If you haven't already, you should consider writing your own column. Or maybe you and Doc could work something out where you two collaborate. Would be interesting.
Mark, I appreciate the thoughts. Maybe in retirement. 😊
BTW, I always enjoy writing, but after doing so I marvel about Doc's ability to do this daily for 30+ years. Fresh material, fresh writing, fresh opinions - it is impressive what he does.
Good job today, Jay. I was fortunate enough to get invited to the Joel Cornette Memorial golf outing and spent the day at Coldstream with a bunch of fellow Butler Bulldogs including a recent NBA champion executive. Read it from a tee box with a Coors Light in my hand.
Will try to follow your lead this week with mine. Cheers my friend.
Of course, music is my life. I love the song and have never heard it before. Congrats to your daughter for a happy and lasting marriage. My daughter has one and her happiness is mine. Forever Romantic, Kate. Sweet of you to think of me. I'm honored and couldn't ask for a better title. I hope it pays off one day.
Nice job today. I’ve thought about approaching Doc to try it once but haven’t done so yet.
The Tour…I was a huge fan until Lance ruined it for me. i realize he was never the only one but he was such a role model for so many that I’ve just never been able to watch again.
The Open…I love it! I would never get out of one of though bunkers but, God, I love this particular tournament every year.
Back up QB…It is nice to know that Browning is so highly regarded as Joe’s back up but, like you, i hope we don’t see him that much.
Biden/Harris…My respect for that man is just enormous. He literally brought the country back from the abyss. To see him go through this humiliation was agonizing but he made the right call and, I think, just in a nick of time. I watched her Delaware speech today and, honestly, Trump really doesn’t want to piss her off. As for him finishing his term. Remember, he’s surrounded by great minds. Not only that, I believe, in a , Harris administration, he will still be involved in foreign policy, especially the Israeli/Gaza thing and the Ukraine.
Re the Tour, I get it. I lost interest in baseball post-1994 strike (although it coincide with getting married and starting my own law practice). Still, it seems unfair to hold the sins of Lance and others against the current riders. It just takes a bit of effort to get to know them.
With no dominant Americans, it can be hard to get into it. Matteo Jorgensen is an American who finished 8th this year as the key teammate for Jonas. I know Americans only care about victories but 8th is still impressive. Sepp Kuss was the key teammate for Jonas last year. He assisted in the TDF win for Jonas, supported another teammate, Primoz Roglic, for the Giro last May, then won the Vuelta de Espana in September. Only second American to do so. Larger point is that it is easy to care if you want.
If you have an interest, check out Plan B on YouTube. It is a hour one documentary of Jumbo Visma's TDF in 2021 and how they switched from supporting Primoz Roglic to Jonas mid 8th stage. You might have tears in your eyes when it ends. You will definitely have a smile on your face. I watched it with some younger friends who were college athletes and their mouths were agape when it was over.
Jay, coming in late ... very entertaining. The Tour is unique in that it features something nearly every human being has done, ride a bike!
I think there is a difference between BEING president and RUNNING for president, which is an endurance contest. You are electing individual people - that is true - but you are also electing staffs, experience, institutional knowledge, etc. etc. Joe is definitely diminished, but on the other hand Nancy Pelosi, three years older, is making gangsta moves behind the scenes. I think she has some Borgia blood in her :-)
Paul McCartney any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.
Admittedly I am not a fan of Nancy Pelosi but she is an incredibly effective pol. She always kept her caucus in line when Speaker and even now she pushing Joe out of the way. Nuts that she is three years older than Joe. Also nuts that we cannot have leaders younger than her, McConnell, Biden, and Trump. I thought it was sad/funny that 76 year old Joe Manchin floated a trial balloon yesterday. Thankfully, 76 year old Hillary seems to be sitting on the sidelines for now.
I go Daryl Hall. His Daryl's House videos are fantastic.
Spent many hours watching Daryl's House. Always fun. Loved the Smokey Robinson, Joe Walsh, Kenny Loggins, Cheap Trick, and Todd Rundgren episodes. Would love to see a show with Sir Paul and Neil Young, maybe the Boss, too. I am sure all would be great.
