Professional Cycling For the Fans - A little mean lol

i dunno if this has been brought up here, but i came across this:
http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/photos/04tourSt12-004000

i know Jan puts on some weight and parties alot off season...the description is kind of funny, but also a little mean spirited i think...i dunno whether to laugh or feel sorry for him lol :lol: :cry:

A bit mean spirited. Jan is physically in the best shape he's been in a long time. That picture was taken from a bad angle, then the rather nasty comments about food put underneath. I just find it especially mean, seeing as though regardless of what place he's in, every person out there racing in the tour deserves more respect than what's shown in that picture.

Two snaps down for Graham. :rolleyes:

Koffee

What the...? He looks so fit and healthy in that pic. Are you sure the reference was a chub joke and not a German joke? Chocolate cake...German choc. cake? :rolleyes: I've heard waaaaay too many Jan+strudel/cake jokes this tour, it's gotten trite. Let's hope next year is different.

G'day,

yeah...of course the 'sub editor' who wrote the 'copy' could ride the TDF...without fail....just as soon as he's finished his donuts!

cheers,

Hitchy

A bit mean spirited. Jan is physically in the best shape he's been in a long time.

Koffee

Best shape in a long time? This is his worst Tour finish in his career.
The caption was just a joke. Poking fun at the excess talk about weight, maybe. I believe I've seen similar captions about Armstrong earlier this year (Mr Krispy Cremes? hehe)

It's a joke. And really are you telling me that if you got a bag lunch in the middle of anything never mind a 200 km ride that you would not want chocolate cake, I know I would. Hey I want it right now. :D

Joke or not, I don't find it funny to make fun of someone by bringing up allegations and assumptions about any of the riders. What would people say if he posted pictures of Lance and put in jokes about his "alleged" doping? Would that be funny?

And I said he was PHYSICALLY in the best shape he's ever been in. Cardiovascularly, tactic-wise, and team wise... that's another story!

Koffee

You can't compare a little joke about Jan's love for chocolate with the serious accusations about Lance doping.

I found it funny, as did a lot of other people. Hell, Jan himself might even find it funny. He is a good natured guy. One of the most humble champions in the sport. He doesn't need you to defend him.

I don't think he would be in great shape if he dropped stacks of weight immediately prior to the Tour, as Phil Liggett suggested (something like 6kg in a month).

It's not ideal to be training hard, and trying to recover when you're losing lots o' pounds.

How about a caption for this one?

http://img64.exs.cx/img64/3066/jan.jpg

A bit mean spirited. Jan is physically in the best shape he's been in a long time. That picture was taken from a bad angle, then the rather nasty comments about food put underneath. I just find it especially mean, seeing as though regardless of what place he's in, every person out there racing in the tour deserves more respect than what's shown in that picture.

Two snaps down for Graham. :rolleyes:

Koffee

Agreed - I'm tired of the fat Jan, strudel boy jokes.

Give the riders respect - no need to mock them. How would they like it if Lance was said to be looking for his nuts. Maybe Tyler Hamilton is looking for airbags. Beloki looking for a straight femur. Richard V? EPO shot.

I posted a similar picture here (see below) after La Mongie, and I didn't intend for it to be mean spirited at all. I think very highly of Jan, and in some ways like the fact that he lets loose a bit in the off season. I can see how it is a fine line though...

-Henry

http://mypage.iusb.edu/~hpscott/Ullrich_2005.jpg







i dunno if this has been brought up here, but i came across this:
http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/photos/04tourSt12-004000

i know Jan puts on some weight and parties alot off season...the description is kind of funny, but also a little mean spirited i think...i dunno whether to laugh or feel sorry for him lol :lol: :cry:

LA is lionised by most around here as the best TdF rider ever with the strongest team ever. Some even claim LA to be a "better" rider than Merckx. Then when Ullrich can't beat this rider of mythic proportions he's ridiculed for it.

Guy's in a hard spot isn't he?

:beer:

I wounder how Jan would do with a better team. Swiching captians mid race is poor form.

Joe

I think some people are reading waaay too much into the caption. If the OP had not posted his spin on it, I would have thought the caption a lame attempt at humor that could have been applied to anyone.

