Australia: 6, Canada: ZERO



Fausto Coppied

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Sitting here in New York watching the 2007 Tour de France on the Versus cable television channel is proving to be a bittersweet experience.



The TV coverage is excellent, three or four hours a day, first live and then taped replayed at mid-day and in the evening. Some of the stages are shown without any ads for the last hour.



No more scenic fluff spot or unnecessary graphic, just racing, like in Europe.



How has the TV coverage been back in Canada? Probably not so good, huh? Can you imagine what it must have been like to read The Toronto Star back when Ernest Hemmingway was covering the Tour de France for them as a correspondent!



It becomes bittersweet because one of the major sponsors of the show is Cérvelo, the bike manufacturer doing so well in the pro peloton formerly of Quebec, now of Ontario. Cérvelo is a hug success story that most Canadians have probably never heard of.



Today during Stage 8 two or three on six Australians were either forced to quit or didn’t make the time gap. That still gives the Australians three or four more guys in the race than Canada.



How sad for Canadian cycling that Australia can enter six guys in the Tour de France and Canada does not have one rider in the event. They have not had a rider for years. In fact, somebody correct me if I’m wrong, but in all of Canadian cycling history we have had only three riders compete in the Tour de France, two in Yellow, Alex Stieda, Steve Bauer and Gord Fraser. Geoff Brown of Ottawa was in it for years as a mechanic.



How can Australia field so many riders and Canada so few?



I’ll tell you how, because Australia spends far more than Canada does, both from their government and from the private sector and Australia has people in place who know what they are doing.



The Canadian Cycling Association and its past President and current Board Member-at- Large, Bill Kinash are to blame. Canada has people like Lorraine Lafrenière running their cycling program who never saw a bike race before taking over the sport.



How stupid is that?



How does this happen.



What will we do about it?



Prepare to be very disappointed in China for the 2008 Olympics.

 
I will add a few comments, although I wish the Kinash bashing would stop (whether or not you have a point, we have heard it ad nauseum). To the extent that it goes on and on and on with the same post but different words, people just tune out and thereby ignore this site.

First, I think the TV coverage is the same in Canada as in the US. I don't know why though Bob and Al do commentary in the evening, but Phil and Paul do it in the morning. I wonder if the tought is that Yanks don't want to hear "proper" English?? (haha)

Second, and maybe you can comment, does Australia have more tracks and track cycling than Canada? That would be a source of quality riders for sure.

I'm guessing that Australians are more outdoor oriented than here in Canada. Looking at cycling forums, there definitely seems to be more Aussies and Canucks. I would also think that some of our best atheletes are pulled to hockey, and beef up for it as opposed to sliming down for cycling.
 
Yes, Australia has may more tracks than Canda. I believe they have upwards of 25 or so.

They also spend aboUt thrEe time more than Canada does on Olympic sports.

And they hire knowledgable cycling people with cycling experience to run the sport there. We hire people who hvae never been to a bike race to run cycling for the country.

As for Kinash, I disagree, the message has not been understood since he is still a Board Member-at-Large and since he was on the hiring committee that hired Lorriane Lafreniere. It is Kinash who keeps pushing through these candidates who have zero cycling experience to run the cycling in Canada. Just a plain stupid policy.
 
Fausto Coppied said:
As for Kinash, I disagree, the message has not been understood ..
I think you will agree with me on this point: As you repeat your beef about "Kinash", people get tired of the same message and feel that you "hijacked" the forum. I'm not saying that you will agree that you did "hijack" the forum, but you will agree that that is what people say. See "BC Riders" as an example.

So, the question then becomes whether you want to repeat that message over and over, and have your other points ignored by many. Ultimately that is your choice.
 
Claims of highjacking a forum are a lark.

This fourm had very few Canadians on it before I came. Just like Pedal forum. Nobody went there before I did. I brought it thousands and thousands of views and hundreds of posts from others. When I was banned the Pedal forum died exactly as I predicited it would. It is now a joke, They get maybe one post a month and no responses to it. Look at Canadian cyclsit forum. I have not been there for years and it almost dead, nowhere near as active and certain not interesting as when I posted there.

Those are facts, numerically quantifiable. Go see, compare views and posts.

As for Kinash, when he returns to his hole in Regina and leaves the national cycling scene alone, I will stop pointing out his tremendous failures and utter stupidity.
 