I go back and forth on the age thing. Until Reagan, we didn't really have this issue. Since, we've had Joe, and if Trump wins an even "older than Joe" president by the end of his term. My conservative BIL has an interesting idea - an unofficial "Councils of Elders" - all living presidents meeting occasionally with the current office holder at Camp David, off the record. We've seen friendships form in the past between former rivals: Jimmy Carter and Gerry Ford; Bill Clinton and George HW Bush; and the Obamas and W. The BIL argues we have all this experience and knowledge wasting away while a new president makes the same old mistakes learning the ropes.
I like that idea. The hang up is that these guys have such huge egos that I doubt they would listen to anyone. I know Trump would not and I suspect Biden would not have.
I do think the friendships between the Bushes and Clintons is very admirable. I remember W commenting after Clinton had surgery and "woke up surrounded by his loved ones, Hillary, Chelsea, my dad." Actually, I think W and Clinton spoke with some regularity when W was in office. Mark Halperin wrote in Game Change about W calling Clinton after Clinton was called a racist during Hillary's 2008 campaign. W said something like "Bill, it's OK. I don't think you're a racist."
I dunno about Hillary. When the Clintons endorse a candidate there is always hell to pay for that stamp of approval. That hell could be Hillary as Sec of State. If that happens, fires of war will be lit across the globe again. After all, the Clintons need 3rd world countries to pillage after the burn. Haiti knows what happens when someone knocks on the door and says, “Hi. We’re from the Clinton Foundation and we are here to help.”
Great Job except your NBA/USA basketball portion. As soon as I read Derrick who? I tuned out, it showed a complete lack of knowledge of current NBA players beyond "stars" please do better. Other than that, great job.
Thanks, Paul, although I need to push back a bit. Where is the line on what I, or anyone, should be aware of with sports? I still work full time, spend many hours a week on a bike, spend time with my beautiful wife, waste too much time on the Internet on X, news sites, and blogs, am passionate about music and seek out new tunes, and have read 10 books since May 1. I followed the NBA enough to know the rhythm of the playoffs without truly watching an entire game, but spent more time on the Stanley Cup. "Do better" seems harsh because I was unaware of a guy who has never been an all star and is ranked somewhere between 100 and 125 in The Athletic's rankings of players.
Interesting that I'm the one who was harsh when you said Derrick who? Derrick White who arguably is one of the big reasons the Celtics had the best record and won the NBA championship this year as a starter... So.... I'm just saying before you write a post taking a swipe at a player you might wanna do a little more research on said player. There is a reason he is on the USA team. Just a little research beside looking at stats would have done that or.... If it's not your strong point don't write anything at all.
I did research him. Saw career average of 12 ppg, no ASG and questioned why he is on the roster. When it comes to Celts for us casual fans, it is Tatum, Jaylen, Kristaps, and Horford. I would also argue that those four are bigger reasons for the Celts success this year than Derrick White.
As I said, I do not have the time nor interest to know every player in the NBA. When I see a guy I am unfamiliar with replacing Kawhi, my eyebrows raised. It is an opinion. Too bad it bothered you so much. I doubt his agent cares as much as you seem to.
Um... Name a sport or anything that is the "same as it used to be" . You know who says that line, people who are out of touch with the present and live in the past.
Can't dispute your reasoning, Paul...I prefer Earl the Pearl backing down the lane leaving jock straps all over the paint or MJ cutting off a pick in the Triangle for a floating swish...beats watching off balance jacked up 23 footers in my ancient view...as old John Prine would say, "you are who you are, and you ain't who you ain't"...
The thing I find fascinating about Tour cycling is every rider has to make a cut-off time on every stage, based on finish and terrain difficulty, or they go home. Home home as in out of the entire race. If you come down with an…uh…”upset stomach”, your *ss still needs to be on that saddle to make the cut off time no matter what. And if you fall going 35mph and slide across the blacktop, there’s no time-out allowed. There are no substitutions. If you badly skin an entire side of your body a doctor will treat you from an adjacent moving car while you continue your race on your bike. Even more diabolical is the suffering Tour sprinters go through. They have to make that time and do it with a sprinter’s body instead of being near-waif. That means days up and down in the mountains on hard climbs or 100plus mile races usually meant for sprinters to win the stage. Let’s see the best Olympic 100m sprinter run a few marathons the day before his 100m final.
