll sounded bored today.
Bring on the mountains!!

I've seen enough flat stages already. The lack of TTT and the added flat sprint stage has made the tour drag on. I can see were a non cyclist wouldn't want to watch these opening stages. Even Bob Roll sounded bored today.
Bring on the mountains!!

Hang in there Buckaroo...they're comin'

I've seen enough flat stages already. The lack of TTT and the added flat sprint stage has made the tour drag on. I can see were a non cyclist wouldn't want to watch these opening stages. Even Bob Roll sounded bored today.
Bring on the mountains!!

The Tour organisers need to mix up the first week more. I love watching bunch sprints but the long break/chase/catch in the last 5km/sprint scenario gets old after the fourth or fifth day in a row. A TTT might help. So might banning race radioes. What I really think they need to do is follow the lead of the Giro organisers. During the first week an occassional hilltop finish, a few stages with a hilly run in similar to the Valkenburg stage or one semi-mountain stage would be fantastic.

duuno bout you guys but Im am very much enjoying watching the version available in the UK cause it DOESNT have Bob Roll or the other guy, they suck

I do have to say I'm glad that for the first time, there is full coverage for ALL the Americans. I still get tired of the Lance references. They really try to find any way they can to bring up Lance's name. Really, I don't expect there to be NO reference to him- but wow. They can relate anything to him just to say his name! :D

Koffee

I agree with 240gl's comment, didn't give a **** about the tour before, now it seems like it's fresh. I'm giving everybody at work updates.