LANCE worried about team safety during TdF

[Robert Chung]

"Bart" <[email protected]> wrote
> Lance is used to "dopeur" cries in France, some more comments from "peaceful-minded" people won't
> bother him.
>
> If he is concerned it's not about "the French" getting overheated by what Chirac says, but by the
> possibility of real terrorist units mixing in the crowds. Chances are slim. It's VERY unlikely
> some Osama lieutenant would consider a cycling icon or team an interesting target. Or even know
> about the Tour. But you never know...

Yeah, I agree. When I first posted the pointer to that story, I thought it was pretty unlikely.
On second thought, I still found it unlikely. On third thought, however, I remembered the 1972
Munich Olympics.

Some folks, both in this thread and the one where that guy went off on you, seem to think the French
people are who Armstrong (and other Americans) should fear (though who was that guy who punched Eddy
on the Puy de Dome?). I'd say those folks have the wrong interpretation.

I'd say that perhaps Armstrong (and LeBlanc, and the other teams) ought to be concerned, but
not worried.

 

[Ewoud Dronkert]

On Fri, 28 Mar 2003 09:05:00 +0100, Bart wrote:
>Ewoud Dronkert wrote:
>> On Thu, 27 Mar 2003 20:03:39 +0100, Jonathan v.d. Sluis wrote:
>> >(BTW, having visited France many times, I can assure you that the =
French are
>> >very friendly indeed, and easy to get along with
>>=20
>> After it is clear that you are not from Germany.
>
>and you don't mind the obligatory anti-Belgian jokes.

I don't mind.

 

[Steve Blankensh]

"Ewoud Dronkert" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]... On Fri, 28 Mar 2003 09:05:00 +0100,
Bart wrote:
>Ewoud Dronkert wrote:
>> On Thu, 27 Mar 2003 20:03:39 +0100, Jonathan v.d. Sluis wrote:
>> >(BTW, having visited France many times, I can assure you that the French
are
>> >very friendly indeed, and easy to get along with
>>
>> After it is clear that you are not from Germany.
>
>and you don't mind the obligatory anti-Belgian jokes.

> I don't mind.

Such as this one, from when I worked with a firm in the Netherlands that had Belgians working there
as well... ;-)

Q - "How can you tell if a Belgian has been working at your Computer?"

A - "Because of the Tip-Ex all over the screen!"

(Didn't get it until I found out Tip-Ex was what we refer to as White-Out in the States)

SB

 

[Jonathan V.D. S]

Bart <[email protected]> schreef in berichtnieuws
[email protected]...
> Ewoud Dronkert wrote:
> >
> > On Thu, 27 Mar 2003 20:03:39 +0100, Jonathan v.d. Sluis wrote:
> > >(BTW, having visited France many times, I can assure you that the
French are
> > >very friendly indeed, and easy to get along with
> >
> > After it is clear that you are not from Germany.
>
> and you don't mind the obligatory anti-Belgian jokes.

Are the French doing that too? What a coincidence.

 

[Kurgan Gringion]

"Jonathan v.d. Sluis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Tom Paterson <[email protected]> schreef in berichtnieuws
> [email protected]...
> > I don't know, I think saying that Lance intends to play victim to get
> "sympathy
> > liking" is wacko, or "bizarre" if you like-- you know, like, at least
> somewhat
> > at odds with reality.
>
> Not really. Cyclists and other public figures have tried many strange
things
> to get some sympathy. Some support a good cause, some pretend to have a harmonious family life. A
> dutch actor once pretended to have been
kidnapped
> by neo-nazis. It is not difficult to see how Armstrong's claim that he, as
a
> representative of (for) an American company, would be in danger, is part
of
> an image he might want to put forward. Armstrong the honest patriot. Armstrong the American hero,
> besieged by those pacifist fanatics from France/Europe.

He's said he doesn't think going against world opinion is a good idea.

 

[Ewoud Dronkert]

On Fri, 28 Mar 2003 21:04:03 +0100, Jonathan v.d. Sluis wrote:
>Bart <[email protected]> schreef:
>> and you don't mind the obligatory anti-Belgian jokes.
>
>Are the French doing that too? What a coincidence.

