Lance makes it 7 in a row

[habernac]

another amazing year for the Texan, he made it look easy, almost boring. I'm almost looking forward more to next year when it should be a real contest once again. Only 1 stage win (although they did win the team time trial as well) but he still dominated. He's smart to step away on top. Too many hang on past their prime. It'll be interesting to see what his future holds. For the first time ever, the winner was given a microphone at the end of the race. He congratulated and thanked Jan Ullrich for pushing him all these years and told Basso he was the future of the race (although he also said Ullrich is one to watch for next year too). And to all the naysayers, the people who think he's doped up, he feels sorry for them. He's been drug tested more than any athlete on earth. The man just works harder and wants it more than the rest. Here's a decent write up, cyclingnews.com is terrific for any bike racing related stuff.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2005/tour0...esults/tour0521

I'll miss ya, Lance!

[Sylvanfan]

Yeah, would anyone in North America know about cycling if it wasn't for Lance Armstrong? I'd say he's got a great case for when they look back at the decade in 2010 for being the best athlete of the 00's. It's people like Armstrong who make me love sports as much as I do.

[Heaton]

Originally posted by Sylvanfan@Jul 24 2005, 01:02 PM
Yeah, would anyone in North America know about cycling if it wasn't for Lance Armstrong? I'd say he's got a great case for when they look back at the decade in 2010 for being the best athlete of the 00's. It's people like Armstrong who make me love sports as much as I do.

I've known about riding bikes since I was 5.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally posted by Heaton+Jul 24 2005, 05:37 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Heaton @ Jul 24 2005, 05:37 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Sylvanfan@Jul 24 2005, 01:02 PM
Yeah, would anyone in North America know about cycling if it wasn't for Lance Armstrong? I'd say he's got a great case for when they look back at the decade in 2010 for being the best athlete of the 00's. It's people like Armstrong who make me love sports as much as I do.

I've known about riding bikes since I was 5. [/b][/quote]
Would you know about the Tour de France, and who the top cyclists were in the world if not for the accomplishments of Lance Armstrong? Would it get mentioned on SportsCenter if not for Lance Armstrong?

I don't think it would, would we be hearing about Jan Ulrich winning today if Armstrong wasn't around, or would we notice?

BTW I started riding bikes long before the age of 5!

[Heaton]

Personally, I feel that if Lance Armstrong didn't have to overcome cancer and all of the other tragedies that he had to endure it wouldn't be as big of a story.

[moon]

Congrats to Lance. I don't like him at all, but 7 in a row is impressive.

Now that he is retiring it will be interesting to see what happens over the next couple of years. Does a new guy come on to dominate or will there be some good battles between guys.

[habernac]

Congrats to Lance. I don't like him at all, but 7 in a row is impressive.

You hate the Patriots, you hate Lance, if the Flames win the Cup, will you hate them, too? What do you have against winners?

[Displaced Flames fan]

Lance's cancer has nothing to do with the story at this point. Who is the last guy to win 7 tours in a row? 6? 5?

NOBODY.

The guy is the greatest American athlete of the last 20 years.

[Heaton]

Originally posted by Displaced Flames fan@Jul 24 2005, 08:24 PM
Lance's cancer has nothing to do with the story at this point. Who is the last guy to win 7 tours in a row? 6? 5?

NOBODY.

The guy is the greatest American athlete of the last 20 years.

Maybe if the race were in America you'd have more of a case.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Why does it matter where the race is? Did it matter tha Bob Beamon shattered the long jump record in Mexico City?

[Heaton]

Originally posted by Displaced Flames fan@Jul 24 2005, 08:30 PM
Why does it matter where the race is? Did it matter tha Bob Beamon shattered the long jump record in Mexico City?

It matters right now to some Americans since we're boycotting France. Most sports fans in America would laugh at the statement of Lance Armstrong being the "greatest american athlete" in the last 20 years. #1 its bike racing, #2, is it even televised? #3 its a 2000 mile bike race. pretty sure a guy like michael jordan, joe montana or jerry rice would get more praise than armstrong. it's a very difficult debate, because it's an endurance sport, and most people compare greatness to skill.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Shallow views IMO.

You have to look at the overall accomplishment.

The locale is irrelevant. The magnitude of the achievement is what matters. Winning that race 7 years straight is unprecedented IMHO.

[Heaton]

Originally posted by Displaced Flames fan@Jul 24 2005, 08:37 PM
Shallow views IMO.

You have to look at the overall accomplishment.

