I love the ToC.....but,
by Drew... on Feb 16, 2009 9:11 PM EST
62 comments
There are a few things that have been irritating me since the start that I have to get off my chest <rant on!>
1) The first half of Saturday's show being dedicated to Lance. I don't have a problem with his return, I don't love cancer, I don't even care when he gets his hackles up and takes on the role of spokesman for human kind and his fellow riders. But 35 minutes worth of the first hour? Really?
2) Any and all commentators (I'm looking primarily at Phil, Paul, and the third amigo in the booth) refusing to say why Floyd, Tyler, and Ivan have been absent from the peleton sometime during the last 3 years. How hard is it to say "And Floyd Landis, back after a 2 year doping suspension, is looking pretty frisky today, wouldn't you say Phil?" Do they actually think that more than 1% of viewers or internet followers don't know he was suspended or why? It's not like any of them would be taking sides by stating the facts, or disparaging those particular riders. Is it too much to ask that they don't try to sweep the past 3 years under the rug and hope no one notices? Sheesh.
3) The third amigo, Craig Hummer. Look, he sounds perfectly nice and he's not the second coming of Al Trautwig. But since this is a big gig for him I'd expect that he'd do some homework. And stating today that Tom Peterson wasn't helping Levi at all on the climb because he had a teammate who was high up on GC - Christian Vandevelde - I threw up in my mouth just a little. The name that he should have said was Dave Zabriskie, at that time only 3 seconds behind Levi. CVV was one of the 5' group. Is it too much to ask that you look at the actual standings and not just default to the team leader for this year's TDF? It's sloppy shit like this that's like a burr under my saddle. It bothers me no end.
Otherwise, the race has kicked ass so far. Gutsy ride by Paco yesterday followed by a terrific attack today by Levi. I can't wait to see how the rest of the race unfolds, and if Jimbo and Dan will ever hook up for that bottle of Captain Morgan that I'm hoping they get a hold of.
<rant off!>
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My complaint
is that after watching the race and following along here at PdC for hours, I found myself checking my emails for work and wondering why I didn’t get to the next email even though I kept hitting “’z”
by Katiek on Feb 16, 2009 9:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I do that in my head when people who are talking to me do not get to the point...
It helps a some…
Where the #@&$ is my Time?
by Jimbo... on Feb 16, 2009 10:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
4) Stage 1 with the early finish.. How could the organiser put v/d walle en Niballi on the podium but give Leipheimer the second place with boni seconds in the standings..
5) Stream.. I haven’t seen Leiphi finished in stage 2.. C’mon their are camera’s on the finish.. You don’t have to miss them… But I could missed it because the sound and the stream were not on the same time….
6) the most courageous rider against cancer shirt… Do I have to say more?
Some say the best things in life, are one the inside.
by Frinking on Feb 16, 2009 9:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Come on
They give people their weight in butter over there for getting to a stupid town first…
Where the #@&$ is my Time?
by Jimbo... on Feb 16, 2009 10:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks for reminding me
I think it’s ridiculous that a race gets neutralized for anything farther out than 3K. I don’t care if they’re racing the final 10k over rivers of lava on a series of balance beams – they get paid to do this!
"I didn't look for him and I didn't see him. If you base your race on another rider, most of the time you lose."
Tom Boonen
by Drew... on Feb 16, 2009 10:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I remember
back in the day, not really all THAT long ago, having to place daily long distance calls to the one guy in the newsroom at the Boulder Daily Camera Newspaper who would read me the daily stage results from the Tour, Giro, etc., from the TELETYPE, if you can believe that. It was the only way to get pro cycling news fast, unless you wanted to actually call Europe. No big American races to follow until Coors Classic came along, no big American racers to follow until Boyer. Now I have instant access to plentiful info about a major US stage race, with many US and World racers to follow in it, and lots of people who want to see it and talk about it, some of whom come to see a dood who does a lot for cancer among other things. So it’s all good to me….I’m not expecting perfection. It could be a whole lot worse, and for a looooong time it was.
"....Up Sestriere on a rental clunker in jeans and loafers? Brother, lemme buy you a beer."
by Rolls on Feb 16, 2009 10:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I know what you're saying Rolls
but this is the age of satellite tv and the interwebs. There’s no excuse.
"I didn't look for him and I didn't see him. If you base your race on another rider, most of the time you lose."
Tom Boonen
by Drew... on Feb 16, 2009 10:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yea Rolls, there's no excuse
This is the age of satellites and interwebs, and whatever, everything should be presented perfectly, no excuses, dammit I’m losing my mind here.
Anyway, seriously Rolls, I haven’t been a cycling fan long, but even I can imagine that day you describe for cycling coverage in the US wasn’t too long ago. I didn’t know you could race a bike for money and make a living, hell I would have signed up a lot sooner if someone had let me in on that secret.
Stop your bitching guys, so I can stop bitching about your bitching.
by sminer on Feb 16, 2009 10:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Captain Morgan
that is who Dan reminds me of… Thanks Drew!
