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Around SBN: Diego Sanchez and the Dangers of Fame in MMA

Basso to serve as UCI anti-doping spokesman

While German cyclist Joerg Jaksche has been forced to retire because no one will give him a job, Basso's climb to sainthood continues. Link HERE.

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Uh
April fools is well past, guys.

by Sui Juris on May 7, 2008 1:12 PM EDT reply actions  

WOW
I am actually speechless. I do think the difference between Basso and the Jaksche and Sinkewitz crowd is remorse. Sinkewitz and Jaksche show very little sign of even understanding that what they did was wrong and have given little indication that they are reformed and wouldn't do it again. Although Ivan's admission was anything but complete and honest he at least showed a simulacrum of guilt and remorse.

by australopithecine on May 7, 2008 1:35 PM EDT reply actions  

simulacra
I love that word.  We just need a post to weave this together with ursula's reference to Auerbach's Mimesis and will be on our way to Lit Crit nirvana.  Terry Eagleton would be proud.
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it"-Upton Sinclair

by ELVISGOAT on May 7, 2008 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions  

nope
Eagleton would want a shout out to Fred Jameson and Billy Bragg.

Baudrillard would be impressed, however . . .

by R Mc on May 7, 2008 2:44 PM EDT up reply actions  

Sure
If they didn't block the site after reading our explanation of Doodsmak.
"If writing too much about the classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris Fontecchio on May 7, 2008 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions  

I started to evoke Baudrillard
but was afraid that would take us in the direction of The Matrix... maybe there is a Speed Racer analogy out there somewhere for the universe that the Basso-matic inhabits.
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it"-Upton Sinclair

by ELVISGOAT on May 7, 2008 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions  

oh yeah...
Eagleton's still alive.  Baudrillard can't be proud of anything 'cause he's, well... he's dead.
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it"-Upton Sinclair

by ELVISGOAT on May 7, 2008 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions  

but . . .
what about

his simulacra?

by R Mc on May 7, 2008 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions  

The new
purportedly clean Basso is the simulacra is he not?

by australopithecine on May 7, 2008 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions  

i was referring
to baudrillard . . .

or possibly Paul Virilio . . .

by R Mc on May 7, 2008 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions  

I need to sit down
not because of Basso's new anti-drug spokesman role, which makes as much sense and most things coming out of UCI, but because I actually read the Pat McQuaid blurb and it sounded rational...

by Jimbo... on May 7, 2008 1:46 PM EDT reply actions  

Basso and Jaksche
Like Clemens and Petite..well kinda

by CannonDowell on May 7, 2008 2:23 PM EDT reply actions  

laughable
like hiring a bank robber to guard the vault. If Basso had a shred of conscience he would refuse the job.

by Lili on May 7, 2008 2:28 PM EDT reply actions  

It takes a thief...
Roosevelt is reported to have said "It takes a thief to catch one" when he appointed Joe Kennedy chairman of the SEC.

Maybe Basso can shed some light that others can't?

by johnw on May 7, 2008 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions  

In Italy
I doubt this is seen so dimly. I'll wait for anyone to interpret the Italian news (anyone?) but given the grey area attributed to even the most startlingly corrupt figures, I'd guess Italians aren't bothered much by the incompleteness of his confession.
"If writing too much about the classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris Fontecchio on May 7, 2008 2:47 PM EDT reply actions  

obviously,
Basso has a future in Italian politics.

by Sui Juris on May 7, 2008 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions  

Absolutely!
Money? check.

Hot sister? check.

Nuanced corruption scandal? check.

"If writing too much about the classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris Fontecchio on May 7, 2008 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions  

Who can tell me what's happened to Elisa?
Has she married Mazzoleni?  Has she achieved her goal of becoming a TV personality?  Is she still a platinum blond?

by NE Observer on May 7, 2008 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions  

Who knows?q
And I doubt there's anyplace where you can find that sort of information.
"If writing too much about the classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris Fontecchio on May 8, 2008 1:49 AM EDT up reply actions  

Whenever I hear "Italian Politics"...
...I can't help but think of Ilona Staller, the Italian porn-star turned politician.

