Off-Topic for 06/17/2010 – 02:10

by schmalz

Welcome to the Tue, 06/17/2010 – 02:10 edition of Off Topic! You are looking at the next step in the evolution of VCN, the Off-Topic page. Have you ever been frustrated because you had a burning desire to call someone a sandbagger and could only hope to be timely by posting your comment to a photo gallery page or on a page describing a charity ride?

Well, your prayers have been answered! You can post your comment from the home page and it magically comes to rest here with the other orphans from the land of Misfit Comments. The page gets refreshed every day, but not to worry! Each day’s page will be archived and treasured, so you can look back on past pages with pride, shame or disgust-depending on how the day’s conversation went. So post away! We’ve got an internet to fill up.

30 Comments

700x25

She is no joke- and points to the obvious Rodale and its writers (exception being the Boulder report) are jokes. Journalists? Hardly. Fictional writers? closer to the mark.

Thanks Dan for the read.

Stan Clamp

Oh my, that Betsy pulls no punches. Good for her. Bill’s response is quite good. He knows her post won’t really impact sales, so he let’s it go. I hope it actually is her.

schmalz

The Betsy response:

Thanks for responding, Bill. I always enjoy an intelligent and civil discussion.
Good on you for mentioning David Walsh’s book, “From Lance to Landis”. The chapters you mention reflect the truth of the matter not just my own views.
In hindsight, maybe I should’ve contacted you. My past experience with journalists who are in favor with Lance has taught me that the truth was irrelevant (to them). They couldn’t be bothered with it because it interferred with their writing. I respectfully disagree that you were objective regarding the aforementioned hospital incident in this book. The mere fact that you had access to Lance for information and didn’t even bother to contact us is proof there was no objectivity on your part.

In response to Scott Richardson’s post – I am hopeful that the entire truth will come out during this federal investigation.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2010/06/09/2010-06-09_government_assigns_federal_prosecutor_doug_miller_to_cycling_case_sparked_by_flo.html

Anyone stupid enough to lie to the feds should face the consequences of committing the felony that perjury is: a vacation in the clink. It doesn’t matter if you’re a mom with children, an athlete with a foundation, or a journalist who has ignored the truth on purpose for monetary gain.

CD

from another poster on that Bicycling thread:
“That said, I have no idea what happened pre-cancer and before his TdF victories. A part of me wants to say it doesn’t matter, the past is past. Ample evidence points to the fact he has been clean during his 7 wins and his return from retirement, he has said he didn’t take performance enhancing drugs and that really is all that matters to me.”

So he can possibly believe that LA doped before cancer, when the guy didn’t even sniff grand tour GC success, but after cancer when he won 7 TDF’s, there’s no possible chance he took anything?! That’s great logic.

betsy c'est moi

This crap is never ending. If only the lance mafia would leave me alone!

http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/MG_programmas/MG_sportweekend/2.8987/2.8988/1.795053

Journo: Lance, Floyd Landis accused you of doping. What do you have to say to that?

LA: Absolutely nothing to say.

Journo: Have you ever used doping substances?

LA: How many times have I answered that question?

Journalist: Well, answer it now.

LA: The answer hasn’t changed. Don’t ask me another stupid fucking question like that.

Note that it was a Euro who asked the question. I can only hope the real American journalists won’t be too afraid to ask questions of the same ilk.
Andy, Dan – any chance you two idiot goofball slackers can go to France for Le Tour and ask the questions the Americans will be afraid to ask? There’s something about expletives in Lance’s responses to tough questions that makes some journalists squeamish. I don’t think you guys would be intimidated by him.

Leon Bartape

Schmalz and Andy,

“The only way we get to France is if we get packed into Frankie’s suitcase.”

Did the “Gendarmes” ban you guys from France? Did the “Surete” and customs put you on a do-not-enter list?

Why don’t you guys pack your bags, man up, and go ask him? If you don’t, you can always enjoy a nice Pastis and a Gitanne cigarette while modeling a beret.

Dylan Seatpost

Budget wise you guys probably have more to gain by going to France.

You’ve developed a certain following among Pro Tour riders. Your Toto cartoon is carried by CycleSport. You have been more out front in taking on the doping issue than almost anyone.

You still only run a ‘goofy’ website but if you really have any higher aspirations, you can make your mark at this year’s TDF. You might never have such a good opportunity again.

Schmalz, you were joking about writing a book on Lance,well not a book on Lance but about your efforts to track him down. This trip can help pull it all together.

Check if you can get real press credentials. If you can, go for it.

schmalz

Trust me, I would love to go and ask Lance kamikaze-style questions at press conferences. But the trip would be entirely self-financed (and at the last moment, no less). Honestly, I have no idea whether I could get press credentials or not (Cycle Sport likes us, but I’m not sure they would want me asking quasi-insulting questions on their behalf), so that would leave me shouting questions outside of the Radio Shack bus—not the best scenario.

Plus, it doesn’t seem like the book publishing world is interested in any non-tumescent Lance books at the moment (that might change), so the whole trip would be a big potential bust financially for myself, and that’s not even mentioning the stabbing I would be in for upon my return after taking off for France w/o the wife and kids.

mikeweb

I agree. You guys did go to InterBike in Vegas last year(?), right?

Granted, going across the pond for the TdF is more $$, logistics, etc. but you wouldn’t have to go for all 3 weeks; just 2-3 days at the end in Paris would still give good exposure.

Just a thought. So, who’s willing to start up a “Donate now” Paypal account and sweeten the pot?

Plus seeing pictures of Schmalz in the Toto shirt interviewing (pestering?) people who are ON the Toto shirt would be priceless!

Ermanno Cogset

No shouting questions outside the Radio Shack bus. Real credentials or I agree that it’s not worth it. It would be very interesting to see ASO’s response to your request. They just might go for it.

Mehdi Headset

I for one would pay BIG $$$ to see Andy don yellow (Charlie I can make him one) and sneak into the finishing straight on the climb to Tourmalet this year, just like that dude did a few years back.

schmalz

Firstly, I would prefer to see Andy in the “Borat bikini” running alongside the race, but that’s a separate issue—and does anyone have ASO’s email address?

Motherflippin Hiphopopotamus

Andy should jump a barricade during the first TT and dump his bike in the corner, then throw it, all while wearing a Borat bikini.

Giovanni Rim

schmalz stop with the negativity and “why i cant do it” bullsh-t. step up. i promise to cough up $100; start a schamlz-and-shen-a-thon.

schmalz

I would say it is tempting, but we’ve never asked for direct donations from users for ourselves.

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