Bow to Lance Armstrong!!

[racquetman]

Since we can post anything here, I would just like to say that everyone should take a second and bow down and honor Lance Armstrong. What this man has done in his short lifetime is nothing short of miraculous and awe-inspiring.

I don't care if you don't follow sports or if you follow sports, but you don't follow cycling (which is almost everyone in America). Everyone can learn something from Lance Armstrong. Everyone!! If you take the time to read one or more of his books or learn a little something about what he has been through, you will find it hard to complain about anything in your life again. He is a testament to what the human body can endure and overcome when physically and mentally pushed to the limit. He is definitely not perfect, but neither are any of us. What he is, in my opinion, is simply the greatest success story that the world will probably ever see, and I for one am glad I was around to witness his legacy.

Jack Nicklaus was recently honored in Scotland at the British Open and his picture was put on the face of the Scotish currency. I love golf, and Nicklaus was a great golfer, but if Nicklaus is worthy of being immortalized on a country's currency, then a proportiate honoring of Armstrong would have to be something like changing the name of our country to Lance Armstrong.

Do yourself a favor. On a day when Lance has siezed a record 7th Tour De France, go to his website or pick up one of his books and learn a little bit about this amazing man. I guarantee you will be a better person for it in the long run.

 

[furrycute]

Armstrong rules!

 

[shokhead]

I do ride so i have abit of a clue what it takes. Its a b$tch of a race. LA might not be the greatest cyclist but he is the best to race in the TDF.

 

[RhapsodyInBlack]

lance....

while much could be learned about the human spirit and the fight for survival in regards to lance's survival of cancer,i think that should be about the extent of it. Professionaly,all the man has done is pedal a bike. Cycling is 80% equipment, 10% stamina and work ethic, and 10% genetics. So,before we go to far in congratulating lance on another TDF victory,lets first congratulate the american engineers and designers who handed the victory to him on a silver platter....remember.....all he did was peddle....the real victor in this bicycle race are the brilliant engineers and designers who are light years ahead of the competition.

 

[shokhead]

LMFAO. Your car wont run worth a sh$t without the engine. Your so backwards with your %. Its all about the engine.

 

[racquetman]

10% stamina??????????

while much could be learned about the human spirit and the fight for survival in regards to lance's survival of cancer,i think that should be about the extent of it. Professionaly,all the man has done is pedal a bike. Cycling is 80% equipment, 10% stamina and work ethic, and 10% genetics. So,before we go to far in congratulating lance on another TDF victory,lets first congratulate the american engineers and designers who handed the victory to him on a silver platter....remember.....all he did was peddle....the real victor in this bicycle race are the brilliant engineers and designers who are light years ahead of the competition.

I partially agree with your 1st sentence, but that's about it. Obviously you don't understand much about the Tour de France if you think it is 10% stamina. Before Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with cancer, he had never won a Tour de France. Not only wasn't he winning, he wasn't even finishing the event (he dropped out multiple times because of mental and physical exhaustion). The tour is 100% endurance. Only the best conditioned athletes in the world can compete in this event, much less win it.

If you don't believe me, go sell your home theater and buy a top of the line road racing bicycle like Armstrong's bike. Now hop on it and ride over one hundred miles a day for 3 weeks. Never mind the mountains, just ride that distance around a track or something. That might give you a small glimpse into what it is like to compete in that event.

If more Americans actually understood what it takes to dominate an event of that magnitude, then the outpouring of appreciation for his accomplishments would be overwhelming. He simply takes the hardest event in the world and makes it look like a stroll in the park.

You are extremely ignorant if you think that the USPS team has some kind of equipment advantage. They all use the same equipment essentially, just from different manufacturers.

Don't for a second underestimate what Lance has accomplished!!!

 

[furrycute]

Physical stamina is not my strongest points. And I have to hand it to Armstrong for enduring those 3 weeks of torture. If it was me riding that race, I would have probably dropped out the first day.

Come to think of it, I would probably have dropped out half way through the first day...