Joke or not, I don't find it funny to make fun of someone by bringing up allegations and assumptions about any of the riders. What would people say if he posted pictures of Lance and put in jokes about his "alleged" doping? Would that be funny?
Koffee
Yes. It would be funny. My household is Lance supporters, but we've been making drug jokes all Tour. Geez, lighten up.

Lance was said to be looking for his nuts. Maybe Tyler Hamilton is looking for airbags. Beloki looking for a straight femur. Richard V? EPO shot.
ROFLMAO

I dont think anyone has the right to joke about his weight or anything except him. I Have a feeling that The person who wrote this hasnt come 2nd in the tour even once. Jan, L.A., Tyler etc. These guys are like the most fit people in the world. We could make some Photography joke though LOL thats mean nvm.

I'd rather be accused of looking in my bag for a choc bar or a can of lager, then for a syringe! Could be worse ... :D

C'mon people ... we all know what Ullrich does is beyond our comprehension and abilities. None of us are going to be the next President of the United States either, but that doesn't stop us from poking fun at that monkey. Quite right too!

So, it's okay to get huffy about Lance's personal life with Sheryl Crow, but Professional jokes (Jan's weight, Lance's drug controversy, Tyler's crashing habit) is wrong? WTF? I think this stuff is funny, and harmless. They don't care about the pictures and the jokes.

If anyone should be allowed a piece of cake it's those guys. HELL I eat a lot of cake and ice cream and I'm not putting down anywhere near the mileage those guys are. Now that Lance has done his thing I'm rooting for Ullrich. Hopefully he has a few good years and can go out being recognized as a champ rather than just an understudy. If LA goes to the tour next year I hope the results are as follows:

1) Jan Ullrich
2) Lance Armstrong
3) Ivan Basso or Tyler Hamilton (aka Airbag)

I want to see Jan beat Armstrong rather than win without Armstrong there. That way he won't have the footnote "Never could beat Armstrong"

Next year I'd like to see
1-Ullrich
2-Armstrong
3-Vinokourov
4-Voeckler

i'd like to see Hamilton dedicate next year's TdF to Tugboat and win over armstrong and Ulrich :)

Some of you people take things way too seriously.

Now we can't make a joke because we've never come in 2nd in the Tour? Hope you guys don't make jokes about President Bush, John Kerry, or any other political figure. Afterall, you've never been President or Senator. Only -they- have the rights to make jokes about themselves.

You don't know what it's like!

i'd like to see Hamilton dedicate next year's TdF to Tugboat and win over armstrong and Ulrich :)

I have a strange image of Tyler riding in the Tour with a Burley trailer attached to his bike, pulling along Tugboat who's sitting in the back.

Next year I'd like to see
1-Ullrich
2-Armstrong
3-Vinokourov
4-Voeckler

Voeckler 4th?? Now that would be a shocking result! Please don't put any more unrealistic expectations on this kid than the French will. He was exciting to watch, and I think my wife has a crush on him, but give him at least 2 or 3 more years to have him placed that high on GC!

As for the photo caption... It will be interesting to see how Ullrich reacts to more and more negative press. Will he be stronger for it, or will he simply disappear. Right or wrong, he has now been crowned the rider with the most natural talent, but not enough self-disipline.

Ummmm... If Graham Watson decided to post a caption under Lance talking about tonsil cleanings with Sheryl, or if he decided to call Lance the one ball wonder under a picture, I'd say he was being equally unprofessional. I'm mostly surprised at Graham for contributing to the negative comments and negative press. I've never seen him poke fun of any of the riders, but at the same, I haven't looked through all of Graham's pictures either, though I do have a book of his that Greg LeMond autographed for me. If he did poke fun of other riders, I'd be rolling my eyes at that too- since when did he become the photographer satirist for the bike races? Take the damn shot, sell your pictures and move on.

For what it's worth, I don't even think Armstrong is going to race next year. Maybe 2006 if he's not feeling too old, but if I did a top 3 list, I wouldn't hesitate to leave Armstrong off the list. Let's see what happens when he starts racing in the classics!

Koffee

Voeckler 4th?? Now that would be a shocking result! Please don't put any more unrealistic expectations on this kid than the French will. He was exciting to watch, and I think my wife has a crush on him, but give him at least 2 or 3 more years to have him placed that high on GC!

