Lance Armstrong: Retirement 2.0
by flying dog on Feb 16, 2011 7:19 AM EST
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Lance has announced his retirement from competitive cycling. The Associated Press has the exclusive interview where Lance says it's over for real, he's not going to wait until the American races later this spring and summer. One timely comment from the story,
"A lot of that has been overanalyzed and inaccurately portrayed, but it's part and parcel of cycling. It's how cycling operates," Armstrong said. "There's too much infighting, jealousy and bitterness within the sport, so everybody tries to pick apart a person or a spectacular performance."
You would have to admit that this is spectacular timing if you didn't want to dominate the headlines, again.
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Calls for poetry
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
T.S. Elliot
"Poorly thought-through ill-advised action, done swiftly " is our motto - Jens
by platypus on Feb 16, 2011 11:40 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Rage!
Rage against the dying of the light!
Hey, that could be a Techs-Mechs headline.
If cobble delusions are wrong, who wants to be right? -JFS PGH
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 16, 2011 3:55 PM EST up reply actions
Nice - sums up that podium photo of him looking at Contador on 2009
"Poorly thought-through ill-advised action, done swiftly " is our motto - Jens
On 4 submitted teams
Same deal as before I guess: send Chris a grovelling mail and ask to re-open. Preferably accompanied by public penance on this forum.
Well if 4 people actually picked him
tht means I stand a good chance of being 5th from last this year. Things are looking up.
He's all custom carbon fiber, EPO and the Olsen twins. I'm more Surly Crosscheck, pot and the girl working the morning shift at the Circle K.
by tshawytcha on Feb 16, 2011 8:26 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
You have to take both JJA
One for each pocket.
He's all custom carbon fiber, EPO and the Olsen twins. I'm more Surly Crosscheck, pot and the girl working the morning shift at the Circle K.
2.0 seems like a small number
is it really just 2.0?
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
I think it was Shane Stokes
who had it at 3.0, counting the comeback after the cancer.
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Feb 16, 2011 8:10 AM EST up reply actions
Doh!
Not the comeback, of course.
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Feb 16, 2011 8:12 AM EST up reply actions
3.0
was the career, but incongruently enough, I think 2.0 will do for the retirement.
If cobble delusions are wrong, who wants to be right? -JFS PGH
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 16, 2011 11:29 AM EST up reply actions
I feel a little dirty,
having to move this to the front page. Alas, it is news. But we’re bumping the Sue Butler interview up over it later.
good idea
moving the sue butler story I mean. Er how come Sui Juris is moving things around?
"Poorly thought-through ill-advised action, done swiftly " is our motto - Jens
what's disappointing is
that when I hijack someone’s post like that, I have to use the original editor. Bah.
Wow, I even heard that with a Darth Vader accent
"Poorly thought-through ill-advised action, done swiftly " is our motto - Jens
it's sad that quality news
gets squatted on by good news.
Hasta Luego a$$hole.
#freeSueButler!
Anyone who has every thought a working Photojournalist has a glam job needs to rethink...
by Christopher See on Feb 16, 2011 11:48 AM EST up reply actions
It's a balanced interview
If he focuses all his efforts on blonde twins Livestrong it will be a very good thing.
moo
This is the...
focus on “good deeds” so that the guys coming after me look really bad.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
by sminer on Feb 16, 2011 9:10 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
You may call me Darth Kimmage.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
As opposed to ...
The current crop of scum needs no help looking bad.
Ice
"This is my Indian summer ... I'm far more dangerous now, because I don't care at all."
I meant the feds et al who are coming after him.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
He was a great and boring cyclist who created too much drama off the bike
Bye bye…don’t come back ya hear!
Great cyclist, yes
Regardless of what he actually did (or didn’t) do during his career, he still stands above for how hard he worked and the impact he had.
But this was years too late in coming. Should’ve bowed out a little earlier, Lance.
My fruit bowl is full of sex wax--gavia
by Douglas Ansel on Feb 16, 2011 10:16 AM EST up reply actions
I'm sure he was a very hard worker
In the same way that Michael Rasmussen or Claudio Chiappucci were hard workers, nothing like having some extra incentive to work your tail off when you know you’ve got a little “extra advantage” over some of the competition.
I noticed quite a few picked him on their VDS.
You don’t put all your faith in heart rate or power outputs, however; what’s happening in an athlete’s head is the most important thing. Aldo Sassi
being too subtle / clumsy
I couldn’t decide whether to say “1.5% ain’t much” or “that’s 1.5% more than I’d have expected.”
"dumped for Greipel?!"
With 10 days to go? Dunno.
Last year there were 446 final teams: http://www.podiumcafevds.com/teams.php?y=2010
434 valid teams at the moment
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Feb 16, 2011 12:59 PM EST up reply actions
You're being too harsh on yourself
Sure you’ve picked terrible riders but they’re not invalids.
My bags are guaranteed sand-free.
I'm totally procrastinating about pushing buttons...
…I want all the deceptive early season results I can get to skew my decision making.