 

[RhapsodyInBlack]

instead of watching someone ride aimlessly up and down a hill or two...lets stick lance on a dirt track with 60 degree burms , half pipes, and a scoring system that demands he put his neck,back and life on the line for a few grande. Granted,i admire the fight and the courage he undertook in regards to cancer...but..come on.....pedaling around the countryside for an extended length of time is hardly entertaining and barely borders the line of athleticism. And yes,you can deny it all you want...but...american engineering and american training ( million dollar wind tunnel tests ) have just as much to do with his winning as anything. I personally think Lance should be admired for being a cancer survivor and for being a symbol of the human spirit.....not for riding a childrens christmas gift around a french mountain.

 

[racquetman]

Your ignorance entertains me

instead of watching someone ride aimlessly up and down a hill or two...lets stick lance on a dirt track with 60 degree burms , half pipes, and a scoring system that demands he put his neck,back and life on the line for a few grande. Granted,i admire the fight and the courage he undertook in regards to cancer...but..come on.....pedaling around the countryside for an extended length of time is hardly entertaining and barely borders the line of athleticism. And yes,you can deny it all you want...but...american engineering and american training ( million dollar wind tunnel tests ) have just as much to do with his winning as anything. I personally think Lance should be admired for being a cancer survivor and for being a symbol of the human spirit.....not for riding a childrens christmas gift around a french mountain.

The thing about mountains is that once you climb them, you then have to go back down them. They travel in excess of 70 miles/hour at times on tires about an inch wide with their competitors literally inches away from them. One bump or stick or rock or patch of oil on the road at that speed and you are dead. Literally. DEAD!!! I guarantee you that more people have died in the Tour de France than in whatever lame excuse for a sport you are referring to in your post. I really can't believe you feel the need to comment on something that you obviously know so little about. Many riders are injured so badly in the race that they are unable to continue. But most of these guys are used to the excruciating pain. In fact, that's what the tour is. 3 weeks of pain. Pain to the extent that most of us will never know, because we don't dare try to push our bodies that hard.

RhapsodyInBlack, I don't want to keep ripping on you, but you really don't have a clue. Take sometime to research what you are trying to comment on!!

 

[RhapsodyInBlack]

not as easily impressed...

sorry,but the fact of the matter is....technological , scientific, and engineering feats have contributed more to the rapidly increasing "greatest athlete of blah,blah" than any amount of hard work and practice has ever done.

New developments in sport equipment are helping Olympic athletes to improve their winning odds in a wide range of events. Subtle material substitutions, such as stronger, lighter carbon for aluminum in a sailboat mast, as well as more radical new designs such as the sprint bike, can provide advantages that mean the difference between silver and gold at elite competitions (Schrof et al 42), (http://exploratorium 1995).

The Atlanta summer Olympics showcased numerous examples of the latest, high tech sporting innovations. Michael Johnson's unique 3.4 ounce, ultra light shoes were specially designed by Nike (http://ausport 1996), (Flarity http://strength 1995). The rowers were pulling newly designed oars with hatchet shaped blades that move more water with each stroke. The softball players hit home runs with a new bat made from ultra light metal alloy, which propelled balls further and faster. In the upcoming winter Olympics in Nagano, racers will be skiing on "smart skis" equipped with sensors that measure vibrations from the shifting terrain. These sensors cause the skis to stiffen and relax and help maintain control at extremely high speeds (Schrof et al 47). Craig Taylor, a world class triathlete, uses special training shoes that are personalized for heal strike style and degree of pronation or supination. An aerodynamic, lightweight bike with "aero wheels , and a hydrophobic wet suit are examples of the high tech gear he uses to increase his performance. Specialized equipment has aided top athletes to achieve their ultimate goal: to be the best in the world in their respective sports.

a quick search on this topic,and 5 seconds later the results are in...although time constraints wont allow me to find something a bit more new and relevent to this particular thread, my suggestion that technology has done more for lance than lance has done for lance still holds true. And,dont worry about ripping on me.....i'm all about stirring up the pot.....and,i will congratulate myself on being at the top of my game once again.

 

[jaxvon]

I don't care how much technology you dump into athletic equipment, the fact of the matter is, unless you're a world-class athlete, all the goodies in the world won't help you. To be able to utilize the capabilities that vibration sensing skis and super aerodynamic bikes offer, you need to be able to push yourself far beyond what normal people do.

