'If you worried about falling off the bike, you'd never get on'
A quote from Lance Armstrong who, it would appear, has fallen off.... I can't quite see the point of taking his medals, jerseys or whatever away if they are only to be handed to a slightly slower drugs cheat but I really hope now though that the sport is clean. Rachel did a module on performance drugs for PE A'level and the emotional and physical damage done by them is immense. I find it hard to blame young athletes arriving in a system where use of drugs is not only accepted but expected, but the depth to which Armstrong was apparently involved is, to say the least, enormously disappointing.
So - for happier things - since the book club ladies are reading my 365 post I thought I should include some literary references. So does anybody know who wrote, "He did not ride fast, he did not ride straight, an exacting critic might say he did not ride well - but he rode generously, opulently, using the whole road and even nibbling at the footpath. The excitement never flagged."?
Obviously depending on the photo I may live to regret this challenge!
Three good things:
1. Clean sport
2. Books
3. Yellow bikes
Great shot. Perhaps what is needed is that a debate, very publicly, is started on the over privileged professional elites in sport whose self interest for fame, profit and wealth has over "ridden" the values of amateur excellence.
Wonderful use of panning - have not mastered this at all... I read up on the discussions on drugs as the next person down to get the medals would be the German Jan Ulrich who is - as you said - just the slightly lower drug cheat apparently. But the first ten on the list are just the same I heard. It would be really nice, if sports were cleaner!
Great shot Judith. Love the focus and movement in the background. I have somewhat lost faith in cycling - I suppose I denied the thought that Mr Armstrong may not have been clean...
Nice panning!
I never get why you'd want to cheat to get a medal/win something. It's like the people who post other people's work to try get on the popular page. Don't get the point.
Great panning shot. I'm so rubbish at this. Yes Lance is a pig. I never liked him anyway. I am a fan of EPO though - which at the moment is keeping my dad inches away from kidney dialysis. It has some good uses although cheating to satisfy your ego is not one of them. Cycling has become so much closer and therefore more interesting without the cheating. Hurray for that.
@meisen325 Wahey! Google? It's what I did. I will have to open some actual books soon I think. Sounds like a fun little story and you can just imagine that cyclist. Wonder if it's on Kindle?
@fueast EPO - a wonder of genetic engineering. Glad to hear that the NHS is actually paying people to have it. Originally they said it was too expensive so that people on dialysis felt rubbish, couldn't work and had to live on benefits - whereas people on it felt much better, worked and paid taxes. I don't think the biotech people ever had overpaid cyclists in mind....
@judithg I Googled to confirm. My father had a vast (and quirky) library that included lots of early science fiction stuff and many of Wells' books. The Wheels of Chance is one of the few of his that I read, The Island of Dr. Moreau being another one and, though I remember little of it, the quote rang a bell (haha, no pun intended).
Marvelous shot! I am so disappointed in Lance Armstrong. Doping, like any other form of cheating, casts an ugly shadow on the integrity of sports. True athletes are all about sportsmanship and fair play. Lance has been exposed as a win-at-all-costs cheat. Sad.
Such a waste. So many people in the public eye think they are immune from rules and regulations...and are surprised when they are caught. Makes you wonder how many get away with things that AREN''T caught. Well, at least you caught this shot well!!!
Great panning Judith & I am hoping I will be inspired by you as I have completely lost my enthusiasm!!! Yours are the only shots I have actively looked back to.
I think it would be fair to say that Lance Armstrong has fallen off and I'm not talking about his bike. This is a cool shot, The guy's seat seems a bit low, but as the photographer you can't really control that can you
November 2nd, 2012
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I never get why you'd want to cheat to get a medal/win something. It's like the people who post other people's work to try get on the popular page. Don't get the point.