tour de france

[nose]

i know it was siad last year but it is worth repeating evn if in alternative words.
Footballers should be forced to watch the tour to see what it means to be brave and show true courage.
when riders fall off and get seriously hurt, they get on their bikes and continue unless they absolutely cannot.
Footballers are such a total disgrace with the cheating, diving, rolling round. I think any player that rolls more than once when he falls over should be made to leave the field for the rest of the game. i am sure we'll players staying on their feet then. Football is truly the beautiful game when played proerly, but footballers are doing their damndest to spoil it.

And before anyone brings up the drug taking of the cyclists, that was/might still be disgraceful too BUT that still does not diminish them displaying maximum courage when being involved in some pretty horrific crashes and that is the aspect to which I refer.

[FFC1987]

i know it was siad last year but it is worth repeating evn if in alternative words.
Footballers should be forced to watch the tour to see what it means to be brave and show true courage.
when riders fall off and get seriously hurt, they get on their bikes and continue unless they absolutely cannot.
Footballers are such a total disgrace with the cheating, diving, rolling round. I think any player that rolls more than once when he falls over should be made to leave the field for the rest of the game. i am sure we'll players staying on their feet then. Football is truly the beautiful game when played proerly, but footballers are doing their damndest to spoil it.

And before anyone brings up the drug taking of the cyclists, that was/might still be disgraceful too BUT that still does not diminish them displaying maximum courage when being involved in some pretty horrific crashes and that is the aspect to which I refer.

To be fair, you always see the cyclists rolling around when they come off....

[Walsh]

i know it was siad last year but it is worth repeating evn if in alternative words.
Footballers should be forced to watch the tour to see what it means to be brave and show true courage.
when riders fall off and get seriously hurt, they get on their bikes and continue unless they absolutely cannot.
Footballers are such a total disgrace with the cheating, diving, rolling round. I think any player that rolls more than once when he falls over should be made to leave the field for the rest of the game. i am sure we'll players staying on their feet then. Football is truly the beautiful game when played proerly, but footballers are doing their damndest to spoil it.

And before anyone brings up the drug taking of the cyclists, that was/might still be disgraceful too BUT that still does not diminish them displaying maximum courage when being involved in some pretty horrific crashes and that is the aspect to which I refer.

This is the biggest loads of shite I've ever read. Any professional in a sport know's what they're getting themselves into, Rugby players expect to get hit hard... so they train for it, Footballers don't train to get hit hard so when they do they go down. If you think Football is an issue with diving go check out the huge players in Basketball in American, they get "illegally" touched and they're falling to the deck as quick as possible. Every sport has it's faults and personally I think Football's is very little now-a-days, we have goal line technology now so there goes that argument, the FA are cracking down on diving... also you don't even understand how much abuse the players get after being caught diving, that somewhat makes them want to never do it again... Yes diving will always be a problem but it's a problem you can't fix and sending players off for diving will cause even more problems.

[RidgeRider]

i know it was siad last year but it is worth repeating evn if in alternative words.
Footballers should be forced to watch the tour to see what it means to be brave and show true courage.
when riders fall off and get seriously hurt, they get on their bikes and continue unless they absolutely cannot.
Footballers are such a total disgrace with the cheating, diving, rolling round. I think any player that rolls more than once when he falls over should be made to leave the field for the rest of the game. i am sure we'll players staying on their feet then. Football is truly the beautiful game when played proerly, but footballers are doing their damndest to spoil it.

And before anyone brings up the drug taking of the cyclists, that was/might still be disgraceful too BUT that still does not diminish them displaying maximum courage when being involved in some pretty horrific crashes and that is the aspect to which I refer.

To be fair, you always see the cyclists rolling around when they come off....

actually you don't see them do that much and when they do it only due to physics (bring thrown from a moving vehicle) or because they broke a clavicle or pelvis (the two most common cycling related injuries)..... try jumping out of a car at 40 to 60 km per hour, in your underwear, and see how it goes, that's close to what crashing on your bike is like

[RaySmith]

Cycling is a completely different culture to football.