OK, you're right. :D That is way too early for him, I guess. But Vino's back so I'm keeping that 3rd podium for him.

Who doesn't have a crush on Voeckler? He's a teddy bear. Actually, I'm envious of his complexion. That boy has porcelain skin.

Ummmm... If Graham Watson decided to post a caption under Lance talking about tonsil cleanings with Sheryl, or if he decided to call Lance the one ball wonder under a picture, I'd say he was being equally unprofessional. I'm mostly surprised at Graham for contributing to the negative comments and negative press. I've never seen him poke fun of any of the riders, but at the same, I haven't looked through all of Graham's pictures either, though I do have a book of his that Greg LeMond autographed for me. If he did poke fun of other riders, I'd be rolling my eyes at that too- since when did he become the photographer satirist for the bike races? Take the damn shot, sell your pictures and move on.

For what it's worth, I don't even think Armstrong is going to race next year. Maybe 2006 if he's not feeling too old, but if I did a top 3 list, I wouldn't hesitate to leave Armstrong off the list. Let's see what happens when he starts racing in the classics!

Koffee

I think there's more behind Graham Watson and Tmobile's relationship than we probably know about.... take a look at the pics of stage 20.

Not one foto of Kloden or the team presentation. The last foto he had - it looks like he cropped out Kloden. Almost like an amateur foto because the way it hacks off Lance.

JU is the guy that had to lose 14 kilos in the 4 months before the race right?

That fact, coupled with too much cafinated coffee and TDF withdrawl, has obviously caused many of you to forget what humor is. Now, I too am in the process of de-kiloing myself to about the same tune and I can assure you, I would bust up laughing if I saw a caption like that under my picture.

The best humor has a bit of truth in it.

An article in Bicycling Mag this month talks about how pro riders frequently get pastries, cakes and such in thier musettes.

If anyone should be allowed a piece of cake it's those guys. HELL I eat a lot of cake and ice cream and I'm not putting down anywhere near the mileage those guys are. Now that Lance has done his thing I'm rooting for Ullrich. Hopefully he has a few good years and can go out being recognized as a champ rather than just an understudy. If LA goes to the tour next year I hope the results are as follows:

1) Jan Ullrich
2) Lance Armstrong
3) Ivan Basso or Tyler Hamilton (aka Airbag)

I want to see Jan beat Armstrong rather than win without Armstrong there. That way he won't have the footnote "Never could beat Armstrong"
I'd like to see
1) Jan -because of the footnote thing
2)ME -because "I'm that dam-n good" and the following year I will take it from Jan, one freebie is enough.
3)Lance -because he's good, but he only wishes he were me.
4) Who cares, there's only three spots on the podium.

And I'll do it all on a training diet of beer, cake, and hagas.

I'd like to see
1) Jan -because of the footnote thing
2)ME -because "I'm that dam-n good" and the following year I will take it from Jan, one freebie is enough.
3)Lance -because he's good, but he only wishes he were me.
4) Who cares, there's only three spots on the podium.

And I'll do it all on a training diet of beer, cake, and hagas.

ROFLMAO!!! :roflmao:

Joke or not, I don't find it funny to make fun of someone by bringing up allegations and assumptions about any of the riders. What would people say if he posted pictures of Lance and put in jokes about his "alleged" doping? Would that be funny?


Making jokes about accusations of cheating (with no proof) is different from making jokes about an admitted performance hinderer.



And I said he was PHYSICALLY in the best shape he's ever been in. Cardiovascularly, tactic-wise, and team wise... that's another story!


That refers to his physical shape.


Ummmm... If Graham Watson decided to post a caption under Lance talking about tonsil cleanings with Sheryl, or if he decided to call Lance the one ball wonder under a picture, I'd say he was being equally unprofessional.

Koffee

Cancer is quite different from eating habits
As is a personal relationship

Like another poster said, I think Ullrich might even laugh at the caption.


Next year I'd like to see
1-Ullrich
2-Armstrong
3-Vinokourov
4-Voeckler

Voeckler? are you kidding?

i'd like to see Hamilton dedicate next year's TdF to Tugboat and win over armstrong and Ulrich :)


HECK YES