Livestrong Band

rayner

Yes he has achieved a hell of a lot but the manner that he has done it in makes him undeserving of any commercially oriented extra attention. When was the last time he lined up in either the giro, vuelta or a classics race with the intention to win that. He has forged himself into a commercial entity by going against what a true champion is. He doesnt deserve it.

El Loto

Wow! The mail just arrived about 5 minutes ago and there was a parcel from the US addressed to me. I open it up, what do you know! Ten Livestrong bands.

tanggoman

you can buy in any discovery channel store for a piece for $1.

rayner

This is exactly my point. All commercial. Not for the right reasons. (not directed at tanggoman)

andrewrech

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A. Rech

spacefuzz

whats wrong with making it commercial if it helps raise money to fight cancer. you might wish you bought one in ten years if you get cancer.

rayner

Ive got nothing against the cause. Ive got a friend with cancer and I know how many people it can affect. The thing that makes it wrong is the way in which it has been done. Why do discovery channel sell them - to make money out of peoples good will, thats my problem with it. I dont know how it works in America but here we have the cancer council who sell sunscreen and stuff like that and raise the profile of cancer.
If Lance armstrong truly wanted to help prevent cancer the only place you would be able to buy the livestrong bands is from a place like the cancer council. That way instead of picking up a packet of fries with your livestrong band youd pick up a hat and some sunscreen or a pamphlet. Livestrong isnt making people go and research cancer, its making people research lance armstrong and I think its disgusting. Hes made a mockery of a disease that needs fighting. Yes at least hes done something but he could be doing more and in a more ethical manner, instead of making it part of the publicity machine that he is.

Essentially it is just screwed how theyre doing it. The attention is going to Armstrong and Discovery channel (what the hell is discovery channel anyway?) when it should be going toward cancer. Sounds like you could probably buy them at kmart too. How many of you can honestly say that you bought a crappy piece of yellow plastic to support cancer and it had nothing to do with Lance Armstrong, trying to look like a bike rider (dunno how that works), trying to be hip or just doing it cos everyone else does it. What are your reasons, honestly?

Lance armstrong could eradicate cancer by himself if he truly wanted. How much do you think it costs to make a time trial bike? Santi Perez's was worth over 85000 aud just for the frame and fork. Thats just for one frame and fork not including man hours and prototypes. Armstrong wouldnt ride anything stock. Anyone know how much it costs to hire a wind tunnel? Millions of dollars would be pumped into development solely for him each year. If he road stock everything and kept his same position from the year before imagine the savings. Millions that could be donated. Before you tell me how many livestrong bands have been sold think of how much Armstrong earns annually. Saeco and Us postal are the only two teams that do not release their budget. I think itd be safe to assume that the team would be paying millions for him nike would give him over 50 million and then youve got giro oakley and all his minor sponsors who would all be paying millions. All this and you say he is promoting the cancer cause. Gimme a break.

CannonChick

who really cares how the money for cancer research is raised? As long as it goes to a good cause, it shouldn't matter where the money is collected. I've had people stop me and ask where they could get a livestrong band, people who find it easier to go to SportChalet instead of ordering them from a web site. So many people have been effected by cancer, it's amazing.
It sounds like you just have a problem with Lance, not the cancer research thing.

__________________
CannonChick
'06 Cannondale Six13
'05 Quintana Roo Lucero

Do or do not, there is no try.

rayner

"As long as it goes to a good cause, it shouldn't matter where the money is collected" yes I agree with that but think of the flow on effect that these bands are creating. Businesses like discovery channel (can someone please tell me what the hell discovery channel is?)could be donating money themselves but instead offer a service to capture market share in an off side manner. It shouldnt matter but it does. Someone might go in there with the intention of putting 50 bucks toward cancer and then see something on sale and only donate 30. Thats where the problem is.

"So many people have been effected by cancer, it's amazing."
Yes, not just Lance Armstrong.