It's all about  being able to tolerate suffering, and getting back on the bike after a heavy fall, and continuing in a race if at all possible, is part of that. In the present TdF, Geraint Evans of Sky is riding with fractured pelvis -in great pain - and such things are not unusual in cycling.

Football just doesn't compare - 90 mins of playing football, doesn't compare to riding up and down mountains at impossible seeming speeds for over a hundred miles, and the continuing the next day - and every day for three weeks in the case of the Tour de France, and the other major tours.  Many Tour de France starters had been involved in long races a couple of weeks before.

Football is a game for pampered softies by comparison with cycling.

[nose]

i know it was siad last year but it is worth repeating evn if in alternative words.
Footballers should be forced to watch the tour to see what it means to be brave and show true courage.
when riders fall off and get seriously hurt, they get on their bikes and continue unless they absolutely cannot.
Footballers are such a total disgrace with the cheating, diving, rolling round. I think any player that rolls more than once when he falls over should be made to leave the field for the rest of the game. i am sure we'll players staying on their feet then. Football is truly the beautiful game when played proerly, but footballers are doing their damndest to spoil it.

And before anyone brings up the drug taking of the cyclists, that was/might still be disgraceful too BUT that still does not diminish them displaying maximum courage when being involved in some pretty horrific crashes and that is the aspect to which I refer.

This is the biggest loads of shite I've ever read. Any professional in a sport know's what they're getting themselves into, Rugby players expect to get hit hard... so they train for it, Footballers don't train to get hit hard so when they do they go down. If you think Football is an issue with diving go check out the huge players in Basketball in American, they get "illegally" touched and they're falling to the deck as quick as possible. Every sport has it's faults and personally I think Football's is very little now-a-days, we have goal line technology now so there goes that argument, the FA are cracking down on diving... also you don't even understand how much abuse the players get after being caught diving, that somewhat makes them want to never do it again... Yes diving will always be a problem but it's a problem you can't fix and sending players off for diving will cause even more problems.

You clearly do not read much if this the biggest load of stuff you have ever read. You also don't watch football. did you not see neymar at the confederation cup, suarez, any game, bale, ronaldo and the list is endless. One hand on there arm and they go down rolling about holding their ankle, thigh or whatever. A hand in the chest will see many fall to the floor holding their head as if they had been punched.
I don't give a monkeys about basketball and rugby is a thugs game anyway, I was discussing football and the fact the top players need to behave substantially better!!! The standards are far lower than they ever used to be and the spectacle of free flowing football, which is what most of us desire is limited as aresult.You clearly do not read much if this the biggest load of stuff you have ever read. You also don't watch football. did you not see neymar at the confederation cup, suarez, any game, bale, ronaldo and the list is endless. One hand on there arm and they go down rolling about holding their ankle, thigh or whatever. A hand in the chest will see many fall to the floor holding their head as if they had been punched.
I don't give a monkeys about basketball and rugby is a thugs game anyway, I was discussing football and the fact the top players need to behave substantially better!!! The standards are far lower than they ever used to be and the spectacle of free flowing football, which is what most of us desire is limited as a result.

[nose]

Cycling is a completely different culture to football.

It's all about  being able to tolerate suffering, and getting back on the bike after a heavy fall, and continuing in a race if at all possible, is part of that. In the present TdF, Geraint Evans of Sky is riding with fractured pelvis -in great pain - and such things are not unusual in cycling.

Football just doesn't compare - 90 mins of playing football, doesn't compare to riding up and down mountains at impossible seeming speeds for over a hundred miles, and the continuing the next day - and every day for three weeks in the case of the Tour de France, and the other major tours.  Many Tour de France starters had been involved in long races a couple of weeks before.

Football is a game for pampered softies by comparison with cycling.

Yes I agree, you are right and the point is it is spoiling the game.

The beauty of football was that it was a contact sport but would still flow. Now at the slightest touch players fall to the floor, look like they are dying and the next second running like they are carefree kittens (is that a good metaphore?). Actually if you watch suarez he is skilled at bringing himself down, regualrly catching his own ankles in the hope of getting a free kick, penalty or an opponent sent off.

I still love football with a passion, but the players? What a disgrace they are, pampered softies is, i believe, being rather too kind to them.

