[reply]The World Championship needed this. A little fire in the athletes. Now the stage is set:

[b][#ff0000][size 6]Macca v. Stadler 2007[/size][/#ff0000][/b]



You heard it here first, Macca runs sub 2:45 and gets his win. [/reply]

Maybe, maybe not. If the wind is back next year it will be more difficult for the runners then this year. Also the rain worked in Maccas favor, as he has not performed superbe in the heat so far. Kai said something very true on 3athlon: This was Maccas best chance, he might never get a good one like this again. Or he might, we will see. That´s what makes sports interesting.

Axel

I think not. He obviously listened to his management who told him to put on a good face while the cameras were rolling. Once that ended and his ego and arrogance got the better of him, the shit began to erupt. Too bad, prior to this, I was on the fence about him.

Not surprising though. It seems that classy champions are a dime a dozen these days in professional sport. Too bad.

Just my .02

(Great race though.)

I totally agree with you. He, Norman, is a personality in a sport that needs one. That was a real gutsy race and it had to be very emotional. He can say anything he wants to and I'll probably listen to him.

Speaking of on-course malfeasance, ask Macca how he spent his prize money from the 2001 LA Triathlon.

---

Konrad
konrad@konradonthemic.com
http://www.konradonthemic.com
Race emcee services

Regrettably he said the F-Word right when he crossed the line.

Please elaborate...

Faris?

---

Gerard Vroomen
3T.bike
OPEN cycle

Nice :)

Can't tell you how much I'm enjoying my SLC, Gerard. Great machine - just wish there were more bike races around Sydney.

No, Normann!

Once again a link to Kai's blog which explains it (in German)

http://3athlon.blogspot.com/...r-achten-mu-die.html

Kai writes that Normann said: "F*** Y**" when he crossed the finish line. That seems to be the part that Macca was referring to in his diary entry. And yes I also think it might have upset the NBC people who cannot use the sequence in their race coverage, unless they overvoice it or something.

And he actually threw away the winners crown three times and had to untergo a cleansing ritual by the hawaiians to remove the bad luck called upon him by this.



In German we call the guy a "Heißsporn" engl. firebrand. ;-)

Re: Macca at Los Angeles Triathlon 2001 - I'm sure enough pros read this board to weigh in on Macca's "win" at LA. Let's just say that he turned part of the run near Dodger Stadium (remember, that was the old LA course, not the new one) into an orienteering excercise.

---

Konrad
konrad@konradonthemic.com
http://www.konradonthemic.com
Race emcee services

[reply]

Let's hope the sponsors don't get upset. If Stadler continues with his public perception of being a bit of a loose cannon it could hurt both him and IM in general.
[/reply]

It's common knowledge that what draws interest and makes great television is CONFLICT. Controversial figures, smack talk, infighting...that's the type of people they cast on all the reality shows because...it makes for great TV, and if Stadler and Macca build this rivalry through the year, it's intriguing for the sporting media. Hell, we have this thread about it, right?

---

------------------
My business-eBodyboarding.com

<<In German we call the guy a "Heißsporn" engl. firebrand.>>

In English, we call the guy a very talented but arrogant
loud mouth who adds nothing to the class of the sport.

[reply]<<In German we call the guy a "Heißsporn" engl. firebrand.>>

In English, we call the guy a very talented but arrogant
loud mouth who adds nothing to the class of the sport.[/reply]

We?? Speak for yourself. I call him passonate who adds a lot to the sport.

If you want to talk about the class of the sport, we can talk about all the "me me me" dickwads there are.

clm

---

clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

Stadler definitely proved he was the fastest man on Saturday, but he should have kept his mouth shut about Macca IMHO. To make an analogy to football, he should have shown he's been there before and not rub it the opponent's face in the end zone. But OTOH, it was that passion that fueled the 4:18 on the bike.

You don't think that Norman is a "'me me me' dickwad"?

He is definitely passionate, but it's an arrogant, self-loving passion. I don't think we'll ever see a retired Norman out in the Energy Lab, handing out water and high-fives ala Peter Reid. Mr. Stadler is a two-time Kona winner, but he's no "champion." He's the TO of triathlon, and while that may bring more viewers or more interest, I could do without it.

mm

OK, OK it's easy to hand out water and clap your hands all day long but it's an even easier way to maintain your visibility in the triathlon community and keep your numbers at your triathlon camps. I wouldn't say Peter is a saint for handing out water and clapping. There were reasons he was there, beyond cheering people on.

