Nice. Isn't he telling Lance that he is number one?

Sort of like drinking gasoline and pissing on the campfire. I bet if Lance was feeling tired that probably got him fired up again. We've all seen that he rides best when he's angry. :)

Chris

That is one of the saddest and funniest shots I have seen in a while. Funny because Lance ended up winning regardless, sad because people get personally angry at professional athletes.

---

Jimmy S.

I generally only get that irritated at professional athletes when they lose games for my teams. A professional athlete on another team that helps beat one of my teams is just doing his job, and it's nothing to get irritated about. But, when someone blows one for my teams, that's just about treason.

That reminds me, does anyone know where Mitch Williams lives now?

I understand that people over there are crazy about the sport, fine. But they can't figure out that when they go out in the road, they're in the way of the riders. This guy just wanted to share his IQ with Lance.

I do not get it, you live in some pissy part of Spain as big as my backyard and for life you have to wear stupid orange clothes

the guy is definitely an idiot (and all the others are applauding)...
I doubt your backyard is as big as the Pays Basque and in any case, I doubt that it's nowhere near as nice...

don't generalize...I am sure you can find the same spectator in the US...

I think Mitch Williams lives in Hamilton, ON. I think he was given a Canadian citizenship in honor of his exploits.



(yup, I'm full of shit, actually I think he is still pitching, just don't know where.)

---

"Maybe you should just run faster..." TM

That makes sense. I told you it was like treason.

You see, this is the most beautiful part of this troll. It draws out the rednecks perfectly. Did you know that part of the Basque region is also in France? Did you see all of those black and white flags earlier in the tour and realize they are from a different separatist region in the north?

These subtleties in the French political atmosphere are far too refined to engage your small entrenched mind.

But do not fret my friend; your John Deere will more than suffice in regulating your small (backyard) world....

---

mobiusnc

"Swaying to the rhythm of the New World Order,
Counting the bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums" - APC

Armstong definitely needs no rebuke as of now. While I have been pulling for him all along I have also been hoping for another great contender. What good is a race if you are leaps and bounds above all the others around you????

Today I watched Deena Drossin LAP some of the best US runners in the 10k, while using it as a workout. I was stunned by her humility on the track after the race. Why can't the sprint "athletes" show the same amount of respect for their competitors as the distance runners? Bravvado?????

Bullshit. They are f**ing divas. Give them some gold teeth and some wax you get another wankstar ( plus the roids)

Anyway, I hope someone else shows up to contend or this could be mundane....

---

mobiusnc

"Swaying to the rhythm of the New World Order,
Counting the bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums" - APC

Mitch Williams runs a bowling alley in Pennsauken, NJ. I blame Fregosi.

---

--------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mitch Williams runs a bowling alley in Pennsauken, NJ. I blame Fregosi."

I hear Bill Buckner is the late shift manager.

---

Aeromon (Aerobic Monster) - Pokomon's evil endurance junkie twin

Hey, let's 86 the mention of Buckner, shall we?

---

"Maybe you should just run faster..." TM

To stick with the thread...does anyone remember the story about Eddy Merckx in pursuit of his 6th TdF when he was attacked by a rabid fan (while in possession of the yellow jersey in the alps)? I think it is really cool to travel down the tunnel of noise while climbing a huge hill (around here we replace the screaming fans with screaming motorists and blaring horns), but when one sees a picture of a fan doing what that guy is doing, it has to make you nervous. The's always one.



Back to the irrelevant part of the thread, Mitch Williams was released by the Royals in '97, I tried www.wildthing.com, and came up with something interesting, but totally unrelated...

---

"Maybe you should just run faster..." TM

i think last year, mitch williams was a player-coach for the atlantic city surf, and independent league baseball team in new jersey. can't confirm if that is still the case this year or if he still falls off the mound every time he pitches. i have roots in that area, so that would be the only reason i would know of such otherwise useless info.

Let's Go Mets!

I remember as the Cub closer, Williams got hit in the head with a line drive .... and they checked to see if the BALL was okay.

The Cubs are getting ready to have Bill Buckner day in honor of his 1978 season. Buckner has close to 3000 hits (maybe 2800 or so) and doesn't get into the HOF. Injustice. What weve (society) has done to Buckner is shameful. Bob Stanley says a prayer every night thanking God for Bill Buckner's bad ankles.

I saw the other day where the 86 Mets were ranked #15 or so in ESPN's list of the best teams in the last 25 years. That seemed strange since they were a pinch-hit, wild pitch, and ground ball away from not winning the world series and sinking into obscurity.

--------------------------------------

As for the fan with the fingers ... you can see the same thing at any American sporting event. What's worse is that there's usually a bunch of grade school kids around observing the "behavior".

If A Frenchmen were trying for his 6th Tour de Texas win, I'm sure drunk Texans would treat the French rider with the upmost respect and admiration. For someone that doesn't fouc on world sports (me), It's sort of nice (not really) to see that there are a'hole fans in other places not named America.

---

=======================
-- Every morning brings opportunity;
Each evening offers judgement. --

That's what I was thinking. I've seen far worse at NFL games. Only difference is there's a barracade between the players and the hooligans.

...I know its the tradition for the fans to crowd the side of the road on the big mountains. BUt yesterday seemed especially chaotic. I got nervous watching that (TdF). All it takes is one asshole.

He lives in Toronto now. The only safe place.

Not only are they drunk idiots, they are also considered terrorists. The ETA (Basque separtists group that is).

There's a brilliant, though unattributed, quote in Rob Roll's new book, Tour de France Companion:

"The key to beating Lance is to not make him angry. Unfortunately, when you try to beat him, he gets very angry."

---

------------------------------------------------------------

I replayed the tape several times, I cannot believe the number of people spitting at Lance as he rode by them. Ridiculous. In all fairness, I spotted one other rider spat upon. Ridiculous, too.

The only thing that can keep Lance from winning the tour is one of the nut-cases out there doing something stupid, or a wreck.

Ivan Basso might hang with him well on the mountain time trial, but, not the flatter one. Can anyone say number Seven? The way he's riding now, maybe he'll be back again next year. If he can put together the best team in the tour (once again), he could very well make it Seven in a row.

---

Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

I read that he is definitely doing next year, but I forget where I read it. That surprised me, because I thought that he would retire after this year. Seven, huh? You have to think that record would stand for a little while.

---

------------------------------------------------------------