[Vinnieffc]

'I don't give a monkeys about basketball and rugby is a thugs game anyway'

I take it you've never played rugby thereby haven't a Scooby what you're talking about. I love both football and rugby equally as they both possess different qualities, physically and etically. I played football at senior level on Saturdays, and rugby at a crap level on Sundays. And I take offence that someone can say my rugby team mates and opponents were 'thugs'. Get on yer bike mate.

[Walsh]

Cycling is a completely different culture to football.

It's all about  being able to tolerate suffering, and getting back on the bike after a heavy fall, and continuing in a race if at all possible, is part of that. In the present TdF, Geraint Evans of Sky is riding with fractured pelvis -in great pain - and such things are not unusual in cycling.

Football just doesn't compare - 90 mins of playing football, doesn't compare to riding up and down mountains at impossible seeming speeds for over a hundred miles, and the continuing the next day - and every day for three weeks in the case of the Tour de France, and the other major tours.  Many Tour de France starters had been involved in long races a couple of weeks before.

Football is a game for pampered softies by comparison with cycling.

Yes I agree, you are right and the point is it is spoiling the game.

The beauty of football was that it was a contact sport but would still flow. Now at the slightest touch players fall to the floor, look like they are dying and the next second running like they are carefree kittens (is that a good metaphore?). Actually if you watch suarez he is skilled at bringing himself down, regualrly catching his own ankles in the hope of getting a free kick, penalty or an opponent sent off.

I still love football with a passion, but the players? What a disgrace they are, pampered softies is, i believe, being rather too kind to them.

You say I don't watch Football? I watch every game of the season but you obviously don't watch a lot of Football, you only watch what Sky Sports shows you... pretty much the ugly stuff which nobody wants to see, if you actually watch Suarez a lot of the time he is a really strong striker who will battle for anything, same with Ronaldo. I haven't seen enough of Neymar but what I saw from the confidential cup Neymar dived twice... you make it sound like every time he gets the chance he dives to floor which is a load of crap. You obviously don't watch the full 90 minutes of matches. I am not saying diving is right but you're saying it like they dive EVERY match which isn't the case, Bale dived 3 times this season out of 38 matches... I don't think it is out of control.

'I don't give a monkeys about basketball and rugby is a thugs game anyway'

I take it you've never played rugby thereby haven't a Scooby what you're talking about. I love both football and rugby equally as they both possess different qualities, physically and etically. I played football at senior level on Saturdays, and rugby at a crap level on Sundays. And I take offence that someone can say my rugby team mates and opponents were 'thugs'. Get on yer bike mate.

I agree, you're judging people before you even know them. It's like saying all Football fans are hooligans.

[Vinnieffc]

Cycling is a completely different culture to football.

It's all about  being able to tolerate suffering, and getting back on the bike after a heavy fall, and continuing in a race if at all possible, is part of that. In the present TdF, Geraint Evans of Sky is riding with fractured pelvis -in great pain - and such things are not unusual in cycling.

Football just doesn't compare - 90 mins of playing football, doesn't compare to riding up and down mountains at impossible seeming speeds for over a hundred miles, and the continuing the next day - and every day for three weeks in the case of the Tour de France, and the other major tours.  Many Tour de France starters had been involved in long races a couple of weeks before.

Football is a game for pampered softies by comparison with cycling.

Yes I agree, you are right and the point is it is spoiling the game.

The beauty of football was that it was a contact sport but would still flow. Now at the slightest touch players fall to the floor, look like they are dying and the next second running like they are carefree kittens (is that a good metaphore?). Actually if you watch suarez he is skilled at bringing himself down, regualrly catching his own ankles in the hope of getting a free kick, penalty or an opponent sent off.

I still love football with a passion, but the players? What a disgrace they are, pampered softies is, i believe, being rather too kind to them.