The locale is irrelevant. The magnitude of the achievement is what matters. Winning that race 7 years straight is unprecedented IMHO.

shallow or not, it's the truth, hell brett favre's 200 games played straight is considered an even higher accomplishment to most. i'm not saying this is how i feel, i think lance armstrong has a record that will stand for a long time.

hell, scotty bowman is probably the best coach ever, of any sport, but he won't get the praise because he coached hockey.

[Mike F]

Originally posted by Displaced Flames fan@Jul 24 2005, 05:24 PM
Lance's cancer has nothing to do with the story at this point. Who is the last guy to win 7 tours in a row? 6? 5?

NOBODY.

Miguel Induráin won 5 tours in a row from '91-'95

[moon]

Originally posted by habernac@Jul 24 2005, 05:10 PM
Congrats to Lance. I don't like him at all, but 7 in a row is impressive.

You hate the Patriots, you hate Lance, if the Flames win the Cup, will you hate them, too? What do you have against winners?

Nothing against winners. Flames win the CUp I will be happy. Stamps win the Grey Cup I will be happy for them as well.

Just don't like these two winners in particular. The Pats for a variety of reasons and Lance because I just never liked the way he comes off on TV and think that people, especially the American media often talk as though he is the greatest cycler ever without a second thought to guys like Mercx and Indurain.

[moon]

If he is the greatest American Athlete of the past 20 years there must be a ton of guys that I always thought were American that are obviuosly from different countries.

What the guy did is great but I wouldn't be so quick to call him the greatest American athlete of the last 20 years.

[habernac]

especially the American media often talk as though he is the greatest cycler ever without a second thought to guys like Mercx and Indurain.

Ask the man himself who he thinks is the greatest cyclist of all time. Who gives a crap what the media thinks? Anyone who follows the sport knows that Eddy Merckx is so far ahead, it's not even a contest.

[moon]

Originally posted by habernac@Jul 24 2005, 06:26 PM
especially the American media often talk as though he is the greatest cycler ever without a second thought to guys like Mercx and Indurain.

Ask the man himself who he thinks is the greatest cyclist of all time. Who gives a crap what the media thinks? Anyone who follows the sport knows that Eddy Merckx is so far ahead, it's not even a contest.

Hey I am just giving reasons why I am not a fan. I don't necessarily care what the media say but it is annoying ot hear it all the time. Similar to people disliking the Leafs because of TSN and CBC always talking about them.

[habernac]

Originally posted by Heaton+Jul 24 2005, 06:34 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Heaton @ Jul 24 2005, 06:34 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Displaced Flames fan@Jul 24 2005, 08:30 PM
Why does it matter where the race is? Did it matter tha Bob Beamon shattered the long jump record in Mexico City?

It matters right now to some Americans since we're boycotting France. Most sports fans in America would laugh at the statement of Lance Armstrong being the "greatest american athlete" in the last 20 years. #1 its bike racing, #2, is it even televised? #3 its a 2000 mile bike race. pretty sure a guy like michael jordan, joe montana or jerry rice would get more praise than armstrong. it's a very difficult debate, because it's an endurance sport, and most people compare greatness to skill. [/b][/quote]
#1 Yes, it is bike racing, quite a popular sport around the world. Just because most of America doesn't think so doesn't make it unpopular.
#2 Yes, it is televised. OLN carries pretty decent coverage over here. And countless other stations worldwide pick up the feed.
#3 yep, its a 3 week long bike race. Which means its more days than an NFL season. And they only get 2 rest days instead of a week between matches (since you want to compare cycling to football for some reason)

Why would Montana, Rice or Jordan get more praise? Jordan may be more well known, but I bet most people you talk to in Europe or Asia would say "Joe Who? Jerry Who?" They know who Lance Armstrong is.

[habernac]

Originally posted by moon+Jul 24 2005, 07:34 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (moon @ Jul 24 2005, 07:34 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-habernac@Jul 24 2005, 06:26 PM
especially the American media often talk as though he is the greatest cycler ever without a second thought to guys like Mercx and Indurain.

Ask the man himself who he thinks is the greatest cyclist of all time. Who gives a crap what the media thinks? Anyone who follows the sport knows that Eddy Merckx is so far ahead, it's not even a contest.

Hey I am just giving reasons why I am not a fan. I don't necessarily care what the media say but it is annoying ot hear it all the time. Similar to people disliking the Leafs because of TSN and CBC always talking about them. [/b][/quote]
Fair enough. The media attention and people kissing his rear end can certainly be tiresome.

I love what he's done for the sport, more North Americans are riding and racing bicycles because of him.

I love what he's done for Cancer research. 50 million and counting for his wristbands.

But everyone is certainly entitled to an opinion.