Derby Results - Warning track power

As you know by now the big Legacy Home Run Derby was on Saturday, and yours truly was there to compete to help raise money for the Sisters United for a Cure. The SUFAC is raising money for the Hope on Wheels 100; a charity event to raise money for breast cancer research and the Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation.

In my post "Home Runs for HOW 100" you learned about my goal to raise a bunch of money for the SUFAC. I immediately received a lot of emails from friends and co-workers willing to donate a few bucks for each home run, and some either gave me a check outright or said they would give a minimum amount no matter what. Well, thank goodness some gave in advance!

I only took two days of batting practice leading up to the derby and went into the contest with no less than six blisters between both hands. I said going in I didn't know if I'd be able to hit one or 21. After not swinging a bat for over 13 years I knew hitting the ball wouldn't be the hard part, but to have the power to get it over the fence was another story. Back in the day when I was 30 pounds heavier and much more muscular than I am now it wasn't any trouble hitting home runs in batting practice. It was a fairly regular thing for me to hit them in games too, which is why doing this contest sounded like so much fun to me.

Well, sadly I fell short by going 0 for 20.

What I did do on Saturday was hit line drives, gap shots and quite a few that fell short right at the warning track. For those who don't know, the warning track is the dirt you usually see in the outfield right before the fence. It is what warns the outfielder as they are running to find the fence quickly in order to avoid injury. I still had my natural swing to pull and hit deep to the opposite field. If it had been a regular game the boxscore would have said something along the lines of a 4 for 5 day with 5 RBI. However, the only hits that counted on this day were the ones that cleared the fence.

I simply didn't have the power. Unfortunately, everybody else struggled too with the exception of the guy who won by hitting 7 home runs. At the end one guy finally hit his second home run to place second, but the kicker was when the promoter flipped a coin to see who would win third place! It was either flip the coin or they may have never hit a homer to break their tie. I thought that was quite funny and appropriate considering all but one guy had a tough day. You expect to see a lot of home runs in a home run hitting contest, but this field was deceptively deep.

Even though I didn't succeed I had a blast doing this home run derby! I met some great guys who have the same passion for baseball, and I even met a USA softball gold medal winner from 1996 and 2000, Jennifer McFalls. One guy recognized me right away because he played baseball after me at McGavock HS, so he and I knew a lot of the same people. Two of the guys still play baseball in an adult league here in Nashville.

To say I am disappointed would be an understatement considering there was $112 on the line for each home run I hit. I tell you - I swung my heart out. My bat speed was great, I made consistent solid contact, but I lacked the power to hit any bombs. All I could think about was how I am letting a bunch of people down and that I am missing a huge opportunity to raise a lot of money. Call me crazy, but it makes me want to hit the weight room just so I can go back next year and crush it. Oh, you better believe I'm going back next year!

So for all those swings I earned zero $$$! However, our saving grace is that a handful of people guaranteed minimum bids totalling $470! How awesome is that? $470! I comfort myself knowing that if I had not done this then a total of $0 would have been raised for HOW 100. Now that would have been saddest outcome.

Here is what I am asking of all those people who were going to donate so much per home run. Please, still give! Each of you had an affordable dollar amount in your head that you were willing to donate to this amazing cause. Please, I respectfully request you still give despite my home run shortcomings. In fact, the winner said we can use his home run total instead! So you can decide to simply give me a specific amount or you can multiply your donation by 7 home runs. Only 11 home runs were hit in total, so you could sweeten the pot and use that figure instead!

Remember, I had commitments up to $112 per home run, so if everybody at least stuck to Stewart's amount we would raise $784+$470=$1,254!!!

Here is a picture of home run derby winner Stewart Roe on the left with me on the right. Stewart is a big dude huh? Look at me compared to him. I have really morphed into a scrawny cyclist!

Well I hope you have enjoyed following my pursuit to raise money for HOW 100, and that you follow through with your checks. I strongly feel each and every one of us can and will make a difference. Lastly, don't forget to dream BIG!

Home Runs for HOW 100

This weekend I am excited to combine my two greatest passions in life to raise money for breast cancer research. Those passions are baseball, and of course cycling.

I am asking all my friends to support me and donate to Hope on Wheels 100, Women Cycling for a Cure. The HOW 100 is a one day annual bicycling event for women only to raise money for breast cancer research. This year it takes place on Saturday, September 6th in Leipers Fork. Many miles include the amazing Natchez Trace Parkway as well as the beautiful countryside of the local community. If you are a woman and love riding your bike then you owe it to yourself to attend. Show up and be part of the "World's Largest Chick Ride!"

How am I combining baseball and cycling you wonder?

This Saturday, August 23rd I have entered a home run hitting contest called The Legacy Home Run Derby. The contest takes place here in Nashville at the baseball fields at Warner Park, which is at the intersection of Old Hickory Blvd and Vaughn Rd. across from Steeplechase. This home run contest is part of a charity event held to raise funds for Lovie's Legacy, a local animal shelter.

How am I raising money?

I am asking everybody I know to donate money for every home run I end up hitting in the derby. For example, you can donate $1, $2 or $5 for every home run I actually hit. Multiply the total number of home runs I hit by the amount you're willing to donate for each swing resulting in a bomb. It's simple and easy to commit at least $1 per home run, come on!

At the final criterium race on Wednesday I asked everyone there to sign up and commit. So far I have commitments that value each home run at $18 a piece! That is not enough. I need more money and commitment from you to raise that amount higher, and as it rises my motivation to hit home runs goes up! Imagine if I get enough people to raise the swing value to $50, $75 or even $100. Wow, now that would have me pretty excited to raise money for HOW 100.

Plus, there's an overall payout to the top three contestants. Hey, another podium to strive towards! The winner bags a whopping $225 while second is $50 and third $25. Any money I win in the overall will go towards HOW 100 as well. This is all about raising money because I'll hit home runs for free any day.

What is a home run derby?

If you've ever watched the Major League Baseball Home Run Derby then you have an idea how this will work. Each batter will get five outs during their at-bat. An out is any swing or hit that does not result in a home run. I don't know how many rounds they are having yet, but I do know it's going to be a machine pitching. They will keep going until there is a podium finish. I am able to use either a wood bat or aluminum bat. I'll have both with me and go with what feels best. For an event like this an aluminum bat makes the most sense, but once you've played with wood you have a hard time going back.

How can you sign up, commit and donate?

I realize this is short notice, but there's plenty of time to just say, "yes, I'll give you $1 for each home run." I want to hear from you no later than early Saturday morning before the derby.

The best way is to email me at info@nashvillecyclist.com with your name, phone number and dollar commitment. After the event is over I will report the results on the website, and email you how much you donated to HOW 100. I will likely ask you to mail a check to NashvilleCyclist.com, and then I will present Sarah Moore with the total contribution. Sara is the rider I chose to sponsor in the HOW 100 since she and others have annually set up a table at our crit series to raise money.

You are reading this now and thinking, "this is a great idea." I know you are, so go ahead and click on my email address and provide me the info! Trust me, I am challenging myself by signing up, showing up and taking my hacks. I challenge you to get behind me on this to see what we can accomplish.

Can he hit home runs?

Oh yes.

I wouldn't enter a contest like this if it weren't familiar to me, but I am going out on a limb here. I have not swung a bat in a game since my last spring training with the Braves in 1995. However, for the first time this past spring I picked up a bat several times, went to Cumberland's indoor batting facility, and hit off the tee quite a bit. Foretelling of this day possibly? I don't know, but those swings felt good as I had no trouble making consistent solid contact. Hitting off a live arm or off a machine is completely different. Timing and muscle memory are critical aspects of hitting a baseball, so that will surely not be easy. Though I do have batting practice planned for the days leading up to the derby. See the ball, hit the ball.

How will you know the results?

Good or bad I will own up and let everyone know what happened. I might hit just one, but then again I could hit 20 or more! My plan is to win. If you hit home runs you don't just show up and hope. You go to win. I will report back on either my wild success or my big disappointment. Hopefully I will be able to arrange a meeting with Sarah Moore to present our total donation. Understand that my success is our success is HOW 100's success.

Sign Up!