Where the #@&$ is my Time?
by Jimbo... on Feb 16, 2009 10:14 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Stay thirsty my friend
"I didn't look for him and I didn't see him. If you base your race on another rider, most of the time you lose."
Tom Boonen
by Drew... on Feb 16, 2009 10:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The most interesting man in the world...
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
by crashdan on Feb 16, 2009 11:04 PM EST up reply actions 6 recs
Oh crashdan
You make a funny…
Where the #@&$ is my Time?
by Jimbo... on Feb 16, 2009 11:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
people
do you not understand the “rec” function?
by Sui Juris on Feb 16, 2009 11:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
You can "rec" a comment?
I had never noticed that. Note to self, remember to “Unrec” Drew’s post…
Where the #@&$ is my Time?
by Jimbo... on Feb 16, 2009 11:18 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Seriously...
… how does THAT one get the six recs?
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
by crashdan on Feb 17, 2009 11:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Oh shit.... I just spit my drink out.
Man I can’t wait to see you guys on Friday. :-)
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
by nikki on Feb 16, 2009 11:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
What make of motorcycle is that....I gotta get me one :-)
errrr....am i supposed to sign this??
by Flatbagger on Feb 17, 2009 12:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That, my friend, is the cold hearted bitch that owns my soul...
… my 2000 Triumph Sprint ST. She currently has… 1) rear brakes worn down to the metal, 2) rear tire worn down to the steel belting 3) dead left hand grip warmer 4) separated crank breather seal 5) need of a valve timing adjustment 6) dead battery 7) an owner that thinks more warmly for her than he ever did for several of his girlfriends.
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
by crashdan on Feb 17, 2009 1:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
To be fair...
The most interesting man in the world…
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
by crashdan on Feb 17, 2009 1:23 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I do believe either Phil or Paul mentioned Landis being suspened once yesterday
although it was quickly backed up by reminding the audience that Floyd fought a hard and honorable fight to prove his innocence, and the poor guy has lost all his money trying to prove he is indeed innocent.
"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt
by Phil H. on Feb 16, 2009 10:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Wow... so that's the sort of bitching that goes on when you have to watch the race on TV...
… and can’t attend live.
Mua… ua… ua….uaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahaaahhhahahahaha
(breath)
aaaaaaaaahahahahahhhhahahaaahahahahaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
by crashdan on Feb 16, 2009 10:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
You have photographed Sarah Duester...
… you will always live in glory in my estimation because of that.
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
by crashdan on Feb 16, 2009 11:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
7) the ignorant VS bimbo.... From what planet did they dredge her up?
by Fred Marx on Feb 17, 2009 12:32 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
+1
why do cycling fans get this kind of crap? The women on the sidelines at football games know what they’re talking about (mostly). And even when they don’t, at least they’re not asking ridiculous questions about the players girlfriends…
by Le Comte on Feb 17, 2009 10:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
indeed
And there are women who know about cycling so um….
by gavia on Feb 17, 2009 11:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Did you see her checking out his rear?
Seriously? That sort of crap is an insult to women. I mean, women don’t act like that… wait… nevermind…
Where the #@&$ is my Time?
by Jimbo... on Feb 17, 2009 11:50 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm pissed because I have tor F%$ken work
and miss out on live coverage… WTF.. come on USA, be on in the midle of the night like the rest od the cycling world :-)
and then have to depend on my phones internet which takes it up the A%%…. Ok enough about that…
Oh And I hate the ToC, because I’m not there seeing my SexyBank guys and Hottitude Team… More photos needed!!
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950
by CycleGirl on Feb 17, 2009 1:48 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Where's that damn edit button.
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950
by CycleGirl on Feb 17, 2009 1:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Put down the plonk and step back from the keyboard...
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
by crashdan on Feb 17, 2009 2:24 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Plonk 151 will sneak up on ya’ that.
Hahaha . . . .
by Ryan_Liles on Feb 17, 2009 3:01 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It's this damn Belgium Beer i'm training with!!
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950
by CycleGirl on Feb 17, 2009 3:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I hear you.
At work, I have google (oh, and some industry-related websites. I am yet to convince Them that cycling is relevant to my work in the electricity industry. I persist, and live in hope…). I cannot get beyond google- but I can kind of make do, using some creative search techniques aimed at maximising the chances of getting the info that I’m after in the preview text.
I actually got told that I was Naughty yesterday, for doing what I have described above – trying to get an idea of the stage results – by my boss! I was mildly scandalised by that – I mean, we were sitting around like frigging ornaments, staring at a blank screen and waiting for a phone call! So I brought up google… and when he saw what I was searching for he said “You shouldn’t do that while I’m here!”… I said “Fine, OK, let’s look at a blank screen then” and shut down the browser. Sheesh!
by Lou... on Feb 17, 2009 3:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe
if you pointed out that one of the things they measure is the number of watts the riders generate, they’d get the idea that cycling has more in common with the electricity industry than they had realized. Heck, point out the kind of watts Cance threw down in the prologue on Saturday while he had the flu (!) they might begin to take an active interest themselves…
by Le Comte on Feb 17, 2009 10:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Waiting for IT
I’m waiting for the IT department to call and ask about all the bandwidth I’m chewing up by streaming the tour tracker.
