As I’ve been watching RR over the past few years I’ve become attached to teams rather than the individual cyclist. Of course I liked Postal/Discovery, but i also like CSC, Gerolsteiner, and Euskatel.
Maybe it’s my amercian attitude of team sports like football(Go Rams!). I loved Eric Dickerson, but once he was traded to the Colts, I didn’t miss him…too much;)
Am I watching cycling from the wrong angle here?
I think you are watching it from the RIGHT angle. I think not enough people appreciate it as a team sport. I like the Postal/Discovery team as well ('cause I like Lance, and I like that they are American). I like CSC because they seem like a “team” team (like the Patriots). I like Euskatel because I think the Basques are crazy and cool. I like some of the little teams, like last year’s Boulangere (sp?) team that fought tooth and nail for T. Voeckler when he was in yellow. I think the teams make it more fun…
My first favorite team was Saeco, because they wore red and were sponsored by an espresso machine company, how cool is that?!
NO, You are just European. We from the U.S.are just individual. Did you ever notice i is no longer the Celtics against the Lakers but Shaq against Duncan ect…
One reason I still like baseball… Yankees vs. Red Sox…
You know I was thinking something similar today. But I was thinking how association with a team helps a bike manufacturer, but in my case it worked the other way around…I am rooting for CSC cuz they all went out and bought bikes like mine.
If Discovery get Vino next year then they are the Yankees, or the 49ers circa 1980’s, of cycling. I like T-Mobile as the Eagles, yet to win the big one. CSC is the Patriots.
Phonak is the expansion team like Arizona D-backs.
Yep, you are on the bright side of the force. Ok you can pick one or two individuals but the race is to be seen as a team competition. You see… when a guy as the yellow, it’s the team that’s working for him so… it’s VERY difficult to win it without a good team.
Unless you are somekind of monster like in 2002 when Ullrich lost the tour by a minute or so cause he had no team to help him out.
Oh damn… tomorow Team time trial… that should be FUN 
Ooooh if Vino goes to Discovery and Lance comes in as consultant to assist Brunyl in team training and equipment prep … awesome! I reckon the legacy of the Blue Train in the TdF will continue.
I don’t know if I buy that. All the big American sports are team sports, individual sports aren’t even on the radar screen. Basketball is at an odd place right now. It’s severe lack of talent, or more likely talented players who work hard, allows one player to dominate a game.
While American football has super stars no one player can shift the fortunes of a team.
The Eagles are a similar to the Patriots in that the team comes before the individual. Case in point, Terrel Owens. They will not pay him. He’ll either concede and come to camp or sit out this year and get traded.