Email me at info@nashvillecyclist.com with your name, phone number and dollar commitment.

Random thoughts - 8/19

I feel like doing this one a little different.....

I am thinking of entering this home run hitting contest on Saturday. What do you think? I can't win the NC.com championship belt, but I might take home the Home Run Derby Cup instead! It's happening at one of the ball fields right next to where we start the BToGS ride on Saturday mornings. Plus, first place wins $225, and if I compete I have a great idea on how to raise money for HOW 100.

You're probably wondering, can he actually hit home runs? Grin.....

I agree with Jemele Hill about the greatness of Michael Phelps. For now I would consider him the greatest Olympian ever, but one day his records will be broken. We may never live to see it, but all records are meant to be broken. Just ask Mark Spitz.

When I browse a website like AllPosters.com I find a lot of cool posters I'd love to have hanging on a wall. Lord knows my walls could use some decorating. The prices are very affordable, and you can even have them shipped already framed.

Staying with the art theme here's a bicycle specific art site of recycled bike parts. They are proud of their work, but I would probably only buy one of the clocks anyway. Maybe I'll buy two posters instead.

Greenway etiquette - this topic is becoming a hot button issue with me. Walkers and bikers both are too often guilty of not using common sense when using the Greenway. People will take up the whole lane without any regard to others behind or in front of them. I don't fly through Shelby Bottoms dodging everybody mind you, but I would think people would consider their own safety enough to stay as far right as possible.

I am a huge fan of popcorn and eat it 4 to 5 times per week at night. Seriously. I only pop it on the stove too. Never microwave. Here's the best stove popper - Whirly Pop. It makes a great Christmas gift.....hint hint.

Can you imagine using 330,000 gallons of water in one month? Me neither. Go without for a little bit for goodness sakes.

This is probably more interesting to imagine; how about can you eat 100 Krystal burgers in eight minutes? Me neither. I might be able to put down 20, but some guy is going to give 100 a try this Saturday in Chattanooga. So after you finish the 3.5 mile climb up to the reservoir on Raccoon Mountain you can register for the burger eating contest at MajorLeagueEating.com. You read that right, the MLE.

Speculation is at it again. This time it's cotton. No commodity is off limits to investor manipulation. Better buy your underwear and tee-shirts now.

Dave Zabriskie wants to know are you tired of your *** being tired? This is almost too clever. Some of you will get this and love it while others will need it explained.

This is one of the only real world series championships. I cringe each time a professional US sports team says or claims they won the World Championship. We've got the NCAA football bowl system for college universities, and they can't truly determine a definitive champion. Then we've got Little Leaguers competing in a truly global playoff system. How is it a global kids league can figure it out, but a bunch of college presidents and athletic directors talk as if they've got a problem so complex not even NASA can solve. Please.

The Nashville Scene is taking entries for its annual Best of Nashville Reader's Poll. It's broken down into many different categories and includes your favorite bicycle shop.

Professional cycling should hire Joyce Julius and Associates. To hold on to their sponsors they'll not only have to cultivate a dope-free culture but also take every opportunity to increase sponsorship impact. Along those lines, pro cyclists could learn a lot from NASCAR drivers about how to deliver their sponsors more verbal exposure. Everybody is in a trance as they're focused on doping controls, but exploiting every sponsorship mention opportunity will be just as effective.

This Olympic baseball game between the US and China turned into an ugly situation. The US took their shots at China's catcher on two different occasions, and in my opinion both times it was unecessary to run the catcher over. The catcher gave room to slide around, and the ball wasn't anywhere close to the plate. There's a video you can watch that shows the highlights. I'm sure the article and video don't tell the whole story, but the US player Matthew LaPorta should have been expecting to get drilled. Sure, China's pitcher should not have headhunted, but it's really no different than what the US runners did to the Chinese catcher.

I think the only reason the Chinese catcher didn't immediately retaliate was because this is an international game and it would likely mean some type of Olympic suspension. In any other league there would have been a full scale brawl that would have lasted awhile. Lastly, many players on both teams play in the US at the professional level. Those players will remember names and at some point in the future will likely take further action. Believe it.

I'm a pretty flexible guy, but I can't do anything remotely close to this. You almost wonder if PT Barnum reps are in the stands with contracts.

Daily Dose - 8/15

Armstrong, Leipheimer win trial medals
Impressive results from Kristin Armstrong with gold and Levi Leipheimer with bronze in the Olympic Time Trial. More impressive is Fabian Cancellera winning the gold in the time trial after taking the bronze in the road race over the weekend.

NBC Olympics - Cycling Coverage
I have to give it to the dot com side of NBC. They are doing a great job at providing content, videos, highlights and live stream online.

NBC Olympics - Cycling Videos
You can actually watch the entire road race and time trial online. There are a lot of videos online waiting for your viewing pleasure. For you all suffering from post-Tour de France coverage depression this should be a good alternative. You may have to install a plug-in to view the videos, but it's quick and easy to do. The only downside is there is no voice commentary to go along with the race coverage.

Michael Barry's Diary - The Olympics: From 1996 to 2008
I have not read his book about the Tour, and unfortunately I haven't read his diaries over the years either. However, after reading this diary I now understand why he wrote a book and why VeloNews has him as a diarist. This is likely the most well written diary I have ever read.

Grease Monkey Wipes
Value of an item increases if it includes a picture of a cartoon monkey. I don't know anything about the wipes, but do I like the white t-shirt. Play dirty!

Volunteers rest at Olympics
Evidently it's pretty tiring work. I think there's something in the UCI code about losing your human rights if you're involved with cycling. Should have stuck with gymnastics instead!

Colleges peddle bikes to car-loving students
I expect those walking around the campus of Emory University in Atlanta to be pretty smart, but this idea is genius! Apparently more and more colleges are offering some type of bike program, but note that Duke University is another school taking this much needed leap. I suppose an ACT average over 30 is a pre-requisite to implement the plan.

Vintage Western Flyer
Looking for a good ladies' townie?

US Olympic cyclists say sorry for smog masks
Not the most opportune time? Come again. Then can someone please explain when it is a good idea to wear one? Ok, so US athletes apologize for this, but Spanish athletes.....

Spanish Olympic basketball team in 'racist' photo row
.....aren't getting raked over the coals over this stupid advertisement photo gesture. What a bunch of idiots. They are actually defending it with illogical spin. Spanish officials have the nerve to say it was a "gesture of affection." Why is it this country's athletes get away with everything? Operation Puerto, tick tock, tick tock.....

The high price of raising an Olympian
Imagine the lifetime investment having to be made for the hope of that one opportunity that only comes along every four years. When I'm watching medal ceremonies I always think about what those on the podium have been through to get to that point. Mere ability didn't get them to the top step. Sacrifice. Commitment. Heart. Determination. Dream.

Steroids changed him from woman to man
One more word, wait, two words. Sex change. Hold up. No, that's not supposed to be part of the Olympic formula.

Rocco's Modern Life
I am not a golf fan, but this guy excites me. It's a great article from Golf World that I recommend taking the time to read. I love how some sports allow older and more mature athletes live in the limelight. Their stories are usually much more interesting and filled with a depth that younger athletes lack due.

A ‘Relaxing’ Ride, but Not for the Faint of Heart
Strolling through Beijing with Jason McCartney of the US Cycling Team, but somebody strongly disagrees he should even be there.....

Horner says he, not McCartney, deserved Olympic slot
Says Horner, "“The decision either comes down to politics, brownnosing, they just don’t like me or they are idiots. It must be politics, because nobody is that stupid.” Gee Chris, how do you really feel? Oh, and you left out brownnosing. Jason's does look a little dirty.

Bernie Mac loved sports … and learned from sports
The other day I wrote about Life lessons at the park, and afterwards I came across this great article from Scoop Jackson of ESPN.com. I've been a huge fan of Bernie Mac for awhile, and I was really taken aback by his death. Bernie knew how to use sports lessons to define him as a man. I like him even more now.

U.S. softball dominating again at Games
In case you weren't aware; softball and baseball are leaving the Olympics. This isn't going to affect baseball much in the long run, but I agree that it's going to significantly set softball back across the globe. For some countries the mere fact they could go compete in the Olympics is a huge motivator for young girls to get involved in the sport. US dominance hasn't helped, but dominance in other sports hasn't stopped other countries from developing talent.