You say I don't watch Football? I watch every game of the season but you obviously don't watch a lot of Football, you only watch what Sky Sports shows you... pretty much the ugly stuff which nobody wants to see, if you actually watch Suarez a lot of the time he is a really strong striker who will battle for anything, same with Ronaldo. I haven't seen enough of Neymar but what I saw from the confidential cup Neymar dived twice... you make it sound like every time he gets the chance he dives to floor which is a load of crap. You obviously don't watch the full 90 minutes of matches. I am not saying diving is right but you're saying it like they dive EVERY match which isn't the case, Bale dived 3 times this season out of 38 matches... I don't think it is out of control.

'I don't give a monkeys about basketball and rugby is a thugs game anyway'

I take it you've never played rugby thereby haven't a Scooby what you're talking about. I love both football and rugby equally as they both possess different qualities, physically and etically. I played football at senior level on Saturdays, and rugby at a crap level on Sundays. And I take offence that someone can say my rugby team mates and opponents were 'thugs'. Get on yer bike mate.

I agree, you're judging people before you even know them. It's like saying all Football fans are hooligans.

Like.. Sorry if I came across as a bit agressive but my rugby mates and opponents were by and large great blokes.. I just resent any kind of generalisation borne out of ignorance.. Anyway - rant over and I still love you Nose my friend :-)

[Forever Fulham]

One of my son's best friends is a long time bicycle rider.  His family owns a bike shop.  At around the age of 18, he pedaled with a bike touring group from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, with a family member driving the support vehicle.  Took quite a while to traverse the country, and he said crossing the Rockies was a miserable experience.  An ordinary looking young man with a lower body that doesn't match the upper body.  Massive calves and thighs.  I can't imagine doing that feat.  The chafing, the soreness, the oppressive sun beating down on you.  Hoping drivers see you and don't hit you.  He told my son some of the drivers who passed him  behaved like complete asses to the cyclists, especially to those riders who were temporarily separated from the pack.  Nose, I have great respect for bicycle riders, but certainly cycling has its own body of cheats and cheating, just like football.  A soccer forward might exaggerate contact in the box; a Tour cyclist might get a blood tranfusion during a stage, or use an illegal bike, one with a small motor hidden inside the hollow metal tubing.  Sure, cyclists are always fighting the clock, the time, so they have no choice but to get up when downed.  Not sure if they makes them noble when juxtaposed against soccer players.  They HAVE to get up, if they can, to stay in contention.  It's all about their overall and stage times.  A soccer player can't coast downhill like a cyclist can.  He has to keep moving his body.  Not sure you can fairly compare the heart and integrity of the two sports' respective players.  I just wish there weren't so many winning American cyclists who turned out to be notorious cheats.  Landis.  Armstrong.  Shame on them.   None worse than Armstrong in my opinion.  

[RidgeRider]

One of my son's best friends is a long time bicycle rider.  His family owns a bike shop.  At around the age of 18, he pedaled with a bike touring group from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, with a family member driving the support vehicle.  Took quite a while to traverse the country, and he said crossing the Rockies was a miserable experience.  An ordinary looking young man with a lower body that doesn't match the upper body.  Massive calves and thighs.  I can't imagine doing that feat.  The chafing, the soreness, the oppressive sun beating down on you.  Hoping drivers see you and don't hit you.  He told my son some of the drivers who passed him  behaved like complete asses to the cyclists, especially to those riders who were temporarily separated from the pack.  Nose, I have great respect for bicycle riders, but certainly cycling has its own body of cheats and cheating, just like football.  A soccer forward might exaggerate contact in the box; a Tour cyclist might get a blood tranfusion during a stage, or use an illegal bike, one with a small motor hidden inside the hollow metal tubing.  Sure, cyclists are always fighting the clock, the time, so they have no choice but to get up when downed.  Not sure if they makes them noble when juxtaposed against soccer players.  They HAVE to get up, if they can, to stay in contention.  It's all about their overall and stage times.  A soccer player can't coast downhill like a cyclist can.  He has to keep moving his body.  Not sure you can fairly compare the heart and integrity of the two sports' respective players.  I just wish there weren't so many winning American cyclists who turned out to be notorious cheats.  Landis.  Armstrong.  Shame on them.   None worse than Armstrong in my opinion.  

