10 reasons to hate lance

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by butcher2000
people, aren't you tired of lance? don't you have that deja-vu feeling for the last years, mainly in july 🙁 ...? don't you get sick of that feeling? personally, i'm on the verge of beginning to hate him, and it'll be a celebration that day when his era will end. ok, it's admirable to recover from cancer, and all that, but, on the other side, i don't think that he really deserves all the admiration he receives. and, especially, i don't think he deserves to be but near the "monsters" of cycling. so...give me 10 reasons for not liking lance.

?? nice post mate, well done I can see why you don't like him.

Why is it that we always want the champion(s) to loose their title? I think Lance is an excellent cyclist. My personal favourite is Jan Ullrich, but Lance is/was better

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by hermank
Why is it that we always want the champion(s) to loose their title? I think Lance is an excellent cyclist. My personal favourite is Jan Ullrich, but Lance is/was better

I believe it is human nature. If you have too much of something, then you get bored with it. We want variation and new things. See new and upcoming stars.

It's very similar to what happened in Formula 1. Ferrari (VIVA!) always took the titles. Yet it became very boring. They lost, if I had to guess, more than half of their viewers. I'm a Ferrari fan but would like to see some variation (which has come this year).

It makes things much more interesting.

Let's see:
1. He trains harder than his competitors EVERY YEAR
2. He has proven that he has the heart of a champion in the 2003 tour
3. He provides motivation and inspration to a multitude of bikers and cancer patients
4. He represents the Tour with class and dignity
5. He goes out of his way to absorb the French culture to make them feel like they are a part of their own national race
6. He has assembled and manages an unbelievable team, where each rider will give any sacrafice for him in the pursuit of the win (Which must be a demonstartion of his personality)
7. He spares no expense (physically or mentally) to better himself every year
8. He gives of his time whenever possible to provide support for many cancer related foundations and causes
9. He does not WHINE when things don't go his way (Something David Millar could learn)
10. He is a sportsman who understands the importance and history of the Tour and does evertything he can to be a true champion of the sport and yet even as a 5 time champion of Le Tour, is not above giving his support to his teammates in other races during the season.

Yeah, I can see why you hate him.....

ps. If Jan had been more committed to training and fitness over the last 5 years (instead of off season parties and trying to "ride himself into shape" over the first week of the Tour), maybe you would have seen a different champion, but the fact remains...he wasn't !

Maybe you should be a better student of the sport before you spout off with hateful invectives!

GO LANCE...#6

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by mjolnir2k
Let's see:
1. He trains harder than his competitors EVERY YEAR
2. He has proven that he has the heart of a champion in the 2003 tour
3. He provides motivation and inspration to a multitude of bikers and cancer patients
4. He represents the Tour with class and dignity
5. He goes out of his way to absorb the French culture to make them feel like they are a part of their own national race
6. He has assembled and manages an unbelievable team, where each rider will give any sacrafice for him in the pursuit of the win (Which must be a demonstartion of his personality)
7. He spares no expense (physically or mentally) to better himself every year
8. He gives of his time whenever possible to provide support for many cancer related foundations and causes
9. He does not WHINE when things don't go his way (Something David Millar could learn)
10. He is a sportsman who understands the importance and history of the Tour and does evertything he can to be a true champion of the sport and yet even as a 5 time champion of Le Tour, is not above giving his support to his teammates in other races during the season.

Yeah, I can see why you hate him.....

ps. If Jan had been more committed to training and fitness over the last 5 years (instead of off season parties and trying to "ride himself into shape" over the first week of the Tour), maybe you would have seen a different champion, but the fact remains...he wasn't !

Maybe you should be a better student of the sport before you spout off with hateful invectives!

GO LANCE...#6

:p You are so right! I'm with ya.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by butcher2000
people, aren't you tired of lance? don't you have that deja-vu feeling for the last years, mainly in july 🙁 ...? don't you get sick of that feeling? personally, i'm on the verge of beginning to hate him, and it'll be a celebration that day when his era will end. ok, it's admirable to recover from cancer, and all that, but, on the other side, i don't think that he really deserves all the admiration he receives. and, especially, i don't think he deserves to be but near the "monsters" of cycling. so...give me 10 reasons for not liking lance.