Yeah. There’s no sport as brutal for so long as the TdF. It’s a sadistic race meant for the very few ultra-conditioned athletes who enjoy torturing themselves.
Stumbled into time trials of the Tour du Pont in Roanoke once. Teammates were hanging around at the finish line, rooting their mates on. Grueling. The mountain route they ran was daunting. But best athletes? Not by a long shot.
Too soon to comment on the shake-up. Things are in total flux. It'll shake out quick. Be careful what you wish for, Jay. If Biden were to step down as president, as you demand, that would likely elevate Harris' status in the eyes of many voters by showcasing her as President. She would be running as President Harris in November. Should she handle the interim well, it could close the gap between her and Trump. Either way, if she is chosen, she faces an uphill climb, but a few months as President Harris would hardly hurt her resume. Should she deal expertly and decisively with a crisis between now and then, game over for The Pathological Liar/Felon/Misogynist.
Yeah, too bad the Tour du Pont didn't take. America's version of Tour de France for a few years. They also had a mountain race ending in Roanoke the day earlier. Double hit.
Implied in the belief that cycling is the most difficult sport, which of course is totally subjective and all depends on the measuring stick, is the idea that cyclists are up among the best athletes, if not the best. Having seen those starved, scrawny guys and gals up close, they look more like refugees from an undernourished nation.
I agree the Tour de France is the most grueling sporting event there is. I played soccer for 28 years and getting on the bike and climbing up steep roads in the Indian Hill area was the best way I could get in shape for the soccer season. Biking 50 miles is a bit of a grind, at least to me. I’ve only done it a few times. I think my issue is riding solo. Might not be so bad if you rode with a group. Not certain what these guys are made of to ride ~100+ miles a day for 3 weeks while climbing real mountains. A super human feat, IMO.
Iron man triathlons, soccer and basketball are next in the most strenuous sports, in my mind.
Not certain T is worth the $21 million. But it is safe to bet he will have a good season if he wants a big, long term contract next season. TB is a vet and that price tag is a bargain.
We went to Patagonia last December and loved it. Our travel partners raved about the Galapagos. Have been thinking about that for this December. Yours is the 1st “pan” I’ve heard of that trip. BTW, while visiting the Strait of Magellan, we toured two 1 to 1 scale rebuilds of famous ancient ships that sailed around Cape Horn: Magellan’s circa 1513 and the HMS Beagle of the 19th century, the boat Darwin sailed on during in of his trips to the Galapagos. Boarding those old ships is quite the experience.
Tim, elaborating on the Galapagos. We both graded the trip as a solid B. It was 8 days which was at least 3 too many. Our provider would take us ashore but we were not hiking far looking for animals to see. Sometimes we would not venture past the beach. Other times we did some hiking for the purpose of looking over the island and seeing that it was part of a volcano but not to see unique animals. After a while, I did not need to see more sea lions (I've seen countless sea lions in La Jolla and SF) nor pelicans (I have been to Florida) nor more marine iguanas as cool and as grotesque looking as they are.
For calibration purposes, Janice's all time favorite trip was South Africa and a safari. She would return tomorrow. Mine was the week in Israel last summer followed closely by a trip that included 3 nights in Marrakech. Peru/Machu Picchu and several trips to France are also on the list.
Great pic of the Galapaguy with his Galapagal in the Galapagos.
I’ve seen all the lizards I need to see in Costa Rica. The large ones fascinated me while a smaller one scurried up my shorts on a day so hot that I intentionally went full “commando”. I’m pretty sure I own the Costa Rican world record for depanting oneself in an outdoor restaurant. I’m told my scream made the howler monkeys blush.
We’re booked for Puglia, Italy & Sicily this October and looking forward to it.
Check out Costa Rica if you wanna see variety of species. They have 52 species of hummingbirds and as many bird species, over 900, than the entire North American continent. Costa Rica is the size of West Virginia.
Get this: they haven’t had an army in over 70 years, all politicians are on a four-year term limit and have to sit out in four years before running again, They have a 97% literacy rate which is higher than the US, free healthcare for the entire population and produce 80% of their food domestically.
