Did anyone notice Lance’s kids reaction at the finish of the TT yesterday? Lance crosses the finish line, wins the TT and locks up his historic 7th Tour victory. Thousands of people cheering him on, surrounded by media and fans. The kids are ushered up to Lance and are they impressed? No, they want to show him their “swag”!
Kids will humble you every time. They know what’s important in life. 
I was thinking the same thing, SC. I was also thinking that his kids being there was more important to Lance than it was for them…NOT that there is anything wrong with that. Regardless…yesterday, today, and the entire tour will be a special memory for all of them (and us fans as well).
Unlike many around here who find all sorts of ill intentions or lack of sincerity in how Lance has talked about his impending retirement, I take him at his word. As a military dad, who spends quite a bit of time away from his children, I can empathize with Lance when he talks about how much he misses them. It takes a toll, and there are times I really wish I could retire today and not have to leave again. Unfortunately the military is not nearly as lucrative as winning 7 Tours de France, so I’ll have to spend a few more years toiling away 
about knowing what’s important, the interview of Faris Al Sultan on www.xtri.com is pretty cool…He knows for sure that this is just a sport…
I really like Faris. I just wish the dude would get some tri shorts.
how about this…
behind every successful man is a woman rolling her eyes.
kitty
My daughter has been babysitting for the kids of major league baseball player. His 5 year old son thinks his dad is really cool but only because he is in the Playstation. His son puts his dad in every game.
what player?
and spending the money there is never enough of.
“Uh great dad another yellow jersey, whatever. Did you see the size of the ice cream I just got for free?”
That’s why I love kids.
I find women who “roll their eyes” and “spend the money” often get left behind when the man is ready to “trade up”.
Since I am not into shopping as a sport, my nags are more to the nature of - “did you get enough miles in today? I’m not going to Kona with a loser”.
My wife is just like you SC!! If I get a little lazy and take it easy, my wife tells me “go cycling or running, you’ll feel better”. She knows what’s best for me! One time my daughter came to one of my races which was held near her home. My grandson saw me come into T1 and yelled “get going granddad”. Even my grandkids push me on!! That’s what life is all about. My grandson is now 17 and tells me he’s ready to carry on the name. That’s the biggest compliment he could ever give me!!
The best, it was like Luke was “Daddy look in my bag, I found some rocks.”
.
cuteness
.
Makes you all melty inside. What the girls are thinking…
“This is great. I like the cameras. Does the hotel have pool?”
My wife raced last weekend and I took our 3 year old to the finish to cheer. Someone came up toward the finish and my son asked “did mommy beat that guy?” I told him no and he got mad and said “mommy is supposed to beat everyone.”
I am not teaching my son to think that winning is everything (the rest of the world delivers that message well enough), but I thought it was really cute that he REALLY wanted mommy to win.
Today was my turn to race and I got a nice high 5 coming out of the water. Since I will never podium, that makes racing just the little bit better.
-Joey
www.theraceguide.com
For those of us who are parents, we know that kids are everything and are what makes our lives worth something. I’ve got 3 around Lance’s kids age and one more about to be dropped out of the oven any day now. Watching Lance’s kids reminds me of exactly how my kids behave toward me, climbing all over their Dad etc …and the best part I’m not even a Lance.
I loved the shot of 5-time TDF winner Bernard Hinault lifting one of the twins onto the final podium today. Looks the Badger has mellowed quite a bit…
Spot
I wonder what LA’s ex-wife feels about his win/retirement…
I retired a few years ago after 23 yrs of being SF. I asked my son, 20 and a soon to be college junior how many schools he’s been to, the total in 12 years was ten! Thats right, moving, PCSing etc., I would not have changed it though, he’s a great kid.
What is it with boys and their rocks?