:)
by johnw on Feb 17, 2009 11:02 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Me, too. :-)
"It's official. For the next four years, it will be pronounced 'nuclear' " --Seth Meyers
by Ruthann on Feb 17, 2009 11:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Speaking as the man in charge of IT at my company...
… I’ll just let you know that all the extra bandwidth is actually being consumed by the IT depart… which is streaming the C.TV and Tour Tracker that I prevent you from watching.
Ostensibly. I don’t actually block anything here. Both I and the people that sign the checks are very understanding in that regard. They lead by example… march madness next month and everything after all…
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
by crashdan on Feb 17, 2009 11:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm actually waiting for co-workers to complain about the streaming sound
in the background when they walk over. My manager is pretty good about cutting me slack with the hours I put in but not all as understanding.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
by nikki on Feb 17, 2009 11:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Hey Lou...
Use the watts thing AND the going green theme! You really have to push the FERC and State bodies wanting more of that in the future and you then tell them that you are watching for research. If we hook up power converters to all these guys, we can add them in to the wind farm fun.
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
by nikki on Feb 17, 2009 11:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yes!
AND I think that the company needs to send me to Europe in…saaaay… April – to closely observe the operation of the power generating equipment in adverse conditions…
by Lou... on Feb 18, 2009 3:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I am with you.
Last year I tried pulling the “looking for research on nuclear storage” and tried to sell them on letting me got to Europe. Alas, it did not work. You figure out an angle, you need to share. Electricity delievery mostly but I can use the nuclear angle if I need to. ha ha!
"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."
by nikki on Feb 19, 2009 11:28 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I Love the TOC but ....
I hate that it is in February.
It’s running the risk of becoming like the Tour of Poland .
Given it’s huge popularity, the UCI would be wise to open up a slot in a friendlier month
formerly known as cyclingchallenge
by Willj on Feb 17, 2009 4:31 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
I say we dump the Vuelta and replace it with an honest ToC...
… there… I said it… I can’t unsay it.
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
by crashdan on Feb 17, 2009 11:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Didn't someone recently say the Vuelta should move back to April
I think it was the Giro-boss. “You don’t play the semi’finals of the Champions League after the final. The natural order should be Vuelta – Giro – Tour”.
That should give the ToC the space it needs.
by Lopex on Feb 17, 2009 11:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Very well said Drew
I’ve also grown tired of hearing the folks at OLN – or Versus – pretend that the doping problem doesn’t exist. In Phil Liggets case, he has a history of doing this. In the 80’s he painted Pedro Delgado as the victim in a doping witch hunt when he was found to have tested postive for a doping masking agent during the 1988 Tour. When Marco Pantani produced that 52% red blood cell value during the 1999 Giro you barely heard a mention of this from either Phil or Sherwen during the Tour that year, and once Pantani came back the following year he was back to be the “little magic man” that they all loved. I like Ligget a lot but in recent years the quality of his commentating has declined quite a bit.
by Fernando on Feb 17, 2009 9:40 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
I'm assuming
the TV coverage is not funded by some kind of bail-out money, these Versus guys have to sell ads. Lance sells, blood tranfusion coversations probably does not sell. You should try being a running guy, the media coverage is worse. Meanwhile, those tools at Ctv have taken my money for almost a year and I still can’t get signed on.
by phantom_51 on Feb 17, 2009 11:33 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Really, do the makers of Snuggies
want to be associated with anything so tawdry as blood doping?
by Katiek on Feb 17, 2009 11:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
How better to keep warm...
… after putting 2 litres into cold storage before the ITT?
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
by crashdan on Feb 17, 2009 12:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I dunno...
Maybe those Enzyte (sp?) guys wouldn’t mind a big discussion of doping. “First Basso takes his pharma, then wins the Giro. Then Landis does the same and wins the Tour.” Cut to an ad with that goofy-smiling dude riding a bike. Might work.
by Le Comte on Feb 17, 2009 12:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I keep telling myself...
… that Enzyte was the only advertiser that VS. could get… and that I’m not actually the target demographic.
I keep telling myself that…
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
by crashdan on Feb 17, 2009 12:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
How are they even still on TV
The founder and his Mother (!) were found guilty of numerous federal crimes., such as mail fraud, bank fraud and money laundering.
by johnw on Feb 17, 2009 12:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
And were actually sanctioned by the FDA because their product...
… was found not to actually DO ANYTHING.
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
by crashdan on Feb 17, 2009 1:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That's a bit strong
It did separate a fool and his money :)
Many fools, apparently.
by johnw on Feb 17, 2009 2:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Well played, sir :)
Well played!
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc.
by crashdan on Feb 17, 2009 2:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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