ThailandUltras wrote:
zedzded wrote:
TRobTri wrote:
ThailandUltras wrote:
rodchaves31 wrote:
I’m beyond this silly argument. If you don’t understand the basic concepts of dialog and discussion, which include the potential for differences in opinions and perspectives, then I have really nothing to add.
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It is all just a form of tribalism.Some folks have decided,for their own reasons, that they like the way Lionel does his thing and have formed the unofficial Lionel Fan Club.They invest a certain part of themselves into that tribe and will defend against people who are seen to bring the tribe down.The more polarising the character being supported in situations like this the more invested people seem to become.
It is no different really to fans of sports teams who will scream and yell and abuse fans from the other teams for no other reason than they support a different team.I have watched dumbfounded as opposition fans will come to blows defending millionaire professional sportsmen and women who most likely don't really give a shit about the team that is paying them millions or the rabid fans who support them.Like those athletes Lionel doesn't need anyone defending him or offering him advice as we all know he will do his own thing anyway and won't care too much about a bunch of punters on a triathlon forum.
I like following Lionel in the same way I like watching those MMA guys in the Ultimate Fighter reality show.All talented athletes who are off the wall nutjobs, one episode away from a complete meltdown.
What I find the irony in is that Lionel literally turned his back on Slowtwitch by stopping posting, etc and has referenced this in the past, yet makes all his money now largely due to the vested interest of this same community giving him views, etc. I like Lionel and hope he does well, I just find that funny.
i would have thought it would be difficult for him posting on here considering how well known he is in triathlon circles. Every one of his posts is going to be read, analysed and replied to by shitloads of people. I would have thought it would be a bit of a clusterfuck? Would be cool, having someone of that calibre posting though.
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Yes,I think all good intentions by Lionel here would end up turning into a Gong-Show as Slowtwitch isn't immune from the anonymous attacks that are so common on the internet.I know a few pro's and top age groupers who are well aware of ST's reputation and steer clear of this place and I often get asked why I bother spending time here.I think that is a shame and our collective loss.
as i'm writing this i'm in italy, at a schwalbe tire launch (you'll read about the new road tubeless tires soon). there is a lot of media here, and a lot of folks from schwalbe. they ALL read our interview with sebastian kienle last month. whether on the front page or the forum, and whether the pros know it or not, there's a direct line between the engagement pros have with their audiences and the money the make (or don't make) from sponsors. i know pretty much every endemic sponsor. whomever you are, pro or fan, you can cry, you can complain, you can argue, you can disagree, you can wax philosophic about the way things ought to be, but at some point one must reckon with the way things are. the fattest, baddest, quickest bang for your buck is simply to engage the audience here, if you're a pro. but it does require the capacity to absorb the 20 good folks and disregard the 1 bad apple. a lot of folks don't have the presence, the stature, the capacity to do that. they dwell on the 1 bad apple.
of course you can engage your audience in other ways. it's just harder for sponsors to find you. to see what you're doing. to see your good work.
like you, i know a lot of pros who avoid the difficult feedback from the audience. i know a lot of badly funded pros. they tend to be the same pros. you take kienle as an example, kienle made a LOT of headway with his sponsors in a VERY short time by simply sitting for an interview here. i sought him out because he's one of the few pros who understands the bike he's riding. a lot of pros are intimidated by such an interview because they don't understand the bikes they're riding. there's a reason kienle is in high demand: he understands his equipment; therefore he's not intimidated or afraid to talk about it; sponsors see that; sponsors want that. MTM posts here without worry, because he understands the equipment he's riding. if you understand the equipment, you have very little to worry about.
yes, there are some assholes. welcome to the internet. engaging with the audience in a thoughtful, technical knowledgeable way is still the pathway. that's why lionel is so popular. yes, he's been burned. however, if lionel shrinks back and becomes less transparent, his appeal with sponsors will shrink back accordingly. lionel is popular because lionel is an open book. if you don't want to be an open book here, okay, but you have to be transparent somewhere. there's about a dozen pros in the world who can make a pretty good living just off race results. everybody else needs to engage with his or her audience, here or somewhere.
Dan Empfield
aka Slowman