He's just zis guy, you know?

So my son and I head up to Nevada City, to get in a ride and catch the
race (he wants to get more experience with photographing bike races
before heading to France in July). Nice day, got in a
not-too-challenging 45 mile ride which he didn't particularly enjoy (too
many "junk" climbs, the type that you can't sink your teeth into), as if
all climbs are going to be like Page Mill or the Aubisque or West Alpine
or whatever.

But the surprise of the day was seeing Floyd Landis in the main event.
It was honestly difficult to tell if he was holding back, intentionally
settling for 4th to avoid the podium and not create a stir... he
definitely looked very strong. But geez, the feelings this guy brings
out in me, and many others, feelings regarding the type of person who
not only hides behind a lie for several years (as, obviously, many do)
but cons other people into supporting that lie with their own time &
money... you see him after the race and you want to ask him about that,
how he rationalizes is.

But you don't, because in the end, he's just this guy trying to work out
his life on a bike and, for good or bad, the fact that he's still trying
to make the bike thing happen, something changes. If he'd left cycling
(as a profession) and gone on to other things, if I met him at some
conference somewhere, yeah, I'd feel comfortable asking uncomfortable
questions. But not today, not when I had the chance, after the race, on
a side road he was very slowly riding past on, because... because what?
Because he's still one of us somehow?

Or maybe it's just that "watching a train wreck" thing, you can't take
your eyes off it, but you also don't want to in any way be responsible
for it.

In the end I'm a passionately-rabid about the way he treated his friends
and conned others to believe in his story (big deal, many do that sort
of thing) and get people to spend their time and literally their money
promoting his con. But I don't need to heckle him or even ask tough
questions at a bike race. Journalists should be doing that job. But near
as I can tell, they aren't.

Sorry for the ramble. Long day.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

All of us are just trying to make our way through this thing called
life.

On Jun 21, 3:07*am, "Mike Jacoubowsky"
wrote:
So my son and I head up to Nevada City, to get in a ride and catch the
race (he wants to get more experience with photographing bike races
before heading to France in July). Nice day, got in a
not-too-challenging 45 mile ride which he didn't particularly enjoy (too
many "junk" climbs, the type that you can't sink your teeth into), as if
all climbs are going to be like Page Mill or the Aubisque or West Alpine
or whatever.

But the surprise of the day was seeing Floyd Landis in the main event.
It was honestly difficult to tell if he was holding back, intentionally
settling for 4th to avoid the podium and not create a stir... he
definitely looked very strong. But geez, the feelings this guy brings
out in me, and many others, feelings regarding the type of person who
not only hides behind a lie for several years (as, obviously, many do)
but cons other people into supporting that lie with their own time &
money... you see him after the race and you want to ask him about that,
how he rationalizes is.

But you don't, because in the end, he's just this guy trying to work out
his life on a bike and, for good or bad, the fact that he's still trying
to make the bike thing happen, something changes. If he'd left cycling
(as a profession) and gone on to other things, if I met him at some
conference somewhere, yeah, I'd feel comfortable asking uncomfortable
questions. But not today, not when I had the chance, after the race, on
a side road he was very slowly riding past on, because... because what?
Because he's still one of us somehow?

Or maybe it's just that "watching a train wreck" thing, you can't take
your eyes off it, but you also don't want to in any way be responsible
for it.

In the end I'm a passionately-rabid about the way he treated his friends
and conned others to believe in his story (big deal, many do that sort
of thing) and get people to spend their time and literally their money
promoting his con. But I don't need to heckle him or even ask tough
questions at a bike race. Journalists should be doing that job. But near
as I can tell, they aren't.

Sorry for the ramble. Long day.

--Mike-- * * Chain Reaction Bicycleswww.ChainReactionBicycles.com

It is, of course, right not to heckle or otherwise insert yourself
into the sad, pathetic life of Fraud Landis. But, he is most
definitely not "one of us" and deserves no sympathy or forgiveness.
He got caught stealing the greatest prize in professional cycling and
then perpetrated a con-game that even a Hollywood D-list scriptwriter
couldn't conceive. After all of that, the fact that he is still out
there "racing for 4th" instead of picking up litter in an orange
jumpsuit is beyond galling.

On Jun 21, 7:59*am, Anton Berlin wrote:
All of us are just trying to make our way through this thing called
life.

And some of us are even able to do that without stealing, lying, or
running confidence games.

On Jun 21, 6:59*am, Anton Berlin wrote:
All of us are just trying to make our way through this thing called
life.

Any of us might have done the same. Many have denied doping even when
"caught", for starters. Once the ball starts rolling...

I'd like to think I'd have been smart enough to take the testo-patch
off my nut sack according to established, timely protocols; but then,
sometimes I forget what day it is, and why I'm standing in front of
the refrigerator with the door open.
--D-y

On 6/21/2010 2:07 AM, Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
But the surprise of the day was seeing Floyd Landis in the main event.
It was honestly difficult to tell if he was holding back, intentionally
settling for 4th to avoid the podium and not create a stir... he
definitely looked very strong.

I doubt he was holding back. His post-transplant career has
not been very heavy with exceptional performances. People
seem to have the expectation that you can replace a hip and
come back 100%. But that really isn't a reasonable
expectation. I think 4th at Nevada City is a good result for
him.

