Good news
- Thread starter SuspectDevice
- Start date
hmm, there was once an avid now and forever EX-teamsmacker whom during this past season said and i quote "rock racing will not last another year".
i never liked rock but i agree with ire. it's a win/lose situation...bummer.
i never liked rock but i agree with ire. it's a win/lose situation...bummer.
doesn't really surprise me. in these times, who the hell is going to spend $300 on a pair of jeans!!! for that matter, just buying one of their team jerseys!!! Ball has big ideas and it would be a shame for the team to fold, but unless the economy changes i think more teams are going to fold or get cut way back. if Rock folds, i'd love to get my hands on one of those green DeRosa's!!!! anyone know where to keep an eye out for that type of stuff??
hello ktty might know.
just for you maddog, a Prince for the Rock team
http://classifieds.roadbikereview.com/showproduct.php?product=12589&cat=
http://classifieds.roadbikereview.com/showproduct.php?product=12589&cat=
Did a guy by the name of Ben call you up?
It's good news. Money from a douche-bag designed to douche-bag up the image of pro cycling is bad. Employing un-repentant convicts is bad. Cadilliacs are bad. Institutionalized doping is bad. $300 jeans (and the people who buy them) are bad. Intentional arrogance, Self-aggrandizement and anti-intellectualism for the sake of petty spectacle is bad. Ignoring contracts with riders, sponsors and race promoters is bad.
Flagrantly ignoring the rules of the UCI, WADA, USAC and common decency, all bad.
Of the 20+ riders on their roster, about 10 of them are good folks. The other half can go straight to hell, as far as I'm concerned. There are some nice level headed young guys that got all caught up in that mess. Know they've got the time to escape before they are tainted for life...
I agree with a lot of what you say, but let them die and hopefully the controversy will go with them. I thought it was funny how they ended up riding some Fujis.
You gotta admit - the kits are sweet.
You gotta admit - the kits are sweet.
who are you to judge anyone anyway?
Michael Ball is living the American dream why is any of your concern how he makes his money or what he spends it on?
you sure are upset about something that has nothing to do with you.
I don't like Ball, but I also don't like WADA, UCI, or USAC. I'm glad there is someone who is willing to give the finger to those organizations. I do not like that he is complacent in doping, and unfortunately a lot of teams are
It does affect SD because he is in the bike industry
Well, if you race or a fan of racing, it does matter.
I don't care if Michael Ball hires a bunch of drugged-up employees, but when he fields a team of cheaters, it does affect a sport I participate in.
Who am I to judge? I am an educated, rational human being who makes his living making and selling bicycles. From before I was a teeanger, it's the only line of work, passion and toil that I have known.
Ball is garbage, a pedaler of trash and exploitation, and an ill-conceived, over-rendered version of a petty pimp or hustler
If his version of the "american dream" appeals to you, i suggest you are the worst kind of person, if you are in fact human, and that I lay blame squarely on your shoulders for the sorry state of the world...
too small for me, i need a 58cm. plus i would prefer the DeRosa, i'm not a huge fan of Pinarello lately.just for you maddog, a Prince for the Rock team
http://classifieds.roadbikereview.com/showproduct.php?product=12589&cat=
Wow first it was George W. Bush to blame for everything now it's jean designer Michael Ball who is responsible for sorry state of the world fascinating...
For someone who "claims" to be in the bike industry your cutting off your nose to spite your face by wishing an industry supporter / sponsor ill will and hoping he goes out of business sorry but your savior Barack Hussein Obama isn't going to bail out the bicycle industry so your going to need all the dollars you can get no matter where they come from.
I get it that you don't like Michael Ball's attitude or cocky persona so how exactly is that affecting you personally other than you can't stand confident self made men like Michael Ball.
In the uptight and elitist world of road racing rock racing upsets the apple cart with an in your face brash attitude by showing up with an huge entourage in Bentleys, Lamborghinis and special race day team kits with an over the top self assurance and I say RIGHT ON!
If you don't like it cheer for one of the more politically correct teams that don't offend your sensitivities.
I don't give a crap about the fanciness. I care about the attitude towards drug use, and Ball's was, lets get the cheaters.
the team he fields, as far as the UCI is concerned, are all eligible to race. whether they cheated in the past shouldn't matter because the ruling body has suspended them, they did their time and are now allowed to race again. now, if they get caught, that's still on them not necessarily Ball. the team dr's can say to the riders " here you need to take this or get this shot" but in the end it's the riders responsibility to say no. i don't think they're putting guns to their heads and forcing them to do something illegal. it's the riders to speak up for themselves. if they get fired, then they can take legal action or go the media route and out those who are keeping doping alive in the pro peleton. Ball is an in your face type of guy in an industry where you need to be, not cycling but clothing. without his attitude, he wouldn't be where he is. i like what he's doing to an extent. i think that him standing up to everyone is admirable and hiring guys who have been caught doping in the past is also admirable. if he runs a clean team, like say Garmin Chipotle, then how can you complain if the riders who were guilty once are now riding clean and staying that way? the whole Cadi thing goes with his attitude, right or wrong, it's part of his marketing. look at the team kits, they are kick ass without a doubt!!! SD may have more inside info on some things, but i don't and i can only comment on what i see.
