Mia Freedman on Evans: Not wrong but most definitely not right
Roar Pro By Rob McLean, 26 Jul 2011 Rob McLean is a Roar Pro
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“I’m not going to be popular when I tell @karlstefanovic on @thetodayshow that I don’t care about Cadel Evans.” The above quote is from Mia Freedman’s Twitter yesterday morning.
This was just prior to the social commentator unleashing an attack on the adulation that has greeted Cadel Evans’ triumph in the Tour de France.
So, poor Miss Mia knew that prior to going on air she was to be expressing her interesting opinion that Evans shouldn’t be classed as a hero just because “he rides a bike”.
I’m not going to buy too much into the rights and wrongs of her opinion, except to say that there’s an old saying about opinions – everybody has one.
However, to express surprise that so many people vehemently attacked her beliefs (via her Mama Mia blog) was somewhat of a white lie, as her Twitter proves.
Freedman writes an interesting (occasionally) issues based blog and gains screen time as a social commentator.
Her previous journalistic employment includes New Weekly, Marie Claire, Who Weekly, Cleo and Cosmopolitan; all of which provides an interesting base from which to tackle the relevance of one of Australia’s sacred cows – sport.
Admittedly throughout her interview with Stefanovic, Freedman appears boxed in and uncomfortable with the fact her opinion was likely to be causing red blooded Aussies everywhere to be spitting out their corn flakes.
But…if you’re going to express your opinion, you need to be able to cop the fall out and you want to ensure you have your facts right.
I don’t necessarily disagree that we should see less focus on sportspeople in the EGN sections of our newspapers, or at the head of a news bulletin.
However, Evans’ achievement was not just significant to Australians but to the world – he was only the third non-European to win the planet’s most gruelling and vaunted cycling race.
The Tour de France is his Everest and with that great mound of dirt in Asia already conquered, along with so much more of our planet, sport is our way of challenging ourselves and exploring our own inner strength.
Sport is so often (incorrectly) compared to war and with the modern outlook towards battle having changed irrevocably since World War II, our sports stars are our new heroes.
They are the ones we look to for inspiration and who help us to build our nation’s reputation among the rest of the world.
Of course, their achievements are not as important as those of the ANZACs who staked a claim to a piece of land in far off Gallipoli, nor are they comparable to the stoic men who staved off the Japanese marauders in the highlands of Papua New Guinea.
However, whether it is via the battlefield or the sports field, humanity has always sought a hero.
We in the modern day are no different to the people of ancient Greece whose adulation for the mythological warrior Achilles knew no bounds.
Sadly, while Freedman may have had a fair point (better aired at another time), she also revealed herself to be ignorant about Evans and the challenges he has stared down to reach the top, along with the good he has achieved via his continually growing profile in the sport.
His tale from childhood to bike riding champion and his support of Tibet and other causes have all been widely reported elsewhere but what they reveal is that he is a man of depth that many of us, let alone other sportspeople, can learn from.
And despite Freedman’s claim that Evans only lives in Switzerland, he is fiercely Australian and is a regular to his home in beautiful Barwon Heads.
I know I’m preaching to the converted about the relevance of sport and its value to society, so I’m going to leave the last words to Freedman herself.
But before I do, I’m going to ask her a question.
What has changed so much between May 2010, when young sailor Jessica Watson enjoyed a triumphant homecoming, and now for your definition of hero to be so different?
“I am genuinely in awe of her achievement. Back when she set out on her voyage, crashed on the first night and then set out again, I was a doubter. I still am a little bit. Now that she has returned a hero (as she should, her achievement is astonishing) it’s easy to say it was a wonderful thing for her to have done.” – When I was 16, I got my ears pierced, suck on that Jessica Watson (May 17, 2010).
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July 26th 2011 @ 8:13am
jamesb said | July 26th 2011 @ 8:13am | Report comment
I think Evans’ win is about a person that has set a goal and achieved it. Through hard work. It is something like ordinary Australians like myself can look up to has far as goal setting and achieveing their task is concerned.
