I don't know why VeloNews is so late in covering an event from back in September, but my latest copy (October 29, 2007) has a quote from Rock Racing owner Michael Ball at the USA Crit Finals as saying:

"We don't want to just own this event, we want to own the domestic cycling series.  We want to dominate it.  We want to go out every weekend and squash everybody...."

Pardon the interruption, but so far, so good, right?  I mean, you'd want your team to achieve world domination, right?  Nothing wrong with that, right?  But wait, Michael Ball can't keep it shut at just that.  The quotation ends with this kicker:

"...and come Monday morning people go out and buy a lot of Rock Racing crap."

Tells you all you need to know, doesn't it?  I don't know what the Rock Racing crap is, but I'm sure it's crap.  But that's not the point.  In one sense, you gotta admire how direct the guy is.  It isn't about glory, it isn't about keeping the sport exciting through good, honest competition.  It's about people buying crap.  IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY!  Remember that when the next doping scandal comes along.

--posted by Chris

Postscript:  Oh, and did Rock Racing "own" the event in Las Vegas?  Unless he was talking about Rock Racing being the sponsor, which is appropriate for an event in Las Vegas, um, no.  But, hey, they did get fourth, seventh, and thirty-fifth place (results), so maybe people will buy some crap after all.

from terry...

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/10/did_the_congest.php

bring on the change

strange.

but rockin'.

this tune is simply haunting.

i always laughed when there was a commercial on television that said that.  some very serious man or woman, wearing a labcoat would gaze earnestly into the camera, remove their glasses and hold up a manilla envelope or folder and say "an important university study has shown that..." 

this was my cue to start ignoring the rest.  at least political attack ads have the courage to cite their sources.  these are generic.  what gives this thing it's credibility?  the quasi-scientist staring into the camera, or maybe the "important" research in that manilla folder?  what gives.  as i got older, i came to appreciate the subtlety of competeing subject matter experts in a court of law and the way that authority, certainty and belief and are assumed and attacked when research is discussed.  this can all be seen repeated in bicycling relevant terms through a nice link from terry: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/10/freakonomics_on_1.php

-sg

just days ago, i was jabbering on about this.  you probably thought it was just random occurences, and random flux that thye happened in succession.  but i ask you, how many data points does it take to make a trend?

http://bikecentric.blogspot.com/2007/10/can-you-hear-me-now.html

time to take back what is ours.  zero tolerance policy for vehicular traffic on bicycle commuter routes is in effect.  go get a late pass.  step.

several friends, unbeknownst to each other, are waging a vicious battle for web link dominance.  bryan will probably win the war based on consistency, but for today, pete wins the battle and walks away with it for the weekend.  his email jokes about whether unicycles are union approved.  i would stress that it's not the size of your ride but what you do with it.  and this guy makes do.  check it:

http://glumbert.com/wii/view.php?name=unicycle

-sg

an email from pete:

a follow up from bryan

Last year I encountered a motorist on the WOD on the section between the castle and the Custis....

and then it was my turn.  i was coming home from happy hour after hains in dc wed. night. i was just east of east falls church where it parallels 66 when a pickup started coming down the trail.  he was moving pretty good like.  he hit me with the high beams from 75m out which pretty much incapacitated my retinas, but he pulled off the path and drove in the grass.  as he went by, i noticed some logo on his door and his truck was filled with equipment.  i haven't a clue what he was doing.  catching rabbits, patching holes, or maybe just out for a cruise.  it's simply out of hand.  what part of __bike__ path don't they understand?

cool link from bryan

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/bik/444686139.html

it sure looks cool, but one has to wonder how many more hours it will be until those goatee-wearing, mountain dew code red swilling, chain wallet wearing hoodlums ruin it by riding these things on skate ramps and terrorizing our public monuments with their "extreme" antics; jumping it into fountains and grinding and bumping and what not.  in my day, you rode a banana seat bicycle off a piece of plywood in the neighbors yard propped up by a cinder block and called it a day.  in this modern era, with jazz and jet planes, you'd need to ride one of these things off the roof of the mci center, with one hand holding a red bull and video camera and the other hand holding a base jumping parachute to deploy on the way down, in order to get anyone to get up off their ass and give you a second look. 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/protour_oct07.php?id=road/2007/oct07/eroica07

and be sure to check out the pictures as well....

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos_protour_oct07.php?id=/photos/2007/oct07/eroica07/gallery-eroica07

-sg

the racing union blog returns from the idle rantings of the disgruntled with news of all things cycling.  but first, news (via an email from garner) about even more idle rantings.  and belgium.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-goldberg9oct09,0,4034634.column?coll=la-tot-opinion

screw goldberg.  he's a tool.  disagree with me? you'll get a chance to bat it around live. 

tomorrow, the glorious revolution in cycling and the social order calls like the sirens of hellenic mythology to all those who ride: it’s voice unavoidable, it’s message irresistible, it’s appeal undeniable.  but this time, the call is not to duty, but to time spent riding with friends.  for those who have the luxury of free time and seek greater adventure on two wheels, please be advised that tomorrow, wednesday oct 10, we will be meeting for a very friendly ride around hains point with many like-minded cyclists: some racers, some recreational, some that fall in the “other” category.  this is to be immediately followed by the consumption of cool frothy beverages at real food and drink and the attempt to curse goldberg's name in as many languages as we can summon with our minds clouded by strong brown belgian ale.

also be aware that i will be passing the hat to raise money for the racing union benevolent fund.  though contributions are technically voluntary, our expectation is that people’s zeal for the revolution and fervor in fostering safe cycling throughout the dc metro area will bring slightly better that 100% participation.  anyone who makes a contribution, no matter how large or small is eligible for some fun door prizes i will be giving away.  i will also “auction” off a very nice piece of cycling memorabilia.  it is not in great condition but i will pass it around the table for people to check out and will take offers with all money going towards our current hair-brained scheme to foster safer cycling in and around dc.  details on said scheme will be made abundantly clear at the bistro.

and taking no rest in our labors, we transition to thursday bike polo with the dc street pirates at 12 & d se.  7:00 pm +/- 30 minutes.  be sure to use a beater bike if you want to turn out.  spectators are welcome.

-scott

The 135 colleagues of the bicycle factory Bike Systems GmbH in the Thuringian Nordhausen, who keep the factory occupied since 10th of July 2007, decided to resume the production of bicycles in self-management. For this aim 1,800 binding orders on bicycles must be received till 2nd of October. So the collegues are working together with the anarcho-syndicalist union FAU (Freie Arbeiterinnen- und Arbeiter-Union – Free Workers-Union), which formed for this campaign the internetpage www.strike-bike.de.