On May 18, 7:43*pm, Scott wrote:
On May 18, 5:23*pm, RicodJour wrote:









On May 18, 3:29*pm, Scott wrote:

On May 18, 10:36*am, Ryan Cousineau wrote:

On Tuesday, 17 May 2011 13:47:49 UTC-7, Scott *wrote:
On May 17, 10:02*am, "Steve Freides" wrote:
Michael Press wrote:
In article ,
"Steve Freides" wrote:

Scott wrote:
I'm always amazed by the folks who plug away their entire 20's,
chasing that elusive pro contract, thinking that if they just get
that one opportunity they'll make it big. *
Here's a case of what happens when you actually have the goods:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/...-stage-winner-...

Discuss amongst yourselves.
You guys are focused on the wrong aspect of the story. It's not that
he won, but rather someone noticed his obvious talent and brought him
up through a development system. *He didn' spend years sleeping in his
Yugo and eating pb&j waiting for the big break that was never going to
come.

Are we supposed to be happy for him??

De Clerq, by winning a stage at the Giro, has all but guaranteed himself a good five years of serious, FIVE-figure employment (in Euros!) that will prepare him for such exciting and lucrative careers as...bike mechanic! Or...cycling coach! He's so cool.

It's good that he's living the dream. It's better that he didn't interrupt his studies to do so. I am just taking this moment of young(ish) Bart's success to **** from a height upon it, because I still don't believe pro cycling is much more professional than pro wrestling.

To put it another way, pro cycling is a fun hobby, but it should give you pause to consider how quickly pro peloton salaries converge with Europe-league basketball player salaries.

Again, focused on the wrong point. *DeClerq is only relevant as a
counter-example to the Yugo driving, pb&j eating, and often doping no-
hopers. *For those guys, they should accept that if they are not being
sought out at a relatively young age, it is not in the cards. *Not
saying to quit racing, just face reality.

**** reality. *What's it to you that another person's life choices
bother you? *Big fookin' deal - the guy likes to ride his bike and has
a dream. *I'm really at a loss to understand what you're suggesting as
the alternative. *Continuing that line of thought....
"No, Johnny, baseball is not a realistic profession, so put down the
glove and go into your room and study the economics textbook I gave
you for your birthday. *It's chartered accountancy for you, just like
your old man."

You do things while you can. *A roofer won't be going up on a roof in
his sixties, etc., etc. *Bike racing is a largely self-correcting
phenomenon. *If a person isn't harming anyone and they enjoy doing
whatever it is, I don't give a rat's ass whether they're facing what
someone else considers reality or not.

R

So, today you're defending the 12k dreamers?

FWIW, as I said before, I'm not suggesting folks don't race. *Just
suggesting that for many, a reality check is a good idea. *A way to
determine if you're really gonna make it, take a look at the DeClerq
example. *If you're good, someone will find you.

Please allow me to rephrase myself...

**** reality. And yes, I am 'defending' dreamers, though most are
wise enough to ignore such words trying to make them face reality,
whatever the **** that means.

Answer me this, how many guys who 'wasted' their 20's following a
dream, looked back in later life and said, "I really wish I had sat at
a desk all those years."...hmmm? I'm guessing an amazingly low
percentage that hovers around zero.

It's the same thing as dying - nobody lies on their death bed and
regrets they didn't spend more time in the office. They regret that
they didn't spend more time with the family, didn't travel more,
didn't take a chance. These young guys are taking a chance, having
fun, suffering enough to know they're alive, and taking risks. I
would imagine, money not withstanding, that most of them would look at
your lifestyle and feel sorry for what you have to put up with.
They'd probably feel that way about mine as well.

I envy the young, and old, that can say **** reality and make it
stick. There's way too much reality in the world already and it makes
it a lesser place.

R