As for Mia Freedman, well she may not like sport, or is a feminist
July 26th 2011 @ 10:35am
GrecoRoman said | July 26th 2011 @ 10:35am | Report comment
Can I just ask in all seriousness – who is Mia Freedman?
July 26th 2011 @ 11:14am
Mattay said | July 26th 2011 @ 11:14am | Report comment
She’s a social commentator, dummy.
Next question: what is a social commentator?
July 26th 2011 @ 12:36pm
nordozzz said | July 26th 2011 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
July 26th 2011 @ 1:25pm
Rob McLean said | July 26th 2011 @ 1:25pm | Report comment
Mattay, I was actually going to pose that very question in my story.
I’d love to be paid to pronounce my thoughts on every topic under the sun.
Channel 10 seems especially keen to employ social commentators, or create programs based around them.
July 26th 2011 @ 4:46pm
Juli Perceval said | July 26th 2011 @ 4:46pm | Report comment
I’m with you……………….. who the hell is Mia Freedman.
Sadly, I do know who she is.
Forget cycling is a sport Mia, and just think of the determination it takes to be number one in your chosen field be it, Medicine, politics, sport or social commentary.
How un-Australian. Run back to Fischer Price and sell another toy. Hope they don’t do bikes!
July 27th 2011 @ 3:36pm
david said | July 27th 2011 @ 3:36pm | Report comment
Ha Ha…I heard MFs (thats an accronym for something) comment mentioned at work so I googled her name. Actually I googeled exactly what Juli said “who the hell is mia freedman”.
Now I know…shes a nobody
July 27th 2011 @ 6:15pm
Juli Perceval said | July 27th 2011 @ 6:15pm | Report comment
Cheers to that…………………
August 2nd 2011 @ 7:17pm
Lyn Smith said | August 2nd 2011 @ 7:17pm | Report comment
I had the same question
July 28th 2011 @ 9:27am
peterlala said | July 28th 2011 @ 9:27am | Report comment
jamesb, i agree 100 per cent. Evans shows how hard work and commitment can achieve results — at any level.
While I am a union fan, nothing in the world compares with the multi-faceted challenges of the tour.
Well done Cadel, you are a hero. And an inspiration.
July 26th 2011 @ 8:43am
sledgeross said | July 26th 2011 @ 8:43am | Report comment
“I am genuinely in awe of her achievement. Back when she set out on her voyage, crashed on the first night and then set out again, I was a doubter. I still am a little bit. Now that she has returned a hero (as she should, her achievement is astonishing) it’s easy to say it was a wonderful thing for her to have done.” – When I was 16, I got my ears pierced, suck on that Jessica Watson
Check and mate!
July 26th 2011 @ 1:15pm
Danny_Mac said | July 26th 2011 @ 1:15pm | Report comment
The greatest irony of all with that statement, is that the great sporting achievement that this is being compared to is the 83 america’s cup win… which is fundamentally also a sport… LMAO at you Mia
July 26th 2011 @ 1:28pm
Rob McLean said | July 26th 2011 @ 1:28pm | Report comment
Thanks Sledge. I thought it was a good counterpoint to her original argument. Hard to argue against yourself, isn’t it?
July 26th 2011 @ 3:43pm
Snoopster said | July 26th 2011 @ 3:43pm | Report comment
Mia Freedman all I expect of the ref in the weekend footy game is consistency, that’s all I can ask of you
July 26th 2011 @ 8:56am
Rangi said | July 26th 2011 @ 8:56am | Report comment
Who cares about Mia Freedman ? Have a look at the list of magazines she has written for and then tell me if you can, call it ‘ journalism ‘.
She might believe that writing about vacuous, vain celebrities whose achievements may stretch no further than being famous for being famous is wonderful stuff. For me the achievements of people like Cadel Evans who push themselves to breaking point
in pursuit of their dreams is stirring stuff and a celebration of humanity. Whether he is a sportsman or not is irrelevant, it is the testing of oneself that is important in any endeavour.