Bicyclist killed in Allen Road collision
Sad news from Murfreesboro. This highlights our BToGS rule #1 - "Everybody returns home safely." Sometimes this is within our control, but others it is not. The main thing is we all pay attention at all times to give ourselves a chance. Keep the Benson family in your thoughts and prayers.

I hate to end on a sad note. The lesson is to always end on a good one, so I'll leave you with this.....

The Evolution of Aero
Rick Crawford goes all the way back to 1983 to talk about his funny bike, and how difficult it was to make the appropriate adaptations to go faster. Rick speaks the truth about equipment becoming funnier, but the body must still make muscular adaptations. If you desire going faster on your funny bike then you have to regularly train on your funny bike. If not, the only ones laughing will be your competition.

Life lessons at the ballpark

I’m on my last leg back to Nashville after a short layover in Denver. After sitting on the tarmac for about an hour we finally receive clearance to take off back to Music City. Sadly, the wine bottling dream is over for 2008, which almost ended before it began! As usual the bottling event started early on Saturday morning, but it didn’t take long before I narrowly avoided the disabled list. I was thinking this weekend would provide a safe getaway from the possibility of another feed-zone crash, but lo-and-behold danger exists in the most unusual places during a bottling.

I was attempting to get up into the bottling trailer by pulling up on a sturdy aluminum bar held in place in the opening of a doorway. The bar is horizontally held within the door frame and allows those inside to work on the line while not having to worry about falling backwards onto the ground. Adam says, “Yeah, just pull yourself up, it’ll hold you no problem. I’ve done it a bunch of times, no worries.” I reply, “Are you sure? It doesn’t seem too stable.” I’m told again don’t worry about it.

No sooner as I put my left hand on and pull down that the bar snaps loose and cracks me in the top of the head! Thank goodness it was a lighter aluminum, but there was no chance of jumping back out of the way. It landed across the top of my head and fell to the ground, and luckily I managed to stay on my feet. I look up at Adam with this look that said, “What tha’, I can’t believe this!” I can see his face and he’s feeling some kind of dumb. I immediately feel some blood dripping down into my eyebrow. I reach up with my left hand and put my palm on top, bring it back down, and it’s covered in blood. Great! It’s about seven in the morning, the bottling has just started, and I’m already cut up before even having one sip of wine!

Everybody rushes over to give me a look and all I can think about is that I hope I don’t have to go get stitches. Getting stitches is no big deal, but I didn’t fly all the way to wine country to miss bottling because of a silly accident. I go into the bathroom and start wiping myself off and take a closer look at the cut. It’s a pretty long slash on the head, but fortunately it’s neither deep nor split open badly. We throw a huge band-aid on my head and I take a seat for a few minutes before going to work. Holy cow, talk about a near miss.

If you remember, the last time I visited the winery back in November I was jacked up with a pair of broken elbows. I wasn’t able to lift anything heavier than a glass of wine back then, and now I’m lucky to not need serious medical attention. The Housley family and friends already think I’m crazy after all the crashes and broken bones because of cycling. Maybe I should wear a helmet next time I visit the winery! Everybody showed sincere concern and checked on me often, but I bounced back quick and helped out quite a bit on the assembly line.

While the bottling was a long fun day we had an even more fun day on Sunday in San Francisco. To celebrate Adam’s upcoming birthday his brother had tickets to the Giants and Dodgers game, and if you know anything about rivalries then you know these two teams and fans of both teams do not like one another. When I found out about the chance to go I was all for it, but the only problem was Adam had to secure some extra tickets. Well, being Mr. FOX News on the West Coast he called up the Giants media folks and lined up several media passes. Sweet!

Last year during Barry Bonds’ chase for the all-time home run record Adam covered the Giants everyday for about three weeks straight for FOX News. What a tough assignment huh? He said the electricity surrounding the chase at the stadiums was amazing, but even on this day the excitement was high as the crowd was streaming into the ballpark. The Dodgers are battling for first place while the Giants languish thinking of nothing more satisfying than hurting the Dodgers chances for a playoff spot. On Saturday the Giants won in their last at-bat, but can they make it two in a row?

In case you don’t know once upon a time in another time my life was all about baseball; reaching the professional level even. Baseball isn’t something I miss much at all even though I played it, but I do have a passion for the purity of the sport and the life lessons it offers. I always preferred playing over watching, so I haven’t stayed involved or interested much since my last spring training. However, today it’s the Dodgers and Giants. Today it’s about beautiful AT&T Park in downtown San Francisco, McCovey’s Cove and a sell out crowd. Plus, today I have the chance to watch future Hall of Famer Manny Ramirez come through in the clutch- as they say, Manny being Manny. He did not let Dodger fans down today.

We arrive to get our media passes, you know, the kind you have to wear around your neck saying you can go just about anywhere! We walk around the stadium a little before settling into the press box located just behind home plate. Ahhhh, all the free Coke, popcorn and peanuts you can eat! I look around and there are sportswriters all around tapping into their laptops as they develop stories of the game pitch-by-pitch, and I’m just dying to talk to some of these beat writers. I resist and let them do their jobs.

The game was a pretty good pitching battle until the seventh inning as the Dodgers came to bat down a run. They get a couple of guys on base, first and third, when Manny comes up with an opportunity to make them pay. Sure enough, crack, a smoking line drive to the left of short-stop that goes into the gap of left-center. The runner from first had the wheels to score all the way from first, and Manny strolled in to second for an electrifying two run double. The Giants fans just had the wind knocked out of them and you could sense disappointment in the stadium.

The bottom of the ninth rolls around and we make our way into the left field section to watch from a different view. The Giants are coming to bat down just one run, and the crowd is getting totally amped up chanting “Beat LA, Beat LA.” These fans are serious, and the few Dodger fans scattered about are getting ragged on left and right. First batter up, boom, a single to right. Louder, “Beat LA, Beat LA.” Second batter, a smashing line drive base hit to left. The place is really rocking now! After a failed bunt attempt for an out the fans don’t get discouraged since they’ve still got two outs left. The Dodgers third baseman makes a fielding error to load the bases and “Beat LA” is all you hear, louder even.

I’m not a fan of any one team really, but I am a fan of a good electrifying baseball game. I wasn’t rooting for either team, but this is atmosphere is fun. The Giants are down one run, bases are loaded, they have the momentum and still have two outs left. Did I mention it’s a sell out? Almost 42,000 in the stands today. If I’m choosing which team I’d rather be right now it’s definitely the Giants. With the crowd behind them and ducks on the pond this looks to be a great spoiling opportunity. Next batter up hits a grounder to second, the Dodgers get the out at second, attempt a double play at first, but the runner beats the throw! The double play would have ended the game, but he’s safe as the runner scores from third and ties the game! Oh, now the crowd is really into it. “Beat LA, Beat LA.”

At this point, as a fan not wanting to stick around for a long extra inning game, I am definitely hoping the next batter ends this puppy. The momentum is there, the Dodgers are on their heels, and the crowd is amped. Sure enough, next guy up hits a tough grounder up the middle that the pitcher couldn’t handle (though he should have!), and the short-stop comes across having trouble handling it as well. The winning run crosses the plate, the crowd goes nuts, and the Giants leap out of the dugout as they run onto the field to celebrate! So what if they’re 10 games out of first place. They just Beat LA! What an exciting scene and ending to a rivalry game.

Why do I even share all of this? Because this baseball game illustrates that it’s never over until it’s over. Until the final out is recorded you have a chance; no matter where you are in the current standings. Every game and every race is an opportunity to prove ourselves. Maybe today isn't your day to shine, but it's possible that your last effort will make a difference for a teammate. Leaders are meant to toppled and beaten, regularly. Your opponents are looking for weaknesses and hoping that you’ll give up the battle. The moment you do they work to put you away. Don’t ever give them the satisfaction.

