Clarification on the Masters Fatties class

Chris said:

I know this is part legend and part fact, but I would like to know something
about the fatties that Henrietta loathes. Based on his description it seems
that he most hates Masters who either did not race as Seniors (Elite Men) or
did not find success while doing so. Is that correct? Between the fractured
ego and the unwelcome aging, the "fatness" is not the main issue, is it? I
also recall Henry once (at least) saying that the BMI of the MF class rider
is almost irrelevant.

I think Henry just hates everyone. Everyone who gets out of their
La-Z-Boy, clips in and rides is doing something positive in IMHO. Beats
watching someone become a chow hound like Eddy Merckx did.

Quoted message said:

I recall that Patrick O'Grady has been lampooning this kind of
"Old-Guys-Who-Get-Fat (in the winter) for many years.

In 'The Season Starts When?' O'Grady has a cartoon where a novel
approach to increasing sponsor visibility is self-inflating jerseys that
balloon right up. In the lower half is probably Patrick's self
caricature ballooning up, saying something like "Hey, I'm Greg in the
off season!"

That always reminded

Quoted message said:

me of the guys I saw on sunnier weekends in Marin County whose bellies never
got quite as lean once they decided to skip those colder days. If you do
that in the SF Bay Area you end up missing quite a bit of training.

So which is it? Is it the large accumulation of extra calories you object
to, or the over-the-top serious attitude and "smack talk" that makes some of
them act like grade school'ers? Surely there is no direct correlation but I
know that sometimes the chronic spare tire (and its performance penalty) is
what led to the attitude problems. When that is the case they have usually
been fat their entire lives.

Just curious...

He probably got smoked on the way back from the Quikkie Mart by some
middle aged guy pulling a Burley trailer and now resents everyone.

Chris said:

I know this is part legend and part fact, but I would like to know

something

Quoted message said:

about the fatties that Henrietta loathes. Based on his description it

seems

Quoted message said:

that he most hates Masters who either did not race as Seniors (Elite

Men) or

Quoted message said:

did not find success while doing so. Is that correct? Between the

fractured

Quoted message said:

ego and the unwelcome aging, the "fatness" is not the main issue, is

it? I

Quoted message said:

also recall Henry once (at least) saying that the BMI of the MF class

rider

Quoted message said:

is almost irrelevant.

<snip>

Dumbass -

I'm not the Universal Arbiter of all things Masters Fattie, but I will
give you my personal interpretation. OTOH, since I coined the term,
perhaps I am the Universal Aribeter. Anyways:

Some of it has to do with 'fatness' - that's mostly for guys who take
the sport oh so very seriously, but can't moderate their appetite or
ride very many miles.

That's not the main gist though. Most of it is ego based. Masters
Fatties are guys who think their race was oh-so-damn important and that
their accomplishments are oh-so-impressive, etc. They don't realize
that in the big picture, their race doesn't matter, that no one but the
people in the race, their girlfiends/boyfriends and perhaps a few
others give a damn. No one else cares. And rightfully so.

Participation in bike racing is for fun and fitness. Good for those who
have that in perspective. For those who don't, it's sad. There's so
much more to life than beating some Fred up a hill. BTW, there is
nothing the matter with taking satisfaction from beating some
Fred/racer up a hill or in some sprint or in some race. That's natural.
But you know you're in trouble if you feel compelled to brag about it
to someone else who probably doesn't give a damn. Do it enough and they
will think you're a tool (and they'll be right).

And don't get me started on the 'excuse-making' part of cycling. When
someone beats you, admit they were better that day. Or just say "that's
bike racing" and put it in it's proper place.

I could go on and on.
Sorry about the ranting, you dumbasses.

K. Gringioni