In my view there is too much Freedmanesque drivel floating about but there is obviously a huge market for it and where there is demand there will always be no shortage of suppliers.
So Mia, you worry about your celebrities and leave us to Cadel.
July 26th 2011 @ 4:13pm
GrecoRoman said | July 26th 2011 @ 4:13pm | Report comment
I don’t know Rangi. I can see you don’t agree with Mia, but being a celebrity is tough work. They have a hectic diary to manage and have so much pressures on them to remain thin, not to mention the embarrassment of ‘leaked’ sex tapes. It’s not easy being famous for being famous.
July 26th 2011 @ 4:40pm
Big Steve said | July 26th 2011 @ 4:40pm | Report comment
Greco famous people dont manage their own diaries, they have some to do that for them. you should watch more of the E! channel.
July 26th 2011 @ 9:38pm
midfield general said | July 26th 2011 @ 9:38pm | Report comment
Just watched the relevent video of Today on youtube. Having followed Cadel Evan’s career since his mountain biking days (World Cup winner, no less) I reckon the first person to agree with Mia Freedman’s assessment is Cadel himself. He is a shy, modest person whom I can imagine will be slightly uncomfortable with the adulation he is getting, for the very reason Freedman articulates on the show.
We should go easy on her, I feel the same way about footballers, cricketers and pop stars.
July 26th 2011 @ 9:29am
Matt F said | July 26th 2011 @ 9:29am | Report comment
She’s entitled to her opinion (though as the quote about Jess Watson points out it is a bit inconsistent.) It also may technically wrong as the dictionary defines a hero as “a man of distinguished courage or ability” or “a man who is idealized for possessing superior qualities in any field” (among others) and you could make a good arguement that Cadel Evans meets these definitions.
However her surprise isn’t with the people who disagreed with her but with the people who resorted to abusing her with a range of vitriolic insults. These have ranged from the laughably overused (and still not defined) “UnAustralian” to things like “go back to writing about lipstick” “bitch” and “you should lose your job.” Supposedly they were actually the nicer ones… Keep in mind she did acknowledge that it was a great achievement, just that as a non-sport fan she didn’t really care and that he didn’t think he is at the same level as people who save lives.
I may disagree with her to a point but the stuff she’s copped, from what was really a very tame opinion piece, is way over the top.
July 26th 2011 @ 10:24am
punter said | July 26th 2011 @ 10:24am | Report comment
The way I look at it.
There is a lot of talk about Matthew LLoyd’s book, I know little of the book or even Matthew Lloyd (apart that he was a star AFL player), so I make no comment.
Maybe Mia should have done the same.
July 26th 2011 @ 11:28am
Matt F said | July 26th 2011 @ 11:28am | Report comment
But she acknowledged it was a good achievement (and admitted she didn’t know much or care about the sport.) All she said was that he wasn’t in the same hero league as people in other occupations. Whilst I, like alot of people, disagree with her to an extent I think we can agree that some of the abuse directed at her was uncalled for
July 26th 2011 @ 11:31am
The Cattery said | July 26th 2011 @ 11:31am | Report comment
To follow up your last point, there’s a word for it: misogyny.
July 26th 2011 @ 1:29pm
Rob McLean said | July 26th 2011 @ 1:29pm | Report comment
A bit rough Cattery, many of the comments against her are coming from women.
July 26th 2011 @ 8:16pm
amazonfan said | July 26th 2011 @ 8:16pm | Report comment
I don’t think it’s rough at all. She has absolutely been the victim of misogyny. As well as scorn simply because she dares to express an alternative opinion regarding sport. I already said more than enough on this subject on the other thread, so I won’t say more other than to ask, why the fuss? Whether one agrees with her or not, surely Cadel Evans is not off-limits?
