This morning I was idly looking at the Shack site, to see if there were any updates, and I was quite cross to notice this, on Andy's "Team" page:
Why "cross"?
Firstly, check the spelling of Schleck on the lower of the two news items. Yes, they spelled it wrongly. Sheck? You can't even spell his name correctly? Are you seriously telling me that no-one on the team or on the admin side noticed a basic spelling mistake like that?
Secondly, check the Tour results in the Palmares: 2010 Tour, 2nd? No, upgraded to 1st, I believe, after Contador's ban and title-stripping episode.
So RadioShack are so opposite-of-proud of Andy that they haven't even bothered to update his palmares to reflect the fact that officially, he is a Tour winner. Yes, we all know that he doesn't want to win it like that, he wants to win it on the road, and, fingers crossed, in a year or two he will. But for now, first place in 2010 was awarded to him, and his own team's website surely ought to reflect it.
Is it just me, or is it time that our Leopards thought hard about ditching this terrible team?
So quiet....... as if nothing ever happened.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like they're hiding in the dark places of Luxembourg or maybe went to another far off place in the world.
Lovely Jil posted a pic on twitter which looked like a live basketball olympic game, so maybe they're close to you, Coug.
No criteriums this year, no extra money, no dolphins probably.
No fangirls going wild, no sportman of the year. Nothing, except the math teacher walking.
How difficult it must feel coming back to racing again?
Barbara
No dolphins! Barbara, I hadn't thought of that, but they certainly won't feel like going island-hopping this year, will they?
ReplyDeleteIronic that Contador is about to emerge into the world again, just as Frankie sinks without trace.
Chin up, Frankie! Chin up, Andy! We still support you!
Coug
Oh no! Off-season with no dolphins? What are we (let alone the dolphins) going to do?!
ReplyDeleteBris. Gal
I guess we are going to have to petition all the Schlecklanders in Lux to get out there with their cameras and take some snaps for us.
ReplyDeletePerhaps we should have a collection and send a stuffed dolphin to Mondorf?
(a toy one, not a real one)
Coug
I'm a bit out of the loop in terms of recent developments, but I'm really hoping that some of the earlier rumours about the boys looking for contracts with other teams are true. As a fan, it would be sad to see our Leopards scattered throughout the peloton on different teams but I will continue to support them individually no matter where they cycle. As for RaNT, I will not support an organization that treats its employees so poorly. If there was a complete change in owner/upper management, perhaps I would come back as a "fan" but they would have to re-earn my support.
ReplyDeleteSending good wishes and support out to the boys.
Motion seconded!
ReplyDeleteI'd rather have scattered Leopards, than totally demoralised Leopards, which is where we seem to be going, with the sole exception of Super Jensi, who seems to be as upbeat and bouncy as a big rubber ball.
RadioShack just seem to lurch from one level of rider disdain to another. Apparently, on the cycling forums, "everyone" seems to think that the sponsor is in trouble, so the team will be folding at the end of the year anyway, which could be the answer to all our problems: if the team folds, then all contracts are off, and our boys are free to go elsewhere.
It seems mean to hope for a company to be in trouble (because of all the people who work for them) but fingers crossed for the demise of RadioShack - or, maybe, for their falling profits to prompt them to give up sponsoring cycing, at any rate.
Coug
I know this is not completely fair because we only get the part of the story that reaches the press or the story that is generated entirely by the press, but I have to be truthful that part of me is secretly hoping that Becca will not have his ProTeam license renewed by the UCI for 2013. (I think that Leopard SA technically has another year before having to undertake the entire renewal process again.) The side of me that keeps that other part in check is the reality that scenario would happen too late in the season for many of our Leopards to sign with other teams, as most team rosters will be pretty much set by November, and it would also adversely affect the non-riding staff who may also be the sole wage earners in their household. I'm hopeful that if anything happens to the pro team sponsorship-wise, the riders and staff will have enough notice to secure employment somewhere else. - Kat
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