Dead serious.
Your're a religious man. You should understand culture war.
Bike racers are my tribe.
These men are infidels, and I am a bike culture evangelical.
I want his culture out of my sport. Far, far, far away from it.
Rich folks with small sex organs and poor taste already have the whole world at their fingertips, I want my sport back.
KAPOW!!
note to self, kiss suspect device's arse forever.
i applaude you suspect, i had no idea.
There is nothing uptight or elitist about the world of professional bike racing in the U.S. It is a bunch of skinny, underfed, underpaid geeks who have devoted their lives to doing what they love and exorcising inner conflict.
A bunch of overpaid unrepentant dopers and a fat guido showing up with their new money, pommade, and inefficient, ugly cars and failing to win races of merit with a budget 10x larger than the teams that kicked their ass all season is far from impressive.
In my opinion, It's retarded, and based on your arguments, I would wager you are too.
I don't think that was his attitude
<speculation>
I suspect he figured he get world class athletes for low pay because they were former dopers and no one would touch them. I bet he picked up Tyler for a tenth what he was making
</speculation>
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sorry bill but these are my monkeys now and you are wrong.
bill, i really like you and all, i think you are a pretty dam coOl person and you mean well but you just are not intelligent.
it's kinda like the me and hoOd race, he can not beat me on any bike, any time, anywhere...much like the fast paced (non cycling) high dollar team that was exciting i'll admit in the beginning but without true passion, money is of no importance and as suspect has stated already, they got theire arses handed too 'em and badly by pretty much people who just care to ride.
plain and simple.
bill, i really like you and all, i think you are a pretty dam coOl person and you mean well but you just are not intelligent.
it's kinda like the me and hoOd race, he can not beat me on any bike, any time, anywhere...much like the fast paced (non cycling) high dollar team that was exciting i'll admit in the beginning but without true passion, money is of no importance and as suspect has stated already, they got theire arses handed too 'em and badly by pretty much people who just care to ride.
plain and simple.
WTF?
you mean MY sport
perhaps you need to look around and face reality because it's those very same rich pricks you seem have such disgust and seething jealousy for that keep Sacha White and Lew Racing in business.
It's folks like me and MY SPORT that keep you employed in the bike industry because with out us no Colnago C50's would be sold and no $4000 SRM's powermeters would be purchased and every boutique framebuilder in this country would be standing around with their dicks in their hand because some 28 year old tattooed slacker blogger wannabe douchbag isn't going to go out and work hard enough to buy these things.
It's pretty clear to everyone reading this thread that you are incapable of rational thought because the same people that have such contempt for are the very people that keep this sport alive and race teams employed.
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Bill, take your crap back to where you can keep chasing your tail in circles or you can ride.my.monkey if you keep it up.
you can not buy skill try as YOU might and never have won a race.
how many high dollar bikes do you own? and i can take you on any one of 'em?
i'll tell you what, you want to have this race between hOod and myself but let's do this different, you on the highest dollar bike you own, (did you get that super six yet) and me on my tarmac with 105.
100 miles. teamsmack vs. ridemonkey if you will and make no mistake bill, i am a natural born rider and you will lose.
do you agree to those terms? and yes, bike for bike and your highest dollar one, chump.
you are proving a point very well as you speak. you only BUY high dollar rides but have no prominent application for doing so which means you can not BUY a sport, you either love it with your whole heart and if lucky it loves you in return.
try water polo.
try water polo.
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Bike racing existed before you cared. It will continue to exist afterwards.
Your complete lack of understanding of bicycle racing culture, and the actual realities of sponsorship in domestic and international road racing is clear.
It's not your sport. You are just passing through.
Your lack of understanding of most things is pretty clear actually. You seem like an Armstrong fan? I bet you like god, and meat, and V8's and sexually objectified women as well? Do you own more than one television?
You are a good, obedient, anti-rational, anti-intellectual, reflexive, salivating little puppy that chews and regurgitates pre-packaged neo-con soundbytes... and that's swell.
Go buy your prepackaged pseudo rebellion and "maverick" status from idiots like Ball. That's why he has so much money afterall.
And I'll sit here in my office, rub one out, draw my next tattoo, drink black coffee at 11 0'clock at night, and shuffle the balance sheets around to continue supporting bike racing in a way that doesn't exploit the sport.
p.s. the earth revolves around the sun.
hey Bill, where'd you go? don't run now, you real cyclist you.
Well, I'm more one to strive for moderation in ideologies...