Fausto Coppied said:
As for Kinash, when he returns to his hole in Regina and leaves the national cycling scene alone, I will stop pointing out his tremendous failures and utter stupidity.
Promise?
 
I come here to look for interesting posts from fellow Canadians.

Of course this forum has been hijacked. Look at the number of threads from Ed / Fausto, and look who and how many are responding to those threads.

Make your point, but make it once and keep it to a single thread. No wonder hardly anyone comes here.
 
Yojimbo_ said:
I come here to look for interesting posts from fellow Canadians.

Of course this forum has been hijacked. Look at the number of threads from Ed / Fausto, and look who and how many are responding to those threads.

Make your point, but make it once and keep it to a single thread. No wonder hardly anyone comes here.
Don't let the facts get in the way of your erroneous opinion!

You want to look at threads and responses? Go ahead.

Go back about 9 or 10 pages and look what the posts were about and look at the replies, most have 0 or 1. The threads themselves are about nothing but equipment for sale. There is much more to cycling than equipment.

The FACT is that since I have begun posting here there are many more threads and more replies.

Yojimbo, if you don't like it, go start your own threads. You have done that only 10 times so far in two years, 5 times about equipment, 3 times about training and once even about me. So obviously, if you are starting threads about me you want to hear from me! What friggin' dumb ass. You complain about me posting too much and then when I don't you want to know why!

30-09.-2005, 11:31 AM #1 Yojimbo_ vbmenu_register("postmenu_2278475", true);
Registered User

Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 181


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What Happened to Arzouzian
Or whatever his name was.....he was posting here at world record pace earlier in the summer months and he's gone all quiet
 
You deny that you have hijacked this forum? Pluuuuueeeese.

Go and do some searches on total number of posts since you started coming here, and then tell us the percentage that are yours.

Then go and sort out how many different posters there are. Maybe 10 if that, with everyone complaining about the rhetoric used in your posts.

I've tryto give you the benefit of the doubt - it seems to me that you have some good points to make if the reader wants to take the time to sort through the bs that comes with it. On the other hand, no-one starts a thread calling me a douchebag.
 
Guess what Ed?

Nobody cares what you have to say either. The thing is, I don't get all worked up about it like you do.

But seriously, I think it's time you gave it a rest, or at least tried to come up with some more reasonable posts. Like I said before, make your point, make it once, and move on.

You might find people take you more seriously that way. They sure aren't paying any attention now.
 
Yojimbo, once again I can easily disprove your theory. People are definitely reading and paying attention, very close attention.

Many people here can quote me better than I can quote myself.

Here is but one recent example. I can send you a dozen more tomorrow:


Fausto Coppied said:
And you think the CCA doesn't read my posts or email????


A day after I posted this below pointing out their web site was more than a month behind in its calendar, they update the calendar.


Good for you, Lorraine. When I tell you to jump I want you to ask how high and how often.....

So when are you leaving? How foolish do you want to look?

19-06.-2007, 04:55 AM #23 Fausto Coppied
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 365


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Re: CCA implodes!!!!
Do you think the Canadian Cycling Association is somewhat overwhelmed?

Their web site “Events calendar” on their home page lists three events: May 2, May 13 and May19-20.

Here we are in the peak of the season, most of June gone by and the national governing body of the sport cannot even manage to list its own events.

If the CCA cannot be bothered to update its own calendar how does it expect anybody else to take interest?

Instead we get asinine bike “tips” that don’t apply or are meaningless to everyone holding a racing license, the very clientele of the CCA.

What’s a matter, Lorraine? Can’t you keep up the pace? Did you think you were getting into a cushy PR job where you wouldn’t have to do anything for three-quarters of the day? I’ll bet you spend all your free time surfing the web for other jobs, huh!

I had told you to quit before you looked foolish. I guess it is too late for that….

Keep up the poor job.

What will you be cutting next? Who will be fired when you realize that revenues are dropping some more?

Bill Kinash’s mission of killing the sport nation-wide is almost complete.
Last edited by Fausto Coppied : 19-06.-2007 at 06:43 AM.
 
Wow.

I was just telling my friend the other day that we pay too much taxes, and guess what? Within the month, the government announced a lower tax rate. I guess they were listening to me as well.

How about showing some real data? Specifically, how many letters / e-mails have you sent out to leaders in the cycling industry, and how many responses have you got. Note that responses telling you to buzz off don't count.

