Lance makes it 7 in a row

[RougeUnderoos]

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]
Laugh. Boycotting France? By doing what, renaming french fries?

It's a little strange how you seem to be calling it nothing more than a 2,000 mile bike race. A 2000 mile bike race is, umm, a long way to ride a bike. I suppose sinking a three-pointer is more difficult? Or driving a car around in a cirlce for 500 miles? That's really impressive.

[Heaton]

I'm not going to get into a political discussion about the France thing, but if you seriously dont' know about the actions that French President Chirac is doing and what most informed Americans are doing to boycott them, I really don't have the 20 mins it'd take to write it out to educate you. But I will say this, I am not downplaying what he has done at all I am just showing you the feelings of most americans, and probably most Canadians also. like I said, MOST people, meaning the main stream, people who are fairweather and most likely carry uneducated sports fans wouldn't really care about Lance Armstrong, is he the best athlete ever? the best in 20 years? I dunno, what exactly are the things that make you the best athlete ever? being able to ride a bike 2000 miles and beat hundreds of other cyclists 7 years in a row? is that what makes you the greatest athlete?

If there is a critera that you can map out for me, and Lance Armstrong is miles ahead of any other athlete that you could name as "greatest athlete" then sure, he's the greatest athlete in the last 20 years of American athletes.

[the_only_turek_fan]

WOW, this guy is simply amazing.

I will admit that I dont really follow the sport, and I am a casual cyclist, but I have followed the last 2 Tours, and this guy is unreal.

I will continue to wear my wristband with pride.

[Canada 02]

Originally posted by Sylvanfan@Jul 24 2005, 11:02 AM
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 think the Tour de France became popular in America when Greg LeMond won three times in five years. And north of the border, Steve Bauer was this countries most reknowned cyclist. If I recall, he wore the yellow jersey for over a week - LeMond eventually won and Bauer finished top 5.

Popularity of the sport has a lot to do with geography. Out west, mountain biking is trendy and popular, but road racing may be more popular out east

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally posted by Heaton@Jul 24 2005, 08:07 PM
I'm not going to get into a political discussion about the France thing, but if you seriously dont' know about the actions that French President Chirac is doing and what most informed Americans are doing to boycott them, I really don't have the 20 mins it'd take to write it out to educate you. But I will say this, I am not downplaying what he has done at all I am just showing you the feelings of most americans, and probably most Canadians also. like I said, MOST people, meaning the main stream, people who are fairweather and most likely carry uneducated sports fans wouldn't really care about Lance Armstrong, is he the best athlete ever? the best in 20 years? I dunno, what exactly are the things that make you the best athlete ever? being able to ride a bike 2000 miles and beat hundreds of other cyclists 7 years in a row? is that what makes you the greatest athlete?

If there is a critera that you can map out for me, and Lance Armstrong is miles ahead of any other athlete that you could name as "greatest athlete" then sure, he's the greatest athlete in the last 20 years of American athletes.

Aww gee, you don't have the 20 minutes to educate ignorant old me? That's too bad. I can tell that you are really in the know and I feel like I've just missed a chance to learn from one of the masters.

[Heaton]

Aww gee, you don't have the 20 minutes to educate ignorant old me? That's too bad. I can tell that you are really in the know and I feel like I've just missed a chance to learn from one of the masters.

Yeah, because that's exactly what I said, I'm a scholar and a master in all forms of political debate. And yeah, I said you were an ignorant moron, who knows nothing. Keep assuming things, maybe in your next post you'll say I made fun of your dead relatives and kicked your dog. Was educate the wrong word? Did it offend you? Should I have said "I don't have 20 mins to tell you?" Should I have used the word tell instead of educate? Please tell me so it doesn't happen again.

But really, do you seriously not know what has been happening between the US and France since September 11th and the start of the Iraq "war"?

[habernac]

since when did the Tour de France turn into a political thing? Who gives a shinguard about Chirac or Bush? This is about cycling. Thanks for the hijack......

[Heaton]

Originally posted by habernac@Jul 25 2005, 12:09 AM
since when did the Tour de France turn into a political thing? Who gives a shinguard about Chirac or Bush? This is about cycling. Thanks for the hijack......

if you read the posts you'll see the parallel =p

[JiriHrdina]

On a related note Nike has launched a brilliant web site about Armstrong - www.wearyellow.com. They have also created a pretty cool commercial that you can see there (click on TV Spot - Press Conference).

[habernac]

Originally posted by Heaton+Jul 24 2005, 10:11 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Heaton @ Jul 24 2005, 10:11 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-habernac@Jul 25 2005, 12:09 AM
since when did the Tour de France turn into a political thing? Who gives a shinguard about Chirac or Bush? This is about cycling. Thanks for the hijack......

if you read the posts you'll see the parallel =p [/b][/quote]
Shouldn't you be boycotting Canada as well, since we have little or nothing to do with the Iraq war effort? Get lost...

[Heaton]

No. It's not even REMOTELY the same thing, no idea why you think it is, and I won't "get lost" if you can't see how this discussion got in the thread and it's not all about bikes, yellow jerseys and champagne, then im sorry, you should've specified ground rules as to what we're aloud to talk about in your thread.

[Hakan]

Lance Amstrong, while being an incredible athlete and story, is the most overrated cyclist on the planet.

The guy's team is built entirely to make sure he wins. He only races in one race per year, the Tour while the other cyclists are racing every other week all over Europe.