Make them work for it till the very end, always. If you do you’ll see the tide turn. Results will improve and respect earned will rise. I need not tell you the alternative because in my book an acceptable alternative does not exist. Be the one opponents hate to see come to the plate with the game on the line, or be the one everybody wishes didn’t show up to the start line. Earn that type of respect and there’s your edge.

So that’s what I love about baseball. It never ceases to challenge the players on every single pitch. You're taught to never get caught looking, take your hacks and always get beat with your best stuff. Cycling can and does offer a similar challenge, but in a very unique way on a different timeline. I chose cycling because much like baseball it’s very difficult to succeed. We fail far more often than we succeed, but it’s from our mistakes where we learn our greatest lessons.

Maybe I do miss it after all…













The beautiful skyline of downtown San Francisco from across the Bay in Sausalito.

Editor Note - photo of tractor trailer courtesy of NashvilleCyclist.com. Photos from AT&T Park of the San Francisco Giants and of downtown San Francisco skyline courtesy of NC.com friend Adam Housley, FOX News correspondent.

Two to go racers, two to go

My flight controls says we’re flying 467 mph over Reno, Nevada right now, so what better way to pass the time than to type up a crit series update. This time tomorrow we’ll have corked a few thousands bottles of wine, I will have sampled greatly, and we’ll be ready for a celebratory feast. After three months on the wagon yours truly is looking forward to grapes I can drink instead of chew! More about wine bottling later…..

We are hitting the final stretch and about to crown the 2008 champions of the NashvilleCyclist.com Criterium Series. Nine down, two to go.

Even though the Dog Days of Summer will be burning the acid in everybody’s legs there will be no rest for the weary. Here’s how we see it; to win an overall series one has to consistently show up and deliver the goods! Motivation is tough in mid-August when the heat is rising from the blacktop, but the last thing any potential champion should discuss are future excuses for not taking home the championship title belt.

There is a serious battle brewing and boiling over within each of the categories. What appeared to be sure locks on the podium a few weeks ago has now turned into a serious fight. Our prediction is it will come down to the final race; possibly even the final turn. If that uncertainty doesn’t get your competitive juices flowing and your heart rate accelerated then you’re in the wrong sport. Just imagine, do you want to be the one who hosts the party to show off your title belt or the one who has to accept visitation rights? Enough said.

Let’s dissect the overall and put it into terms we all can understand:

Women
Kailin Acheson and Lisa Starmer, teammates on Reliant Bank/Harpeth Bicycles, are in control of the top two spots. Acheson leads by 25 points over Starmer while Olga Weeks of Velo Bella is behind Starmer by only 10 points. Weeks is unable to claim the top spot but can certainly displace Starmer enough in the last two weeks to end in second. However, Velo Vixens racer Beth Travers has had a strong run of late and sits just 12 points out of second spot herself. As if that weren’t enough competition; there’s Marsha White of MedPlan/TriStar just 20 points from Starmer and 10 points from Weeks in third. Every week this small handful of ladies have consistently been the ones who are sprinting for the win

Weeks, Travers and White not only have to compete against one another but also figure out a way to outfox Starmer and Acheson. So far Starmer and Acheson have been the one-two punch that’s won all the races except for two thus far (Weeks won both). This means one or all have to take more risks and apply pressure on the leaders. Be willing to lose in order to win. Lastly, it’s still quite possible for Starmer to end up the champion if she’s victorious, but our guess is only if Acheson’s car breaks down far away from LP Field two weeks in a row. Otherwise Acheson should finish off strong enough to hold the top spot.

Category 5
Just when it looked like Josh Webb of Gran Fondo had a stranglehold on first place along comes a young kid by the name of Tanner Hurst to spoil the party. Hurst of Team Biker’s Choice has won the last two races, and demonstrated this last week he’s not afraid to go on offensive less than 1k from the line. It’s mathematically possible for Hurst to pull out the overall spot, but it will require a big slip in performance from Webb. Another factor affecting overall are potetential upgrades to Category 4 soon, which we understand to be a possibility for both. Alan Smith is sitting comfortably in third place with a safe lead that may have him end up in second overall, but it will require some uncharacteristic weakness to show from Webb or Hurst.

One aspect to consider that plays to Hurst’s advantage is team tactics. Hurst usually has a couple of teammates to help attack and beat up the field while Webb is a one man wreaking crew. Well timed attacks can isolate Webb and provide Hurst the opportunity to solo away; which would then give other finishers the opportunity to displace Webb in the results. We realize most times that Category 5 racers just go and let it all hang out, but a little bit of team strategy can make a world of difference at that level.

We have to say it’s an awesome sight to see when a young kid flies out of the gate the way Hurst does. The week prior it was just as exciting to see a determined Max Gander of TriStar outsprint teammate Jeff Frazier for seventh place! Gander just pipped him at the line after giving it everything for the last 150 meters. Our sport is in need of more young kids eager to commit and compete. Not only that, but it’s up to us older folks to cheer, encourage and pave the path for our juniors to blossom into the future.

Category 4
Jason Shields of Cumberland Transit is looking to become the first repeat champion while also doing it in two separate categories. Moving up in categories and still winning shows a certain level of class that many riders don’t possess. Shields won the “C” title in 2007 and is on his way to the Category 4 belt in 2008, but there’s a potential obstacle in his path – Todd Huber of SVMIC. For the last four weeks these two guys have swapped victories back and forth, and with Huber’s latest win it has catapulted him into second place just 32 points from the title. A victory is worth 16 points, so with two races to go you can do the math. If these two go head-to-head they’re almost assured to both place high in the final races, but there’s one more rider we imagine has something to say about it.

Ben Reed of KCV Cycling Club sits with 45 points total and unable to win overall, but he sure can place highly enough for the glamour of second. A couple of other notables are William Sherman of Reliant Bank/Harpeth Bicycles and Jeremy Nagoshiner of Cumberland Transit. Both have an outside mathematical shot at the podium, but it will require great rides from them and not-so-great rides from the current leaders. If we go by history it’s not likely to happen two weeks in a row, but anything is possible.

Our assessment of the Category 4 field is that it has been some of the most competitive racing all series. If you look at the results there is more parity in that field as more riders are capable of top placings. There have been fewer breakaways and more field sprints in this category as well.

Category 1/2/3
This category is turning into a battle royale between Luke Servedio of Krystal/SCV and Alejandro Padilla of NashvilleCyclist.com pb Bike Pedlar. These two wattage busters have swapped attacks and counter attacks so many times one can’t keep up, and through it all have absolutely proven to be the two strongest riders in the pack. Aside from these two guys nobody else has won any of the nine races. Both have contributed to the mathematical mockery a little as Servedio has missed two races while Padilla has missed three. Though, if one’s not there the other surely will be, which has kept both at the top and likely where they’ll end up. Padilla is just 16 points away from tying Servedio.

Servedio, like Jason Shields, is attempting to become the Category 1/2/3 title belt wearer for the second year in a row. It’s one thing to be the strongest rider and everybody know it, but it’s another thing to be able to show up and prove it two years in a row. It would be an accomplishment worthy of anyone’s notice. Especially since in Padilla’s absence the NashvilleCyclist.com team threw everything but the kitchen sink at Servedio, yet he still proved no match in the end by winning all three races. Displacing Servedio is an abnormality rarely seen as during the May 28th event, and we chalk that up to early season legs. While NashvilleCyclist.com will surely do all they can to propel Padilla to victory while isolating Servedio we say it’s a sucker’s bet. These two will battle out the last two victory opportunities and the points will end up where they end up.

Rounding out the Category 1/2/3 podium appears to be Jason Guzak of NashvilleCyclist.com, but nipping at his heels is teammate Patrick Harkins. With a new addition to the Guzak family on the short horizon it could mean missed races and a springboard for Harkins. Either way they’re keeping it in the NC.com family. Don’t count out Krystal/SCV rider Senior’ Travis Werts either. At the end of the day it’s important to note that Krystal/SCV and NashvilleCyclist.com combine to make up the first seven spots overall.

