Why do people like VDB  

Re: Why do people like VDB

[QUOTE] posted by Hold My Beer An [/i]
[B]HGH and steroids in his house, and he claims its for his dog, making a joke of the whole thing.
Instead of being ostracized, people think he's a hero.


VDB might not be your favourite, but and thats fair enough, buthe is just one of many.

Generally, the cycling media has "allowed" the hero worship to continue with specific stars they pander to.

Despite the level of preparation they have been found to use.

At what point do you think they (media & public) would act in a " moral vein " by ostracising cyclists and teams whom are shown to have indulged in "preparations and special budgets" ?

They wont.

Not when money is involved.

Re: Why do people like VDB

EPREX <usenet-forum@cyclingforums.com> schreef in berichtnieuws
3e60e7e8$1_4@news.chariot.net.au... <snip>
> At what point do you think they (media & public) would act in a " moral vein " by ostracising
> cyclists and teams whom are shown to have indulged in "preparations and special budgets" ?

Well, I think that many others are just as doped as Vandenbroucke, even riders who have never been
caught. Those others are lucky, but I'm not going to reward them for that by turning them into
paragons of virtue as opposed to Vandenbroucke. As long as they've done their suspensions, they're
all equally guilty (or innocent) and deserving of respect as far as I care.

>
> They wont.
>
> Not when money is involved.

Most of the public does not receive money from Vandenbroucke, nor do they really care about the
money he makes. Money is no factor in the public's support of him. Ofcourse, teh media wants to sell
its papers and broadcastings, but that can also be done by sending out stories about doping, which
are popular.

Jonathan.

Re: Why do people like VDB

Carl Sundquist <carlsun@cox-internet.com> schreef in berichtnieuws
v62dft39fpr71b@corp.supernews.com...
>
> "Phil Stone" <phil.stone@pandora.be> wrote in message
> news:vla8a.105517$Jd.9343@afrodite.telenet-ops.be...
> > Because VDB is still the greatest talent to come out of Belgium in
recent
> > years,,,,with or without drugs.
> >
> > Phil
>
> Are Belgians reluctant to venture an opinion on Boonen, or is he viewed as having less talent
> than VDB?

It's a bit early to say. His palmares doesn't yet come close to that of VDB.

Re: Why do people like VDB

"hold my beer and watch this..." <trdina@dejazzd.com> wrote in message
news:hK48a.8545$hj.2115106@nnrp1.ptd.net...
>

> HGH and steroids in his house, and he claims its for his dog, making a
joke
> of the whole thing. Instead of being ostracized, people think he's a
hero.

guy
> win (if there are any).

People are fascinated with talent. Plus, VdB comes from a family with a long cycling pedigree.

My personal opinion is that he is a Tool. Any rider without his Talent and with his flaws would have
been out of the sport long ago. I'll save my admiration for someone who gets the most out of what
talent they have.

Remember when VdB's Dog talked of winning the TdF? It seems a lifetime ago.

Re: Why do people like VDB

"Amit" <amit@physics.utoronto.ca> wrote in message
news:df5bdaa0.0303011756.32d99595@posting.google.com...
> "hold my beer and watch this..." <trdina@dejazzd.com> wrote in message
news:<hK48a.8545$hj.2115106@nnrp1.ptd.net>...

EPO,
> > HGH and steroids in his house, and he claims its for his dog, making a
joke
> > of the whole thing. Instead of being ostracized, people think he's a
hero.

guy
> > win (if there are any).
> >
>
> Because people like the bad-ass. They vicariously enjoy bad boy antics like taking speed, smashing
> up cars and making life hell for team bosses, especially if the guy still comes through with good
> performances. Randy Moss, Jose Canseco, Allen Iverson, VDB, those guys kick ass.

I wouldn't criticize VdB if he was a troublemaker and still brought his "A" game to the competition
like Allen Iverson does.

His difficulties have led to him not bringing it. He had phenomenal results in his first few years
as a pro and has wallowed ever since.

OTOH, his "the clenbutorol was for my dog" excuse was one of the best lines ever. It would make a
good t-shirt (only in America no one would know what it meant). It would be fun to get that printed
and wear it around Belgium.

Re: Why do people like VDB

Kurgan Gringioni wrote:

> People are fascinated with talent. Plus, VdB comes from a family with a long cycling pedigree.

I think he threw the family history thing out the window when he he walked away from his Lotto
contract while Jean-Luc was director. You are right about the fascination with talent. I have little
respect for VDB, but the image of his ride in the '99 Ronde van Vlaanderen remains one of the most
beautiful in cycling for me. He recovered from a crash to chase down Museeuw and Van Petegem in the
final kilometers. Maybe if he'd won that sprint, things would have gone differently. I'm not saying,
he wouldn't have been a cheater, or would have grown more character, just that things might have
gone differently.