I hope you didnt join, just for this post. 🙄

Idiotic post, should be pulled and user banned!! Just the kind of stupid thing the meathead minority do in cycling like the idiot soft A graders who today dropped off the A grade bunch did a few easy laps then pulled the chase group back to the B grade break away just for the laugh they thought it was. A disgrace to themselves and the sport. Makes me sick!!😠

Why do people get so upset about sportsmen and want to hate them? I bet if any of these "haters" ever met the person they'd be fawning, drooling, doffing lids and generally sucking up to them like every one else.

Just admire their achievements and use it as inspiration to do better yourself. We all get annoyed by arrogance, whining etc. but remember the picture we get from the media is only what some journo wants us to hear. There's usually many versions of the one story.

The more I read about the TdeF the more I admire what Lance and the USP team have done over the past 5 years. But there are heaps of riders in the Pro ranks who all have a great story to tell.

I can't wait for the next few years to see how Lance will go in pusuit of a sixth victory and whether he can win at Mont Ventoux.

butcher2000, you're an idiot.

GO LANCE

butcher2000, you're an idiot.

GO LANCE

1. he only participates in tdf, making others (like ullrich) not to go into vuelta for instance (that is far above tour of italy in matters of quality, and could be as interesting as tdf)
2. europeans tend to dislike americans (you have to be an european to understand it)
3. in all his interviews he doesn't say nothing at all. his attitude sounds like: "people, you know i'm gonna win, so why ask these stupid questions?"
4. many people (obviously not as many as those who oppose them), sense that riders like ullrich are more close to their fans. i don't sense that from lance.
5. that thing about his "great" team really sucks. they seem like stupid servants and nothing else.
6. some have said that when you look at him, you feel like looking at terminator riding a bike (sometimes you wonder if he is human).
7. his french REALLY sucks 🙂) (have you heard Millar speaking in french?)
8. indurain won tdf 5 times, and i don't dislike him thou. dunno why.
9. i've always been an ullrich fan. but, if he won 5 times, i would have surely got bored of him too.
10. probably lance is BETTER than merckx in a way, but still he isn't GREATER.
11. it's a gut feeling

well, maybe hate isn't the word for it (hate is a too strong feeling).
i rephrase: i could never like him too much.
and mjolnir2k, i agree with your 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8 (and those truly are reasons for looking up to him) but not with others. 5 sounds really strange.
people, help yourself from sending posts like "you are stupid". i could imagine posts like that without reading them.
and, have to tell you... i could have sent a post with the subject "10 reasons for looking up to lance", but didn't. why? because everyone knows those reasons!

Butcher are you a prat? If you (or I) could be a quarter (or even less) the guy that Mr Armstrong is you/we would be damned lucky. You must be English as we always back sportsmen/women on the way to the top then kick them off their pedestals. Anybody who can do what he has done after recovering from what was basically terminal cancer is somebody who is superhuman in my book. And no I don't think LA is better than Eddie Merckx as a cyclist but as an example of human endurance?

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by vitiris
Butcher are you a prat? If you (or I) could be a quarter (or even less) the guy that Mr Armstrong is you/we would be damned lucky. You must be English as we always back sportsmen/women on the way to the top then kick them off their pedestals. Anybody who can do what he has done after recovering from what was basically terminal cancer is somebody who is superhuman in my book. And no I don't think LA is better than Eddie Merckx as a cyclist but as an example of human endurance?

I like lance, and probably wouldnt be as interested in cycling without him. However, I suppose I can see why some wouldnt like him. At least he speaks some french, more than I can say.. One thing I didnt like was his excuses being thrown around for a few bad performances in the tour.. Like 'my brake was clamped for 5 hours, thats why i was tired the next day' I would think that since he is a professional bike rider, he would KNOW that his brake was rubbing. I know my brake is rubbing and i have only been riding a few months..

I hope he wins 6!

