Welcome To Our Newest Family Member!
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 26, 2010 3:14 AM EST
in Cafe Happy Hour!
Email
PrintFor our biggest races, we here at the Podium Cafe have often looked to someone outside the community to break down the sport's biggest moments for us. Someone with a unique perspective and the courage to tell it like it is. Last year, we got to know and love the 'Becco family, a unique brand of goats from the Appenine highlands who brought something truly special to the grand tours and fall races. One of our offseason projects was to extend that relationship, but the heads of the 'Becco clan sought to crassly leverage three deaths and two disappearances into a new contract. Well, Gavia and I didn't just fall off the turnip truck, so after blocking the cell phone numbers of a few goats and their legal representatives, it was on to new horizons. With that in mind, it gives me great pleasure to introduce the newest, most cost-effective, and -- we hope you'll agree -- lovable member of the Podium Cafe family circa 2010...
Cuddles the Cobble!
Look for Cuddles to announce his presence with authority at a Power Poll near you... very, very soon.
133 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Hi Cuddles...... Love it, haha
Who gets to podium kiss him at the classics…
"the rest was over 30. And that doesn't mean old and useless, but experienced and with the stamina"
Jens! Voigt, Crit Intl Interview, 2009
So Cuddles (Evans) has his nickname stolen by a rock? This is bad...
How do we differentiate? Going back to ‘Cattle’ isn’t ok…
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
+1
That’s no way to treat the reigning World Champion!
What about \o/dles?
Gerrie Kneteman: If a football player falls he shouts for his mother, if a cyclist falls he yells for his bike.
That's better... He looks too perky to be a chip off the old block...
‘Chip’ would have been better although I get that it’s not alliterative..
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Not stolen... it's a homage
Look at it as a metaphor Evans (rock) is now described as ‘lovable’ – as people get to know him, and despite appearances.
Okay – apologies – it’s the end of the week – I have to live up to my VDS name now.
I think that's as good an explanation as any...
I thought of ‘Christian’ but it won’t fly. Does this mean we should be able to guess your team name?
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
with your love of words, I suspect you might
depends what you did at school/uni though
Ok. Now I'm going to look... but i'll feel bad if I don't get it
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
I'm thinking
Dulce et decorum… but I’m likely to be wrong.
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
ooh. Its that obvious.
well, at least I have a moniker that celebrates drinking games.
Yes! You gave hints...
Can’t tell you how many Owen essays I’ve marked for the HSC. I feel very unaustralian… you and Lou have both used Latin names. I’m just a post-colonial girl I suppose :)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
ye gads
It’s a reference on a reference. On a reference.
Owen’s verison is a reference to the expression written in the chapel at Sandhurst, which in turn is a reference to Horace’s [or Virgil?] quote, none of which talk about getting drunk.
I've never really known
if it should be bibere or bibendum
But a real scholar will correct me, I’m sure.
Given that as a group we are show offs and pedants...
someone will tell you, but I’m not confident enough to set you straight ;)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Yes, but soldiers get drunk...
Lucky guess or incredibly well versed in Latin?
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
I think the original goes something like
’It’s sweet and noble to die for your country, but better still to live for it, and best yet to drink for it.’ I just cut to the chase and say it’s sweet and noble to get completely schickered.
As an English teacher, I usually stick to the first half ;)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
It's a cracking poem
The English 20th century poets did a fine line in depressing.
Larkin took care of mundane, Owen and Sassoon did extreme, and Elliot did weird.
oh
and Graves did bad romance.
English, never the best at expressing passionate love.
Eliot, Yeats and Heaney... my pantheon of the gods :)
Owen’s poetry still moves me though.
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Further down...
although I must admit to an affection for Wordsworth. There are Australian poets i’d place in between because they speak to my heart ;)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Fair 'nough
Never got into Heaney but I’l give him another go on your recommendation.
As for Aussie poetry – hmm, nothing I’ve seen has moved me yet. I wish Don Walker had just been a poet, though. He’s lyrical enough to have been briljant.
Ha about Don Walker :)
Try Heaney’s ‘Tollund Man’ to start with… but bthere’s nowhere bad you can go. Kenneth Slessor is our best twentieth century poet, but Lee cataldi and Mark O’Connor (Turtles Hatching) are both wonderful.
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Thank you
I shall find a bookstore this weekend.
And now – dinner and bibere await.
Have a good weekend all.
hooroo ;)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Shut up Jombo ;)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
The man, the myth, the Mccain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuXNPPRYxrk
My English lecturer worships Keats like a pagan god. And would probably inflict a “banesår” on Seahorse for her disrespect.