He even managed to try and influence the pro race while not racing; by saying Norman wouldn't be a factor on the run. I mean come on, just retire and let the race continue on as it will. Tell us all how happy he is flying planes and livign in a trendy apartment, retire.

Macca is motivated for next year by Norman's comments and Norman was motivated this year by Peter's comments. Macca should be pissed at Peter.

Macca did not get a drafting penalty. There were marshalls up front all day watching. Macca followed the rules. Stadler is mad at the player when he should be mad at the game. Macca will beat Stadler next year.

---

"injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" MLK

[reply]OK, OK it's easy to hand out water and clap your hands all day long [/reply]

Spoken by someone who has obviously not worked an aid station all day long. That is anything but easy.

So Reid, a three time champion and probably 8-10 time top 5 finisher shouldn't be allowed to offer his opinion on the race and should just disappear? You're right, he probably has nothing to offer.

I was out at the Energy Lab for a couple of hours and watched Reid and his two buddies work the aid station. They were mainly cleaning up cups and encouraging the athletes as they ran past. I've been at the Energy Lab for the past 12 years either watching or racing and I've never seen another past champion or top pro do what Reid did on Saturday. We all have complex motivations for our actions but I have to give Reid kudos for working in the Lab and also working as a swim course volunteer. It would have been much easier to get PR (excuse the pun) by sitting in the shade at the expo or throwing out swag at the finish line like many other pros have done in the past.

I've also seen Stadler crying in the Energy Lab when he was having a bad day and Macca walking up Palani Road hanging his head. I guess I can put their current smack-talk in better perspective after seeing the times that they were far from braggin' about their IM prowess.

"He even managed to try and influence the pro race while not racing; by saying Norman wouldn't be a factor on the run."
-----------------------------

Dude...he didn't just offer an unsolicited opinion...he was ASKED in an interview. How exactly can that be construed as influencing the race?

Furthermore, Pete was right...Normann CAN'T run in the context of this race. Do you know how many times the men's winner of IMH (other than Normann) ran 2:55 or slower in the past 20 years?....ONCE!

Have you ever been to Kona? Standing at the Energy Lab for hours on end encouraging the athletes is FAR from easy. If I recall correctly, Peter has talked about doing that "someday" long before he retired. Furthermore, I really don't think Peter Reid has to do much to maintain a high profile in this sport. If he was only interested in increasing his visibility during the race, he could have come up with many MUCH easier ways to be seen by a larger audience than the 1800 athletes that saw him at the NEL.

Haim

---

-------------------------------------------------------
"Sometimes you need to think INSIDE the box!" -- ME
"Why squirrel hate me?"

[reply]You don't think that Norman is a "'me me me' dickwad"?

He is definitely passionate, but it's an arrogant, self-loving passion. I don't think we'll ever see a retired Norman out in the Energy Lab, handing out water and high-fives ala Peter Reid. Mr. Stadler is a two-time Kona winner, but he's no "champion." He's the TO of triathlon, and while that may bring more viewers or more interest, I could do without it.

mm[/reply]

No, I don't think Normann is a "me me me" dickwad (nor do I think Macca is either), compared to some of the AGers that are out there.

I saw Normann much more relaxed this year, chatting with AGers, posing for pictures and spending time chatting about the race with a +50 yo German AGer who was in Kona for the first time. Macca was his usual friendly self too.

Leave Peter out of it. Not sure what the point is in bringing him up. Though he seems like a really nice guy who was geninuely intereseted in my upcoming racing plans.

clm

---

clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

[reply]Macca did not get a drafting penalty. There were marshalls up front all day watching. Macca followed the rules. Stadler is mad at the player when he should be mad at the game. Macca will beat Stadler next year.[/reply]


I do not believe Macca rode fair. Did you know, that Faris complaint about him cheating even during the race. He had a short conversation during the cycling with some reporter of a German TV-Station:

Sagt Noman, er soll sich nicht erwischen lassen ... alle, nur nicht der Australier ... der lutscht sich hier ein zurecht

Tell Norman, he shall not to be caught ... anybody, but not the australian guy ... he's drafting all the way

I consider Faris as great sportsman and dont know, why he should waist his time during the race for telling lies.

Torsten

If Macca was "drafting" then so was Faris as Faris spent an hour at the back of the group - as seen on IronmanLive