Wow. You think I can be a world class, uptight jerk sometimes?
Check out this VeloNews interview with Rock Racing team owner Michael Ball. Holy crap, he's a piece of work. I'm sorry, but this guy is a total prick.
I understand that he wants to make a marketing splash and that's part of his deal, but you don't have to crap all over the sport you're involved in to make a splash. A whiff of slippery just sort of emanates off everything the guy says. If you read what he is saying closely, he isn't really saying anything. He's just sort of shoveling crap. He isn't cogent, his arguments boil down to "blah blah blah blah blah because I say so." The arguments include making some wild-ass accusations that WADA and USADA are targeting Rock Racing for political [Update: and personal hygiene] reasons. Lame.
[Update: after sleeping on it, I know why the Ball interview bothered me so much. It's because just about all of what he said took the form of ipse dixit arguments about why bicycle racing sucks. Ipse dixit, for those not schooled in lawyer's phony latin, is an argument which a person asserts to be true simply because they, themselves, said it. "It's true because I say it is." I can be an argumentative jackass, but I try to back up my statements with some factual authority, and if I am using an ipse dixit, I try to tip you off by saying "I think" or "I believe". Ball doesn't extend that courtesy and just makes a series of accusations, with little-to-no factual support. Does that mean he's completely wrong? Not necessarily. He may just be bad at rhetoric. But more likely than not, he's pulling stuff out of his butt. And that's why he pissed me off. You don't allege vast conspiracies targeting your organization and your employees unless you have factual support for the allegations. Otherwise, you're either lying, or just plain crazy.]
And apparently I'm not the only guy who thinks he's a little squirelly.
After reading that interview, I almost feel bad about being a Kayle Leogrande fan.
8 comments:
Contador --> cleared by Spaniards ... he's DIRTY!
Botero --> cleared by Colombians ... a-OK, let's hire him as our main GC guy.
I stopped reading there. What an idiot.
Why is it that every few years some duche nozzle like Ball comes along with his bombastic BS and people actually pay attention to his drivel. Apparently slander and liabel are ok if you're veiwed as cutting edge and hip. Vote with your checkbook and don't support his team or company. He should probably concentrate on the fixie hipsters to push his crappy jeans, not the true racing fans.
After I read the interview I just felt sorry for all the poor hard working saps that will be riding for that team. What a hideous environment to work in. Next thing you know they'll turn into Sub Nazis.
horners response to the article was great
All - I'm wi' you, not agin' you on this.
CJ - right on about Horner. The more I hear from Horner, the more I like him. That was a straight up sort of answer, the kind that only a guy who is playing it honest can give. The funny thing about Ball, is he alienated a natural fan of his team. I love Leogrande - great rider, seems like a nice guy. But Ball has a sort of reverse Horner effect going on. The more I hear from him, the less impressed I am with him and his team. I feel sorry for those poor bastards who race for him. Holy smokes.
I'm glad to see that others view this $300 jeans guy the same way I do, an arrogant tool.
As to Chris Horner, here's my story. 6 years ago I went to see the Clarendon Crit, I remember because it was the day after my bachelor party. Chris is queueing up at the start and I yell, "Hey Chris", he turns his head and I snap his photo from behind the barricade. I say a quick thanks and turn to my friend and continue our conversation. The next thing I know, I feel a tap on my shoulder and I turn around to see Chris. He says, "how about we get a picture together."
How many other professional athletes would do that for a fan?
And I am a fan, then now and in the future.
I agree about him alienating natural fans. As another tattooed rider I did tend to gravitate towards kyle but this Ball guy really makes me more embarrassed than anything.
Nice to see so many of you are fans of a doper...just wait until the shit really hits.
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