Butcher2000 - I think your comments about americans is a bit strong. Here in Oz we are healthily sceptical about American nationalism and a few other stereotypes, in fact we are sceptical about our own nationalism and some of our stereotypes (eg Shane Warne antics etc.). And probably like europeans we find some american attitudes do grate the wrong way. But my personal experience is that 99% of US citizens I have had interaction with, either in the USA or other parts of the world have been fantastic, friendly, helpful and polite. And my impression of LA is most of the time he fits this category - certainly that comes out in his book.

The criticism you apply to americans could equally apply to germans, japanese, poms (sorry englishmen) etc.

I think it sounds as if you are just envious of Lance's success. Just because pommie sportsman can't have major success at anything at the moment don't get stuck into a sporting icon like LA. If LA was an englishmen what would your opinion of his success be?

By the way David Millar is the epitome of a whinging pom. Nothing is ever his fault, always the bike, the team, the organisers, the french food, the hotel, the colour of his underwear etc. Just do it like Lance, get on the bike and ride the bloody thing as hard as you can. Also win the respect of your team mates and maybe they'll be more inclined to help you.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Spider1977
Butcher2000 - I think your comments about americans is a bit strong. Here in Oz we are healthily sceptical about American nationalism and a few other stereotypes, in fact we are sceptical about our own nationalism and some of our stereotypes (eg Shane Warne antics etc.). And probably like europeans we find some american attitudes do grate the wrong way. But my personal experience is that 99% of US citizens I have had interaction with, either in the USA or other parts of the world have been fantastic, friendly, helpful and polite. And my impression of LA is most of the time he fits this category - certainly that comes out in his book.

The criticism you apply to americans could equally apply to germans, japanese, poms (sorry englishmen) etc.

I think it sounds as if you are just envious of Lance's success. Just because pommie sportsman can't have major success at anything at the moment don't get stuck into a sporting icon like LA. If LA was an englishmen what would your opinion of his success be?

By the way David Millar is the epitome of a whinging pom. Nothing is ever his fault, always the bike, the team, the organisers, the french food, the hotel, the colour of his underwear etc. Just do it like Lance, get on the bike and ride the bloody thing as hard as you can. Also win the respect of your team mates and maybe they'll be more inclined to help you.

Yes have to agree that Millar grates (but he is Scottish) and that we are c... at football and cricket but let’s wait and see what happens in the rugby!

PS Sorry Butcher I was a bit rude, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I am sure LA is no saint (but still one h… of a cyclist)

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by butcher2000
1. he only participates in tdf, making others (like ullrich) not to go into vuelta for instance (that is far above tour of italy in matters of quality, and could be as interesting as tdf)
2. europeans tend to dislike americans (you have to be an european to understand it)
3. in all his interviews he doesn't say nothing at all. his attitude sounds like: "people, you know i'm gonna win, so why ask these stupid questions?"
4. many people (obviously not as many as those who oppose them), sense that riders like ullrich are more close to their fans. i don't sense that from lance.
5. that thing about his "great" team really sucks. they seem like stupid servants and nothing else.
6. some have said that when you look at him, you feel like looking at terminator riding a bike (sometimes you wonder if he is human).
7. his french REALLY sucks 🙂) (have you heard Millar speaking in french?)
8. indurain won tdf 5 times, and i don't dislike him thou. dunno why.
9. i've always been an ullrich fan. but, if he won 5 times, i would have surely got bored of him too.
10. probably lance is BETTER than merckx in a way, but still he isn't GREATER.
11. it's a gut feeling

well, maybe hate isn't the word for it (hate is a too strong feeling).
i rephrase: i could never like him too much.
and mjolnir2k, i agree with your 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8 (and those truly are reasons for looking up to him) but not with others. 5 sounds really strange.
people, help yourself from sending posts like "you are stupid". i could imagine posts like that without reading them.
and, have to tell you... i could have sent a post with the subject "10 reasons for looking up to lance", but didn't. why? because everyone knows those reasons!

Of course, like everyone else in here, I'd have to say I understand what you're saying here but I do not necessarily agree with it.