Having raced each of the Category 1/2/3 races I can attest to their brutality in attacks, speed and intensity. As we are wrapping up our fourth season of summer criteriums it is literally painfully obvious to me that racers in the Nashville community have gotten stronger. The quality of each category’s racing has risen greatly. Cat 5s are becoming Cat 4s; Cat 4s are becoming Cat 3s, and Cat 3s are becoming Cat 2s. All the while everybody’s ability to corner at speed, ability to recover after attacks, ability to sniff out the winning break, and downright strength overall has improved dramatically since our first race in the summer of 2005.

Our annual race series is better preparing us all to go beyond the city limits of Nashville to compete at higher levels regionally and nationally. More of us are accomplishing our cycling goals and pushing ourselves to strive higher. This is what competition is all about. Challenging ourselves to become the best we can become.

Ride on. Two to go.

Crit Series 2008 - By the numbers
631 – total entries after nine races (647 in 2007)

75 – different riders have competed Category 5
50 – different riders have competed Category 4

46 – different riders have competed Category 1/2/3

18 – different riders have competed in Women

NashvilleCyclist.com sets record!

NashvilleCyclist.com has set a record for the number of total visits in the month of July 2008. Over 3,500 unique computer visitors clicked on NashvilleCyclist.com a whopping 11,867 times!

We have enjoyed a steady progression in our readership over the last four years and have the statistics to prove it. To nearly reach the 12,000 mark in visits is pretty awesome, and I'm certain in due time we'll shatter that number. The 3,500 unique visitors is not a record actually as there was one month in 2007 when we reached over 4,000, but on average they clicked on the site less times. While our readership comes mostly from the US we are also huge in Great Britain, Latvia and Ukraine to name a few. We get quite a statistical breakdown each day that lets us know just about anything and everything, so keep on clicking and enjoying the site!

Thanks to all who keep coming back as we certainly appreciate your support. We hope to provide you with enough timely and relevant cycling information to satisfy your demand.

Nathan Brown Wins Tour de l'Abitibi 2008!
Memphis native wins one of the premier juniors cycling event in North America. This link shows a great photo of Nathan on the podium as he's declared the "Holy Champion" of the event. Nathan won the 17.6km stage three time trial which gave him the advantage he needed for the overall. In fact, the stage three podium was nothing but Americans! Go HERE to Cyclingnews to see complete results of the event.

Congratulations Nathan!


“Naked” officials endorse a cover-up
I know it's hot and gas prices are high, but stripping off your clothes and riding to protest doesn't seem to be the right answer! St. Louis is far ahead of Nashville in terms of their cycling culture. It helps that the St. Louis Post-Dispatch offers up the opportunity to 10 Speed, but here in Nashville you'll have to settle for NashvilleCyclist.com! Then again, I might have as many or more online readers as the Tennessean.

GasBuddy.com
I found this site from one of the local television news stations and found it interesting. Tennessee's gas prices are among the 10 lowest states while it appears there's a gas war going on in Jefferson City. Whatever you do you shouldn't buy gas at the Exxon on the square in Lebanon, wow, which is only 1k away from my office! If you've been paying attention you'll know that energy prices are dropping to the $120 per barrel range, but despite the approximate 17% drop in barrel price the cost at the pump hasn't dropped as much.

Is race participation really affected by these gas prices or are there other factors at play? I think it plays a small role, but shouldn't be blamed entirely. The dreaded word "inflation" still hasn't become part of our daily lexicon even though it should. When income has become stagnate along with increases in every day staples it's going to change our habits. It would be different if you could point to one thing, but right now the American consumer and family provider has a target on his or her back with everybody taking aim.

Carroll has been practicing in Europe
This could be one of the best photos ever. Congrats Katharine!

Jeff "big guns" Hopkins at Charlotte
Be careful the next time you shake his hand. Somebody has been throwing the weights around this summer!

A massive pile up with one to go
Is there anything worse than this as a bike racer? You race all out for an hour or so and it comes down to less than 1k to go, then boom, you're on the deck! Half the pack on the deck, wow. Which is why all you hear people tell you is to race near the front and stay away from the middle or the back of the group at the end. There are no guarantees, but your odds are safer near the front.

We told ya it was a big payout
Though if you stay out of trouble near the front you may be taking home one of these.....albeit for a lower amount! $28,000 for first place payout is unbelievable.

The Tour of Elk Grove - a Ben Ross gallery
Our very own Nashvillian Ben Ross once again has his photos within the VeloNews online gallery. He snagged about 50 photos that made it, and as usual caught some great action shots. You can also see quite a bit of Ben's work on NashvilleCyclist.com's photo gallery and at his website at www.BenRossPhotography.com. By the looks of his website we can expect Ben to announce a new business venture, so stay tuned.

U.S. cyclists fly into China with face masks
Could they not get one quote from any of the "offending" cyclists? The story is within them and their decision to wear it and not so much as the response from officials.

Man Breaks Underwater Cycling World Record
He says it was tough because he ran into more mud than he expected. Yo knucklehead, knock knock, you were under water!

Bridge climber disrupts downtown traffic
So there we are racing this past Sunday at LP Field in downtown Nashville when some guy decides to climb the Shelby Street bridge. News crews came out and the cops blocked off the bridge as they did their best to talk him down. Turns out the news crews would not show the report in their newscasts because they didn't want to give it or him publicity. Ok, then why are you there? Which leads me to believe they would only report it if he had actually jumped into the Cumberland River. Either it's news or it's not. Obviously the guy has some mental issues, but since when has news stations censored their news reporting to avoid copy cat criminals?

With that strategy they should only report good news and fail to mention any homicides, robberies, shootings, crashes, etc. Remember when car jackings and ATM robberies first started? We had never heard of it before, but when it happened the first time it was all over the news afterwards. As predicted a "rash" of car jackings and ATM robberies began to happen all over the country. Coincidence or did the newscasts finally catch up with reality?

How Garmin-Chipotle keeps its riders fresh
I'm a little late writing about this, but their approach is very progressive and obviously works. Allen Lim is the brainchild behind these kinds of ideas. If I'm not mistaken it was Lim who worked with Floyd Landis and made the suggestion he pour cold water bottles over his head during the stage he destroyed everybody in 2006. His logic was what if Floyd was racing with a core temperature that made it feel like the mid-70s outside while the rest of the pack raced in the real temperature of the mid-90s. Lim's idea makes sense if you think about competing in an early spring race versus a hot summer race.

The real question is does this kind of body temperature manipulation have any effect on testosterone levels? According to this abstract in the European Journal of Applied Physiology there appears to be no link, but their study wasn't conducted on a athlete of the caliber of Floyd Landis on a day when he's going at threshold for over five hours. My choice of keywords to find information may not have been the right combination. If any of you come up with a valuable search on this topic I'd love to read about it.

Trying to Avoid the Negative of a Positive Test
The former WADA chief Dick Pound is advising the Chinese on how to avoid the embarrassment. At least one country out there is more concerned with image and respect than they are medals; or so they say.

Because the last thing the Chinese want to see one of their athletes experience is.....

IOC Strips Gold Medals From 2000 Olympics U.S. Relay Team
Sooner or later the truth comes out. Kids, pay attention. It's worth noting three out of the four relay runners have been caught for doping.

Ok, enough links and opinion. It's time for you all to catch up with me for a change. Scroll up, scroll down and read it all.

Weekend News - 8/3

Tennessee State Road Race Champions Crowned
Congratulations to those riders who won their respective State Championship Jersey at the road race in Watertown. It was a hot and humid day that took a toll on everybody. Not only that but while the course didn't have one selective climb it did have a lot of other moderate hills. Plus, not much flat to recover!

Another tidbit - the NashvilleCyclist.com boys won their second jersey this summer, which of course pleases management! The men in blue now own the Cat 2 criterium and Cat 2 road race jerseys for 2008.

Valverde all set for Olympics
Holding off David Rebellin and Paolo Bettini is an achievement on any one day classic, but Valverde did and now sets his sights on the gold in Beijing. The strong men of the day formed a 46 rider strong 'break' that once established caused the remaining peloton to abandon the race! Not pulled, done, quit. The way I see it the lanterne rouge at San Sebastian actually is something to brag about then!

2009 State TT Idea
All I need for next year is champagne and hot ladies to match the fun that Valverde and the boys had. I can get that covered!