Take skiing for example, something I'm very familiar with. I could outfit myself with top of the line, Atomic racing skis, but it would be a pointless purchase. They're literally too much for me to handle. To make those skis perform as they're designed, you have to be an insanely strong skiier with an awesome amount of control over your body and mind.

Anyone can ride a bicycle like Lance does. But to make that bike win the TDF, you need someone with endurance and strength to the max to push it to its limits.

 

[GettinDegreez]

I actually think Lance is better genetically engineered than the rest of us at bike riding, or at least that's what the TV said anyways. Well, genetics, and working to that level. His heart can pump about 5-6 more gallons of blood per minute than the average human, he can use about twice as much oxygen with each breath than the rest of us, and his legs get rid of lactic acid buildup about twice as fast as the average human.

 

[racquetman]

Correct

I actually think Lance is better genetically engineered than the rest of us at bike riding, or at least that's what the TV said anyways. Well, genetics, and working to that level. His heart can pump about 5-6 more gallons of blood per minute than the average human, he can use about twice as much oxygen with each breath than the rest of us, and his legs get rid of lactic acid buildup about twice as fast as the average human.

And why can his body do this? Because he trains his *** off!!! More than anyone on the planet, he pushes his body to its absolute limits. Most people can't handle that kind of pain. He loves pain. Read his books. You will then begin to understand what makes him so special.

RhapsodyInBlack, your argument has absolutely no relevance. If you were comparing athletes from his generation to another generation, then you could argue equipment makes the difference. We're talking about people using the same equipment. Lance Armstrong does not have special equipment!!! You can go buy the exact same bike he uses if you want. The playing field is level!!! The olympic athletes all use the same equipment. The playing field is level. The one who wants to win the most (heart, desire, will, nerve, etc...) wins. The margin of victory for an athlete is shrinking all the time because the equipment is making athletes better than they really are. This doesn't help the people at the top. It benefits those trying to get to the top. More and more people nipping at your heels.

The point of my original post was for people to take a second and understand what Lance has accomplished. You won't get it by listening to me ramble on. Do some research. Read some books on the subject. Get back to me when you have the facts, and then if you still want to argue, great. I love to stir the pot also!!

 

[hifiman]

I had to jump in here on this one because the response by one person in particular surprised me so much since I thought you didn't have to be a rocket scientist to understand this is quite an athletic acheivement to win 7 times in a row. In fact, that particular poster's thinking is flawed on too many levels to get into here. I did think it was particularly amusing that someone thinks Armstrong's victories are almost entirely the result of bicycle engineers, how funny! I think the TDF is being confused with Formula 1. I would expect that Armstrong's bike is made from the latest materials for strength, lightness, and durability. I'm also fairly certain that his bike's geometry has been calculated to fit him quite well, but I'm also fairly confident that his team members share these same resources as well. Why didn't they win stage after stage and finish much closer to Armstrong's time? Team orders? Maybe, but I don't think so or that would have been reported by someone. Giving the victory to the engineers becomes even more unlikely when Armstrong's competition is taken into account. Are we to assume they are riding off-the-shelf bikes from Target or WalMart? No, their bikes are undoubtedly made from the same materials and sized to fit them just as well. Are there engineering differences from one team to another? Very likely, but not at a level significant to assure an easy victory to anyone. Anyway, some of these postings were great for a laugh.

 

[RhapsodyInBlack]

a lesson in absurdity...

sarcasm and satire...such a warm friend...

“Lance has learned how to reduce his body weight and body fat by 10 pounds prior to each of his Tour de France victories,” said Coyle, director of the Human Performance Laboratory in the College of Education’s Department of Kinesiology and Health Education. “As a result, he’s increased his power per kilogram of body weight by a remarkable 18 percent – this is a tremendous benefit when he’s cycling up steep mountains in France, for example


Lance Armstrong...Americas newest SlimFast Spokesperson !


ok...I will agree that it is a tremendous amount of stamina,work ethic, athleticism, and talent.....i'm just wondering how long before a few of you start tithing to the god of bike !!

