David George gets 2 years

[SwissVan]

 

Ok hubber - I know this comment is not really welcome here and I have not read the full tread - but at any rate:

 

 

7. Unfortunately I was witness to him been lead astray with US postal ( but with all due respect this is a UCI problem not a DG problem) which to a degree ended our friendship.

 

David George was always an exceptionally talented cyclist way before he was introduced to a US postal program - whatever you Hubbers say you (99.9%) cannot claim to be that talented and dedicated to the sport of cycling. What DG has done was wrong or equal to what his fellow well most competitor were doing at the time - He was been " professional"

 

Who the F..K are you to judge (and this by no means am I condoning what has happened in cycling / DG over the past number of year) or are you too hight on something? Yes I too am frustrated with the situation but don't isolate 1 person(s) it is the governing body at fault!

 

 

Nice story Icycling i'm sure it will bring a tear to someone's eyes

 

I'm sure there are a lots of people who can replay a similar story for most of the worlds known dopers (including LA [voila Petatroll]).

 

The problem goes deeper than the governing bodies and professional teams tho. Peoples conception that dopers should be forgiven for knowingly and willingly cheating is just as bad if not worse, i'd go as far as to say its a sign of weakness.

[SwissVan]

What a post, icycling.

Great story.

Your personal connection to DG makes his ordeal very eina. For sure.

I agree that there was a prevailing culture and system where very few chose to not dope, and faced alienation by their peers.

 

'We', the public, yearn for greater ethics in the sport and its heroes.

I want to follow their success and admire his strength and speed when he zooms past me up Signal Hill Rd to win that time trial, NOT built on falsehood, NOT built on a broken rule.

The public have a voice here, whether 'we' have super athletic ability or not, 'WE' ARE FOLLOWERS/FANS.

 

What happened in the 90s in PRO cycling, I can appreciate.

What happened as a result of an off-season dope test in 2012, well, it is more difficult to reconcile in a period of renewing and improvement in the culture of the sport.

 

What I like about your story is that it speaks to the fact that he's just a man and superb athlete too, and that this should not be forgotten.

A man that bleeds red who was pressured into success at the highest level - by the environment (lots of dysfunction) AND BY HIS PERSONAL IDEALS (here he too makes a deep personal choice to cheat).

 

Hey, if Kevin Evans can end up speaking of having compassion, so can 'we', the public.

And, he broke a rule in sport; nothing more, nothing less.

 

Well done in your achievements too. Man, that must've been hard work to fulfill your potential. Indeed.

 

(Just my opinion in this sticky debate)

 

 

Boet you should get off that fence at some flippin stage.

[rouxtjie]

lcycling, you raise what I believe are valid and fair points so far as not judging the man. No we don't know the pressures and yes he is or was a talented rider.

 

However I take issue with the faulty logic, or rather the emotional point of view, that states that we cannot judge or have an opinion on DG's negative actions because we are not in his league as cyclists. If we need to be as talented in order to have a point of view or opinion then that is the end of pro cycling. If we cannot have an opinion on cheating then don't expect us to have one on winning clean or any other aspect of cycling. In other words no more fans and no more pay day for the pros. Us fans, whether talented cyclists or not, are what brings money to the sport.

 

DG was more than happy to accept our opinions when he was winning and we were cheering. He must in return accept our anger and disappointment when it turns out he was cheating. Please note that I say he cheated, not that he is a cheat. I judge the action, and believe I have that right, but I am not judging the person

I like your point of view

['Dale]

Boet you should get off that fence at some flippin stage.

 

Maybe my brain works differently than yours, Boet.

I aspire see all sides. There's no one truth. Humanity is complex.

 

My opinion is woven in there somewhere...if you follow closely.

Edited December 6, 2012 by ' Dale

[Tumbleweed]

Ok hubber - I know this comment is not really welcome here and I have not read the full tread - but at any rate:

 

1. I went to school with David George (DG) and then he stared cycling!

 

2. I help him a bit, been the older here, we talking the 80ies!

 

3. What you guys don't know I pleaded with Lawrence Whittaker (PPA chairman at the time) to allowed DG to ride with the A group in a local fun ride to prove himself - needless to say he won he event, off the top of my head, he broke away at the start of the event which then went straight up Constantia Nek too win the event. His 1st proper race round Rondebosch common UCT circuit race - he came 4th ( again off the top of my head).

 

4. He then went a bit into the recumbent scene!

 

5. The following year I distinctly remember telling him to wake up in a Giro del Capo stage where on Visserhoek I was coming past him at which point he did! Alan van Heerden won the stage and DG was way ahead of me and not loosing to much time on GC. He was then still a teenager / early 20 year old - I Cannot remember!

 

6. I was one off two people (Willie Engelbrecht and myself) to witness 1st hand ( his service car) his ride in the 97 world championship San Sebastian world championships - I have no doubt to believe this was done on been trained properly and nothing to do with substance abuse!

 

7. Unfortunately I was witness to him been lead astray with US postal ( but with all due respect this is a UCI problem not a DG problem) which to a degree ended our friendship.