Deweycheatumnhowe claims Hambletonian for 15th straight win
I saw this name and immediately thought of the imaginary law office of Click-n-Clack on NPR, the Car Talk brothers. Actually, the horse has raked in a ton of money over the years.

Step carefully, Nashville
They paint a pretty bleak picture in this article about Nashville's walkability, but we have improved significantly over the last decade. Though we still lag behind other major cities we have at least made progress. I would think that with state and city budgets now struggling to balance that sidewalk projects will be a little down the list of priorities. If the city is struggling they'll spend on necessities, and if the state is struggling then it means less money they send back to cities and counties. The trickle down theory working to our disadvantage.

Swimmer Pulls Out, Upsetting Her Rivals
When someone is caught doping the ripples left behind aren't going to be pretty. Usually it exposes other problems, and in the case of swimming it shows how their roster selection process isn't prepared for this scenario. When you've got less than capable alternates going in the place of other top finishers (the non-dopers!) then it's going to upset some athletes. Well, they've got to go through some pain before they get it right. Good luck with that.

Katharine Carroll wins in Charlotte
NashvilleCyclist.com diarist rides away from the women's field and takes the victory in one of the bigger criteriums on the schedule. Racing in Europe for most of the year must have given her one extra gear nobody else had. The ladies may want to institute a women's 'roll-out' for Kat the rest of the year!

Katharine Carroll would prove unstoppable
Back in a familiar position, first!

Emotions still running high after Critical Mass confrontation
It sounds like it's getting worse and worse across the country when Critical Mass and vehicles come together. I'd be willing to bet that both sides were at fault to some degree in this altercation in Seattle. It's been awhile since I've been able to ride in the Nashville Critical Mass, but hopefully our ride hasn't ever acted like fools when trying to earn respect on the road.

Lastly, this has been on my mind since the end of the Tour de France. You have read posts and links from me where I've discussed irresponsible journalism relating to professional cycling. Journalists simply aren't doing their homework to understand the sport more beyond the superficial surface. If the San Francisco Giants won the World Series last year do you think 75% of the article would be about steroids and Barry Bonds, or would it be reversed with the focus on the actual reason the headline exists?

Here's a good example of how two different organizations presented the headline and news about Carlos Sastre winning the 2008 Tour de France. I'll let you choose which one focused on the victory while the other did its best to sensationalize doping; albeit in an era when everybody but them has moved on to the next big story.

New York Times - Sastre Wins Tour de France

Associated Press on ESPN.com
Sastre caps title with smooth final ride; doping ouster clouds pomp

It's vacation, not staycation

Ask me where I'm going on vacation. Go ahead, come on, ask me. Century Oak Winery. Yeah, that's right! The season is coming to a close and it's time to get back on wine wagon. I haven't had so much as a sip of anything in about three months, but the wheels are going to come falling off next week.

Once again I am taking off to the Lodi wine region to help my good friend Adam Housley and his family bottle up their latest harvest. We'll spend all day bottling wine, working, sipping, working, sipping and then celebrating our hard work afterwards. Check out this link to a VIDEO to see what wine bottling is all about; scroll down to the Summer Bottling 2006. Yours truly makes an appearance at the end of flick. After doing all the 'work' we'll take in some time with Adam's family in Napa and soak in a few more tastings. The extra kilos won't matter now that I'm done suffering up hills.

I am going to take a page from other bloggers out there and edit this post after having posted it. I stumbled across some news this morning that all ice cream lovers will be delighted to hear. Sunday afternoon, August 3rd, Purity cranks up fundraiser for Martha O'Bryan Center here in Nashville. Purity Dairies and the Martha O'Bryan Center have teamed up to host the Miss Martha's Ice Cream Crankin' 2008 to help raise money for families living in the James A. Cayce Homes and surrounding East Nashville neighborhoods.

I visited this event last summer after racing the Allanti/Bike Pedlar Criterium in downtown Nashville. It was hot, super hot, and I was still an inferno after racing when I arrived to cool off with some sweets. There were several thousand people there, a great family atmosphere, and so much home-made ice cream to choose from you almost couldn't make your mind up. What I realized was it didn't take long before my stomach actually said 'stop!' All summer time crits should have an ice cream festival nearby. Make plans to support this event and enjoy some great ice cream to celebrate a tough weekend of racing! (as if you need a reason to eat ice cream)

Moving on.....

From the Erotic Domain, an Aerobic Trend in China
So let me get this straight. China is ok with pole dancing for fitness, but.....

China to Limit Web Access During Olympic Games
So they say and do anything to earn the bid to host the Olympics, but now they're going back on their word and will censor journalists covering the event. This is a real surprise huh. I love how the NY Times' headline says "limit access", which is nothing more than censorship. If a country is seriously worried about social stability then maybe they should put away the guns and chains and do something positive about their disgusting human rights record.

How Beijing won the honor to host the Olympics is really beyond understanding. Out of all the great nations in the world the IOC chose China. Nice pick. Sooner or later someone will uncover the money trail, especially considering China is in the process of buying up the world. As if all that isn't bad enough the athletes have this worry about.....

Cyclists Will Test the Air in Beijing
For a country worried about social stability maybe even before addressing human rights they can focus on cleaning up their dirty skies. Cyclists and other endurance athletes will likely have a lot to say, after catching their breathe, about how difficult it was to compete at or above threshold.

Though, one good thing will happen at the Olympics.....

Out of 4,500 expected doping tests, about 400 will be for HGH
The cat will always catch a mouse or two. If that cat is like all others it will parade the mouse in front of everyone to brag about its prowess.

What is Tax Free?
What about getting little Bobby a new bike to ride to school? That should be tax free too don't you think! This weekend is the sales tax free "holiday" from Friday through Sunday. Get while the getting is good.

101 tips to save and stretch hard-earned money
Obviously no #4 for me this year. She stole #30 from my blog. The kicker has to be #96. That's not cheap, it's crazy!

Eye candy on 2 wheels
Here's another cycling blog that can keep you busy for awhile. As David says, "Do."

By the numbers
It was still the 5th fastest Tour de France ever this year. Did they catch 'em all?

Tour chief Christian Prudhomme says deterrents are working
Alright boss man, we're going to remember you said this. He's right about being ashamed had they not caught anyone, but that's something the mainstream media can't seem to get their head around.

Memphis roads not friendly for bicyclists
The downside of more people riding their bikes due to high gas prices is that drivers have yet to have an accommodating mindset. Then again, there are less drivers on the road while...."As gas prices go up, auto deaths drop." Now if only those fewer drivers will exhibit a little more patience and caution.

Best Places to Live
Franklin makes the list of top 100 cities at number 45. Though only 1.9% of population walk or bike to work while the top 100 average is 3%. Nashville on the other hand is above average at 3.2%. What a shocker considering the Memphis article above - Germantown is a measly 1%. No wonder considering nearly 40% of their population suffers from hypertension!

Oil Price at $90 Is Enough to Save Global Economy
Maybe more of this kind of "speculation" will help our pocketbooks, but as the columnist suggests a lower barrel price will help the money supply in various ways. It will slow inflation, and help interest rates come down; which of course would positively impact the real estate market. Sadly, the lower gas prices drop the less people will ride their bikes.

Cop decks Critical Mass rider
Maybe you've seen this video of a NY City policeman taking out a supposed unruly critical mass rider. The cop is on desk duty while an investigation is taking place. I've heard there's another video out there with an angle showing what transpired causing the cop to single the guy out. Maybe the guy on the bike deserved to be stopped, but did he deserve to be tackled Ronnie Lott style?

Starting a Business: It’s Never Too Late
Here's a good article about taking risks and going out on a limb. You're never too old to start. Like Michael says, "Now’s your moment, whatever your age."

Metered Daily Dose - 7/30

Whoa, it's been a whole week since I last blogged? I know I had been busy with the time trial, but I hadn't realized it had been that long. Then again it has been four days since the last rider crossed the finish line too. You have to admit that I've been a little more consistent lately even though my "Daily Dose" is usually four days behind! Hey, so I'm on schedule then.

