So there is a old guy at the guy…typical interweb forum know-it-all, been-there-done-that, condescending tri guy.
Read a post by him the other day. He was going on about what a goofball some newbie triathlete was, about all the unnecessary gear this dude had, he maintains that he is not making fun of the guy personally, but throws in comments such as “it’s not too hard to spot a clown in the crowd” and suggests that the newbie should have a “valid defense for five water bottles, gels, powerbars and all”.
As far as I can tell this guy does nothing all day but peruse Slowtwitch, start the occasional idiotic thread and contribute asinine or snarky comments to existing, legitimate threads. I’ve never read an insightful or original post by the guy despite the fact that he posts about 50 times a day. Nevertheless, it’s clear form his posts that he fancies himself as some sort of triathlon authority, a witty clown prince, a “straight shooter”. Not one to jump a professional forum poster’s case in person I usually smile and click away.
Today…I realize that I’ve been reading this guy’s posts for about 10 years and he bugs. the. s**t. out. of. me. He is online and responding to criticism on his ridiculous thread. Me, I’m cruising the web while I eat a sandwich at my desk. He is bemoaning the lack of a “sense of humor” on the forum and lamenting the fact that “More and more of the real talent here is posting less and less” (recurring theme of his) and blathering on about how benevolent and personable he is in his private life. I do a quick search of his posts because I’m feeling argumentative and discover that in the past day he has made obnoxious, snarky, belittling comments about overweight people, newbies, folks who get tattoos after doing 5ks, comments that, frankly, could have no other effect but to offend. Over the years, I’ve read his attention starved posts about bodily functions, his backhanded bragging, his idiotic personal problems, his angsty posts that reveal the emotional maturity and sophistication of a hormonal pre-teen girl.(new to me)… Oh and I’m pretty sure he is a compulsive liar but, whatever…
Now, I’ve spent my lunch starting this ridiculous thread in order to satire his and to highlight the problem with judging people by their appearances—a lesson most of us learned in elementary school-- but I’m pretty sure all I’ve done is make all his dreams come true since he’s created this exciting controversy and everyone is paying attention to him >insert roll eyes<
Well, off to get my flame suit. (Oh, I never once mentioned that I do Tri)