"It sounds like you just have a problem with Lance, not the cancer research thing."
Ive got a problem with both.

CannonChick

Discovery channel is a TV channel that shows nature, travel and adventure type shows. Huge in the US.
You can't control how people spend money... if I go to a web site or anyplace actually, intending to donate to cancer, that's probably what I will do. Any effort is a good effort I say. 30 cents or 30 dollars, it all adds up. I'm sure there are plenty of people who you disapprove of who have given money to research charities. If I ever get cancer, I'll be happy to kiss all of them on the head!...lol

__________________
CannonChick
'06 Cannondale Six13
'05 Quintana Roo Lucero

Do or do not, there is no try.

rayner

I hear you. I just get annoyed when people take advantage of others and also everyone thinking that Lance Armstrong is the be all and end all of cycling without truly understanding the sport. Cant believe this got to a second page!

triguy98

Man, they raise ya'll bitter down there.

My grandfather died from cancer a couple years ago, and my other one will sometime soon. So I've got an interest in it. When I first saw the LiveStrong deal online, before it blew up into the phenomenon that it is, my frst thought was "awesome, I'm getting one." And promtly ordered. Mind you, this is right before the start of the tour.

When it took of as a "fashion trend", "pop culture thing", mindless copying of Lance, or whatever you've come to the conclusion it is, MY first thought was "damn, theyre really raising a ton of money for cancer, AWESOME!!!" That is still my train of thought. Yeah, there's some dipshits out there who wear em just to be cool.

I look down during a race, or practice, or whenever I am hurting, think of my grandfather, smile, and push through it.

I don't care of you dislike Lance for whatever reasons you may have. If you despise the commercialism of the Discovery team. (By the way, the sales took off before the announcement of Discovery's sponsorship, so it's not their "fault" these things are selling like wildfire) There is a ton of money being raised to support cancer survivors and world over. HOW is that not a good thing? Could it be that a very large portion of these sales is due to the fact that the issue connects with so many?

Relax, let the bug crawl out of that dark orrifice, and LiveStrong!

RWillieK

I agree - both of my Grandfathers have passed away due to cancer. I was given a LiveStrong bracelet by a friend, who also loaned me me both of Lance's books. They had a lot more meaning after I read his account of his suffering through cancer.

Once my Grandfather was diagnosed with cancer, the bracelets meant even more. The LAF website was a tremendous source of help for our entire family. My grandmother read all of the planning they offer, and how to cope with anything that should happen. The rest of the family read through the effects of chemo, and the areas for family members of cancer patients. I ordered 30 bands to distribute amongst our family, and a few to friends. I plan on ordering more one of these days, and maybe trying to get down to the Ride for the Roses.

Though Lance Armstrong is well known, a star if you will, he uses this star-dom to promote the education and fundraising to aid in the research for the cure of cancer. Anyone who does that, from an average joe, to a well know celebrity, is , in my opinion is doing a great thing.

Robbie

rayner

Youve all made good points (and the the bug is loose enough in my ass to see that!) and I respect that but I still dont like the whole setup. To me people think Lance Armstrong when they see Livestrong bands instead of cancer and that just irks me. I know its still raising money and I agree that thats a good thing but it wouldve been more acceptable to me if Armstrong had done a few tv ads for it, left his name of it (liveSTRONG), gone a different colour and left the nike logo away from it (I understand that thats printed on it?). Call me whatever you want and I respect that but just take some time to think about it before jumping to conclusions. I read that 13 million had been sold a couple of months ago but I reckon thatd be armstrongs monthly salary. Think of how much nike could have donated (Lebron James is worth how much for example plus tiger, mj etc) and they could have erradicated cancer by now. Thats where my real problem is. Its just a publicity joke to them. If people recognise armstrong they recognise the sponsors, they buy the sponsors product, sponsor makes money out of cancer. Hope you can all see that but ive got no problem if you dont.