Huh--I'm not sure what that says about me.

by rocketpress on May 7, 2008 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions  

it means that you're
enjoying yourself more than the rest of us, who are stuck with pictures of Berlusconi in our heads.

by Sui Juris on May 7, 2008 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions  

have you ever seen
Ilona Staller...?
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it"-Upton Sinclair

by ELVISGOAT on May 7, 2008 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions  

Larger than life.
Literally. She was married briefly to an American artist named Jeff Koons. I saw s show of his that consisted of enormously large photos of the two of them having sex. It wasn't pretty.

by rocketpress on May 7, 2008 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions  

So his first step
is going to be to tell everyone where he got his supplies, who administered them, and what his team managers had to say about it, right?

As for double-speak in cycling, this comes a distant second to my favorite quote. It is from Tom Ramey, of Liberty Mutual about Liberty Seguros' Manager Manolo Saiz.

For ourselves I have great confidence in Manolo, I know our protocols and I know Manolo's historic role relative to doping. He is Mr. Anti-Doping. That sums up my response on drugs. http://www.cyclingrevealed.com/Feb06/Feb_feature06.htm

by Koppenberg on May 7, 2008 3:18 PM EDT reply actions  

Valuable info from Basso?
Will he have anything of value to tell the fine folks at the UCI? I would have to imagine that the art of doping has morphed a whole lot since he made his attempt.

by Superconfex on May 7, 2008 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions  

See the BIG difference is...
Jaksche confessed to actually doping.

Basso only INTENDED to dope! He never actually did!

:)

Racing for Victory and Free Beer!

by DemonCats on May 7, 2008 4:33 PM EDT reply actions  

like...
not inhaling...
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it"-Upton Sinclair

by ELVISGOAT on May 7, 2008 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions  

ride
I'm done with 2 year old doping trash. Test and bust the crap out of them today, otherwise, let's see some racing. If Basso isn't clean in '09, 'aint' nobody clean.

by phantom @ Podium Cafe on May 7, 2008 5:07 PM EDT reply actions  

Yep
the positive side of things is that he'll have zero leeway to mess around. If the system warrants any confidence at all (an open question), we should have some here.
"If writing too much about the classics is wrong, I don't want to be right."

by Chris Fontecchio on May 7, 2008 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions  

Blech
I was so trying to ignore this story.  Eeew.  I'm good with Basso signing a contract and racing his bikey.  I might even cheer for the guy.  But antidoping ambassador guy?  Oh, puleeze.  Let's not push it, mmkay?

This story isn't getting much of any play in the Italian press, and I looked in vain for comment on it.  Most of the tifosi are either obsessing about the upcoming Giro or bawling in their espressos over the suspension of Peta.  Actually, in truth, opinion is divided on the Ale situation, with some seeing his suspension as ridiculous and a sign of all that's wrong with cycling and its governance, and others seeing it as fair and correct since he broke the rules.

On Basso's return in general, it seems to me most opinion is pretty favorable.  He still enjoys a significant amount of popularity.  I haven't really ever seen anyone argue his innocence, even when this thing all began.  Most believe he did what lots of others were doing at the same time, and many decry what they see as inequitable treatment, whereby Basso was punished and others named in the Puerto investigation continued to ride.  That perception isn't entirely so, of course, since there are any number of Spanish riders racing for peanuts or prematurely retired, while Basso will return to a very nice contract with a major team.  His half-assed confession provoked plenty of derisive comment, but most understand the reasoning behind it.  Anyway, most of the comment on his return takes on a welcome back, good luck sort of tone.  He's pretty much totally forgiven.  

Just my take, with the usual caveat that I'm not actually Italian, so I may have missed some sort of nuancey bits and pieces.

by Jen See on May 7, 2008 7:09 PM EDT reply actions  

UCI and Basso
There is a traditional sentence in Portugal that aplies where...

"If you can't beat him, you have to join him."

by semprenaroda on May 8, 2008 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions  

We are either witnessing the
greatest example of egotism known in modern sport, or an historic attempt of sincere contrition.

I guess we'll find out which.

by Ruthann on May 7, 2008 7:17 PM EDT reply actions  

This get's my vote
for the best PdC thread EVAH!
"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it"-Upton Sinclair

by ELVISGOAT on May 8, 2008 7:38 AM EDT reply actions  

Apparently the UCI has given up on the Pro Tour

The signing of Basso to a current Pro Tour team and their adoption of him as poster boy must mean there will be no more Pro Tour after this year.

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana. - G. Marx

by flying dog on May 9, 2008 6:31 AM EDT reply actions  

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