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Alexi Grewal: worst teammate ever
On Dec 9, 8:33*pm, Ryan Cousineau wrote:
On Dec 9, 5:55*am, Anton Berlin wrote: Sorry Ryan but this subject line makes you look like a putz. *If a guy holds support from a teammate and then drops out or gets 18th then he's a selfish ****ing **** and deserves the worst. But if a guy does these things believing he can win and then does it - that makes him a god. Because anyone that's got to that level will tell you when the race starts - it's every man for himself. (of course this is different in stage racing but one day races you're on your own) On Dec 9, 5:55*am, Anton Berlin wrote: Sorry Ryan but this subject line makes you look like a putz. *If a guy holds support from a teammate and then drops out or gets 18th then he's a selfish ****ing **** and deserves the worst. But if a guy does these things believing he can win and then does it - that makes him a god. Because anyone that's got to that level will tell you when the race starts - it's every man for himself. (of course this is different in stage racing but one day races you're on your own) I said "worst teammate," not "worst racer." As you note, Grewal achieved cycling greatness that day. But he took an awful risk. He relied on being able to outsprint Bauer heads-up, but he got away with it. As he notes, the good-teammate plan would have meant delivering Kiefel and Phinney to the finish, with extremely good odds for the USA. The meta-problem at the Olympics and Worlds is that national "teams" are largely a crock, featuring minimal functional loyalties (as opposed to pro teams, where the personal and financial ties are usually stronger). Even club teams are more of a real team. Exactly ! How is anyone (Alexi especially) expected to have allegiance to guys he barely rode with? Just because they all have the same super gay stars and stripes jersey on? This is the exact same problem that haunted the US 100k teams for the 80s and 90s. The ten speed drive boys - working as friends that rode together often - typically went 4-8 minutes faster than the ad hoc teams the coaches threw together again and again (the definition of insanity) and sent to international events. Alexi had one allegiance that day and that was to work for himself. Anyone that's won eventually second guesses (often much later in life ) as much as the guys that got second or sixteenth. **** Davis Phinney - if he didn't have the sense to bring enough food and drink or try to gain advantage be wearing a skinsuit with only 1 pocket then he deserves the place he got. I'll venture this - in a three up sprint with Phinney, Bauer and Grewal - Grewal still could win because he would be smart enough to take advantage of those 2 marking each other and would enter the end zone untouched. From reading his blogs and news stories it's clear Alexi (as a human) is going through a stage where he's trying to rationalize his life, justify or pardon his past and have it all make sense. That day in 1984 he inspired 10s of thousands to ride and put in the miles (me included) and that vision kept me riding many times for many years. If you or even he wants to **** on that candy now - well OK that's everyone's right - but it doesn't change the fact that for years his ride inspired every loner, every misfit and every one that wanted to do something for themselves and prove to the world and lastly the internal doubts we all have that they have value and can do something incredible. I don't know him, never raced against him but Alexi Grewal is the greatest "teammate" ever because at 23 he got it right. The race is with ourselves. The things we do only mark our souls. And no one really keeps our score but ourselves. And independent ****ers like Henry Chang, Magilla, Alexi and maybe Anton make this world 100x better than a million ass grabbing glad handing yes-men team players. I am in the business world and I can tell you for a fact that the "teammates" and "team players" are the most detestable untrustworthy ****s out there. So in the end - maybe your subject line isn't so bad - calling someone like Alexi "the worst teammate ever" is about the best damn compliment one can make. |
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