Bret

Re: Why do people like VDB

newssu26v0oii3f4rnhfuric30e02fr7s5ggl@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 02 Mar 2003 02:30:29 GMT, "Kurgan Gringioni"
> <kgringioni.remove.it.for.mail@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> >I wouldn't criticize VdB if he was a troublemaker and still brought his
"A"
> >game to the competition like Allen Iverson does.
>
> You obviously wrote this before Het Volk. Who is Allen Iverson?

VdB's Doggie has not been bringing his "A" game for several years now.

the palmares on his home page says:

1995: 7 wins
1996: 15 wins
1997: 8 wins
1998: 12 wins
1999: 8 wins
2000: 1 win
2001: 0 wins
2002: 0 wins

Re: Why do people like VDB

Amit wrote:

> Because people like the bad-ass. They vicariously enjoy bad boy antics like taking speed, smashing
> up cars and making life hell for team bosses, especially if the guy still comes through with good
> performances. Randy Moss, Jose Canseco, Allen Iverson, VDB, those guys kick ass.
>
> -Amit

VDB actually looks pretty good compared to those three. They've all been convicted of violent crimes
within the last year. You really admire them? I don't.

Bret

Re: Why do people like VDB

news:lb636vses1eedftp4maconh41d9rhi9suf@4ax.com...
>
> >
> >VdB's Doggie has not been bringing his "A" game for several years now.
> >
>
> OK, I am not sure what you mean by that, but VDB seems to have done a great ride in Het Volk
> today, supporting Museew and Bettini. I think that the other teams must have felt pretty stupid
> after Lefevre had his riders attack.

I meant the part that you snipped out:

the palmares on his home page says:

1995: 7 wins
1996: 15 wins
1997: 8 wins
1998: 12 wins
1999: 8 wins
2000: 1 win
2001: 0 wins
2002: 0 wins

Re: Why do people like VDB

[QUOTE]

Are Belgians reluctant to venture an opinion on Boonen, or is he viewed as having less
talent than VDB?

I think its too early to consider total potential for Boonen in respect of VDB.

VDB has awesome talent, and he has wasted a few years, and along the way won some classics in spectacular manner. (ie ghent wevelgem, luik bastenaken luik) and he would have gone close to landing the world title if he hadnt fallen off in Italy a few years ago.

Anyway, as said, this year he has a lot to prove.

Re: Why do people like VDB

[QUOTE]Most of the public does not receive money from Vandenbroucke, nor do they really care about the
money he makes. Money is no factor in the public's support of him. Ofcourse, teh media wants to sell
its papers and broadcastings, but that can also be done by sending out stories about doping, which
are popular.

Jonathan.

REPLY >>

The cycling media as a whole selectively ignores the "big boys" of cycling whom have been caught using various products.

Ok so a report is published so and so caught with product x, etc.

If they said it "as it happens", on a regular basis, then a few editors would be short of major copy on a regular basis, from the "stars & teams " that matter.

VDB is liked for his race results, and by racing with Quickstep it appears that he is under the right control again.

On a lighter note, I personally think that the " its for my dog " excuse was one of the funniest lines i have ever heard.

Whilst not trivialising the underlying dilemma.

Re: Why do people like VDB

"Kenny" <gelei2001@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:47493688.0303020415.6b496b16@posting.google.com...
> "Carl Sundquist" <carlsun@cox-internet.com> wrote in message
news:<v62dft39fpr71b@corp.supernews.com>...
> > "Phil Stone" <phil.stone@pandora.be> wrote in message
> > news:vla8a.105517$Jd.9343@afrodite.telenet-ops.be...
> > > Because VDB is still the greatest talent to come out of Belgium in
recent
> > > years,,,,with or without drugs.
> > >
> > > Phil
> >
> > Are Belgians reluctant to venture an opinion on Boonen, or is he viewed
as
> > having less talent than VDB?
>
> Here in Belgium there's never been talked about Boonen having more or less talent than VDB. Boonen
> was a great rider in the youth categories. VDB too, but he got a lot more publicity even when he
> was only 17 years. I think the cause of that is that VDB has allways been supported is the Flemish
> and the Walloon media. Boonen only got some publicity in the flemish papers when he was an espoir.
> It's a fact that VDB turned pro when he was only 19 year. They are both different riders. Boonen
> is typically a rider for the classics of the north. A possible worldcup winner. VDB has more
> possibilities. When he was a youth rider he was concidered to be once the winner of the tour the
> france. Right now we know that won't happen but he still can make the difference on other tracks
> than Boonen. He's able to win L-B-L, he's able to ride top 10 in Tour , Giro or Vuelta, and he
> even won Paris-Nice. Those are things that Boonen cannot do. You just have to watch the difference
> in their physical building. Boonen is really a big guy (over 1m80, certainly 75kg), has thighs
> like trees, he's one block of power. VDB is much smaller, much lighter,is very fragile and slim.
> It's almost unbelievable that he has so much power in his legs. I think VDB has more talent and
> possibilities but here we don't compare the two, we are just happy have both riders.

Nice analysis.