Leipheimer, Hincapie & Julich slam Basso singing... is Discovery in disarray again ?

[whiteboytrash]

First Levi:

"I was a little disappointed they had signed Basso," Leipheimer told the LA Times before his prologue win in Sunday's Tour of California opener.
"I understand in a way why a team would want to sign a rider who's the biggest favourite of all to win the Tour de France, but without a doubt the questions about Ivan remain."

Now big George gets in on the act:

"I was a little surprised," long-time Discovery domestique George Hincapie said about his initial reaction to the Basso signing. "I guess all I'll say is that I have a lot of confidence in [sporting director] Johan [Bruneel]."

..and finally Julich put the knife into Basso:

"I do respect Ivan as a person, a cyclist, a father," Julich said. "About the doping, nothing was ever decided so it's just hard for me to form an opinion. I can't say whether I would have signed him on my team or whether Discovery should have. I just don't know."

...the final question remains... will the Discovery have another **** season like 06 ? I think so.....

 

[meehs]

Meh... While they certainly weren't singing the praises of IB, I wouldn't say that they were exactly "slamming" him either. There was definitely an underlying implication that they weren't to excited about having IB signed to the team. The only one that really came right out and said it and that was even close to actually "slamming" IB was LL when he said that he was a "little" disappointed that Disco had signed him. Interesting though!

 

[micron]

Meh... While they certainly weren't singing the praises of IB, I wouldn't say that they were exactly "slamming" him either. There was definitely an underlying implication that they weren't to excited about having IB signed to the team. The only one that really came right out and said it and that was even close to actually "slamming" IB was LL when he said that he was a "little" disappointed that Disco had signed him. Interesting though!

looks like a few riders trying to distance themselves from Basso when he turns out to be 'dirty'...

 

[bobke]

Singing. Ivan can sing too????


Good thing he cant read English.
Cood be some tense times on the us without Floyd's ZZTop.
It'll all chill when his sister shows up at the Giro.

 

[Der Kranz]

Singing. Ivan can sing too????

It'll all chill when his sister shows up at the Giro.

she could take the edge off of a lot of things.

 

[helmutRoole2]

Meh... While they certainly weren't singing the praises of IB, I wouldn't say that they were exactly "slamming" him either. There was definitely an underlying implication that they weren't to excited about having IB signed to the team. The only one that really came right out and said it and that was even close to actually "slamming" IB was LL when he said that he was a "little" disappointed that Disco had signed him. Interesting though!

Agreed. That wasn't all that bad. But it's got to be pointed that, it isn't like BJ, GH and LL have never doped before.

 

[whiteboytrash]

...maybe the riders know something we don't about young Ivan. Maybe they know the **** is going to come down around July time and the don't want there own reps tainted by ET ? Takes one to know one JB....

 

[Flyer's.Finale!]

Definitions by the answer man:

Disarray: Off the blood power medications

Organized: On the meds

Commercial policy:

1) Never drug test for EPO if Amgen underwrites the freak show
2) Never blood gas an Italian (Basso) more than adn American (Levi) in a USA-Californai race
3) just do maintenance daily doping--except for the team leader.

 

[tcklyde]

Agreed. That wasn't all that bad. But it's got to be pointed that, it isn't like BJ, GH and LL have never doped before.

Exactly. All about perception, yo. And went St. Lance blesses it, everyone will fall in line.

 

[Serafino]

Seems like the sour grapes re: IB, from LL, GH could be more to due with their being eclispsed in the team.

Unless you are now saying that LL, GH, BJ, are all squeaky clean, hence their displeasure.

Can't have it both ways

 

[strummer_fan]

Seems like the sour grapes re: IB, from LL, GH could be more to due with their being eclispsed in the team.

Unless you are now saying that LL, GH, BJ, are all squeaky clean, hence their displeasure.

Can't have it both ways

These days, "Squeaky Clean" means never named in a doping investigation.

Since Basso was foolish enough to get roped into the Operacion Puerto investigation, they NEED to distance themselves.

Sour Grapes about this coming July and returning to their roles as domestiques aside...