Medical equipment is number one export, then bananas.
It’s a breathtaking country with Caribbean and Pacific coasts And beautiful mountains in between
I enjoyed the golf overlay for TDF. Thank you. I am always here for stuff that helps me nod and act like I understand (fringe to me) sports. They blip on my radar briefly and continue on their merry way, leaving their real fans sated.
I like the idea of Tiger walking golf courses as long as he is able. If he doesn’t make the cut, so be it. He enjoys the human aspects now. And he has Charlie to handle differently than he was.
Wearing my navy blue Chucks today without pearls. My little piddly state doesn’t matter much in the big race. Unless of course my governor goes national. I don’t think he will, but strange things can happen.
Very enjoyable read today. Enjoy this journey to your baby girl’s wedding. She will probably look about six to you at first glance in her dress up clothes. That means you did good.
Thanks, Kathy as always. Funny about the wedding dress. I have not seen the pics nor am I allowed to, but the women Janice has shown them to (not invitees) all gasp and say "is she fourteen?" Six is not far off.
Keep in mind seniors (age 50+) on the senior tour get to use carts. Tiger in a cart may dominate. Jack, Arnie, Gary, Lee, Tom W, Bernhard, Ray Floyd, Hale, etc., all played The Senior Tour. Could be the perfect tonic for Tiger's flagging spirit and aching leg.
Andy's not national enough yet. Maybe next time. Surprised you're leaving the pearls off; I always wear mine with my Chucks. 😄.
I go back to the Greg Lemond/Bernard Hinault days when I was a little kid watching that CBS Sunday coverage of the Tour. Loved that so much. Miss the drama they could build in that 2 hour show recapping the week. I believe it won emmys for its coverage. Have not really kept up since the Lance days but loved the write up. It's hard to watch hour after hour of cycling. Wish they would bring back a recap show.
Derrick White is a great addition to team who needs guys like him although I doubt he will see a whole lot of time.
Jason, JP is correct. There is a nice 25-35 minute recap on YouTube daily that NBC/Peacock puts up. It is a very nice way to watch. What I found myself doing was subscribing to Peacock and watching the last significant part every day. For last Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, that included Jonas trying to break away from Pogi and Pogi holding him off and eventually winning.
Also, Lance Armstrong's The Move is a nice discussion of the day's stage. Just be prepared to fast forward through an annoying amount of commercials.
I watched The Move last night. Johan Bruyneel said Pogacar’s TT bike could have been painted yellow but he wanted to save the 35 grams of weight the paint would add. Then JB mentioned Pogacar was wearing that Richard Mille watch which didn’t elicit much of a response from the guys. That watch weighs 32 grams. So, maybe 20 to 30 thousand in his TT bike with that state-of-the-art American made front wheel and 120 thousand sitting on his wrist. That has to be the most expensive TT finish in tour history.
They do. Peacock has a highlight show that is posted 5 or 6 hours after the finish of the race. For the most part, each stage is live on Peacock starting at 6am. The only good thing about TdF apathy in the US is that I can get through an entire day and evening not hearing or seeing anything about that day’s race.
Good job Jay. The TDF is indeed grueling! Can't imagine what it takes to win! Good song for dancing with your daughter ... I loved her first. ❤️
If you haven't already, you should consider writing your own column. Or maybe you and Doc could work something out where you two collaborate. Would be interesting.
Mark, I appreciate the thoughts. Maybe in retirement. 😊
BTW, I always enjoy writing, but after doing so I marvel about Doc's ability to do this daily for 30+ years. Fresh material, fresh writing, fresh opinions - it is impressive what he does.
Thank you for mentioning the Tour. Tuned in for 3 weeks.
Phil Liggett doing Tour commentary is wonderful. Absolute Gem. 80 years and going strong.
Of course, Bob Roll makes me laugh.
Enjoyed Tejay van Garderen and Brent Bookwalter after race commentary as well.
Excellent job Jay. As an avid biker myself, I appreciate the TDF recap. Good stuff all the way around.