I would issue a similar ban for not putting Yeats as first among equals ;)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
We were taught Heaney by a truly awful (and hence quite hilarious) teacher.
She was intimidated by most of the class as we were brighter than she was. I still remember with glee her diagram of a spade and her attempts to describe to us what a lug was.
I once had a german teacher,
who pronounced the ‘w’ as a ‘w’. Bad, yes.
What was worse, German was his native tongue.
Did he have a speech problem like that singer
in Only Fools and Horses who couldn’t pronounce an R? Actually, don’t know whether that programme has travelled abroad…? It’s hilarious.
'w' in German is usually pronounced as a 'v'?
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
No
Wasser = water.
First syllable sounds very similar.
Gerrie Kneteman: If a football player falls he shouts for his mother, if a cyclist falls he yells for his bike.
There's an in between sound we just don't have...
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
I don't know
I’m murmuring random German words right now, but the w sounds like a w in all of them. Although the start is different: the shape of your lips in English is similar to o & it is aspirated, is it not? Shape of lips/mouth for w in German (and Dutch) is more like e, sound is dryer, less round.
I'm not questioning your knowledge of German
but our understanding/pronunciation is different. An ‘e’ and a ‘w’ are in completely different parts of the mouth for me..
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Yes Ted, I guess that's true.
The last part of the syllable ends up the same but to me, when pronouncing a German W, my top teeth touch my bottom lip. With an English W they’re not even close.
And an 'e' is in my throat
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Same difference between original Dutch W and Surinamese Dutch W. Endlessly funny to imitate the accent until one realizes it’s just the English W in Surinamese. (So that’s when English becomes funny.)
Well I don't have to go to Suinamese...
I already speak Australian English.
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
I presume he means he pronounced a W in German
as you would pronounce one in English, rather than like an English V
(to you & seahorse)
English & German w are identical AFAIK. German v is often more in the direction of f.
Ah!
I hate to disagree but German and English ’W’s are not the same. But yes, German ’V’s are a bit like ’F’s.
That's my feeling too... an in between sound...
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
i think there is a bit of
variation in that pronunciation. For some it is very close to english v and then i think for some extreme others it starts getting close to an english w. From what i remember from way back in the day.
and when you think of how people like me
(Australians) mangle English pronunciation… well.
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Thanks mate! We do our best
with utterly no effort at all. Of course, we think we sound great, it’s everyone else who pooh poohs us…
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
I have a very passionate aversion to bad teachers. on behalf of us all i apologise
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Oh it's perfectly alright. We still derive some entertainment from talking about her.
Her most famous Heaney moment came in the poem which desribes someone drowning kittens in a bucket. She took huge delight in the fact that it uses the ‘S word’ and repeated it over and over again because she seemed to think it was cool. Toe curling.
Oh fuck! I cannot even convey how irritated I feel...
I’m a really strong unionist, but I’d still drop them off a bridge..
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Yes, we wanted to do that to her too.
To add to the pain she was also my form teacher. She didn’t like me at all, apart from when she could use me, ie to organise music for form assemblies, and then I was her favourite pupil of all time. Used to piss me off no end!
I would have guessed 'shit'.
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Well 'merde' is much more couth ;)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Thanks I think... I'm just old ;)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
i think i'm about your age, if not older
easy to forget that ‘shit’ used to be a bad word – but i do remember
Yes, I remember too... ;)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
oops
that comment was sposed to be down after your reply to brassens – seahorse disease! i’m infected
Seahorse Disease has been mentioned so often lately
I think my ignominy should be recorded in the lexicon =(
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Infamy I think...
but Jens and Ted have both been afflicted in the past 24 hours :)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
What?
This disease had reached Europe already? I hope it won’t influence the racing this weekend. With riders accidently launching an attack in the wrong race…
Gerrie Kneteman: If a football player falls he shouts for his mother, if a cyclist falls he yells for his bike.
Isn't that a Rabo special?
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
No
Rabo counterattacks in the wrong races. That’s like a second generation version of the virus. But I’m sure Flecha’s transfer has provided the team with the necessary treatment.
Gerrie Kneteman: If a football player falls he shouts for his mother, if a cyclist falls he yells for his bike.
Well i wish everyone well this
weekend. May the best man win…
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
I may have chosen an
invisible team…
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
What lexicon?
It only exists in the mind of the PdC crowd doesn’t it? In that case it is already in the lexicon.