 

[thebluetrain]

First Levi:

"I was a little disappointed they had signed Basso," Leipheimer told the LA Times before his prologue win in Sunday's Tour of California opener.
"I understand in a way why a team would want to sign a rider who's the biggest favourite of all to win the Tour de France, but without a doubt the questions about Ivan remain."

Now big George gets in on the act:

"I was a little surprised," long-time Discovery domestique George Hincapie said about his initial reaction to the Basso signing. "I guess all I'll say is that I have a lot of confidence in [sporting director] Johan [Bruneel]."

..and finally Julich put the knife into Basso:

"I do respect Ivan as a person, a cyclist, a father," Julich said. "About the doping, nothing was ever decided so it's just hard for me to form an opinion. I can't say whether I would have signed him on my team or whether Discovery should have. I just don't know."

...the final question remains... will the Discovery have another **** season like 06 ? I think so.....

Very weak. A-rod slammed Jeter worse than that.

 

[rschleicher]

I think that Levi's lack of enthusiasm for Basso is primarily that he thought he had a good shot at being "the man" for Discovery, with the team working for him in the grand tours. It seems likely that that's what he was assuming in leaving Gerolsteiner. But with Basso around Levi may have to work for Basso. Maybe they will both be given the opportunity to lead the team, and it will change from event to event. But why should any of the existing Discovery team be happy when a new competitor is signed? It moves everyone down a bit in the pecking order. In that regard, I thought that most of the comments by Levi, George, etc. were reasonably civil.

I'm just miffed (a little bit, anyway) that I bought a Gerolsteiner jersey last year, in part because of Leipheimer's presence. Oh well, at least the colors go well with my bike....

 

[Flyer's.Finale!]

Levi is just another doper jealous of another faster doper machine.

Saw Floyd today in his fancy 'church clothes anti-doper Amgen suit'.

I asked him where his IV stand was?

What a freak as he headed into Macy's with his two suited pose members. Probably looking for more hair spray.

 

[dexjava]

Another sensationalist title by whiteboytrash that fails to deliver.

 

[helmutRoole2]

Another sensationalist title by whiteboytrash that fails to deliver.

Dex... he's got you on that one, WBT. Well, I don't know about "another," but it didn't deliver as advertised.

Is it a title or a headline? I like headline. I try to write mine in headline style. AP of course. In fact, all my writing is done as per the AP Style Book. I think that should be a rule on this forum and those unwilling to abide should be made to display avatars designed by myself, the Helmut Man.

All in favor say aye.

All opposed say nay.

The ayes have and so it shall be.

 

[whiteboytrash]

Another sensationalist title by whiteboytrash that fails to deliver.

What do you mean ? The knife cuts very deep...... mark my words.... Discovery like last year will be in disarray.... perhaps its you who has the delivery problems ? bit premature ?

 

[meehs]

C'mon y'all! Everyone knows that WBT has a certain "flair" for writing the headlines to his threads. Sure they may exaggerate some, but I (for one) enjoy WBT's "headlines"!

Oh and Helmut? Nay! Nay as hell! I don't want an avatar that shows me being pounded in the ass by Serena Williams! NAY!

 

[helmutRoole2]

C'mon y'all! Everyone knows that WBT has a certain "flair" for writing the headlines to his threads. Sure they may exaggerate some, but I (for one) enjoy WBT's "headlines"!

Oh and Helmut? Nay! Nay as hell! I don't want an avatar that shows me being pounded in the ass by Serena Williams! NAY!

Okay. You and WBT are the exceptions. Everyone else must follow the new policy. Here's a link where you can buy a copy of the AP Style Book.

http://www.ap.org/pages/product/order.html

Oh jesus. I just realized. It's AP Stylebook. Stylebook. One word.

 

[Leafer]

Okay. You and WBT are the exceptions. Everyone else must follow the new policy. Here's a link where you can buy a copy of the AP Style Book.

http://www.ap.org/pages/product/order.html

Oh jesus. I just realized. It's AP Stylebook. Stylebook. One word.

"Jesus" is capitalized.