If anyone is going to follow this up and mention Bo Jackson
I just ask that you look up his pre and post hip replacement
stolen base stats before doing that.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over not dumping on him for being a
dirtbag. I'm sure he already knows that, or has rationalized
it away.

Fred Flintstein

"Fred Flintstein" wrote in message
...
On 6/21/2010 2:07 AM, Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
But the surprise of the day was seeing Floyd Landis in the main
event.
It was honestly difficult to tell if he was holding back,
intentionally
settling for 4th to avoid the podium and not create a stir... he
definitely looked very strong.

I doubt he was holding back. His post-transplant career has
not been very heavy with exceptional performances. People
seem to have the expectation that you can replace a hip and
come back 100%. But that really isn't a reasonable
expectation. I think 4th at Nevada City is a good result for
him.

If anyone is going to follow this up and mention Bo Jackson
I just ask that you look up his pre and post hip replacement
stolen base stats before doing that.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over not dumping on him for being a
dirtbag. I'm sure he already knows that, or has rationalized
it away.

Fred Flintstein

But why do the questions about him conning other people out of time &
money not get asked by the press? Because it's not a story with wings
that fly off in untold directions?

I'll look closely at the photos I took and try and get a better read on
his current fitness.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

On Jun 21, 9:06*am, "Mike Jacoubowsky"
wrote:
"Fred Flintstein" wrote in message

...



On 6/21/2010 2:07 AM, Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
But the surprise of the day was seeing Floyd Landis in the main
event.
It was honestly difficult to tell if he was holding back,
intentionally
settling for 4th to avoid the podium and not create a stir... he
definitely looked very strong.

I doubt he was holding back. His post-transplant career has
not been very heavy with exceptional performances. People
seem to have the expectation that you can replace a hip and
come back 100%. But that really isn't a reasonable
expectation. I think 4th at Nevada City is a good result for
him.

If anyone is going to follow this up and mention Bo Jackson
I just ask that you look up his pre and post hip replacement
stolen base stats before doing that.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over not dumping on him for being a
dirtbag. I'm sure he already knows that, or has rationalized
it away.

Fred Flintstein

But why do the questions about him conning other people out of time &
money not get asked by the press? Because it's not a story with wings
that fly off in untold directions?

I'll look closely at the photos I took and try and get a better read on
his current fitness.

--Mike-- * * Chain Reaction Bicycleswww.ChainReactionBicycles.com

I thought I read that Floyd still maintains that he didn't commit the
infraction for which he got busted; he's confessing to all those other
offenses for which he was never caught. But there's no point in
heckling the man, unless you like kicking injured dogs.

Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
"Fred Flintstein" wrote in message
...
On 6/21/2010 2:07 AM, Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
But the surprise of the day was seeing Floyd Landis in the main
event.
It was honestly difficult to tell if he was holding back,
intentionally
settling for 4th to avoid the podium and not create a stir... he
definitely looked very strong.

I doubt he was holding back. His post-transplant career has
not been very heavy with exceptional performances. People
seem to have the expectation that you can replace a hip and
come back 100%. But that really isn't a reasonable
expectation. I think 4th at Nevada City is a good result for
him.

If anyone is going to follow this up and mention Bo Jackson
I just ask that you look up his pre and post hip replacement
stolen base stats before doing that.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over not dumping on him for being a
dirtbag. I'm sure he already knows that, or has rationalized
it away.

Fred Flintstein

But why do the questions about him conning other people out of time &
money not get asked by the press? Because it's not a story with wings
that fly off in untold directions?

I'll look closely at the photos I took and try and get a better read
on his current fitness.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Why don't you tell us who won the friggin race, male and female pros, not
the lower stuff. Also this was the 50th, clue us in on the festive part. Was
there a big turnout, lot of barbe, what was different about it being the
50th? There was buzz about Lance coming back, great matchup, Lance and
Floyd!

GoneBeforeMyTime wrote:
Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
"Fred Flintstein" wrote in message
...
On 6/21/2010 2:07 AM, Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
But the surprise of the day was seeing Floyd Landis in the main
event.
It was honestly difficult to tell if he was holding back,
intentionally
settling for 4th to avoid the podium and not create a stir... he
definitely looked very strong.

I doubt he was holding back. His post-transplant career has
not been very heavy with exceptional performances. People
seem to have the expectation that you can replace a hip and
come back 100%. But that really isn't a reasonable
expectation. I think 4th at Nevada City is a good result for
him.

If anyone is going to follow this up and mention Bo Jackson
I just ask that you look up his pre and post hip replacement
stolen base stats before doing that.

I wouldn't lose any sleep over not dumping on him for being a
dirtbag. I'm sure he already knows that, or has rationalized
it away.

Fred Flintstein

But why do the questions about him conning other people out of time &
money not get asked by the press? Because it's not a story with wings
that fly off in untold directions?

I'll look closely at the photos I took and try and get a better read
on his current fitness.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Why don't you tell us who won the friggin race, male and female pros,
not the lower stuff. Also this was the 50th, clue us in on the
festive part. Was there a big turnout, lot of barbe, what was
different about it being the 50th? There was buzz about Lance coming
back, great matchup, Lance and Floyd!

Well, surprised to see USAC get the results up so quickly. Better turnout
then I expected, many do not use Sportsbaseline.