nslckevin wrote:
jackmott wrote:
If you bother to read the article it would be interesting to hear your take on your memory of him vs what is presented in the article. nslckevin wrote:
jackmott wrote:
THE HORROR My point is that I've seen the guy in action for almost 30 years and he has never impressed me in any way. In fact, generally quite the opposite.
I read some of it. As much as I could at least. I'll make a couple of specific comments.
1. I have raced for Thom Weisel's masters team in one form or another almost continuously since 1995. I've of course met him, rode with him as part of a team ride several times and been to his house for team party's on a few occasions. Mostly in the late 90's. It was at one of his party's that Eddy B felt up my wife's ass... Having said that I don't really know Thom as we travel in slightly different circles.
2. I also know Steve Johnson. I have raced with him as a team mate. As a master's racer he had some good elite level results and won a number masters national championships and even a world road title in St. Johan in Tirol, Austria. I like Steve Johnson. I don't really have any clue as to what is going on in USAC, but I tend to believe Steve more than Les. Steve has actually raced. He used to teach exercise physiology at a University in Utah. Not sure which one though.
As much as some people hate the Weisel-Johnson-Ochowitz "cabal", it is through their efforts and groups like the Champions Club that USAC has a house in Holland for developing racers. (It used to be in Belgium, but they just moved to a new one near Mastrict.) People give a lot of crap about the idea a bunch of rich men pretending to be bike racers in the "Champions Club", but these people all donated $100k minimum to be in that club and that is where a lot of the USAC development money comes from. I have met a few of them. One of whom isn't world champion only because the guy who beat him got popped for testosterone. Unfortunately due to the beaurocracy, the UCI he didn't get the jersey, they left it vacant.
In my opinion, it is pretty safe to say that there would not be a house in Holland that is staffed and equiped for developing riders to get a taste of racing in Europe without the USACDF and the champions club. Riders like Taylor Phinney, TJ Vangarderen, Andrew Talansky, etc., etc., etc. have gone through this program, stayed at that house and been to races that were funded at least in part by the USAC Development Foundation.
I don't see the level of developing talent that we have in the US actually happening if USAC was run by Les.
I have no idea who knew what, when or where about Armstrong and company's doping. It is possibly that they all knew or that none knew. I don't know.
I'll start by saying that I really respect you as a rider and as a poster on this forum and on Wattage, and I was happy to have heard you done so well despite the fact that a good friend of mine often compete against you. I've learned much from your posts and I appreciate that a rider of your caliber takes the time to answer of schmoes like myself. That said, I respectfully disagree with your assertion.
swap the house in Mastricht with the word "Livestrong Foundation" and the list of riders with "cancer survivors," and you now have the same sort of argument that fanboys made in their defense of Armstrong. In other words, these accomplishments are not mutually exclusive with the mismanagement and wrongs that were done under the auspice of Weisel et al.
Sure, what they did for the young riders is great, but that doesn't exculpate them from other things for which they are accused.
Conversely, you may indeed be correct in viewing Les Earnest as someone with whom you have considerable differences and someone you hold in low regard, but that doesn't mean that the points he make are incorrect. Many people are chafed by Lemond's action and lack of PR finesse, but that does not mean that we should discount his criticism of Armstrong because of that. Ditto for even more flawed characters such as Landis and Hamilton.