SirSaxa
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
Posts: 747
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Post by SirSaxa on Jul 22, 2006 11:58:49 GMT -5
Floyd Landis overcame incredible odds to retake the lead in the Tour de France with only the ceremonial last day remaining. And he did it on a deteriorating hip that will be relaced next month! The guy can't even walk up stairs, or walk at all without a limp. yet he is about to win the most phsyically gruelling competition in sports.
What is it with the Americans?
Greg LeMond overcame being shot in a hunting accident that nearly killed him, took two years to recover, and came back to win the Tour.
LAnce -- we all know, testicular cancer, near death, comes back to win 7 tours!
Now Landis... in constant pain, he even has to sit on his bicycyle seat a different (and painful) way to be able to pedal. Now he's about to win. And he also had to overcome that disatrous day when he dropped from 1st to 11th, everyone said he was out of the race, and he came back to take the lead. Truly and amazing accomplishment. Hat's off!
I hope this can stay on the board for a couple days before it moves -- this is the offseason -- and that was a truly remarkable feat!
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Jul 22, 2006 13:02:51 GMT -5
I agree an amazing story. I have no clue how he's able to do it. a great comeback. And i was one of those who thought there was no more reason to watch the tour with lance and all his main competitiors out of the competition.
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SFHoya99
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 17,774
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Post by SFHoya99 on Jul 22, 2006 13:06:10 GMT -5
How long before the French jealously accuse him of cheating?
Seriously, it's an amazing story.
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Post by Coast2CoastHoya on Jul 22, 2006 18:51:59 GMT -5
Awesome story about Landis: guts, determination, perseverance. Also good for the future of the sport - my guess is most Americans tuned out once Lance retired, but have tuned back in b/c an American is on top and has a great story of courage to go along with it.
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prhoya
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 23,338
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Post by prhoya on Jul 22, 2006 23:13:47 GMT -5
Great stuff! And the French love him (for now)!
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Nevada Hoya
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 18,459
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Post by Nevada Hoya on Jul 23, 2006 11:04:15 GMT -5
Floyd Landis just officially won the Tour da France finshing the mostly celebratory ride into Paris. Congratulations to him and for his courage!
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Jul 23, 2006 13:18:29 GMT -5
lets hope his hip surgery goes well now that he's won.
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MCIGuy
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Anyone here? What am I supposed to update?
Posts: 9,426
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Post by MCIGuy on Jul 23, 2006 14:00:12 GMT -5
I don't think the problem is with the French people as much as it with Americans who couldn't care less UNLESS an American actually wins.
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Post by StPetersburgHoya (Inactive) on Jul 23, 2006 18:32:47 GMT -5
I don't think the problem is with the French people as much as it with Americans who couldn't care less UNLESS an American actually wins. Cycling like soccer is a globalized sport where the US attitudes towards international policy and globalization - ne0-liberalism (integrationists) and American exceptionalism are displayed pretty starkly - its not really a surprise that we have such an attitude towards the sport. Its ok if we win - but we shouldn't watch it just because the rest of the world is watching it or out of a desire to get in line with the rest of the world. |
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EasyEd
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 7,272
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Post by EasyEd on Jul 23, 2006 18:41:03 GMT -5
And another shout out for Tiger.
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DFW HOYA
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 5,769
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Post by DFW HOYA on Jul 23, 2006 21:17:33 GMT -5
Cycling like soccer is a globalized sport where the US attitudes towards international policy and globalization - neo-liberalism (integrationists) and American exceptionalism are displayed pretty starkly - its not really a surprise that we have such an attitude towards the sport. Its ok if we win - but we shouldn't watch it just because the rest of the world is watching it or out of a desire to get in line with the rest of the world. You're an SFS graduate, right?  As a general rule, Americans do not care about competitive cycling not because of the balance of power within the nation-state (or some such banter) but because the sport is not a part of their daily life. How many people grew up with a cycling club? How many particpated in cycling in high school? How many have seen a road race in person? It's hard to devote time to things an individual or a family has no tangible link to. Sure, they might watch it if someone they can identify with is featured, but it's quite foreign to this nation, about as foreign as watching the NFL in Argentina. Nice to watch, but a tough sell if you don't know a 3-4 from a 3 on 1. Like cycling, soccer is a participatory sport in the U.S., but most people don't (and won't) follow it as a spectator sport. Everyone has played volleyball in the yard, but we're not compelled to follow the pro volleyball tour. Every school has a track and field team, yet why is IAAF (pro track and field) completely ignored here? People have interest in three, maybe four spectator sports and that's about it: football in the fall, basketball in the winter, baseball in the spring and summer. Hockey, NASCAR, soccer, golf, tennis, boxing, etc. fight for what's left. And with TV ratings that have dropped below a 1.0 share in the major markets, that's where MLS soccer is going to be for quite a while. |
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SFHoya99
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 17,774
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Post by SFHoya99 on Jul 23, 2006 22:07:30 GMT -5
Watching cycling is boring. About one thing happens per five hours.
It really isn't that complex.
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Post by LizziebethHoya on Jul 24, 2006 5:32:06 GMT -5
This was absolutely amazing....made better by the fact that I was there. There were so many Americans on the Champs Elysees who religiously follow this sport. They love it like none other. Granted there aren't that many like them, but they follow this sport as intensely as we follow our Hoyas.
I do agree that watching cycling...on TV...is boring. But when you're there...it's different. Watching them wiz by you is amazing because you don't realize how fast they really are going. I don't like how it's anti-climatic...but, that's the nature of the sport I guess.
However, the best moment had to be singing the National Anthem while the US flag was raised - in France.
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prhoya
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 23,338
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Post by prhoya on Jul 24, 2006 12:46:14 GMT -5
For eight consecutive years... It's becoming their second national anthem. ;D
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TigerHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 2,808
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Post by TigerHoya on Jul 24, 2006 12:48:37 GMT -5
NASCAR fighting for the scraps with other lesser sports?
Doesn't match the data for NASCAR's viewership and fanbase I've seen recently.
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Post by StPetersburgHoya (Inactive) on Jul 24, 2006 12:56:21 GMT -5
I heard that there's a proposal to move the race to the USA next year - that way the winners won't have to bother with that pesky trans-atlantic flight in order to collect their yellow jersey and trophy.
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Jul 24, 2006 13:19:48 GMT -5
I really don't understand how nascaar has such a big following. It's people driving in a circle about 500 times. am I missing something. and it's not for the crashes cause that happens liek 1 or twice a race tops.
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SFHoya99
Blue & Gray (over 10,000 posts)
Posts: 17,774
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Post by SFHoya99 on Jul 24, 2006 14:03:08 GMT -5
Watching NASCAR = Watching Bike Racing, except it is socially acceptable and even required to be completely trashed.
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EasyEd
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 7,272
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Post by EasyEd on Jul 24, 2006 15:33:19 GMT -5
"Watching Bike Racing, except it is socially acceptable and even required to be completely trashed."
Like Hoya students at Verizon?
Sorry about that!
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Post by Coast2CoastHoya on Jul 24, 2006 22:55:24 GMT -5
come now ed, that's not reserved just for students ;-)
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