Gilbert won again today
go on do it – change your team again, do it
"Poorly thought-through ill-advised action, done swiftly " is our motto - Jens
Meh - peaking too early
Don’t do it! (Revenge of the early submitters)
"Poorly thought-through ill-advised action, done swiftly " is our motto - Jens
the guy peaks for the whole season
no stopping Gilbert
"We saw death and I don't think we fear it anymore. Not unlike 2005, when we finally clinched and then we took off in the playoffs." Coop 7/29/10
Exactly what I was thinking when he won.
“I’m going to put him on my team, he’s going to tear it apart this year and be totally worth his price.”
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
I'm not sure anyone at a super high level is worth his price...
…but that’s my current thinking.
I'm leaning that way too...
GTs seem v competitive with several guys on similar level, at least in Giro and Vuelta where the hilly courses bring Scarponi, J-Rod, Anton into play for the win. In the Tour maybe Andy is a clear fav., but I don’t see him getting 2000 points unless he decides to make an effort in something past July.
Don’t see Cance dominating like last year – Boonen and Gilbert will have something to say about that, Haussler looks fit again, Breschel might just get back in time from Flanders on.
And Ardennes are always much more open races, doubt anyone except maybe Gilbert in Liege will start shorter than about 8/1.
Yea I'm just kidding
I’m all into bargain shopping this year.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
So what is he going to do now?
Any chance he stays on in a leadership role with Shack?
"We saw death and I don't think we fear it anymore. Not unlike 2005, when we finally clinched and then we took off in the playoffs." Coop 7/29/10
that is an option.
but same could be said for many in the sport.
"We saw death and I don't think we fear it anymore. Not unlike 2005, when we finally clinched and then we took off in the playoffs." Coop 7/29/10
er
yeah, isn’t he an owner?
If cobble delusions are wrong, who wants to be right? -JFS PGH
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 16, 2011 2:02 PM EST up reply actions
perhaps a role at UCI
help to shape the future of the sport. Pat’s not going to be around forever.
Patience Grasshopper
After all...
he already paid for the place.
Bunch of slack-jawed faggots around here. This stuff will make you a god damned sexual Tyrannosaurus, just like me - Jens! Voigt, Predator (1987)
With The Federal Agent N. on his tail...
LA will provide many many more month of entertainment for us. If you like that sort of entertainment of course!
"I love bike races warm up, warm down, cobbles mountains or flats."
perezbike
.
It's funny you didn't include the end of the quote
“And some of it,” he added, “we bring on ourselves.”
I thought that was more interesting than the big first blab you entered, especially who it’s coming from.
That and this:
…" I know what I know," Armstrong said. “I know what I do and I know what I did. That’s not going to change.”
Those statements seem very un-Armstrong to me.
Maybe his lawyer got the paperwork
for his appearance
"Poorly thought-through ill-advised action, done swiftly " is our motto - Jens
Feel free to add anything you think is appropriate.
(I didn’t expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition)
The skills really do go away if not practiced, and I don't mean to brag but I was getting very mediocre. - Tejay Van Garderen
How do you mean?
“a kind of Spanish Inquisition” ???
I only added two quotes. I don’t know what you’re saying by that.
my favourite
not at all implying that flying dog missed anything was
I really thought I was going to win another Tour," he told AP. "Then I lined up like everybody else and wound up third."
Lined up ‘like everybody else’? Huh? Was that different to other times then? I know you are going to say – hey, he’s a cyclist, he didn’t mean anything by it – but I have a background in criminal law and these are the kinds of red lights, slips of consciousness, that we look for.
"Poorly thought-through ill-advised action, done swiftly " is our motto - Jens
Are you sure you've got all the stuffing at one end?
The skills really do go away if not practiced, and I don't mean to brag but I was getting very mediocre. - Tejay Van Garderen
Sorry that was a Monty Python reference.
This was a simple fan post, just wanted to do a little more than a fan shot. I wasn’t trying to make any statement but I thought the quote I used coincidentally applied to another current event. Comments are welcome and add more to the story. Chris and Gav or whoever wants to can, and certainly will write a more complete article than I could.
The skills really do go away if not practiced, and I don't mean to brag but I was getting very mediocre. - Tejay Van Garderen
Looks fine to me!
Not sure what else to say really? Unless you want to do a full run-down on his career? Which, I really maybe don’t.
You gave me earworms!
Now all I can hear is this song!
by Sarah Connolly on Feb 16, 2011 1:08 PM EST up reply actions
NO ONE expects the Spanish Inquisition...
Anyone who has every thought a working Photojournalist has a glam job needs to rethink...
by Christopher See on Feb 16, 2011 2:28 PM EST up reply actions
Yea those were some very different statements from him.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
To me, Armstrong often seems thoughtful and level-headed in interviews.
And if not humble, at least realistic about himself.
It’s more in off-the-cuff comments and unguarded Twitter moments that you see the ultra-competitive, boorish side of him. A lot of people seem to take that as the real Lance, but really I think the two aspects co-exist.
What else can I say? I'm really happy. --Vincenzo Nibali
How come Associated Press got the exclusive?
I would have expected him to tweet it.
"Poorly thought-through ill-advised action, done swiftly " is our motto - Jens
AP that bastion of cycling lore..