July 26th 2011 @ 11:07pm
GrecoRoman said | July 26th 2011 @ 11:07pm | Report comment
@amazonfan – isn’t the industry that she emerged from (women’s magazines) in their own way misogynistic? All that crap about dieting and ‘hero-worshipping’ banal celebrities. Isn’t it a valid criticism that the ‘Mia Freedman’ version of what role models are and should be is merely trite sentimentality and consumer fetishism at its worst?
July 27th 2011 @ 8:18pm
amazonfan said | July 27th 2011 @ 8:18pm | Report comment
“isn’t the industry that she emerged from (women’s magazines) in their own way misogynistic?”
Undoubtedly they are, however I was referring specifically to some of the reactions that she has gotten (“go back to writing about lipstick” & “bitch” which Matt F mentioned above) when her being female is entirely irrelevant. There are still some men who have a problem with women commenting on, and in this case criticizing, a sports figure.
“Isn’t it a valid criticism that the ‘Mia Freedman’ version of what role models are and should be is merely trite sentimentality and consumer fetishism at its worst?”
I don’t know, I mean I’m not entirely certain what she considers to be a hero. I know that she mentioned Jessica Watson, and it may be that she hasn’t thought it through, but I just can’t believe that she has received so much publicity.
July 28th 2011 @ 11:11am
GrecoRoman said | July 28th 2011 @ 11:11am | Report comment
Ah, fair enough. I didn’t realise you were referring to those sorts of comments (“lipstick” & “bitch”). Makes perfect sense to object to that.
July 29th 2011 @ 12:07am
amazonfan said | July 29th 2011 @ 12:07am | Report comment
July 27th 2011 @ 6:54am
Sebastien Gruntfuttock said | July 27th 2011 @ 6:54am | Report comment
With a bit of practice I reckon I could sail a boat around the world, Ride the TDF no chance.
July 30th 2011 @ 9:00pm
Shaken said | July 30th 2011 @ 9:00pm | Report comment
That is one of the best comments. Ever.
July 30th 2011 @ 9:43pm
Fussball ist unser leben said | July 30th 2011 @ 9:43pm | Report comment
So you macho men reckon you can sail around the world in a 10m vessel “with a bit of practice”?
Wow … that’s one of the most insane comments I’ve ever heard and, thankfully, Darwin’s theories of “natural selection” suggest such a gene pool has a limited existence.
Have you guys ever been out there in the middle of the ocean – not the local lake or on a yacht in a sheltered bay, but the open and fully exposed ocean – in the dead of night … alone … in a 10m vessel, without a star in the sky and gigantic waves thundering around you?
And, guess what, when you’re on that 10 m vessel in the middle of the ocean, if you cut yourself or get a blister or get diarrhoea there’s no “back up team” to run to you aid and give you a band-aid, or medical assistance or team mates to urge you on and pat you on the head saying “keep going mate, it’s going to be ok”.
July 31st 2011 @ 4:31am
GrecoRoman said | July 31st 2011 @ 4:31am | Report comment
I’ve done a fair bit of tall ship sailing in the past. Not the same as solo yacht sailing of course, but I’ve been in some pretty severe storms and it’s not that bad if you’ve got reasonable seamanship skills. I think you’ve been reading too many Patrick O’Brian ‘Master and Commander’ type novels Fußball.
July 31st 2011 @ 7:34am
Fussball ist unser leben said | July 31st 2011 @ 7:34am | Report comment
C’mon GrecoRoman
You’re comparing your experience on a tall ship (presumably you were surrounded by lots of other people to keep you company and provide friendship and strength for each other during times of fear and loneliness, or were you sailing the Tall Ship on your own?) with sailing around the world on a 10m yacht … ALONE – with no support crew to assist with physical, emotional and mental challenges.
If you honestly think your experiences on Tall Ships are remotely connected to Jessica Watson’s feat sailing a 10m yacht around the world – ON HER OWN – then, I guess, the average mountain bike rider could say his experiences can be compared with Cadel Evans’s feats in the TdF?