I agree on the dopers, but the cheaters were not just Americans (I'm sure that wasn't your point). Every contemporary of Armstrongs was doing the exact same thing...everyone has been busted, suspended, had their TdF win revoked or have been forced to retire with a halo of suspicion hanging over their heads.....even during the Armstrong era there were perhaps a maximum of 8 Americans riders out of the 190+ plus that start the TdF, the rest are from Europe, Australia, South America, and nowadays even Africa. Doping was and is a problem of the sport. Not just the guys that have won.

Oh, and it is highly unlikely that football isn't filled with dopers as well.

[Forever Fulham]

Agree.

[FFC1987]

i know it was siad last year but it is worth repeating evn if in alternative words.
Footballers should be forced to watch the tour to see what it means to be brave and show true courage.
when riders fall off and get seriously hurt, they get on their bikes and continue unless they absolutely cannot.
Footballers are such a total disgrace with the cheating, diving, rolling round. I think any player that rolls more than once when he falls over should be made to leave the field for the rest of the game. i am sure we'll players staying on their feet then. Football is truly the beautiful game when played proerly, but footballers are doing their damndest to spoil it.

And before anyone brings up the drug taking of the cyclists, that was/might still be disgraceful too BUT that still does not diminish them displaying maximum courage when being involved in some pretty horrific crashes and that is the aspect to which I refer.

To be fair, you always see the cyclists rolling around when they come off....

actually you don't see them do that much and when they do it only due to physics (bring thrown from a moving vehicle) or because they broke a clavicle or pelvis (the two most common cycling related injuries)..... try jumping out of a car at 40 to 60 km per hour, in your underwear, and see how it goes, that's close to what crashing on your bike is like

I was making a joke.....The physics part of the fall was the rolling....Hard to tell my to e typing I guess :)

[RidgeRider]

i know it was siad last year but it is worth repeating evn if in alternative words.
Footballers should be forced to watch the tour to see what it means to be brave and show true courage.
when riders fall off and get seriously hurt, they get on their bikes and continue unless they absolutely cannot.
Footballers are such a total disgrace with the cheating, diving, rolling round. I think any player that rolls more than once when he falls over should be made to leave the field for the rest of the game. i am sure we'll players staying on their feet then. Football is truly the beautiful game when played proerly, but footballers are doing their damndest to spoil it.

And before anyone brings up the drug taking of the cyclists, that was/might still be disgraceful too BUT that still does not diminish them displaying maximum courage when being involved in some pretty horrific crashes and that is the aspect to which I refer.

To be fair, you always see the cyclists rolling around when they come off....

actually you don't see them do that much and when they do it only due to physics (bring thrown from a moving vehicle) or because they broke a clavicle or pelvis (the two most common cycling related injuries)..... try jumping out of a car at 40 to 60 km per hour, in your underwear, and see how it goes, that's close to what crashing on your bike is like

I was making a joke.....The physics part of the fall was the rolling....Hard to tell my to e typing I guess :)

no worries....I take my sport way too seriously some times!

[jarv]

I went for a bike ride the other day, about 10 miles and have a sore arse, feels like a bruised melon. any advice on comfortable saddles anyone? :hook:

[epsomraver]

You need to talk to Ridge rider about " Butt butter"  :005:

[RidgeRider]

ok, I watched yesterday and the race is not over yet......

Sky faltered big time, one rider missed the cut, one crashed, and Richie Porte was dropped and lost like 17 minutes, so second place is no longer a possibility for him. Froome isolated by Moviestar, Belkin, and Saxo Bank.

Best stage I have seen in a long time with Garmin Sharp winning the stage with Irishman Dan Martin and the team as whole busting the race open with 4 separate attacks. Very exciting. I may spoken too soon.  :022:

[JBH]

Sorry can't see what normal people see in watching a bunch of blokes in lycra with padded crotches riding a bike up and down hills  065.gif

[SP]

I went for a bike ride the other day, about 10 miles and have a sore arse, feels like a bruised melon. any advice on comfortable saddles anyone? :hook:

A cushion perhaps?  :005:  Recently started cycling in an attempt to reduce my rapidly expanding waistline.  Unfortunately, I can't get beyond 'the travelling too fast to stop' mental block as I live in fear of bonnet sliding.