Armstrong Boycott? Some things never change

[adamastor]

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news..._some_things_never_change_article_283192.html

Friday 22nd May 2009 - Nigel Wynn

Lance Armstrong may have been away from the sport for three years until his comeback in January at the Tour Down Under, but he still has the same old love-hate relationship with the press.

After yesterday's stage 12 time trial at the Giro d'Italia, Armstrong refused to speak to waiting journalists, instead issuing his thoughts on the race via messaging website Twitter.

Journalists attempting to seek out quotes and reaction from Armstrong in his first outing at the Giro have resorted to quoting his Twitter messages - brief though they are - in the absence of anything from the man himself.

Now, the media in attendance at the Giro have come to an unofficial agreement to boycott the American's Twitter musings, refusing to quote them. The revolt appears to have been orchestrated by certain sections of the Italian and English-speaking press.

Armstrong was subjected to a lot of bad press in Italy following the ill-fated rider protest regarding race conditions during last Sunday's criterium stage in Milan. Rightly or wrongly, the Italian media singled out Armstrong as a protagonist in the action, something that he has denied. However, Armstrong did issue a video apology, of sorts, for the go-slow via his LiveStrong website.

In his glory years, it was strongly rumoured that Armstrong kept a 'blacklist' of journalists and publications that he refused to deal with. He has always had a difficult relationship with the French media in particular. In Dan Coyle's book, Lance Armstrong: Tour De Force Armstrong is quoted as calling journalists he disliked 'trolls'.

The trolls are back and it looks like the blacklist has been dusted off. This evening Armstrong has left a message on Twitter regarding the boycott: "Bitter sports reporters are boycotting [my] Tweets. Good luck with that, and welcome to 2009."

Damn, I wasn't supposed to publish that.

 

[Cobblestones]

Honestly, I can understand the media. These tweets are like very short press releases. This can never replace an honest interview. Not to become too U.S. centric here, but if you have followed last year's Republican presidential campaign, you know why interviews are important.

Actually, I'm surprised that sports reporters apparently grew balls. Sports reporting has never been know to be the pinnacle of journalism, so ... good for them that they've rediscovered some integrity.

 

[jimmypop]

Controlling the message, and controlling the sport.

Remember, he speaks for the organizers and governing bodies as much as he speaks for himself.

 

[RdBiker]

Well I think it's his decision if he doesn't want to talk to the press. If a rider doesn't want to talk to the reporters they can do the same to him and not interview him. I think two articles about the TdF without mentioning Armstrong would do the trick and get him to speak again. I don't see why it's such a big deal that an athlete doesn't speak to the press. It's the riders who need that publicity so if you don't get interviews from them then just stop writing about them. It's a two way street.

For example we had (and still have) a skijumper who gave really stupid interviews where he basically said nothing or then just answered with one or two words. Not that the questions were any better but still... He's a young guy and the team officials asked the press to not interview him until they taught him some media skills but the reporters still haunted the guy I didn't understand why they wouldn't just let him be for a few months but had to press him with their questions. The athletes and especially their sponsors need the media coverage so eventually you need to give interviews. In his case though, the stuff he was blurping out was so stupid I bet the sponsors told him to shut up for a while....

 

[adamastor]

Well I think it's his decision if he doesn't want to talk to the press. If a rider doesn't want to talk to the reporters they can do the same to him and not interview him. I think two articles about the TdF without mentioning Armstrong would do the trick and get him to speak again. I don't see why it's such a big deal that an athlete doesn't speak to the press. It's the riders who need that publicity so if you don't get interviews from them then just stop writing about them. It's a two way street.

For example we had (and still have) a skijumper who gave really stupid interviews where he basically said nothing or then just answered with one or two words. Not that the questions were any better but still... He's a young guy and the team officials asked the press to not interview him until they taught him some media skills but the reporters still haunted the guy I didn't understand why they wouldn't just let him be for a few months but had to press him with their questions. The athletes and especially their sponsors need the media coverage so eventually you need to give interviews. In his case though, the stuff he was blurping out was so stupid I bet the sponsors told him to shut up for a while....