July 31st 2011 @ 9:55am
GrecoRoman said | July 31st 2011 @ 9:55am | Report comment
Fuß,
As I stated in my post, sailing tall ship replicas (or the Lady Nelson to be exact) is not the same as solo yachting. I admit that for sure. You make an obvious point in relation to having other sailors with you and I certainly don’t disagree. However, in terms of managing the overall sailing process, as long as you have a certain amount of technical knowledge and experience, the conditions you detailed are not as intimidating as you make out.
I’ve also sailed alongside a few professional yachties with pretty extensive ocean going experience. They all had solo sailing experience to varying degrees. Once you have built up a certain amount of sea-going experience, the transition to solo sailing is not so insurmountable. It’s not the physical side that makes it a challenge, it’s the mental in terms of applying your sea-going knowledge to the conditions.
I’m not taking anything away from Jessica Watson’s achievement. Definitely not. To sail solo around the world is definitely a stern test of character. However, most solo yacht sailors would be able to complete such a journey after logging a number of shorter ocean going trips. The difference with Jessica Watson is that she was quite young when she did it, but then she grew up in a very wealthy and connected yachtie family that can giver her the time and material opportunities to do so. She was also not entirely ‘alone’ throughout the journey as well. She had permanent satellite comms contact to a team of expert advisors who were guiding her every single step of the way.
The average mountain biker could not compare his experiences with Cadel Evans in the TdF for sure, but then even with years of preparation they would never be able to achieve what Evans did. This is why the Jessica Watson-Cadel Evans juxtaposition is an odd one when it comes to Mia Freedman. Why lionise as a “hero” somebody like Jessica Watson, but say what Evans did leaves her cold? Very odd.
July 31st 2011 @ 10:42am
Shaken said | July 31st 2011 @ 10:42am | Report comment
One takes skill, dedication, hard work, teamwork, persistence, luck, courage, fitness, mental strength and physical strength
The other takes skill, dedication, hard work, teamwork, persistence, luck, courage and mental strength.
MF thinks one is a hero, and the other is not.
And just to be sure, there is not a snowflake’s chance in hell I could do either.
July 31st 2011 @ 12:21pm
GrecoRoman said | July 31st 2011 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
Point is; you take an average person and give them the same sort of structure Jessica Watson had in place, they could achieve what she did. Give the same structure to an average person and still nobody but Cadel Evans could do what he just did.
July 26th 2011 @ 11:32am
mushi said | July 26th 2011 @ 11:32am | Report comment
But are you paid to make a comment daily?
Are you suggesting she quit because it was about sport?
July 26th 2011 @ 12:20pm
punter said | July 26th 2011 @ 12:20pm | Report comment
No I don’t get paid, why do you think I should?
All I was saying is many people achieve great things in their fields everyday. Is it required to belittle them & their accomplishment by implying that it was deemed for hero worship becasue they did not save lives & also that she is not into their occupation. She also knew she may not have apopular view buy quoting that.
So my question why say it at all.
July 26th 2011 @ 1:28pm
Rob McLean said | July 26th 2011 @ 1:28pm | Report comment
Matt, you make a fair point about the vitriol. I’m amazed that some people find that abusive attacks are a natural form of debate. You’ll note I tried to steer away from that level of debate.
As for unAustralian, that’s a terrible phrase and I wish people wouldn’t use it. I believe, in its way, it is unAustralian to call someone’s opinion unAustralian.
July 26th 2011 @ 4:52pm
Matt F said | July 26th 2011 @ 4:52pm | Report comment
yes Rob my comment certainly wasn’t directed at you. I think your piece was actually fairly close to the mark and targets the comment rather then Mia herself. It really does amaze me that some people seem to prefer attacking the person over what was really a very tame, albeit in my opinion an incorrect, comment.
