Tour de France - is it unAmerican?

Sat, 26 Jul 2003 18:05:47 -0400, , "Eric
S. Sande" wrote:

It's French.

Sportsmanship is universal. It's just hard to see in American
contact sports, the action is too fast.

Motor racing, while fast, is ideally a non-contact sport.
--
zk

Zoot Katz wrote:

Sat, 26 Jul 2003 18:05:47 -0400, , "Eric
S. Sande" wrote:

It's French.

Sportsmanship is universal. It's just hard to see in American
contact sports, the action is too fast.

Motor racing, while fast, is ideally a non-contact sport.


NASCAR would die if the fans did not see plenty of "contact" !!


--
Regards, Joe

Sat, 26 Jul 2003 17:38:10 -0500,
, Kevan Smith
/\/\ wrote:

On Sat, 26 Jul 2003 19:37:31 GMT, "Michael" from
wrote:

He does have a point. I can't think of another American sport where
you help your opponent when he or she is down so it will be a fair
competition.

Ultimate. Not that many people have heard of it, but there ya go.

"There are only 3 real sports: bull-fighting, car racing and mountain
climbing. All the others are mere games." — Hemingway
--
zk

Zoot Katz wrote:
Sat, 26 Jul 2003 18:05:47 -0400, , "Eric
S. Sande" wrote:


It's French.

Sportsmanship is universal. It's just hard to see in American
contact sports, the action is too fast.


Motor racing, while fast, is ideally a non-contact sport.

Did you hear what Robin Williams said on OLN today about the crashes
inthe tour? Somehting like "It's NASCAR without the explosions!"

"Steve" wrote in message
...

Excerpts from King Kaufman's column in Salon -

I think the Tour de France leaves Americans cold because it is almost
perfectly antithetical to the American character.


This guy is totally wrong. Athletes in American sports used to exhibit the
same spirit of fair play and sportsmanship. There was a time when a
linebacker helped the QB up after a sack. Now the linebacker celebrates
while the QB is down. Basketball players used to score without the "in your
face" actions of today's players. I find the TdF to be uplifting, a reminder
of the beauty of sport. It's a shame that American sports have been reduced
to the unpleasant spectacle the author admires.

Slider2699 wrote:
"Steve" wrote in message
...

Excerpts from King Kaufman's column in Salon -

I think the Tour de France leaves Americans cold because it is almost
perfectly antithetical to the American character.

This guy is totally wrong. Athletes in American sports used to exhibit the
same spirit of fair play and sportsmanship. There was a time when a
linebacker helped the QB up after a sack. Now the linebacker celebrates
while the QB is down. Basketball players used to score without the "in your
face" actions of today's players. I find the TdF to be uplifting, a reminder
of the beauty of sport. It's a shame that American sports have been reduced
to the unpleasant spectacle the author admires.

Helping your opponent up after a sack is one thing and many still do it.
The tight end slowing down when his pursuer trips and falls will never
happen. There's a big difference.

--
Robert Hampton
Genesis POS
http://www.genesispos.com
(866) 942-8813 Voice
(325) 942-8872 Fax

On Sat, 26 Jul 2003 15:51:39 +0000, Steve wrote:

I don't think I'm a bad guy. I think I'm in the absolute dead-center
mainstream of American thought here. This is the national character
speaking.

Bull****. Don't try to speak for me.

*I think that down in our bones, most of us can't fathom this
business of gentlemanliness and sportsmanship.

That would be your problem.

It just doesn't speak to us.

And you do not speak for us.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | "What am I on? I'm on my bike, six hours a day, busting my ass.
_`\(,_ | What are you on?" --Lance Armstrong
(_)/ (_) |

On Sat, 26 Jul 2003 14:27:32 +0000, Pat wrote:

Henry, it's just his opinion: he is only saying how HE personally would
react.

No, he's not. He is saying that his kick-'em-in-the-nuts-when-they're-down
attitude is "American", which I find repugnant.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Deserves death! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve
_`\(,_ | death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to
(_)/ (_) | them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement.
-- J. R. R. Tolkein

Steve wrote:

And when my closest rival hits the deck and has to spend a minute
getting untangled from that spectator who got in his way, well, sorry
pal, but I'm turning on the jets.

You wouldn't last long in the peloton before you were eating chip
and seal, mister Salon Writer Guy. The pack has its own way of
dealing with those who break the code.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://www.terrymorse.com/bike/

I'd consider moving, if I were you. I really despise Americans who fail to
appreciate what they have. Go live under a dictatorial regime or a third
world economy. I have. It will teach you a renewed appreciation for what
you have. It is not only a great country we have here but the absolute
best. Love it or leave it or change it but don't complain about it.

Fred

"Preston Crawford" wrote in message
newsan.2003.07.27.13.03.01.47522@REMOVESPAMBLOCK prestoncrawford.com...
On Sat, 26 Jul 2003 15:51:39 +0000, Steve wrote:

And if you see his wallet while he's down there, take it.

Sportsmanship means helping him up after you've cleaned his clock.
Before then, it can be summed up in these three words: Don't cheat
blatantly.

This is why I hate the culture of this country I live in. If it's not this
it's yell at the cyclist because he's in your way and you're more
important. Yell at the cashier because they're not fast enough and you're
in a hurry. Step on anyone you can to get ahead.

Great country we have here.

Preston