Was that the Finnish skijumper who was extremely talented, but always drunk??? What was his name again? Nykanen?

 

[Cobblestones]

Sorry, double post.

Seriously, why is the server busy when there's practically no traffic on this website any more. **** poor.

 

[Cobblestones]

Well I think it's his decision if he doesn't want to talk to the press. If a rider doesn't want to talk to the reporters they can do the same to him and not interview him. I think two articles about the TdF without mentioning Armstrong would do the trick and get him to speak again. I don't see why it's such a big deal that an athlete doesn't speak to the press. It's the riders who need that publicity so if you don't get interviews from them then just stop writing about them. It's a two way street.

For example we had (and still have) a skijumper who gave really stupid interviews where he basically said nothing or then just answered with one or two words. Not that the questions were any better but still... He's a young guy and the team officials asked the press to not interview him until they taught him some media skills but the reporters still haunted the guy I didn't understand why they wouldn't just let him be for a few months but had to press him with their questions. The athletes and especially their sponsors need the media coverage so eventually you need to give interviews. In his case though, the stuff he was blurping out was so stupid I bet the sponsors told him to shut up for a while....

I think you're beside the point. Yes, a rider can chose to give interviews or not (except, of course, the sponsor might require him to do publicity).

The point here is that the rider who doesn't give interviews still tries to get his message out, but through a channel which allows him for total message control.

 

[slovakguy]

Controlling the message, and controlling the sport.

Remember, he speaks for the organizers and governing bodies as much as he speaks for himself.

the only problem with this position is that zomegnan hurled brickbats at l.a. for his critique of the rain soaked mountain descent. looks the the position for peleton's patron is truly open to all applicants.

 

[RdBiker]

I think you're beside the point. Yes, a rider can chose to give interviews or not (except, of course, the sponsor might require him to do publicity).

The point here is that the rider who doesn't give interviews still tries to get his message out, but through a channel which allows him for total message control.

Then just ignore his twitter posts too as the press has apparently finally done but without thiss fuss. If Armstrong doesn't give out interviews then don't write about him until he does. If the press wants to quote his twitter posts then that's their bad and they shouldn't complain about LA not giving interviews. Just ignore him until he starts talking. Works well with a little child so why not with a cyclist?

 

[RdBiker]

Was that the Finnish skijumper who was extremely talented, but always drunk??? What was his name again? Nykanen?

Oh yes we had Matti Nykänen...didn't mean him though but he was an idiot too. The guy (Harri Olli) I'm talking about is nothing compared to Nykänen though. He's neither as talented nor as stupid as him This new guy is following in his footsteps but I think the team management has seen the potential disaster and taken precautions (banned him from the team temporaraily last year until he got his act together, teached him media skills, etc.) Anyway eventually this guy got smarter (actually this spring) and learned to deal with the media. Things have been a lot better since. Maybe if the reporters ignored Armstrong for some time he too would learn to respect them.

 

[Leafer]

Then just ignore his twitter posts too as the press has apparently finally done but without thiss fuss. If Armstrong doesn't give out interviews then don't write about him until he does. If the press wants to quote his twitter posts then that's their bad and they shouldn't complain about LA not giving interviews. Just ignore him until he starts talking. Works well with a little child so why not with a cyclist?

Can't really see how refusing to talk to the press helps raise awareness for the fight against cancer. Which is what Lance racing again is supposed to be all about, or so I was told.

 

[Bro Deal]

Zomengen should ask for his two million euros back. The race is not getting what it paid for.

 

[Flyer]

Can't really see how refusing to talk to the press helps raise awareness for the fight against cancer. Which is what Lance racing again is supposed to be all about, or so I was told.

ssssssssssssssssss

 

[jimmypop]

Zomengen should ask for his two million euros back. The race is not getting what it paid for.

HOW DARE YOU QUESTION THE POWER OF THE LANCE.