 

[shokhead]

sarcasm and satire...such a warm friend...

“Lance has learned how to reduce his body weight and body fat by 10 pounds prior to each of his Tour de France victories,” said Coyle, director of the Human Performance Laboratory in the College of Education’s Department of Kinesiology and Health Education. “As a result, he’s increased his power per kilogram of body weight by a remarkable 18 percent – this is a tremendous benefit when he’s cycling up steep mountains in France, for example


Lance Armstrong...Americas newest SlimFast Spokesperson !


ok...I will agree that it is a tremendous amount of stamina,work ethic, athleticism, and talent.....i'm just wondering how long before a few of you start tithing to the god of bike !!

Of course you know LA started out doing tri's at 14 was pretty darn good. You know that,right? Your bike is only as good as the engine that truns the pedal. I forget,what was the last MTBer to enter the TDF? There's a good reason for the answer. There's plenty more roadies that ride street bikes then the otherway around. Done of this matters because if it was that easy,he wouldnt be the only 7 in a row winner.

 

[racquetman]

finally, agreement

ok...I will agree that it is a tremendous amount of stamina,work ethic, athleticism, and talent...

That's all I wanted to hear.

I'm not ready to worship this man as a God. I just think the media should give this story a little more attention (but they're too busy keeping tabs on Britney Spear's pregnancy and what Paris Hilton had for breakfast this morning).

Athletes are idolized way too much in our society, but this is one athlete worth looking up to. Mostly for his perseverance.

Alright, I'm done drooling over him.

 

[sjdgpt]

the media ....... too busy keeping tabs on Britney Spear's pregnancy and what Paris Hilton had for breakfast this morning

Now, now them there things are important.

I just luv that little video from Paris ( I am sure her mom is just proud as a peacock to view that award winning performance)

I am still waiting to view that "special" video from Britney (surely she has one, to be released at the exact moment her singing career is waning).

Has Britney had a hit lately? Hmmmm Does anybody know when it will be released?

 

[hopjohn]

I've been interested in cycling since around 1987. I've even raced in few local races myself. I watched Greg LeMond battle to win by a mere 8 seconds. Back then, you had to wait until Saturday afternoon to get even the slightest glimpse of any TdF action on TV (John Tesh you suck). OLN has been a godsend as I watched every minute of coverage of this year's and last year's tours.

I'll be the first to admit that the technology for cycling and the knowledge of fitness has come a long way since then. The bikes are lighter and the athletes are stronger, but all the top teams have access to these technologies and everyone has the information needed to obtain the best physical condition possible. The rules limit nearly any advantage you might have gained technologically by setting bike weight requirements, etc. The TdF winner primarily comes down to those who have studied the course carefully, found the right places to attack, have durability to handle minor crashes, endurance, a strong team concept, the best overall conditioning, and most importantly, the strongest mind to win. All of these things must come together in the 3 week period in order to win, which Lance and his team have found a way to do SEVEN freaking times.

With cycling, your mind is often your worst enemy, when you are hurting and want to pack it in, you just have to ignore what you think your body is telling you and push on.

I don't think his accomplishments will ever be fully appreciated by the American public because they are way to ignorant about the sport of cycling, its strategies, and its signifigance in europe. That is fine by me. I'd rather know something many peple don't. So stay stupid about cycling I say, I don't want morons like R.I.B. making it commonplace, that's part of what makes it special.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

And,dont worry about ripping on me.....i'm all about stirring up the pot...

That's the only part of all your rambling that has merit. I'll give you credit for stirring the pot, but like Rush, it ends very quickly after a few minutes. Rush has been washed up for years. He's an embarrassment to the GOP. (I know you mean the rock group Rush , but I had to draw the parallel )

With your logic, Tiger Woods is as good as he is because of his equipment - at least 80% of his success comes from his Nike clubs. And since no one in the golf world has access to that equipment , I guess we can't go purchase it and become the number one golfer in the world, right? And then I guess Vijay Singh is not worthy of holding the 1 and 2 spot because he "over practices" and can hold his own, right?

It's below a weak argument, and you've gained no one in your corner.