Good job today, Jay. I was fortunate enough to get invited to the Joel Cornette Memorial golf outing and spent the day at Coldstream with a bunch of fellow Butler Bulldogs including a recent NBA champion executive. Read it from a tee box with a Coors Light in my hand.
Will try to follow your lead this week with mine. Cheers my friend.
Boyd in the slot makes the game more difficult for the defense. Higgins is good but WRs are not guys that move the ball when push comes to shove.
Of course, music is my life. I love the song and have never heard it before. Congrats to your daughter for a happy and lasting marriage. My daughter has one and her happiness is mine. Forever Romantic, Kate. Sweet of you to think of me. I'm honored and couldn't ask for a better title. I hope it pays off one day.
Kate, glad you finally checked in today. Was hoping you would see that. I hope it does pay off for you.
We may not agree on everything, but you are a good man Irish. Thank you.
Nice job today. I’ve thought about approaching Doc to try it once but haven’t done so yet.
The Tour…I was a huge fan until Lance ruined it for me. i realize he was never the only one but he was such a role model for so many that I’ve just never been able to watch again.
The Open…I love it! I would never get out of one of though bunkers but, God, I love this particular tournament every year.
Back up QB…It is nice to know that Browning is so highly regarded as Joe’s back up but, like you, i hope we don’t see him that much.
Biden/Harris…My respect for that man is just enormous. He literally brought the country back from the abyss. To see him go through this humiliation was agonizing but he made the right call and, I think, just in a nick of time. I watched her Delaware speech today and, honestly, Trump really doesn’t want to piss her off. As for him finishing his term. Remember, he’s surrounded by great minds. Not only that, I believe, in a , Harris administration, he will still be involved in foreign policy, especially the Israeli/Gaza thing and the Ukraine.
Thanks, Eric. I appreciate the kind words.
Re the Tour, I get it. I lost interest in baseball post-1994 strike (although it coincide with getting married and starting my own law practice). Still, it seems unfair to hold the sins of Lance and others against the current riders. It just takes a bit of effort to get to know them.
With no dominant Americans, it can be hard to get into it. Matteo Jorgensen is an American who finished 8th this year as the key teammate for Jonas. I know Americans only care about victories but 8th is still impressive. Sepp Kuss was the key teammate for Jonas last year. He assisted in the TDF win for Jonas, supported another teammate, Primoz Roglic, for the Giro last May, then won the Vuelta de Espana in September. Only second American to do so. Larger point is that it is easy to care if you want.
If you have an interest, check out Plan B on YouTube. It is a hour one documentary of Jumbo Visma's TDF in 2021 and how they switched from supporting Primoz Roglic to Jonas mid 8th stage. You might have tears in your eyes when it ends. You will definitely have a smile on your face. I watched it with some younger friends who were college athletes and their mouths were agape when it was over.
Biden/Harris? I am not touching that. 😁
Thanks, again.
Jay, coming in late ... very entertaining. The Tour is unique in that it features something nearly every human being has done, ride a bike!
I think there is a difference between BEING president and RUNNING for president, which is an endurance contest. You are electing individual people - that is true - but you are also electing staffs, experience, institutional knowledge, etc. etc. Joe is definitely diminished, but on the other hand Nancy Pelosi, three years older, is making gangsta moves behind the scenes. I think she has some Borgia blood in her :-)
Paul McCartney any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.
Thanks, Brant.
Admittedly I am not a fan of Nancy Pelosi but she is an incredibly effective pol. She always kept her caucus in line when Speaker and even now she pushing Joe out of the way. Nuts that she is three years older than Joe. Also nuts that we cannot have leaders younger than her, McConnell, Biden, and Trump. I thought it was sad/funny that 76 year old Joe Manchin floated a trial balloon yesterday. Thankfully, 76 year old Hillary seems to be sitting on the sidelines for now.
I go Daryl Hall. His Daryl's House videos are fantastic.
Spent many hours watching Daryl's House. Always fun. Loved the Smokey Robinson, Joe Walsh, Kenny Loggins, Cheap Trick, and Todd Rundgren episodes. Would love to see a show with Sir Paul and Neil Young, maybe the Boss, too. I am sure all would be great.
