Jerry, This has nothing to do with Bob Roll's so called lack of "knee-jerk" correctness. Roll went to Europe to test himself against the best. He bypassed the whole USCF system including the National Team. Probably a good move on his part as he had the European experience that was needed by the U.S. based 7-11 squad. But regardless, U.S. racing in those years were mainly crits, so if you were going to race you raced what was available. As Mark B. said.....they were bleeping exciting. They sure didn't prepare you for the Euro peloton but they were, and are, fast and furious and you do completely lose yourself in them. When the last laps came around you went into a different zone forgetting everything but position for the finish....it is absolutely zen. A crit puts you in the here and now. And, by the way, it taught you bike handling like you could never learn anywhere else except on the track which was just as much fun. Man, if Crits were so boring one wonders why there were throngs of people on the third turn of Sommervile every year just waiting for the crashes in the last laps. I crashed in enough of them to almost know those people by name. I have interviewed dozens of guys who raced crits in the 60's and they have story after story about who did what and what happened. It becomes a centerpiece of ones history. I didn't race in those years but in the 70's on and I can't stop telling criterium stories...the time so and so did this or that. Boring? racing Sommervile, Nutley, Fitchburg or the NCO were some of the most exciting on the edge in the moment times in my life. He went on Blah Blah Blah...sorry. Edward Albert Chappaqua, NY
Edward Albert, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Sociology
>>> Jerome & Elizabeth Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net> 09/01/06 9:51 AM
>>>
Actually those are Bob Roll's phrases, not mine. Not a very politically
correct thing for a TV commentator to say, but I think Bob's lack of
knee-jerk correctness is much of his charm. Of course a lot of people
find criteriums exciting, it's just that I (and Bob Roll) don't. We're
all adults here, so I don't see any reason for one person to be offended
if another says he is bored by what the first person finds exciting. I
don't get offended if people call French components "crappy", it's just
an opinion I don't happen to agree with. Different strokes for
different folks.
Regards,
Jerry Moos Big Spring, TX
Mark Bulgier <Mark@bulgier.net> wrote:
Well, let's not compile lists of things we find boring, OK? Especially when you're talking about the PASSION of others on the list. Seriously, "Lame-Ass", "waste of time" - words like that do not belong here in Dale's living room. You can think it, but politeness requires you to keep it to yourself.
Personally I found crit racing to be the most exciting thing I've experienced on this planet, infinitely more interesting than most track racing - and I like track racing a lot. Road racing? Also totally cool, just less intensity, like the same amount of excitement is spread out over a much longer time period. More rewarding maybe, with the scenery and the distance traveled and the sense of accomplishment... But for sheer living-every-instant-to-the-fullest while you're doing it, give me a hilly, curvy crit!
Never really got into bowling, but I'm sure it must have its excitement too, if you prefer it to criterium racing.
Collegially, Mark Bulgier Seattle WA USA
Jerome & Elizabeth Moos wrote:
> Well, now that you mention crits, I can't help but quote the
> great Bob Roll, "I went to ride in Europe because I wasn't
> going to waste my time riding in Lame-Ass American
> criteriums". I did have an ABL (that dates me) license and
> rode a few criteriums and came to the same conclusion as Bob
> Roll. I can't imagine any greater waste of time than
> American criteriums and the rules and traditions of those
> events are of absolutely no interest to me. Bowling is
> exciting by comparison.