Still, I come back to my main premise. You seem to have good points to make, but no-one will ever listen if you can't separate the facts from the personal attacks. Haven't you learned this in your life experiences yet? I mean, how old are you now Ed - I gather that you're somewhat older than 12.
 
I saw today at the library an article in the French magazine L'Actualité. There was a statistic that I think 44% of Quebec adults had taken 6 or more bike rides of at least 5 km in the past year, compared to 16% for North America (that's what I recall anyway). Quebec is obviously a stone's throw from Ontario and the US, so why the difference? I don't know, but I think we all agree the cycling is more part of the culture than in Ontario. Why AUS 6, CAN 0? I would say we are generally lazy and cycling is not part of our culture.
 
Losers with excuses who have come to accept mediocrity.

Cycling is now far more popular in the US than in Canada, even than in Quebec if you loook at it financially.

It used to be the other way around.

Did our cultural roots suddenly change in the last 15 years? Of course not.

All that happenned was we put stupid people in charge of the sport.

There is any easy remedey to this, get rid of them. Unfortunately that is personal. It is the people in charge that are ruining the sport in Canada. It is not a problem with the sport.
 
Yojimbo_ said:
Wow.

I was just telling my friend the other day that we pay too much taxes, and guess what? Within the month, the government announced a lower tax rate. I guess they were listening to me as well.

How about showing some real data? Specifically, how many letters / e-mails have you sent out to leaders in the cycling industry, and how many responses have you got. Note that responses telling you to buzz off don't count.

Still, I come back to my main premise. You seem to have good points to make, but no-one will ever listen if you can't separate the facts from the personal attacks. Haven't you learned this in your life experiences yet? I mean, how old are you now Ed - I gather that you're somewhat older than 12.
Yo,

Have you heard of this guy:
-----Original Message-----
From: Jocelyn Lovell [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 1:34 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: you

Dear Ed,

Now and then I get emails from you about the CCA. I like what you write.

Sincerely,

Jocelyn Lovell


I'll send along many more...
 
Yo,


I guessed you missed these. Read them until I get more at my office today:


Fausto Coppied said:
Not that I need to prove anything to you, you're a nobody, but here are few recommendations, letters of support and simple email exchanges with all types of people in the sport. You can find my accomplishments posted everywhere, just Google me.

I always like this one:
A recommendation from Patrick Van de Wille
To the CCA, I'd like to offer a recommendatioin for my employment from the illustrious cycling writer and TV Commentator, Patrick Van de Wille. As you are well aware Mr. Van de Wille has been around the sport for a long time, not as long as me, but long nevertheless, many people think he knows his stuff.

Here is what Mr. Van de Wille had to say about my cycling knowledge:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patty the Lapsed Canuck
"Whoa boy, I think it's silly to say I have better knowledge of cycling than Ed. My own list of racing accomplishments is very, very scarce (though I did win one of the two races I entered, riding Chris Firek's too-tall bike and dressed up in the Ultramar Bear suit for the celebrity race). My only claim is spectator- and journalist-side."
Posted on Pedal Magazine Web Forum: Tue Feb 01, 2005 1:07 am
Thank you.

Here's a guy who runs a cycling training camp:
From: aXX XXXXXin [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2007 10:44 PM
To: Ed Arzouian
Subject: Re: Rob Jones, head buried deep, deep in sand!




Thanks Ed for the update. You're doing good work keeping us informed on the Association. Let us know if there is a CCA meeting coming up where the interested public (like me) can attend. Axxx.


You wanted something from Brett Stewart. I'm not really at liberty to release to detailed info but suffice to say he and I correspond:

From: Brett Stewart [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2005 4:04 PM
To: 'Ed Arzouian'
Subject: RE: Your support




Nothing wrong with working all the angles, Ed. It will be interesting to see what unfolds.



BS



(Good initials eh?)


From: Brett Stewart [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 3:26 PM
To: 'Ed Arzouian'
Subject: RE: Glad you are sticking around




Thanks Ed,



New knee, new position… what more could a guy want?



All for now,

Brett



How about Lister Farrar in BC. I figure I no longer owe him anything:

From: Lister Farrar [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 3:13 PM
To: 'Ed Arzouian'
Subject: RE: Are you back?




Hi Ed:



Thanks for the reminder to turn off the auto reply.



Sure I’ll support you for the job. I’ve been a bit of a critic lately on the national centres paper and on Sprockids. You might not want me!