Don’t get me started on the word unAustralian! It’s amazing that a word which really doesn’t have a definition is used so often. You know you’ve lost the arguement when all you have left is “but it’s unAsutralian!”
July 26th 2011 @ 10:58pm
Dean - Surry Hills said | July 26th 2011 @ 10:58pm | Report comment
amazonfan – you’re talking hot air. You claim Mia is a victim of mysogony ! Ha, what a joke of a statement. Mia’s own words stated that Jessica Watson is a hero – yet when a male achieves a remarkable sporting achievement, that he is not.
Two faced, and a female chauvanist are more apt terms, rather than a victim of mysogony !
July 26th 2011 @ 10:00am
Mick the clown said | July 26th 2011 @ 10:00am | Report comment
Can we cut the crap?
third non European to win the race?
the only ocntinents that race are Europe, North America and AUstralia. –
Seriously do you expect an African team to be up there? A South American? Someone from Antarctica? –
Stop trying to maximise his achievement, when reallly the same could be said as, he is the 1st from Australia which is the only major continent that has consisent entries, that has never won it…..
M
July 26th 2011 @ 10:34am
GrecoRoman said | July 26th 2011 @ 10:34am | Report comment
Mick, when I first started getting in to the Tour de France, some of the top mountain climbers were Colombians. Luis Herrera sent Colombia cycling mad to the point where for a while they had a big pro team racing in Europe – Cafe de Colombia. I’m still a big fan of the Colombian riders, though they are not as successful as they once were in their ‘glory days’ of the mid to late 80′s (Luis Herrera, Martin Ramirez, Fabio Parra, etc.). The guys from that team were national heroes and thousands of people turned out to the airport to greet Luis Herrera and the Cafe de Colombia team in 1985 after that successful tour. There was always a massive Colombian media presence over there while the team was active. Colombia were the first country in the world to have broadcasts of each stage in their entirety as well (via Radio).
At the moment? Well, Rigoberto Uran had the White jersey for a while in this year’s tour and is a promising cyclist from those parts. Also there is Leonardo Duque for the Cofidis team and a couple of others floating about; Ivan Barra (the great Fabio Barra’s younger brother); Mauricio Soler, a noted climber from the Movistar team, missed out on this year’s tour due to an accident in the Swiss tour.
Unfortunately Colombia is a pretty poor country with lots of domestic problems as many of us would know. All the pro riders that I know of come from very poor backgrounds. It’s not easy to get to the top and compete for them even though Colombia has a very strong cycling fan base.
July 26th 2011 @ 11:19am
Wilbur said | July 26th 2011 @ 11:19am | Report comment
Add to the Sth American list a couple of Venezuelans, there was also Robert Hunter from South Africa, a stage winner and last year 2 riders from Japan debuted in the tour as well. But Mick has got us there, there hasn’t been anyone from Antartica yet so not really a global sport! Saying that I heard a rumour that a couple young BMX riders from Antartica are on the way up but I’m not sure of my sources on that one!!!
July 27th 2011 @ 4:56pm
Scotty said | July 27th 2011 @ 4:56pm | Report comment
Nah mate they have been frozen out!
July 26th 2011 @ 11:59am
Wilbur said | July 26th 2011 @ 11:59am | Report comment
At the start of the Tour de France last year, there were 27 riders from all continents outside Europe (4 from Asia, 1 from Africa, 11 from Oceania and 11 from the Americas).