I don't like Rock Racing and wouldn't mind seeing them go. I just don't think it's nice to call names. Ultimately, you are probably just doing damage to your own cause (of reforming cycling and selling your own bikes) by looking like a dick. Might it be more helpful to explain your ideas carefully than shout and insult people you don't know?
it's impossible to have a rational discuss with an irrational person.
From what I can tell Mr. Bill, not many folks on this site can claim to have rational thoughts.
Rock Racing is kick ass, they are bringing back excitement to the cycling community.
I could care less if a pair of Micheal Ball's jeans cost $300. I'm just curious if any of these mensas that hate Rock Racing so much have a problem with people throwing down $300 for a nice pair of bibs? Probably not, hence the hypocracy.
I just disagree that we should be willing to accept anyone willing to put some cash into the top ranks.
The only arguably positive contributions made by Rock Racing are (1) a short-term influx of cash going to a few honest and needy racers; and (2) a keen ability to make all the other teams look better. But far more of the cash has been blown on publicity stunts and parading out a bunch of cheaters who can't get a job elsewhere.
The whole thing seems based on the tired old idea that "any publicity is good publicity". Sure, we need sponsors, and sponsors only do it to get exposure. Ball's whole spiel about how "everyone deserves a second chance" is a load of crap. It prevents the cycling public from moving on from past doping scandals, and (yeah, I'll say it) cheapens the image of professional racing. And the fact that it might get shut down with little notice underscores the fact that Michael Ball couldn't care less about his racers or this sport.
Bawdy flash with no substance. Short-term personal gain with no regard for immediate harm or long-term impact. The American Dream, right?
The only arguably positive contributions made by Rock Racing are (1) a short-term influx of cash going to a few honest and needy racers; and (2) a keen ability to make all the other teams look better. But far more of the cash has been blown on publicity stunts and parading out a bunch of cheaters who can't get a job elsewhere.
The whole thing seems based on the tired old idea that "any publicity is good publicity". Sure, we need sponsors, and sponsors only do it to get exposure. Ball's whole spiel about how "everyone deserves a second chance" is a load of crap. It prevents the cycling public from moving on from past doping scandals, and (yeah, I'll say it) cheapens the image of professional racing. And the fact that it might get shut down with little notice underscores the fact that Michael Ball couldn't care less about his racers or this sport.
Bawdy flash with no substance. Short-term personal gain with no regard for immediate harm or long-term impact. The American Dream, right?
= Win (as in you are correct, not that Rock wins)
This is the first time I've seen you accept who you really are.
SuspectDevice rather than complaining why don't you be the change?
You "claim" to be in the industry so with all your big connections within the industry why don't you finance your own team as you see fit.
I'm not talking a few bike frames, a couple of kits along with reimbursement of race entry fees a pop-up and trailer with your name on on it any local bike shop has that team set up.
why don't you put your money where your mouth is and go out and find the sponsors that will finance the whole thing from full time paid pro salaries to mechanics to support staff and vehicles and every thing else that Michael Ball had to do to start his own team.
it doesn't matter if you field a full time road, mountain, cyclocross, extreme cycling or bmx team I just want you to either step up to the plate and quit complaining about how others run their team in the cycling industry or STFU.
the choice is yours...
You "claim" to be in the industry so with all your big connections within the industry why don't you finance your own team as you see fit.
I'm not talking a few bike frames, a couple of kits along with reimbursement of race entry fees a pop-up and trailer with your name on on it any local bike shop has that team set up.
why don't you put your money where your mouth is and go out and find the sponsors that will finance the whole thing from full time paid pro salaries to mechanics to support staff and vehicles and every thing else that Michael Ball had to do to start his own team.
it doesn't matter if you field a full time road, mountain, cyclocross, extreme cycling or bmx team I just want you to either step up to the plate and quit complaining about how others run their team in the cycling industry or STFU.
the choice is yours...
Mr. Bill, these people like to bitch and complain yet don't have the balls to throw the cash down and sponser a team. These morons are the type that sit back and bitch about what they hate about the sport, yet do nothing about it.
I say bring back Landis, bring back Hamilton. Wait they are back, and infact Hamilton is the current U.S. Champion.
I say bring back Landis, bring back Hamilton. Wait they are back, and infact Hamilton is the current U.S. Champion.
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Very convenient way of dodging some of the legitimate arguments that have been made here. As I said above, I disagree that we should automatically accept anyone who wants to throw money in the ring. So I also disagree that anyone who does so is above criticism and that the only proper response is to start your own team. It is probably true that Ball doesn't care what we think, but that doesn't mean we aren't allowed to discuss his team and our opinions. Anyway, you can continue to escalate the argument or you can engage in a reasoned debate...the choice is yours...
There is really no reason to respond to Kitty as he will just continue to escalate as his opinion is the only one that could possibly be true.