I think not

 

[Bart]

"Ewoud Dronkert" <[email protected]> wrote in message .

>I think not

correct. just like the Dutch they never got over losing us.

 

[Ariege]

> seem to think the French people are who Armstrong (and other Americans) should fear (though who
> was that guy who punched Eddy on the Puy de Dome?). I'd say those folks have the wrong
> interpretation.
>
> I'd say that perhaps Armstrong (and LeBlanc, and the other teams) ought to be concerned, but not
> worried.

I live in the Pyrenees along a frequently-used TdF route and have been wondering about US Postal's
reception in this year's Tour (it's why I came to this newsgroup, to see if anyone was discussing
it). People around here hate Bush, think he's mad, that this war is insane. Armstrong is known to be
a friend of the president (whether he is or not is irrelevant, he has been presented that way here);
if the Tour were happening this week he and his team would receive a lot of verbal abuse. Who knows
what the mood will be like in July -- it's a long way off. If he's harassed verbally, and there are
protest banners etc. along the way, there is always the possibility that after a week or two someone
might go too far.

 

[Glenn Butzlaff]

"Ariege" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > seem to think the French people are who Armstrong (and other Americans) should fear (though who
> > was that guy who punched Eddy on the Puy de
Dome?).
> > I'd say those folks have the wrong interpretation.
> >
> > I'd say that perhaps Armstrong (and LeBlanc, and the other teams) ought
to
> > be concerned, but not worried.
>
> I live in the Pyrenees along a frequently-used TdF route and have been wondering about US Postal's
> reception in this year's Tour (it's why I came to this newsgroup, to see if anyone was discussing
> it). People

What city in the Pyrenees?

Glenn Butzlaff

 

[Ewoud Dronkert]

On Sun, 30 Mar 2003 10:42:48 -0600, Glenn Butzlaff wrote:
>"Ariege" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I live in the Pyrenees
>
>What city in the Pyrenees?

That is not very hard to guess.

 

[Nick Burns]

Let's face it, Lance has always been bit insecure as if he has something to prove. I admire the
courage it took to fight back from cancer, but other than that he is a ***** wimp that never had a
male role model growing up. I am sure Lance worries a lot more than any of us imagine.

"Bart" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Lance is used to "dopeur" cries in France, some more comments from "peaceful-minded" people won't
> bother him.
>
> If he is concerned it's not about "the French" getting overheated by what Chirac says, but by the
> possibility of real terrorist units mixing in the crowds. Chances are slim. It's VERY unlikely
> some Osama lieutenant would consider a cycling icon or team an interesting target. Or even know
> about the Tour. But you never know...
>
> But in that case....one can laugh or criticise the French authorities for some rather weird doping
> "investigations", but their intelligence services have a very good record on picking up
> circulating plans.

 

[Nick Burns]

Don't take a stand if you can't handle the backlash (Lance). Lance is the one that plays up his
relatiionship with Bush.

"Ariege" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > seem to think the French people are who Armstrong (and other Americans) should fear (though who
> > was that guy who punched Eddy on the Puy de
Dome?).
> > I'd say those folks have the wrong interpretation.
> >
> > I'd say that perhaps Armstrong (and LeBlanc, and the other teams) ought
to
> > be concerned, but not worried.
>
> I live in the Pyrenees along a frequently-used TdF route and have been wondering about US Postal's
> reception in this year's Tour (it's why I came to this newsgroup, to see if anyone was discussing
> it). People around here hate Bush, think he's mad, that this war is insane. Armstrong is known to
> be a friend of the president (whether he is or not is irrelevant, he has been presented that way
> here); if the Tour were happening this week he and his team would receive a lot of verbal abuse.
> Who knows what the mood will be like in July -- it's a long way off. If he's harassed verbally,
> and there are protest banners etc. along the way, there is always the possibility that after a
> week or two someone might go too far.

 

[Dan Gregory]

"Nick Burns" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Don't take a stand if you can't handle the backlash (Lance). Lance is the one that plays up his
> relatiionship with Bush.
..but he did tell Shrub the war was wrong... pax Dan G