Anyone who has every thought a working Photojournalist has a glam job needs to rethink...
by Christopher See on Feb 16, 2011 11:51 AM EST up reply actions
Not to mention
the worst political coverage practically anywhere.
If cobble delusions are wrong, who wants to be right? -JFS PGH
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 16, 2011 2:04 PM EST up reply actions
rumors are
that they published some friendlier pieces around the time the flandis accusations came out. this is payback. (or something like that)
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
good rumour
consistent with all the history
"Poorly thought-through ill-advised action, done swiftly " is our motto - Jens
If you are going to be sensible
I will have to drop this line of inquiry…:-)
"Poorly thought-through ill-advised action, done swiftly " is our motto - Jens
something's about to explode
the guy calculates his every move. no way this is about his waning desire to be competitive and continue racing. expect something from the feds real soon.
"The one thing I would add about Armstrong is that I’m not sure he’s as proud of the person he is today as I am of myself." - Bassons
by Yanomamo Howard on Feb 16, 2011 12:46 PM EST reply actions
OK, sitting here expecting...
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
Is this the same kind of soon like "the second coming of Christ"?
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
no, a little sooner than that.
by the end of the month, perhaps as early as Friday
"The one thing I would add about Armstrong is that I’m not sure he’s as proud of the person he is today as I am of myself." - Bassons
by Yanomamo Howard on Feb 16, 2011 1:06 PM EST up reply actions
I've heard
it’s gotta be on a Tuesday. It’s always on a Tuesday. Probably next Tuesday! Or the Tuesday after that.
Sí, el martes.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
I thought this wasnt news at all...
… didnt he say ages ago that TdU was his last race?
Warning... not everything I say should be taken entirely seriously
It was called the "last international race"
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Feb 16, 2011 2:07 PM EST up reply actions
kinda feels like the brett favre situation.
without the pictures of course
"I'd rather die than live in a world where I can't kick your ass"
My Twittah!
Indeed
Think what you will of the guy, but “stupid” is probably not gonna stick.
If cobble delusions are wrong, who wants to be right? -JFS PGH
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 16, 2011 2:05 PM EST up reply actions
As much as he will hate it, he and and any doping story that comes to light, will dominate the headlines.
But at least he will be able to lay low for a while before the storm, and – no small thing – have a greater degree of control over media appearances and damage control narratives.
by sebastiandeluded on Feb 16, 2011 1:52 PM EST reply actions
On the timing
Is it a coincidence that it is the same day Contador comes back?
"Poorly thought-through ill-advised action, done swiftly " is our motto - Jens
Probably
I don’t see that getting him any satisfaction, even on a petty level. He probably had a crappy training session or got tired of measuring his food or misses his kids and finally said, what’s the point?
If cobble delusions are wrong, who wants to be right? -JFS PGH
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 16, 2011 2:08 PM EST up reply actions
"what’s the point?"
cancer awareness, that’s the point. ;)
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
Meh
at some point you max out your awareness-enhancing capability.
If cobble delusions are wrong, who wants to be right? -JFS PGH
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 16, 2011 2:12 PM EST up reply actions
He probably had a crappy training session or got tired of measuring his food or misses his kids and finally said, what’s the point?
totally my gut reaction
moo
speaking of guts
a totally unthought aesthetic reaction:
The recent pics of Armstrong on a bike are an embarrassment. He looks like a beer-keg with legs.
I do think
almost every photo of him last season would work in a caption contest.
à la: “what the fuck am I doing?”
moo
That's just bad lighting.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
Well
Cycling isn’t really a part-time sport. No resemblance to golf here.
If cobble delusions are wrong, who wants to be right? -JFS PGH
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 16, 2011 2:27 PM EST up reply actions
Finally,
Lance and I have something in common.
Twitter username: FitTechEric
by The Team Chef on Feb 16, 2011 4:27 PM EST up reply actions
So it wasn't you...
I spotted with that Olsen twin then?
Bunch of slack-jawed faggots around here. This stuff will make you a god damned sexual Tyrannosaurus, just like me - Jens! Voigt, Predator (1987)
Definitely not.
I prefer my ladies with about a 100 extra pounds of padding than those two.
Twitter username: FitTechEric
by The Team Chef on Feb 17, 2011 12:09 PM EST up reply actions
Oh and
that was some ballwashing by the AP. Hooray for journamalism!
If cobble delusions are wrong, who wants to be right? -JFS PGH
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 16, 2011 2:12 PM EST reply actions
it wasn't that bad
mentioned doping suspicions several times … bland but not terrible considering IMHO
moo
interesting choice of words
The skills really do go away if not practiced, and I don't mean to brag but I was getting very mediocre. - Tejay Van Garderen
it's a golf reference
He’s got time to play lots of golf now…
If cobble delusions are wrong, who wants to be right? -JFS PGH
by Chris Fontecchio on Feb 16, 2011 2:57 PM EST up reply actions
a good sub-editor is magic
One famous headline in the UK was used when Caledonian Thistle beat red-hot favourites Celtic in the football. The headline read something like ‘Super Caley go ballistic, Celtic are atrocious’. Magic.
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