Yeah, I know there have been posts about the lexicon but they are old and outdated.
Gerrie Kneteman: If a football player falls he shouts for his mother, if a cyclist falls he yells for his bike.
Ooh, i thought you were Ted...
I meant in Chris’s appendix. correct me at will..
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
’It’s sweet and noble to die for your country,'
or as george brassens put it,
Mourrons pour des idées, d’accord, mais de mort lente. D’accord, mais de mort lente.
(die for ideas (ideals), ok, but a slow death. Ok, but a slow death.)
The 'slow death' thing is a bit grim..
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
well he means slow death
such as you and i and everyone is in the process of doing right now – ripe old age sort of thing
I know... it was a weak jest..
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
They won't overlap much
"The only pain I got time for is the pain I put on fools who don't know what time it is." Edvald Boasson Hagen
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 26, 2010 10:18 AM EST up reply actions
I'm not sure about taking the piss out of Cuddles for year...
I know, no different than usual…
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
It'd be good to see a version with snarling eyebrows
For the Trouee and Paris-Roubaix.
Or the cleft chin... although George has that too ;)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
With a name like that?
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
It's good to know
That this mascotte can’t end up in a stew.
And at the end of the cobbles season he is donated to the winner of PR.
Gerrie Kneteman: If a football player falls he shouts for his mother, if a cyclist falls he yells for his bike.
perfect timing really
unlike Whitman, Price and Haddad (and Girbecco)
you can’t kill a rock
Unless you are Jens!
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Or Lieuwe Westra
He used to put rocks in the street for a living. Now he rides them out of the street for a living.
Gerrie Kneteman: If a football player falls he shouts for his mother, if a cyclist falls he yells for his bike.
Bahahaha. Classic.
I must admit before I read the text I did not identify Cuddles as a cobble…I thought he was some PdC version of Sponge Bob!
So work has let you off the leash?
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
I think that puts your homage idea to bed ;)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Agreed, but it was a valiant attempt ...
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
You're not alone :)
Staring at the swim team gets you killed by a gang of dancing ninja men who know how to twirl.
by TheFigurehead on Feb 26, 2010 4:53 AM EST up reply actions
He's not wearing pants is he?
My first impression was a walking television tube.
Gerrie Kneteman: If a football player falls he shouts for his mother, if a cyclist falls he yells for his bike.
That was my thought too... very retro.
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
What about:
Gollum the Cobble?
Image found on techpowerup.com
Gerrie Kneteman: If a football player falls he shouts for his mother, if a cyclist falls he yells for his bike.
Albertina has me a bit fixated on Bob, but Gollum is good...
anything but Cuddles.
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
This crossed my mind
The milk carton from Blur’s Coffee and TV.
Staring at the swim team gets you killed by a gang of dancing ninja men who know how to twirl.
Is he called Cuddles?
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
I don't think so
He dies at the end too. But of course, he then meets his girlfriend and it gets cuddly (I assume, they fade out too soon).
Staring at the swim team gets you killed by a gang of dancing ninja men who know how to twirl.
by TheFigurehead on Feb 26, 2010 5:13 AM EST up reply actions
I doubt it
Milk shouldn’t have cuddles.
Gerrie Kneteman: If a football player falls he shouts for his mother, if a cyclist falls he yells for his bike.
Nor should cobbles... it's emasculating ;)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Great new mascot!
But I’m still reluctant to get to close to him. One run in with a jackhammer, and he’s lining the bottom of somebody’s fish tank.
It's fun to beat Cancellara--Edvald Boasson Hagen
What better place to let Txirla rest...
… than on top of…
I’ve said too much…
I miss Paolo Bettini. That is all.
yeah, right.... so grey and dreary... at least the 'beccos were colorful
"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind
and edible
Staring at the swim team gets you killed by a gang of dancing ninja men who know how to twirl.
by TheFigurehead on Feb 26, 2010 7:49 AM EST up reply actions
So when the press gets too close,
will he cry, ’don’t step on my pebbles’?
George bunny-hopped my bike somehow. He's like a cat. -- cvv
If we take a closer look at Cuddles,
will he be covered in, um, “cowflops” like his relatives in the wild?
Vlaanderens Mooiste
Just had an inspiration on how to dress up little Cuddles up there...
… I’ll see if I can get to it tonight before going all divey.
I miss Paolo Bettini. That is all.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Featured Stories
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Recent FanShots
![This is funny on so many levels. [Html should open bigger]](http://cdn3.sbnation.com/fan_shot_images/239959/flagged_small.jpg)
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
