Friday, November 07, 2008

13 Who The Hell Is Linus Gerdemann??

Senior Lance Armstrong was too full of himself at the wind tunnel recently. I presume he has got the bully hormones kicking after the recent performances and the copious amounts of attention he's been getting from all the men dancing around with him.



Perhaps Armstrong needs to keep in mind that he's not just an athlete now, but a walking, talking shaman-like ambassador against global cancer with a much bigger media following all around the world. Having realized the scarcity of cancer awareness in parts of the world and perhaps in the pro cycling community itself, it was he who decided to un-retire and spoil it for most people with a totally new agenda as the main focus. We're in for it now, as the Lance propaganda vehicle revs in sixth gear and turbocharges in full force towards the Tour de France next year, dragging unprecedented amounts of media hyperbole with it.

And this is why I think he needs to project a tad better image and could set aside his college years bountiful with ego. After all, if he has the discipline to train like he did to win 7 Tours, he may very well have the same to know when to hold off on firing his guns at younger competitors.

Oh, and Gerdemann : Germany has been doing little in the fight against doping. You might as well keep your mouth closed, and tell the fantastic national TV crew to do the same.

I'm getting sick of all this drama. Dear Lord...

13 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:59 AM

    "good, that's a good answer." ??? who's the idiot interviewing him?

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  2. Apart from the dopping issues, which were concealed during the LA era, the TdF is doing really well without him. Why can't him just sign in and ride his bloddy bike?

    Good post Cozy!!!!

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  3. Anonymous1:31 PM

    Have you noticed? Both cyclingnews and bikeradar haven't reported the exact words of Lance about Gerdemann.

    Those last lines were infact :

    "...he better hope he doesn't get in a breakaway with me because (pause) I've got a good hard drive."

    and not

    "..He better hope he doesn't get in a breakaway with me because I can still ride hard"

    Riding hard is one thing, having a hard drive could mean so many other things. I hope he keeps his bicycle rage in check during the races.

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  4. Anonymous2:02 PM

    ... juvenile ashley olsen may be familiar with this 'drive'...

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  5. Anonymous2:11 PM

    Cut the crap guys. You have to understand where he's coming from. This man is one amazing competitor.

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  6. Anonymous3:13 PM

    Undoubtedly a great athlete, unfortunately one of the biggest liars of the 21st century.Hear this radio interview with Betsy Andreu. Open your eyes.

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  7. Anonymous6:37 PM

    I think if people committed less than half of the faith they have put towards Armstrong, they could also believe in Jesus Christ.

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  8. Anonymous7:48 PM

    I'm from NZ, and Im not sick of drama, just sick of seeing this guy's face on every corner of the internet. If anything is on steroids right now, its this man's vastly inflated, full ballooned PR campaign!

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  9. Anonymous6:48 PM

    Rick at 3:13pm : This is a good clip. After hearing her speak, she appears to me as an honest lady wanting to gain little financial benefits but to stand for the truth. Obviously, its tough to get people to open their eyes, because as long as the LAF exists, LA is going to get his heavy duty PR shielding against his past spurious performances. Ofcourse, I'm not even saying the LAF is worth much compared to other charity organizations. But I praise this blog and others who won't allow him to get a free pass.

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  10. Here is an interesting comment borrowed from the Bike Radar link you threw off. Gives something more to think about :

    "Anyhow, back to Armstrong`s `cancer campaigning`. (Which, after all , is what his comeback is supposed to be all about). Isn`t there a very high `awareness` of cancer in the USA already? Are there any countries that have the resources to tackle cancer where there is a low `awareness` of the issue?

    If Armstrong were really so dedicated to the cancer issue why has he never campaigned to have a universal health care system introduced into the USA so that all those suffering from cancer can have access to treatment?

    Is riding a few bike races really the best way Armstrong can aid those with cancer? Just how exactly is this `awareness` thing supposed to work anyhow?

    Also, I cannot help but wonder at the way he announced he was breaking up with Cheryl Crow just a week or so before she announced she had cancer and was undergoing emergency surgery. Are we really expected to believe that her suspecting and confirming that she had cancer, and her entry into treatment, all happened in the few days after they announced they were breaking up? Given that a couple of months earlier they had announced they were to get married I find it all very odd. If Armstrong knew of her cancer before the split then how does all of this fit in with his `cancer hero` image?"

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  11. To all commentators

    Please avoid obscenities. If you have a point, there are far better ways to express them. I had to delete 1 comment so far.

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  12. From the Coyne book it appears that Lance Armstrong thrives on controversy and wants things to happen around him all the time. Although I have mixed feelings about his comeback--and I agree with those who think that the cancer agenda might be advanced more effectively in other ways--he will certainly attract attention for the sport. But the "Who the hell is Linus Gerdemann?" thing does not flatter Armstrong and reminds me of his childish feud with Simeoni. I would not be as critical of Gerdemann. German fans have been infuriated by Ullrich's dissembling and all the subsequent events. Traditional and much-loved races have been pulled off the calendar, broadcasters have taken the Tour off their schedule and sponsors are leaving in droves. The financial consequences of doping have finally been made clear somewhere and young riders such as Gerdemann, who won the last (and it really may be the last) Deutschland Tour as well as a Tour de France stage will suffer career-wise.

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  13. Sprocket :

    Insightful. Unfortunately, Armstrong will continue to make himself look foolish. Just a few days ago, he had an exchange of words with Simoni. Armstrong is insecure and defensive to the core about his decisions to come back...I mean this is a guy who's done it all, knows it all. Why can't he keep his mouth shut for a while and if he's got to prove something, let him do it on the bike if he wants? I think the stupid media that butterflying around him shares his foolishness as well, encouraging this exchange of words and attacking replies. Dogs will always bark if you keep instigating them. Someone from one end just needs to keep quiet.

    Well atleast he didn't pick the line "Who the hell is Simoni"

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Thank you. I read every single comment.