 

David George was always an exceptionally talented cyclist way before he was introduced to a US postal program - whatever you Hubbers say you (99.9%) cannot claim to be that talented and dedicated to the sport of cycling. What DG has done was wrong or equal to what his fellow well most competitor were doing at the time - He was been " professional"

 

Who the F..K are you to judge (and this by no means am I condoning what has happened in cycling / DG over the past number of year) or are you too hight on something? Yes I too am frustrated with the situation but don't isolate 1 person(s) it is the governing body at fault! People end up doing what they have to do - you too are probably no different. You guys really do not know what was going down in the the late 90ies and the up until very recently! I can assure you I am a victim of this because of my principles - but to choose to judge people is also against my principles ( that for God to do) - yup DG and myself are only two of four cyclist to have done 3 sub 2h30 Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay cycle tour - I know I have done mine 100% clean - how many have you done in what ever state?

 

Stop judging - it just not worth it - you too I can assure you are also guilty of something!

 

 

http://sphotos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s480x480/16028_10151339307630310_194739080_n.jpg

 

Great post, Icycling, but one point of difference. The "introduced to a US postal program" reference. He himself is on record as saying he wasn't part of the USPS programme; not part of the inner circle. If anything, the pressures of riding in Europe could be cited, but he is not a "victim" of USPS.

[SwissVan]

 

1. Maybe my brain works differently than yours, Boet.

I see all sides. There's no one truth.

 

2. My opinion is woven in there somewhere...

 

 

1. Hopefully yes

 

2. Why hide it, free speech etc....

['Dale]

1. Hopefully yes

 

2. Why hide it, free speech etc....

 

No concealment here. Just writing and/or reasoning style, I guess.

 

*hi-jack off*

Edited December 6, 2012 by ' Dale

[Icycling]

Perfect day In CT today for a nice little 100Km cycle round Cape Point - thats what I am about to go do - SPF 40 on already! I do have further comment and analogies, but hey with weather like this I am going cycling - thats what I love to do!

 

The PRO cyclist have always been the pawns in the equation!

Edited December 6, 2012 by Icycling

[SwissVan]

Perfect day In CT today for a nice little 100Km cycle round Cape Point - thats what I am about to go do - SPF 40 on already! I do have further comment and analogies, but hey with weather like this I am going cycling - thats what I love to do!

 

The PRO cyclist have always been the pawns in the equation!

 

Lucky you its still dark and cold with some promise of snow (in Paris)

Enjoy it

[rouxtjie]

Perfect day In CT today for a nice little 100Km cycle round Cape Point - thats what I am about to go do - SPF 40 on already! I do have further comment and analogies, but hey with weather like this I am going cycling - thats what I love to do!

 

The PRO cyclist have always been the pawns in the equation!

yes they are the victims...

[GLuvsMtb]

lcycling, you raise what I believe are valid and fair points so far as not judging the man. No we don't know the pressures and yes he is or was a talented rider.

 

However I take issue with the faulty logic, or rather the emotional point of view, that states that we cannot judge or have an opinion on DG's negative actions because we are not in his league as cyclists. If we need to be as talented in order to have a point of view or opinion then that is the end of pro cycling. If we cannot have an opinion on cheating then don't expect us to have one on winning clean or any other aspect of cycling. In other words no more fans and no more pay day for the pros. Us fans, whether talented cyclists or not, are what brings money to the sport.

 

DG was more than happy to accept our opinions when he was winning and we were cheering. He must in return accept our anger and disappointment when it turns out he was cheating. Please note that I say he cheated, not that he is a cheat. I judge the action, and believe I have that right, but I am not judging the person

Well said SIR.

The whole LA and DG issue (and doping in our sport) is very nicely summed up here for me.

Is it too early to give this man a Bells?

[rouxtjie]

Well said SIR.

The whole LA and DG issue (and doping in our sport) is very nicely summed up here for me.

Is it too early to give this man a Bells?

The boeing is over...

['Dale]

 

The boeing is over...

 

Bietjie vroeg!

:-D

[SwissVan]

yes they are the victims...

 

Love it

[Shebeen]

I doubt whether DG will spill the beans on his actions. Maybe a juicy Carte Blanche or YOU expose will come up, but if that's the case the time is ripe now whilst 'LANCE is a doper' fever is sky high.

 

I figure that he was battling to keep up with KE, and doping was the only way to get back to his level. That's a theory based on anecdotal evidence of watching epic highlights when Kev is normally doing the work over the years and the fact that he's no spring chicken anymore. Pick it apart at your pleasure.

[ricochet_rabbit]

I say life ban !

 

if you worked at a normal company ( as most of us do ) and stole money from the company instead of working for it the normal way you would lose your job ( if caught) .

 

so if you cycle for a living and take drugs to make it easier to earn your living why be treated any differently .

 

So what you are saying is that if you are fired from your job for misconduct that you should not be employable, by anyone, ever again ? He has been fired and has a two year restraint of trade. He is also unlikely to gain future employment in the same field again so effectively has a life time restrain of trade...how much worse can it be ?