Speaking of the time trial, how about that? We received a LOT of positive feedback about the event, and of course a LOT of raised eyebrows after the race when asked, "so what did you think of the course?" I think it's safe to say those riders who won a medal absolutely earned it. I do most of my intense intervals and testing on Hwy 266, so I am very familiar with its difficulty. While I don't get thrilled at the thought of racing a 40k TT myself at least if I did that course I would know every inch of it. Knowing where those hills are and how long of an effort it is to get over them is a huge advantage. As of right now expect to be back in Lebanon for the TN State TT again, and more than likely on the weekend of July 25, 2009.

Moving on.....

Swimmer Jessica Hardy tests positive
Wait, you mean athletes in other sports are dopers? You're kidding me.

Olympic swimmer Jessica Hardy: 'I'm innocent'
Oh my, here we go again. Yeah, Ricco said the same thing initially, but now he admits he doped. Her lawyer is Harold Jacobs. Does his name sound familiar? Yeah, he's the guy who led the losing legal battle for Floyd Landis.

So what did she test positive for?

Clenbuterol
Here's why it's on the banned list - ".....some similarities to ephedrine, but its effects are more potent and longer-lasting as a stimulant and thermogenic drug. It causes an increase in a aerobic capacity.....oxygen transportation."

This isn't something that just pops up in your system randomly. Maybe she was unaware of what she was actually taking and all the ingredients. Maybe she was taking it to help burn fat and lose weight because she's thinking it's nothing more than a dietary supplement. Who knows the truth? Regardless, it is the athlete's responsibility to know exactly what they're putting into their body at all times.

Here's a subject for another day, but follow my links here and you'll understand what I'm getting at:
Metered-dose inhaler
Bronchodilator
Bronchoconstriction - "Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction - More generally termed exercise-induced asthma, the preferred and more accurate term exercise-induced bronchoconstriction better reflects underlying pathophysiology. It is also preferred due to the former term giving the false impression that asthma is caused by exercise."

Whether you realize it or not, right now, you and I both are competing against cyclists who are using an inhaler to enhance their breathing capabilities. These racers are not asthmatic, but they know by taking a few pumps from an inhaler before a race is going to help them breathe easier. You think that's fair?


Athletes accused of cheating find perfect advocate
An inside look into the man behind all those dopers' defenses. Perfect advocate for dopers? Would Floyd Landis, Tyler Hamilton and Tim Montgomery consider his record perfect? I admire him for his calling and I'm sure he's as brilliant as he's portrayed, but boil it down to wins and losses and it's not possible to call him 'perfect.'

Mistaken Identity
I share this because myself and a teammate have this same issue everywhere we go. We never correct them but just go along with the mistakes because it happens so often. It's gotten pretty comical now since when either of us are racing people will yell the wrong name. Maybe it'll get easier (or confusing!) since we're racing in the same category now.

What a miserable stage it was for the Italian
Oh wow, Cunego should only focus on the Giro don't you think? I've never seen the front of a jersey ripped apart like that one. Maybe Pete Rose could give him some pointers on the head first dive.

Drummers are as fit as elite athletes
I agree, but you just know they aren't passing any doping tests!

Cycling Miles Per Hour Calculator
Someone shared this with me the other day and I thought it was cool. If you'd like a tool to help establish personal goals then this online calculator may help.

For the Hard Core, Two Wheels Beat Four
There are some trends from New York we may want to stop at the state line, but here's one that should spread like wildfire across the US. If they can lead the way on getting trans fat banned then surely they can help with the growth of commuting on a bike! If and when the city of New York addresses their transportation system in a comprehensive manner to accommodate bicyclists the effects will reach across the country.

Garmin Cuts '08 Outlook
I am not into PNDs, but I sure hope this doesn't affect their commitment to cycling long-term. Their sponsorship is a logical marketing fit, so unless a massive doping problem rears its head again they should remain a fixture in the sport. However, just how bad can it be when EPS is $4.13! Funny how outlook changes when expectations aren't met even when the outcome is still successful.

I'd like to continue sitting here sharing links and making comments, but I'd rather go out and spin my legs a bit before the race tonight. I found a nice short route from my house over into Shelby Bottoms that quickly gets me to Portland Brew East. I can easily get there in 20 minutes!

Daily Dose - 7/23

Junior World Championships - Cape Town, South Africa
Nathan Brown of Memphis turned in a great TT performance to finish 12th, but suffered some bad luck in the RR to finish 50th as the best placed American. Taylor Phinney missed out on the TT victory by just 7.94 seconds as he finished 3rd. To read more about Nathan's performance and what went down you can visit HERE - Kingdom Sports. Dave hasn't updated the blog about the RR finish yet, but he did send me an email detailing how Nathan and the US boys came incredibly close to becoming World Champions. Nathan unfortunately got pushed out within the last 500 meters when a Belgium kid took him and a couple of others down. Tough finish.

Stage 15: Powering the Break
Remember the breakaway containing Danny Pate the other day? Here you get some insight into the power he was having to put out to stay in the lead and fight for victory on the mountain top finish. Averaging over 5 watts/kg for more than 23 kilometers of climbing will wipe you out! If you've got a power meter then run some numbers on yourself to see where you'd rank. It's simple math to check your average wattage for a 10 to 20 minute climb divided by your weight in kilograms. The shorter the duration of the effort the more likely you could reach 5 w/kg, but for over 20k?! Not me that's for sure.

A speedy, harrowing descent this late in the Tour?
Looking at it from Julich's point of view he's right. These guys aren't robots and do have families to think about. It's the same thing that goes through a Masters level rider when they're doing a criterium. Taking risks that could seriously injure you or others simply isn't worth it; especially when you have a family that depends on you.

Jonathan Vaughters and his drugs-free team
Paul Kimmage pulls no punches in this interview with Vaughters. He does his best to dig into dirt that Vaughters handles quite well. However, he says he didn't see doping in the US firsthand. That comment may be truthful, but it's probably safe to say the US domestic cycling culture simply wasn't as corrupt as Europe.

For conspiracy minded folks this confirms what you likely suspected anyway. I think the difference between Vaughters and others is that he held on to his previously good conscience, knew his actions were wrong, but has now set out a path to turn around the sport around. Deep down, I don't think you can necessarily fault someone for doping within the dirty culture of the 90s and most of 2000s, but the measure of a person is what they're doing to change that culture for good. Reformed dopers of cycling aren't that much different than a drug addict or abusive alcoholic who turn their lives around and then help others to beat the addiction. If it's sincere and coming from the right place in someone's heart then how can you argue that?

CSC's Riis uses own doping admission as fuel for change in cycling
Along those lines of changing cultures you have Bjarne Riis who did admit to doping and is now actively fighting to rid the sport of drugs. I agree with Riis when he says the sport needs him, and he's wise to suggest outsiders are needed to come in and provide supplement leadership.

Even though he admitted to doping there are going to be lots of riders who still look up to him. He has great influence and has built a team that's admired by many. Simply put he's built a great organization for riders to work for, and the fact that he doped cannot take away from that. Sure, sponsors may be unhappy with the admission, but the organization is tangible and arguably the best cycling team in the world to ride with.

The next generation of top teams will attract riders (and sponsors) not because they simply want a job (or exposure), but because they want to work for an employer who has their best interest at heart. That, and the ability to take them to the highest level of success possible.

We may be turning the corner.....

SRAM moves on…
Then again, if a team or rider damages the reputation of a sponsor then responses like this will continue to happen. Sponsors have been leaving but on a timeline that still milked their sponsorship investment. I think if others like SRAM punch back and leave immediately it will have a greater long term positive impact. You can read how much this affects SRAM. They have put a lot of hours and energy into something that let them down. Talk about a sucker punch.

A lot of dopes racing in the Tour de Farce
My gut response to this article.....irresponsible

. I realize Tim Dahlberg with the AP is a sports columnist, but has this guy been following the sport at all lately? If I didn't know any better I would have thought this was written a few years ago and not in 2008. His email address is at the end of the article if you wish to send him your thoughts of his opinion. Hey, to each his own, but at least get up to speed on your knowledge of the sport and not perpetuate old mentalities. I would put him in the category of US couch potato arm-chair quarterback NFL loving head-in-the-sand stuck in time guy.

Despite the headlines, the good guys will win cycling's doping fight
Tim Dahlberg meet Austin Murphy.

