Tuesday 5 January 2010

The Sky Is Falling

I've decided I don't like Team Sky. Yes, it's competition and yes the athletes have a responsibility to themselves to be in the best possible situation and earn as much as possble during their short careers. What's the value of a contract, though? If I had so little respect for your contract with your last team, what's to keep me from showing similar disrespect to my contract with you if things don't go so hot for you next year. This isn't a "rah rah 'Murica" thing either since I the Swift deal is as big of a thing as the Wiggins deal. It's clearly their M.O.

Lovkvist said one of the reasons he went to Sky was because of the relentless focus on Cav at Columbia. Now that Wiggins is at Sky how would Sky feel about him saying go stick your contract up your bum I'm going someplace where il actually get to ride for myself some time in the next decade.

The law of unintended consequences never rests, though. I predict a dark period for up and coming British cyclists trying to get signed by non-British teams. How high would you have to be to sign and invest in young British talent right now when you know that if they do well, they'll head to Sky next year anyway?

The other thing is they're giving a pretty smug impression, like everyone else who's come before is a total dopeand they'll show everyone how it's done. Coincidentally, the '03 British America's Cup challenge had the same kind of demeanor. It didn't work out too well for them. I'm not wishing ill on Sky, and with the talent they've got (Boss Hog) they'll get penty of results. I'm just not a fan.

Enough of that. Training's right back on track (it never really got off track) and the psyche is growing. Something happened this morning that should make the bowels of MABRA quake with fear. In a good way. It's ON. And this has nothing to do with me. Well, a tiny little bit. Tiny.

5 comments:

Sigberto Garcia said...

'boss hog' is an animal and i love your new header pic

Tim Rugg said...

Sky will be great. And they are breading loyalty to country with there loyalty to a team, instead of contract hopping like every other sport in existence.

Simon Gerrans will do wonders for them - keep an eye on him, I'm a fan. He's an Aussy.

As for bowels... don't get me started. As for fear - I hope you mean turning Lost River into a 2/3 day 3 stage race. Eh Eh?

Chuck Wagon said...

B - Its all in the camera.

T - I guess meth ain't just for breakfast any more. Sky will get results though. Does your new team want to co-promote Lost River?

Greg said...

Sky is owned by Rupert Murdoch. Makes me want to vomit.

TerribleTerry said...

Tim, That loyalty to country thing does a lot for fans....but never works out so great for struggling athletes needing a paycheck. I seemed to race against a ton of folks from Qatar....a year after they raced for their homeland on the Kenyan version of "Sky".

People are nationalistic 1 year in every 4....the remainder of the time....They need MONEY!