I go back and forth on the age thing. Until Reagan, we didn't really have this issue. Since, we've had Joe, and if Trump wins an even "older than Joe" president by the end of his term. My conservative BIL has an interesting idea - an unofficial "Councils of Elders" - all living presidents meeting occasionally with the current office holder at Camp David, off the record. We've seen friendships form in the past between former rivals: Jimmy Carter and Gerry Ford; Bill Clinton and George HW Bush; and the Obamas and W. The BIL argues we have all this experience and knowledge wasting away while a new president makes the same old mistakes learning the ropes.
I like that idea. The hang up is that these guys have such huge egos that I doubt they would listen to anyone. I know Trump would not and I suspect Biden would not have.
I do think the friendships between the Bushes and Clintons is very admirable. I remember W commenting after Clinton had surgery and "woke up surrounded by his loved ones, Hillary, Chelsea, my dad." Actually, I think W and Clinton spoke with some regularity when W was in office. Mark Halperin wrote in Game Change about W calling Clinton after Clinton was called a racist during Hillary's 2008 campaign. W said something like "Bill, it's OK. I don't think you're a racist."
I dunno about Hillary. When the Clintons endorse a candidate there is always hell to pay for that stamp of approval. That hell could be Hillary as Sec of State. If that happens, fires of war will be lit across the globe again. After all, the Clintons need 3rd world countries to pillage after the burn. Haiti knows what happens when someone knocks on the door and says, “Hi. We’re from the Clinton Foundation and we are here to help.”
Great Job except your NBA/USA basketball portion. As soon as I read Derrick who? I tuned out, it showed a complete lack of knowledge of current NBA players beyond "stars" please do better. Other than that, great job.
Thanks, Paul, although I need to push back a bit. Where is the line on what I, or anyone, should be aware of with sports? I still work full time, spend many hours a week on a bike, spend time with my beautiful wife, waste too much time on the Internet on X, news sites, and blogs, am passionate about music and seek out new tunes, and have read 10 books since May 1. I followed the NBA enough to know the rhythm of the playoffs without truly watching an entire game, but spent more time on the Stanley Cup. "Do better" seems harsh because I was unaware of a guy who has never been an all star and is ranked somewhere between 100 and 125 in The Athletic's rankings of players.
Interesting that I'm the one who was harsh when you said Derrick who? Derrick White who arguably is one of the big reasons the Celtics had the best record and won the NBA championship this year as a starter... So.... I'm just saying before you write a post taking a swipe at a player you might wanna do a little more research on said player. There is a reason he is on the USA team. Just a little research beside looking at stats would have done that or.... If it's not your strong point don't write anything at all.
I did research him. Saw career average of 12 ppg, no ASG and questioned why he is on the roster. When it comes to Celts for us casual fans, it is Tatum, Jaylen, Kristaps, and Horford. I would also argue that those four are bigger reasons for the Celts success this year than Derrick White.
As I said, I do not have the time nor interest to know every player in the NBA. When I see a guy I am unfamiliar with replacing Kawhi, my eyebrows raised. It is an opinion. Too bad it bothered you so much. I doubt his agent cares as much as you seem to.
🤦🏼♂️
Fandom evolves constantly said a wise man…the NBA is not the same as it used to be but that’s just my opinion…
Um... Name a sport or anything that is the "same as it used to be" . You know who says that line, people who are out of touch with the present and live in the past.
Can't dispute your reasoning, Paul...I prefer Earl the Pearl backing down the lane leaving jock straps all over the paint or MJ cutting off a pick in the Triangle for a floating swish...beats watching off balance jacked up 23 footers in my ancient view...as old John Prine would say, "you are who you are, and you ain't who you ain't"...
I have a lot favorite Prine lines, Gary. This one is from Quit Hollerin’ at Me.
“ I heard you the first time, I heard myself say
Seems like the little woman is getting bigger every day
You don't have to tell the neighbors, a little silence ain't no sin
They already think my name is "where in the hell you been?"