Beltrán case casts pall over Tour
Tim Dahlberg meet David Millar. I'm not linking this to read about Beltran, but rather for you to scroll down to watch/listen to the video interview with David Millar from Stage 8 of the Tour. He's dead on right about how journalists should stop reporting the sport if they're naive enough to think there's not going to be any positive doping outcomes. In other words, the cheaters are getting consistently caught and this should not be a surprise but welcome relief!

Doping scandals keep test lab busy
In case you didn't know it there's a local company involved in testing, Aegis Sciences Corp. of Nashville. However, even the leader of this company mentions the Tour de France risks losing its existence. Are Americans that out of touch with reality? If so, sure the riders are to blame, but it goes back to the news and journalism they receive here in the states. Plus, he's likely getting feedback within the testing community that's pushing that line of thinking as well.

Cavendish unstoppable in fourth stage victory
Don't you just know that somewhere in Italy Mario Cipollini is envious of the attention and success of this guy?! Sooner or later a nickname must be tagged on Cavendish. To think it all started with him riding BMX bikes and knowing he could win if only had a road bike. He got the bike and won immediately. Is there any better quote than this from him? "It's unfortunate for the other guys that I have to do my job."

Translation, "hate your luck!"

Ok, let's move on to some local stuff and other randomness.....

To Starbucks, a Closing; To Newark, a Trauma
Yes, just keep on riding by on that bike. Looking into my crystal ball I foresee a market need for more anger management classes! For Tennesseans I've read the Starbucks closings will not affect us, but if disposable income continues to dwindle sooner or later some will shut the doors. Even if you're the biggest fan of family owned independent coffee shops the closing of Starbucks stores is not a good sign. The correction is beginning to happen, so all you non-corporate types had better hope your favorite mom-and-pops survive. I can assure you everybody in the food and beverage service industry is struggling right now.

How Fat Is Your State?
Tennessee is ranked third, and no I don't mean the pre-season collegiate football poll. As the old saying goes, "thank God for Mississippi." It would be interesting to see the per-capita spending on health care costs for each of these states as well. Not to mention the exercise statistics, or for that matter the number of fried chickens sold. KFC does have a strong hold in the South!

Six of the Most Fattening Ice Cream Flavors
Maybe this has a little something to do with it too. I am in recovery and doing much better at resisting this addiction.

Bloomberg commodity futures
Oil has fallen down below $130 per barrel, but I notice the numbers aren't dropping in accordance on the gas station signs. Not that I expected a drop in the pump price. Of course now the response is, "well, there's Middle East turmoil and likely hurricanes." Tell me again when we've not had those to worry about?

Daily Dose - 7/18

Tennessee State Individual Time Trial Championship
The big day takes place on Saturday, Juy 26 in Lebanon, Tennessee! Registration is open through Wednesday night, July 23rd, but it's important to understand that you must register online. There will be no registration accepted on the day of the event. I hope you make plans to attend and compete for state medals and TBRA time trial championship jerseys. Visit the link above to find out more details and to register. You can also visit http://www.nashvillecyclist.com/ for the race flyer. I hope to see you there!

25 things to make city better
They forgot one thing, a velodrome!

Tour de France marketing hits uphill stage
Local sock company Swifwick International gets recognized in this article on CNN Money. If you don't own a pair of Swiftwick socks then your dogs are missing out! To learn more about why Swiftwick socks are gaining market share you can view this video presentation by founder/owner Sharp Emmons on YouTube.

Junior Worlds - Nathan Brown ready in South Africa
The UCI Junior World Time Trial Championship is on Friday, July 18, and Memphis phenom Nathan Brown is there to compete! You can visit the link above to read a blog posted by his father, Dave Brown. Nathan is pretty relaxed and likes the course according to Dave. You can also visit the official Junior Worlds website HERE for results.

USA Cycling announces Olympic team
Don't be surprised if one day we're reading about Nathan competing in the Olympics, but in the meantime our teams have mostly been chosen. The men's RR is early in the Olympic schedule on August 9th with the women RR on the 10th. I haven't read where the last two spots of the women's RR team has been chosen yet; is it possible that Katharine Carroll will be in Beijing?

Rock starts catastrophic injury fund for cyclists
Say what you want about Michael Ball, but he can't be bad mouthed about this progressive move. Hopefully this actually makes a difference and other teams follow suit. Like he said, "Who's looking out for them?"

Technology and Tradition Battle in Tour de France
I think at the highest level of the sport that having radios ultimately is a good thing if for no other reason than to avoid "road furniture." The only other way to level the playing field would be if all the riders had to subscribe to the same radio frequency to pick up updates from the commissaire. Of course it would have to be in different languages, but since the progress has already been made I can't see them going back to no radios now.

Le Tour: Rider Diaries
An assortment from Podium Cafe to choose from.

We go from this by Bonnie Ford....
This time around, positive test not sending shock waves through peloton

To this from Bobby Julich.....
When will we stop shooting ourselves in the foot?

Because of this.....
Saunier Duval team withdraws from Tour de France
They did the right thing and dropped out, and I think it's appropriate the team director hinted this may cause them to fold the team. My only problem with that is it sets a bad example for other team managements if/when they are faced with the same dilemma. Suppose this happens to Team Columbia or Garmin-Chipotle, what then?

It only took about four days for things to change dramatically. New drugs are evidently being used but the knuckleheads weren't suspecting tests that would detect it. Or, was it as Bobby suggests the riders simply misjudged the timing of their doping regiment prior to the Tour? It's my opinion that not only is it likely others will get caught at this year's Tour, but every year after this there will be at least one to get busted.

Which brings me to a scenario I'd love to see happen in other sports.....

Imagine after every superb performance on the baseball field, say pitching a complete game shutout or going 4 for 4 with two doubles and a homer, that you were met by USADA in the clubhouse each time for a PED test. Suppose you rack up a triple double on the court and each time you were met by USAD for a PED test? How about you throw for 400 yards and five touchdowns and you're met by USADA for a PED test? Oh, you had a great game and dominated? Good for you, now come with me and pee for me. Yeah and we'd like to take a sample of your blood too.

It really is a joke that cycling is the only sport that takes this testing approach for top performers (on top of random tests). What's even more puzzling is how the fans of sports other than cycling see a great performance in MLB, NFL, etc. and really believe they're seeing truth in athletic performance. Then one or three cyclists out of nearly 200 test positive for PEDs and somehow the whole sport is corrupt? I'm thinking we put all the other major sports under the microscope with tests after great performances, tests during the playoffs and tests during and after the Super Bowl, World Series and NBA championships. Yeah, let's see what the fans think after a few rounds of that action.

Evans says critics of cycling need to look at other sports
Right on Cadel.

Working hard for the coffee!
There's already enough stress in the Tour between the tough racing and doping issues to not have to worry about getting your coffee?! We're talking about Team Columbia here. You mean to tell me that not even George Hincapie has taken matters into his own hands?

Darrell Waltrip & Morganna
Maybe these two could help clean up cycling a little bit; well at least maybe Morganna could. I only saw this because I was checking out old photos about Waltrip during his racing days here in Nashville. I grew up a big Waltrip fan and watched him race a lot when I was younger. Do you know Morganna the Kissing Bandit? She's the "blessed" (or cursed!) woman who would run on to baseball fields and kiss star players. Usually it was a publicity stunt or promotion of some kind, but it would always catch the player off guard and embarrass him.

I was involved in one of her kissing stunts during a minor league game in Augusta, GA. I was catching and she came running on to the field right when, coincidentally, another native Nashvillian was about to step in the batters box to hit. As soon as I saw her running towards us I said, "oh lord, Trace, look who's coming." His reply, "come here baby!" Typical Trace. So I then called three of the dirtiest pitches possible, nowhere near the strike zone, and we struck him out on three pitches. That kiss had him all confused. As Trace would say though, "chance of a lifetime!"

Where Are They Now? Morganna
Which got me to thinking, does she have a website? I haven't seen her in well over a decade. If you're unfamiliar see how she gets Charles Barkley here. Anyway, how about her running out to start the Tour and lay one on Cadel or George?