Two requests though. Try to avoid the personal stuff, and let people hang on more on their actions (or lack of them). Two, can you really involve the volunteer side? I’ve been really disappointed with Huts and the current regime, especially Kris Westwood, who goes off half-cocked all the time. I think Steve is better, but he’ll get toasted soon if Kris keeps up his arrogant style.



Lesley has been very quiet, and has not responded to my offer to help with a platform and some announcements. Have you spoken with her?



What about Blanshard as president? I’ve always been impressed with him, though you may not because he was the one driving the denial of the license to Jeanson. I think that took some balls to ask questions before giving her a license.



Cheers

Lister


How about Louis Barbeau of the Quebec Federation on the other side of the country:



From: Louis Barbeau [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2007 10:30 AM
To: 'Ed Arzouian'
Subject: RE: Congratulation Mr. President!




Hi Ed,



Thanks for the good word. I have plenty of work with the FQSC and my volunteer work with the CCA, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and the UCI.



Cheers,



And finally, how about the current President of the Canadian Cycling Assoiciation. Can you read French "Ed's a ped"?:

From: Pierre Blanchard [mailto:p[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 11:39 AM
To: Ed Arzouian; earzouianhotmail.com
Subject: Te parler de divers sujets




Bonjour Ed,



j'aimerais discuter avec toi de différents sujets concernant le cyclisme en général mais surtout de l'état du cyclisme au Canada.



Quand est-ce un bon temps pour toi et à quel numéro je peux te joindre?



au plaisir de se parler



Pierre

I could go on most of the day providing this stuff , but you get the idea. I have coaches, officials, athletes, Olympic atheltes, industry people all offering support.
 
Ed

Finally a post I can agree with. Cycling does seem to be in a sorry state in Canada - even I (a purely recreational cyclist) notice that we don't seem to have anything going on here. I don't hear about big Canadian names, or big Canadian races, or big Canadian cycling victories. I also noticed no Canadians in the TdF this year.

It has to be the fault of the people running the show, but on the other hand, it also depends on how the organization sees itself. If it sees its role as supporting cycling for the masses, then maybe they are doing a good job. If it is to support and develop Canadian athletes, they seem to be failing.

Who does oversight of the cycling organization to make sure the government is getting proper use of our tax dollars? And if there is indeed a problem, why aren't they taking action to fix it?
 
Now you are beginning to ask the right questions.


Why doesn't Sport Canada step in when so many obvious and serious mistakes are being made?

There have been no Canadian men in the Tour de France for years.

And please do not give me this bull about all the problems in the sport. Those problems are for journalist to create headlines. Have you seen the huge crowds in England and in France for the Tour this year and there is not even a French rider anywhere near the top.

In the US, which used to lag behind Canada in terms of event and media coverage now has us beat hands down. There are very big races in the US, lots of TV coverage and lots of strong riders.

The problems stems from a lack of leadership at the top.

How can Lorraine Lafreniere lead the sport when she knows nothing about it?
How can Bill Kinash, who held back the sport for 20 years in Saskatchewan be expected to do anything different on the national scene?

You have killed the sport, Bill. Mission Accomplished. Walk away.

Lorraine, you are an embarrassment to and a slap in the face of every person with experience and knowledge of the sport.

Leave and let cyclists take back their sport.
 
Fausto Coppied said:






How can Australia field so many riders and Canada so few?




There is always somewhere warm to ride.
We are very sport obsessed over here - I don't know what it is like in Canada, but over here it is SPORT SPORT SPORT.
I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but sometimes it seems a little unbalanced, my local town for example has a tiny library and public schools screaming out for money, but plenty of well kept sporting fields, indoor and outdoor and massive amounts of sport on television.

Also, if an Australian ever does anything wrong, doping etc, not mentioning names - coughcoughIanThorpecoughsplutter, it's always, "no it wasn't his fault", not our sporting heros and it's forgotten about, even by the Prime Minister.

Oh yeah, if we lose at something it's always the other team's cheating tactics - particularly in the rugby union, swimming and cricket. We blame the Chinese for taking steroids and stealing our swimming medals, the English and South Africans for being too rough and unfair (in Rugby this is!!!) and in cricket, it used to be the New Zealanders but now in the new age of post 9-11 racism, it's Inida and Pakistan

Plus it's always sunny and you want to go for a ride instead of school or work.:) :) :)