The thing I find fascinating about Tour cycling is every rider has to make a cut-off time on every stage, based on finish and terrain difficulty, or they go home. Home home as in out of the entire race. If you come down with an…uh…”upset stomach”, your *ss still needs to be on that saddle to make the cut off time no matter what. And if you fall going 35mph and slide across the blacktop, there’s no time-out allowed. There are no substitutions. If you badly skin an entire side of your body a doctor will treat you from an adjacent moving car while you continue your race on your bike. Even more diabolical is the suffering Tour sprinters go through. They have to make that time and do it with a sprinter’s body instead of being near-waif. That means days up and down in the mountains on hard climbs or 100plus mile races usually meant for sprinters to win the stage. Let’s see the best Olympic 100m sprinter run a few marathons the day before his 100m final.
Yeah. There’s no sport as brutal for so long as the TdF. It’s a sadistic race meant for the very few ultra-conditioned athletes who enjoy torturing themselves.
Stumbled into time trials of the Tour du Pont in Roanoke once. Teammates were hanging around at the finish line, rooting their mates on. Grueling. The mountain route they ran was daunting. But best athletes? Not by a long shot.
Too soon to comment on the shake-up. Things are in total flux. It'll shake out quick. Be careful what you wish for, Jay. If Biden were to step down as president, as you demand, that would likely elevate Harris' status in the eyes of many voters by showcasing her as President. She would be running as President Harris in November. Should she handle the interim well, it could close the gap between her and Trump. Either way, if she is chosen, she faces an uphill climb, but a few months as President Harris would hardly hurt her resume. Should she deal expertly and decisively with a crisis between now and then, game over for The Pathological Liar/Felon/Misogynist.
Cycling is the most difficult sport. Not cyclists are the best athletes. See my response to David below.
Glad you were able to experience cycling up close.
Yeah, too bad the Tour du Pont didn't take. America's version of Tour de France for a few years. They also had a mountain race ending in Roanoke the day earlier. Double hit.
Implied in the belief that cycling is the most difficult sport, which of course is totally subjective and all depends on the measuring stick, is the idea that cyclists are up among the best athletes, if not the best. Having seen those starved, scrawny guys and gals up close, they look more like refugees from an undernourished nation.
Outstanding Hemingway, IB. Interesting thoughts top to bottom. You should consider hosting your own Substack when time permits.
Thanks, JP. Appreciate the kind words.
I agree the Tour de France is the most grueling sporting event there is. I played soccer for 28 years and getting on the bike and climbing up steep roads in the Indian Hill area was the best way I could get in shape for the soccer season. Biking 50 miles is a bit of a grind, at least to me. I’ve only done it a few times. I think my issue is riding solo. Might not be so bad if you rode with a group. Not certain what these guys are made of to ride ~100+ miles a day for 3 weeks while climbing real mountains. A super human feat, IMO.
Iron man triathlons, soccer and basketball are next in the most strenuous sports, in my mind.
Not certain T is worth the $21 million. But it is safe to bet he will have a good season if he wants a big, long term contract next season. TB is a vet and that price tag is a bargain.
We went to Patagonia last December and loved it. Our travel partners raved about the Galapagos. Have been thinking about that for this December. Yours is the 1st “pan” I’ve heard of that trip. BTW, while visiting the Strait of Magellan, we toured two 1 to 1 scale rebuilds of famous ancient ships that sailed around Cape Horn: Magellan’s circa 1513 and the HMS Beagle of the 19th century, the boat Darwin sailed on during in of his trips to the Galapagos. Boarding those old ships is quite the experience.
Tim, elaborating on the Galapagos. We both graded the trip as a solid B. It was 8 days which was at least 3 too many. Our provider would take us ashore but we were not hiking far looking for animals to see. Sometimes we would not venture past the beach. Other times we did some hiking for the purpose of looking over the island and seeing that it was part of a volcano but not to see unique animals. After a while, I did not need to see more sea lions (I've seen countless sea lions in La Jolla and SF) nor pelicans (I have been to Florida) nor more marine iguanas as cool and as grotesque looking as they are.
For calibration purposes, Janice's all time favorite trip was South Africa and a safari. She would return tomorrow. Mine was the week in Israel last summer followed closely by a trip that included 3 nights in Marrakech. Peru/Machu Picchu and several trips to France are also on the list.
Great pic of the Galapaguy with his Galapagal in the Galapagos.
