GH: Lance Armstrong ate my career -- discuss

[Waldo]

In 50 words or less.

[e-RICHIE]

In 50 words or less.
"i won 14 junior national championships
before anyone ever heard of texas atmo"

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . has not served him well. He should have left Discovery years ago. But now he has the chance to make up for it. Go George!

BBD

[e-RICHIE]

overheard on the postal route:
"lance never won somerville; ergo his palmares are incomplete atmo."

[Brian Smith]

In 50 words or less.

Why would Greg Herbold say that?
Oh wait, my bad....

[Lifelover]

. . ...He should have left Discovery years ago....!

BBD
Because this worked out so well for all the other riders that left?!

[Bill Bove]

Because this worked out so well for all the other riders that left?!
I was thinking the same thing, but then Tom Boonen kicked me in the shins. He's one bad mofo that Tom Boonen.

[zeroking17]

My impression is that GH's personality makes him naturally more of a follower than a leader. And with Lance on the team, George was uncomfortable trying to wrest the position of TdF team leader from Armstrong.

In the dog-eat-dog pro peloton, leadership typically is taken, and not given. So...I don't know whether one can "blame" Lance for "stealing" GH's career. Does anyone honestly believe that GH would have a been a multiple Tour winner had he ridden for another team?

[shinomaster]

Because this worked out so well for all the other riders that left?!

Hmmm..
Floyd did well
Levi Did well
Zabriski did well
Tyler did well for a while....

[J.Greene]

[QUOTE=zeroking17]My impression is that GH's personality makes him naturally more of a follower than a leader. And with Lance on the team, George was uncomfortable trying to wrest the position of TdF team leader from Armstrong.

why waste the energy anyway. Couldn't be done. All those guys had been beneath lance for years anyway, ask Julich, Lieswyn, McRae etc.

Anyway you can't steal a career. I suspect splitting the earnings and PRESTIGE at the end of the tour provided GH with some level comfort. He is one of many on the Lance gravy train.

JG

[djg]

Well, he signed multiple contracts voluntarily didn't he?

These were not obviously wrong decisions and I doubt he's torn by doubt or regret over them. GH has real talent, and some fine wins under his belt, but I don't think he was any sort of shoe-in for the next great classics rider and I'm sure he wasn't regarded as a likely grand tour winner. He elected to play well-paid second fiddle to an unusual champion on a pretty remarkable, if narrow, quest. He was given the opportunity to go for some wins along the way, and he nailed a few (and lost a few more to bad luck, and maybe a few more to strategic issues). Striking out on his own, and taking some more risks on a smaller team, might have resulted in a few more wins, but what of it? Whatever else happens, he'll retire with a nice palmares, a nice bank account, and a connection to a phenomenal string of tour victories. It's a heck of a good career, even if it's not one of the great few in the annals of the sport. And although he's no spring chicken, he's still racing, still looks strong, and still has the chance to add to that palmares. So I say, Go Geoge.

[Lifelover]

Hmmm..
Floyd did well
Levi Did well
Zabriski did well
Tyler did well for a while....


To date I would take George's record above all of these. That may or may not change by the end of July.

[Bradford]

Let's see; he makes a living, has significant wins in his chosen profession, and has enough fame and industry pull to start his own company that he will support him when he retires.

I may be dense, but what exactly was stolen from him? That sounds like a pretty good career to me. I'm sure most of us would take what he has in a second.

[GoJavs]

To date I would take George's record above all of these. That may or may not change by the end of July.
-------

Another LA exile. Palmares ain't too shabby:

Paris-Nice
Crit. International Twice
Bronze Olympic Medal
TDF Podium
Tour of Holland
Numerous other podiums...

[Climb01742]

until recently, george saw himself as a classics rider. so his aims and lance's could peacefully co-exist quite nicely. then he gets a nice tour paycheck. and as others have said, maybe george never wanted to be "the man". nothing wrong with that.

but thanks to OLN's obsession with lance, he may get mentioned more this year than george. please, OLN, shut up about lance. talk about guys who are riding now. this year's race is shaping up as damned exciting, as the first 3 days are proving. who needs the past?

[zeroking17]

<snip>
please, OLN, shut up about lance. talk about guys who are riding now. this year's race is shaping up as damned exciting, as the first 3 days are proving. who needs the past?


You are so right.

[Avispa]

please, OLN, shut up about lance. talk about guys who are riding now. this year's race is shaping up as damned exciting, as the first 3 days are proving. who needs the past?

WORD!

[Kevan]

The Devil rides Trek


Hey, I'm kiddin'.

[Elefantino]

Let's see:


I married a podium girl.



I make lots of money.



I have a lucrative business that will keep me wealthy assuming my brother doesn't spend it all.



Did I mention I married a podium girl?