Both of you don't get my point. All the benefits of modern life you enjoy such as light bulbs, electricity, automobiles, computers, etc. started with someone who had a dream, an idea, an observation.
Too many people have closed minds, they need a study to prove it or it doesn't exist. See Rob, you can't produce a study to show Ric is better than Carmichael, yet you say he is a better coach. Well, you can't prove it with a study. So it is true or not???
What about studies that come out every 6 months saying something is healthy, then 6 months later the same something is not. Who's right??? At some point, you have to rely on something else, like your gut, your observations, etc.
There is not a study for every possible contingency you will face in life. Why worry so much about studies in order for a grown man to ride a bicycle in his spare time??? If you need a study to ride a bicycle, how can you possibly face the greater complexities of living without one??? Surprisingly, we somehow manage without them, often quite well, don't we???
Rob, all you have is your belief based on your observations. I'm sure you believe with all your might you are right. Probably about the same as NC feels about JA's style. A man's dreams and ideas are are usually personal and private. When he shares those ideas with the world people often ridicule those thoughts.
Thank God the Wright brothers didn't let the pundits at the time stop them from trying. How many "experts" said man will never fly??? How many "experts" said it was impossible for man to travel in space??? How many "experts" tell people they will never walk, talk, or see again until they do???
How many times has the human spirit been the only thing to keep someone going when the whole world was kicking them in the head, telling them they were wrong???
It's better to try and fail than fail to try. People who require the safety of studies to ensure they're right aren't saying anything at all.
They use them as safety nets to protect them from ridicule when they speak, hoping the masses will respect the "sanctity" of the study as an absolute if they are challenged.
It takes a special kind of person to make a statement based on an observation. Observations are the foundation of the scientific method, which yields the science you covet so highly.
Most people are followers. What would we have in the world today if everyone waited for someone else to create something worth having???
It's easy to follow once the trail has been established. Blazing the path, not knowing what dangers lie ahead is the hard part, and very few people in the world have what it takes to do this, especially today.
History has clearly shown that the greatest human triumphs have often occured in the face of ridicule, persecution, and torment.
If you ask the best scientific minds in the world what is important, they will say one of the greatest prerequisites for achieving greatness is to be energized by failure. That is, when things don't go right, you don't pack your bags and go home, you come back for more and try again.
Rarely do people hit the bullseye on the first attempt. The effort is what is important. Following studies is like wheelsucking, it doesn't take much energy to follow.
Veloflash, I do shoot from the hip, it's who I am. I assure you, my aim is true. Really, if you think about it, Ric and I are almost identical except for one or two points of disagreement. As far as NC ripping off other's ideas did you invent algebraic equations in school, or was it passed down to you from another source??? Knowledge eventually dies unless it is shared. We have to learn from others. Ever hear of a guy named Cyrille Guimard??? He is the high-school dropout who has coached more TDF winners than any other coach in history, namely Hinault, Fignon, and LeMond. You don't need formal education or studies to win bicycle races at the highest professional level, let alone for someone who is cat-1/cat-4. Learn some truth from the real world.
Is NC firing blanks or will he lock and load a magzine of live ammo??? Who knows??? The burden is on him to follow through, but at least he has taken the first step, even if it's been years. Some people work at different speeds.
I'll support anybody out there who does their best to make an statement based on something they believe in. Right or wrong, you have to give people credit for trying. It's not trying that's wrong.
