Rock Racing Fires Creed: Interview by NY Velocity

by Jen See on Apr 18, 2009 11:59 AM EDT in News

The kids at NY Velocity have done up another good interview, this time with Mike Creed, who Friday received notice that Rock Racing has ended his contract. Creed tells us that the team has a strong emphasis on results. No results, no contract. The money quote: "Just because a crazy guy offers you a crazy good deal doesn't mean it's not going to fall through. Just because there's a piece of paper doesn't mean it's not going to fall through. So while I'd love to throw my hands up and play complete victim, I can't." Ps, Can you send us back your bike and helmet?

Schmalz and Creed also talk doping. Creed admits he may wear rose-colored glasses, but he doesn't see much doping in U.S. racing. Rather, he'd like to see more testing of foreign riders who come to the U.S. to race. He also has some less than diplomatic things to say about local amateur racers. You could never accuse Creed of holding back.

What I thought was most interesting is the psychology at work here. Is Creed convincing us or himself that there is no doping going on in U.S. racing? I've seen in this dynamic in other interviews also, and while a cynical view would dismiss the "doping, what doping?" attitude as delusional or flat-out lies, I think there's more to it.

To race bikes, it is frequently necessary to tell oneself little lies. I can win, if I train hard enough. I can get faster. My day in the sun will come. If you admit that the deck is stacked against you, that the riders you are racing have an unfair advantage, where do you find the motivation to continue? No, it's better to believe, to believe the others are clean and that the doping controls work. That the world is fair, and if you work hard, you can succeed.

For me, this is the most interesting aspect of the interview - Creed's determination to believe that there isn't doping in U.S. racing.

Er, not sure any of that made sense. It's early. Anyway, go read the whole thing, NY Velocity Creed Feed.

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Comments

I think we all know where Creed will now have to seek work...

Damn… what are the chances I get to use the same joke twice in 5 minutes?

Dude... why WOULDN'T Thor ride the chicken?

by crashdan on Apr 18, 2009 12:17 PM EDT reply actions

Uh...

I read these cycling forums, and I read these websites, and it makes me sad. Because you see these false idols they build up and you see these other guys they take down. I think it’s a way for the average cat 3 or the local hero to put down somebody more famous themselves, to say these guys must be doping. That guy is a dirty cheat.

Someone needs to tell Mr. Creed about the Cafe.

Dude... why WOULDN'T Thor ride the chicken?

by crashdan on Apr 18, 2009 12:24 PM EDT reply actions

That comment was kinda out of left field.

pfft…where else are we gonna put down somebody more famous than ourselves?

suck it, fixie h8rz

by swells on Apr 18, 2009 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Intrigued by the comment that Baldwin and Grajales got the axe too...

any one see confirmation on this?

by Christopher See on Apr 18, 2009 12:32 PM EDT reply actions

Love this Quote

Because Rock was offering quite a bit more money than anyone else would, and I knew that. So while the agreement was broken between me and the team, I share some blame because you’re only as good as the person you go into business with.

by jsallee00 on Apr 18, 2009 12:42 PM EDT reply actions

I didn't read the interview.

If it’s as long as the Michael Ashenden one, it might be a while. But from what Gav says that Creed says, all Ball wants is results. What does he expect the riders to do? It’s no wonder Tyler got popped for doping again.

by brunopitton on Apr 18, 2009 1:18 PM EDT reply actions

Wellllllll... there are results and then there are "results"...

… and I think it’s telling that, with the current economic conditions, riders are being terminated at the end of the season, thus saving Rock Racing LLP (or whatever the hell it is) their salaries for October, November and December. Saying they got terminated for not delivering results in this instance sounds a helluva lot more to me like “you just got laid off because we can’t afford you”.

Dude... why WOULDN'T Thor ride the chicken?

by crashdan on Apr 18, 2009 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions

This winter

Gavia posted this, and I seem to remember hearing something about Rock Racing’s money problems later than that.

Oh my, I've just fallen in love with Roger De Vlaeminck's sideburns.

by TheFigurehead on Apr 18, 2009 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions

lyne had posted some good summaries about Rock too

such as this back in December… interesting if it is Baldwin and Grajales who also got fired, that would be 3 off of the “missing 10” list in the comments on that post, with Tyler gone someone could be “promoted” to the actual UCI team, wonder what happens to the other 6 (is it just a matter of time?)

by guidemd on Apr 18, 2009 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions

I have always liked Mike Creed

I have seen him at races around town and actually almost hit him with my car last December when he was running a red light in the neighborhood. This sucks. I would hate to see him leave the sport.
As a funny anecdote; One of my teammates didn’t know who Mike was at a mid week training crit when Mike attacked solo and got a solid gap. Said teammate wanted nothing of an out of towner taking home the glory so tried, in vain to bridge up to him. Mike rode away from him like he was standing still. Mike stayed out there and won and my teammate had the look of a beaten dog when he was reabsorbed by the group.
The firing of Baldwin sucks too but I don’t have any good stories about him so I will leave it at that.

by australopithecine on Apr 18, 2009 11:21 PM EDT reply actions

yeah

he came to a local race here in Wyoming (it may be the only real race in the state) so I cant knock him too much.

by cyclingrhino on Apr 19, 2009 1:51 AM EDT up reply actions

CN Today

Michael Creed, Chris Baldwin and Cesar Grajales were recently let go from the Rock Racing team due to financial cut backs. According to team owner Michael Ball, “those three riders had the highest paid salaries on the amateur team and I could not afford to keep them. It’s not personal.”

Creed cited being fired due to a lack of performance. “There must be a misunderstanding,” Ball said. “This is a company and we do things by the book within our human resources. I have not gone against any of their contracts. We are within all our rights to do what we are doing.”

OK, but the letter to Creed says “failure to perform your duties to the standards required.” Anarchy.

Oh my, I've just fallen in love with Roger De Vlaeminck's sideburns.

by TheFigurehead on Apr 20, 2009 3:04 AM EDT reply actions

Just came here to post that

There may well be a reason to have claimed, in Creed’s letter, that he was failing to meet performance requirements (e.g., such a determination would permit termination of the contract without incurring any damages). But Ball’s saying otherwise just destroyed that claim, and it may well have opened a door for Creed to challenge it.

Shame about Grajales. Sound like last year’s shoulder problem = end of his career.

by Sui Juris on Apr 20, 2009 9:00 AM EDT up reply actions