I’ve seen all the lizards I need to see in Costa Rica. The large ones fascinated me while a smaller one scurried up my shorts on a day so hot that I intentionally went full “commando”. I’m pretty sure I own the Costa Rican world record for depanting oneself in an outdoor restaurant. I’m told my scream made the howler monkeys blush.
Jay,
We’re booked for Puglia, Italy & Sicily this October and looking forward to it.
Check out Costa Rica if you wanna see variety of species. They have 52 species of hummingbirds and as many bird species, over 900, than the entire North American continent. Costa Rica is the size of West Virginia.
Get this: they haven’t had an army in over 70 years, all politicians are on a four-year term limit and have to sit out in four years before running again, They have a 97% literacy rate which is higher than the US, free healthcare for the entire population and produce 80% of their food domestically.
Medical equipment is number one export, then bananas.
It’s a breathtaking country with Caribbean and Pacific coasts And beautiful mountains in between
Did Costa Rica on the back half of the Peru trip. Enjoyed it. Might head there this holidays.
Italy is always good. Want to do Sicily. Drinking wine in Italy (and France) is always incredible. Enjoy your trip.
I enjoyed the golf overlay for TDF. Thank you. I am always here for stuff that helps me nod and act like I understand (fringe to me) sports. They blip on my radar briefly and continue on their merry way, leaving their real fans sated.
I like the idea of Tiger walking golf courses as long as he is able. If he doesn’t make the cut, so be it. He enjoys the human aspects now. And he has Charlie to handle differently than he was.
Wearing my navy blue Chucks today without pearls. My little piddly state doesn’t matter much in the big race. Unless of course my governor goes national. I don’t think he will, but strange things can happen.
Very enjoyable read today. Enjoy this journey to your baby girl’s wedding. She will probably look about six to you at first glance in her dress up clothes. That means you did good.
Thanks, Kathy as always. Funny about the wedding dress. I have not seen the pics nor am I allowed to, but the women Janice has shown them to (not invitees) all gasp and say "is she fourteen?" Six is not far off.
Keep in mind seniors (age 50+) on the senior tour get to use carts. Tiger in a cart may dominate. Jack, Arnie, Gary, Lee, Tom W, Bernhard, Ray Floyd, Hale, etc., all played The Senior Tour. Could be the perfect tonic for Tiger's flagging spirit and aching leg.
Andy's not national enough yet. Maybe next time. Surprised you're leaving the pearls off; I always wear mine with my Chucks. 😄.
I go back to the Greg Lemond/Bernard Hinault days when I was a little kid watching that CBS Sunday coverage of the Tour. Loved that so much. Miss the drama they could build in that 2 hour show recapping the week. I believe it won emmys for its coverage. Have not really kept up since the Lance days but loved the write up. It's hard to watch hour after hour of cycling. Wish they would bring back a recap show.
Derrick White is a great addition to team who needs guys like him although I doubt he will see a whole lot of time.
Jason, JP is correct. There is a nice 25-35 minute recap on YouTube daily that NBC/Peacock puts up. It is a very nice way to watch. What I found myself doing was subscribing to Peacock and watching the last significant part every day. For last Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, that included Jonas trying to break away from Pogi and Pogi holding him off and eventually winning.
Also, Lance Armstrong's The Move is a nice discussion of the day's stage. Just be prepared to fast forward through an annoying amount of commercials.
I watched The Move last night. Johan Bruyneel said Pogacar’s TT bike could have been painted yellow but he wanted to save the 35 grams of weight the paint would add. Then JB mentioned Pogacar was wearing that Richard Mille watch which didn’t elicit much of a response from the guys. That watch weighs 32 grams. So, maybe 20 to 30 thousand in his TT bike with that state-of-the-art American made front wheel and 120 thousand sitting on his wrist. That has to be the most expensive TT finish in tour history.
https://www.richardmille.com/friends-and-partners/uae-team-emirates
They do. Peacock has a highlight show that is posted 5 or 6 hours after the finish of the race. For the most part, each stage is live on Peacock starting at 6am. The only good thing about TdF apathy in the US is that I can get through an entire day and evening not hearing or seeing anything about that day’s race.