Why we hate Discovery...

VeloJon said:

1) The American thing. OK, it's just a few of the riders and the
sponsors, but that's as US as it gets in the Pro tour.
2) The LANCE thing
3) The Bruyneel sleeze factor
4) The emergence of a worse-than-the-average-team pattern of drug usage

But I also think a source of the aversion lies in the ruthless
efficiency with which Disco has won so many TDFs. We don't like it -
the obsessive focus on one rider, one race, the technology, the lack of
panache, the win-at-all-cost mentality... I see parallels with Michael
Schumacher at Ferrari in F1, Team Navratalova in tennis, the New York
Yankees in US baseball - they're all so easy to hate. Is there any
envy involved?

dumbass,

you forgot to add that failed racers hate winners.

in message <[email hidden]>, VeloJon

(') said:

1) The American thing. OK, it's just a few of the riders and the
sponsors, but that's as US as it gets in the Pro tour.

And the owners.

Quoted message said:

2) The LANCE thing
3) The Bruyneel sleeze factor
4) The emergence of a worse-than-the-average-team pattern of drug usage

I know little and care less about Bruyneel. Eddy Borysewicz definitely goes
in there at number (3) and his legacy accounts for number (4).

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

' ' <------- this blank intentionally spaced left

Quoted message said:

dumbass,

you forgot to add that failed racers hate winners.

you just described the problem with this newsgroup in a nutshell

In article
<[email hidden]>
,

VeloJon said:

1) The American thing. OK, it's just a few of the riders and the
sponsors, but that's as US as it gets in the Pro tour.
2) The LANCE thing
3) The Bruyneel sleeze factor
4) The emergence of a worse-than-the-average-team pattern of drug usage

But I also think a source of the aversion lies in the ruthless
efficiency with which Disco has won so many TDFs. We don't like it -
the obsessive focus on one rider, one race, the technology, the lack of
panache, the win-at-all-cost mentality... I see parallels with Michael
Schumacher at Ferrari in F1, Team Navratalova in tennis, the New York
Yankees in US baseball - they're all so easy to hate. Is there any
envy involved?

Yes, probably. We feel more or less strongly, and two
people can assume two entirely different attitudes
based on how they feel when perceiving the `same'
events. I look for competence in sporting events,
therefore do not ever label a good team/individual
emotionless, machine-like, or `un-sporting.' I keep in
mind on the one hand my emotional reaction to
Armstrong, reactions based on his face, tone of voice,
and utterances, and on the other hand how he won
several TdF's--the competence.

I enjoyed watching Basso in the 2006 Giro d'Italia. He
got on his bike and methodically crushed his rivals.

--
Michael Press

I was with you right up until "lack of panache." What? What? Do you mean,
like, "the look" (misinterpreted though it may be)? Charging from 50 meters
back to nip Kloden at the line? Losing all his teammates and still drilling
all the opposition into the ground in his final tour?

I never hated Discovery, but I could understand your position ... except for
that panache thing.

--
Bob C.

"Of course it hurts. The trick is not minding that it hurts."
T. E. Lawrence (of Arabia)
"VeloJon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

1) The American thing. OK, it's just a few of the riders and the
sponsors, but that's as US as it gets in the Pro tour.
2) The LANCE thing
3) The Bruyneel sleeze factor
4) The emergence of a worse-than-the-average-team pattern of drug usage

But I also think a source of the aversion lies in the ruthless
efficiency with which Disco has won so many TDFs. We don't like it -
the obsessive focus on one rider, one race, the technology, the lack of
panache, the win-at-all-cost mentality... I see parallels with Michael
Schumacher at Ferrari in F1, Team Navratalova in tennis, the New York
Yankees in US baseball - they're all so easy to hate. Is there any
envy involved?

"VeloJon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

1) The American thing. OK, it's just a few of the riders and the
sponsors, but that's as US as it gets in the Pro tour.
2) The LANCE thing
3) The Bruyneel sleeze factor
4) The emergence of a worse-than-the-average-team pattern of drug usage

But I also think a source of the aversion lies in the ruthless
efficiency with which Disco has won so many TDFs. We don't like it -

snip...

We don't like it either.
--
Marty

"VeloJon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

1) The American thing. OK, it's just a few of the riders and the
sponsors, but that's as US as it gets in the Pro tour.

I am an American. So what !

Quoted message said:

2) The LANCE thing

What, superior focus and dedication? What racer would not want what he
acheived ? Sure he has much media exposure, but cycling as a whole benefits.
Even that cell phone talking, coffee drinking, chronically late SUV driver
will give a wider bearth to those men in lycra tights.

Quoted message said:

3) The Bruyneel sleeze factor

You lost me here. Explain.

Quoted message said:

4) The emergence of a worse-than-the-average-team pattern of drug usage

Other than Andreu and Racer X all of the others were no longer on the team.
Therefore, the association is irrelevant.

Quoted message said:

But I also think a source of the aversion lies in the ruthless
efficiency with which Disco has won so many TDFs. We don't like it -
the obsessive focus on one rider, one race, the technology, the lack of
panache, the win-at-all-cost mentality... I see parallels with Michael
Schumacher at Ferrari in F1, Team Navratalova in tennis, the New York
Yankees in US baseball - they're all so easy to hate. Is there any
envy involved?

So whats your point ?

VeloJon said:

1) The American thing. OK, it's just a few of the riders and the
sponsors, but that's as US as it gets in the Pro tour.
2) The LANCE thing
3) The Bruyneel sleeze factor
4) The emergence of a worse-than-the-average-team pattern of drug usage

But I also think a source of the aversion lies in the ruthless
efficiency with which Disco has won so many TDFs. We don't like it -
the obsessive focus on one rider, one race, the technology, the lack of
panache, the win-at-all-cost mentality... I see parallels with Michael
Schumacher at Ferrari in F1, Team Navratalova in tennis, the New York
Yankees in US baseball - they're all so easy to hate. Is there any
envy involved?

We? You and who else?

Marty said:

"VeloJon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

1) The American thing. OK, it's just a few of the riders and the
sponsors, but that's as US as it gets in the Pro tour.
2) The LANCE thing
3) The Bruyneel sleeze factor
4) The emergence of a worse-than-the-average-team pattern of drug usage

But I also think a source of the aversion lies in the ruthless
efficiency with which Disco has won so many TDFs. We don't like it -

snip...

We don't like it either.

Speak for yourself, please. I liked it just fine, glad to have been
around to see it happen. A great example of a real professional taking
care of business and winning. --D-y

Chris M said:

We? You and who else?

Dumbass,

He has a mouse in his pocket.

At least, that's his story.