Hunters Win

[Guest colonel]

Sorry Chunky thats wat I heard.

[linnega]

No I got it' date=' just felt that a little bit needed to be added on. [/quote']

 

 

Well then I'm definitely missing something 

 

You seem to support him.....

 

I do not remember what the article said (as it was almost 10 years ago by now' date=' 7 if I remember correctly) and I most definately do not know what Robbie's exact words were (knowing how quotations end up very often...) but it seems as if he was right.
I think he said that it would be 10 years before another Saffa rode the Tour de France and was up at his level.

Who has come close?

At the time I was also very upset, but since then it seems that he was right. We need more people in SA saying things straight out and not cutting corners or trying to make other fools feel better.

[/quote']

 

 

.....however this bit here....

 

 

(refering only to honest' date=' true and calm opinions)[/quote']

 

 

....is completely the opposite of RH's methods

 

That interview was in Ride mag 2002. Less than 5yrs ago.

 

So we'll wait in see. Either way, the point is his attitude sucks. I really am a very forgiving person and still followed his progress and will give any man a break, but seeing his outbursts lately has just swung my opinion of the man back to what it was before.

 

If it does turn out he was right, that still wouldn't make it an acceptable thing in my mind.

 

As one reader put it in the following issue "I suppose time will tell just how good you are. It's just that some of us would rather let time, and not you, tell us exactly how good that is."

 

I sincerely hope RH is made to eat his words!

 

Later

I have to agree with Craven.  RH's comments were brash and arrogant and he continues to make those sort of comments.  However, it seems unlikely that he will be made to eat his words.  The best of the rest (Cox and George) seem like they will never be competitive against the best in the world.  Perhaps in a few years time some of the youngsters that rode for Konica-Minolta will develop into world class riders, but that will only be in 3-5 years time.

 

Cocky, arrogant comments by Hunter - but true.  Maybe Craven will develop into a ProTour (if such a thing still exists) superstar, but then he is from north of the border, so we can't really claim rights.

[Guest colonel]

as with most successful sportsmen - there is no connection between the brain and the mouth. Benni McCarthey' date=' Bif Smith , Gibbs, Campese come to mind[/quote']

 

In all fairness most of the countries top sportsmen are taken out of school early to focus on sport or left in school and not really pressured to do well academicly cause of their talent.

[rock]

problem I saw with George and US Postal - when he joined - Lance won the bloody TdF for ths 1st time........

 

colonel......Minnaar also left school early.......think he left after Std 8 or 9 and did matric via corresponance from Martin Whitley's house in Switzerland......inbetween world cups.......

 

 

[Thyolo]

The sporting gods often put great talent into flawed characters to confuse our ideas as to how our heroes should be.

 

Top of my list would be:

 

Mike Tyson

 

and then a huge distance behind him

 

John McEnroe

 

Paul Gascoigne

 

Most Australian cricketers

 

etc; etc.

 

No rights and wrongs in this but it makes for debate and puts excitement in sport.

 

Look at mens tennis - talented but boring for the last 20 years.

 

 

 

 

[Craven]

 

 

At the time I was also very upset' date=' but since then it seems that he was right. We need more people in SA saying things straight out and not cutting corners or trying to make other fools feel better.

(refering only to honest, true and calm opinions)

[/quote']

 

What I meant by the bit in brackets was that SA needs people like Robbie to say things straight and not be scared, BUT that refers to his calm/honest opinions and not to when he is angry.

 

The picture I used to get of Robbie through the media was never the greatest. Then I met him and have subsequently become a true supporter. Just out of interest, the people who dislike him, how many have actually met him?

 

Thank you Linnega, that is a very nice idea and one that I am working towards. SA will always have a claim to me as besides the fact that my parents were both born in SA, I only really started cycling when I was in Stellenbosch. Thanks to SA I love cycling.

Craven2007-03-14 02:55:27

[Belgium boy]

Barloworld did it four years ago in the same race so what is new

[Cruxpearl]

Colonel....

 

That was a bullsh*t story. It never happened at all. 

What never really happened at all???

[Cruxpearl]

Barloworld did it four years ago in the same race so what is new

Did what?

[TitusTi]

DG getting the boot from Discovery for dodginess.

[rock]

Barloworld did it four years ago in the same race so what is new

Did what?

 

2004

 

win the Giro - George (riding for Baloworld)

 

and win the "argus" - Salamone (Barloworld)

[scotty]

Reading some comments, its been suggested that RH only joined Barloworld because he could not get another team. When its pointed out that he in fact did have another Pro offer (albeit not as lucrative) he's accused of being only after money.

Looks like he's damned if he does, damned if he does not.