Yes, I would absolutely concede that Lance is not greater than Merckx because Merckx had a riding style that was very intense and competitive and I'm not sure it was in the days when they had teams back then. He seemed to have the style of riding to win at all costs and that in itself is amazing to me that he could ride in Tour de France and literally annihilate the field and win something like 9 stages in one Tour de France. In my mind, the only way that Lance could equal Merckx in that way or be better is if he decided to ride with such abandon in next year's Tour de France that it would put himself and others at risk just to win every stage he could.

Speaking of Ulrich, I do not respect him very much because he did get caught for taking a banned substance that was designed to improve his cycling and I feel that its stupid for any cyclist to stoop so low just to win a tour when simply riding in a Tour is a high honor.

I know that in the past people have accused Lance of taking drugs but the likelihood of him doing so is low and the truth is that it is much more likely that it was the cancer that helped him get into condition for winning. The cancer reduced his muscle mass and it also appeared to reduce his lactic acid production so he could ride at a higher level than most cyclists could.

Shadow

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by butcher2000
1. he only participates in tdf, making others (like ullrich) not to go into vuelta for instance (that is far above tour of italy in matters of quality, and could be as interesting as tdf)

I´d bet my last shorts that you´´re an jan ullrich fan....
just hate to see him loose one year an the next, and the next....but you just see the bad facts, or interprate everything lance does as bad......
but as long as you´ve not talked to lance for an hour you´re only one idiot of thousands, who don´t like one just cause this one is dominating a sport....and this persons are really silly....

It's sad, but because he is American, Lance may never be as respected as some European champions. There is a fair ampunt of people who just don't like americans.

As for Jan Ullrich, he never appeared to have the drive that Lance did. He doesn't have the passion. And if Tyler Hamilton hadn't held him up during stage 15 (after Lance's fall) Jan may very well have taken off despite the fact that Lance had waited for him in the past.

Armstrong is legend, period.

"1. he only participates in tdf, making others (like ullrich) not to go into vuelta for instance (that is far above tour of italy in matters of quality, and could be as interesting as tdf)"
Cycling is different then 20 or 30 years ago, it has now become a specialty sport, you are either a classics rider or a GC tour rider. You are not both. Merxck was the last of a dying breed. I don't see Jan, Beloki, et al racking up classics wins either.
"2. Europeans tend to dislike americans"
What does this have to do with LA being a great cyclist? Your immediate bias against Americans is blantantly obvious so your opinion of LA as a cyclist is already slanted and should be disregarded by anyone who reads your post.
"3. In all his interviews he doesn't say nothing at all. his attitude sounds like: people, you know i'm gonna win, so why ask these stupid questions?"
Umm, this is called having a psychological advantage in sports, ever hear of it?? What do you want him to say, "I think I may lose." I don't think so. Besides, I disagree that he takes such an arrogant tone in his interviews, he's always respectful of the other riders and their abilities.
" 4. many people (obviously not as many as those who oppose them), sense that riders like ullrich are more close to their fans. i don't sense that from lance."
What do you know about LA and how close he is to his fans, you aren't even a fan of his! LA probably has more contact with his fans then any other cyclist by virtue of all of his charity efforts. I don't see Jan raising millions of dollars for charity, therefore endearing himself to millions of his fans. This isn't a knock on Jan but I'm just trying to prove a point.
"5. that thing about his "great" team really sucks. they seem like stupid servants and nothing else."
You obviously know nothing about cycling so I'm not even going to go there.
"6. some have said that when you look at him, you feel like looking at terminator riding a bike (sometimes you wonder if he is human)."
Yeah, he's a great cyclist, it's called training harder then anyone else and combining that with sheer talent.
"7. his french REALLY sucks 🙂) (have you heard Millar speaking in french?)"
Another legitimate reason to hate LA. Are you kidding me??? Get real.
"8. indurain won tdf 5 times, and i don't dislike him thou. dunno why."
Gee, I wonder why. Oh, that's right, he's not American lol.

I can respect the fact that you are not an LA fan but I can't respect most of your reasons for the same. IMO, you are just jealous of his success. Quit crying about it and just respect that he is a great cyclist who deserves due credit.