Progression of non-European representation on Le Tour since the 1980’s:
0 in 1980 / 3 in 1982 / 13 in 1983 (including 10 Colombians) / 19 in 1984 (including 15 Colombians) / 16 in 1985 / 41 in 1986 (including 26 Colombians) / 32 in 1987 / 20 in 1988
24 in 1989 / 27 in 1990 / 22 in 1991 / 22 in 1992 / 13 in 1993 / 19 in 1994 / 14 in 1995 / 14 in 1996 / 16 in 1997 / 14 in 1998 / 16 in 1999 / 14 in 2000 / 18 in 2001 / 20 in 2002 / 19 in 2003 / 20 in 2004 / 27 in 2005 / 19 in 2006 / 21 in 2007 / 21 in 2008 / 21 in 2009 / 27 in 2010
Victories by non-Europeans on Le Tour (up to 2010):
10 victories on Le Tour:
Lance Armstrong (7)
Greg LeMond (3)
Green Jersey:
Australia: Robbie McEwen (3), Baden Cooke (1)
Uzbekistan: Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (3)
Polka Dot Jersey:
Colombia: Luis Herrera (2), Santiago Botero (1), Juan Mauricio Soler (1)
White Jersey:
USA: Greg LeMond (1), Andrew Hampsten (1)
Colombia: Fabio Parra (1), Alvaro Mejia (1)
Australia: Phil Anderson (1)
95 stage victories:
USA: Lance Armstrong (25), Greg LeMond (7), Davis Phinney (2), Floyd Landis (2), George Hincapie (1), Tyler Hamilton (1), Andrew Hampsten (1), Levi Leipheimer (1), Dave Zabriskie (1), Jeff Pierce (1)
Australia: Robbie McEwen (13), Phil Anderson (2), Bradley McGee (2), Stuart O’Grady (2), Baden Cooke (1), Simon Gerrans (1), Neil Stephens (1), Cadel Evans (1)
Colombia: Santiago Botero (3), Lucho Herrera (3), Fabio Parra (2), Felix Cardenas (1), Chepe Gonzalez Pico (1), Victor Hugo Pena (1), Oliverio Rincon (1), Juan Mauricio Soler (1)
Uzbekistan: Djamolidine Abdoujaparov (9)
Kazakhstan: Alexandre Vinokourov (4)
Mexico: Raul Alcala (1)
Canada: Steve Bauer (1)
South Africa: Robert Hunter (1)
Brazil: Mauro Ribeiro (1)
http://www.letour.fr/2011/TDF/COURSE/us/actus.html#zone169195
July 26th 2011 @ 3:35pm
GrecoRoman said | July 26th 2011 @ 3:35pm | Report comment
Who could forget Djamolidine Abdoujaparov?! I remember a piece they did on an SBS broadcast where they interviewed his team masseur. He said the other team members had supple legs, quite rubbery, but Djamolidine’s were like blocks of wood!
July 26th 2011 @ 4:29pm
Rob McLean said | July 26th 2011 @ 4:29pm | Report comment
Abdoujaparov, great band too
July 26th 2011 @ 1:10pm
Danny_Mac said | July 26th 2011 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
BAM! You’ve been served…
July 26th 2011 @ 1:31pm
Rob McLean said | July 26th 2011 @ 1:31pm | Report comment
Thanks to those with far greater knowledge of cycling than mine for coming up with those facts.
Interesting information.
Mick, out of interest, do you think that Cadel’s achievement has been over rated? Your use of the word “maximise” interests me.
July 26th 2011 @ 3:52pm
Nathan of Perth said | July 26th 2011 @ 3:52pm | Report comment
Mick, you’re a clown, has to be said.
July 26th 2011 @ 11:07am
The Cattery said | July 26th 2011 @ 11:07am | Report comment
Let us leave the last word to Tina:
…so as to cloturer un weekend riche pour le sport Australien .
July 26th 2011 @ 1:33pm
Rob McLean said | July 26th 2011 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
I was stoked to see Tina there.
I know, I know….
But for some reason, I really do love her song Sorrento Moon (should I be confessing this???) and have a soft spot for her.
Incidentally, she could be considered by some as a heroine, having escaped from children’s tv and establishing a solid adult career before moving OS and becoming a star in France.
July 26th 2011 @ 4:30pm
jamesb said | July 26th 2011 @ 4:30pm | Report comment
don’t worry Rob
I love “Chains” LOL
July 26th 2011 @ 11:33am
mushi said | July 26th 2011 @ 11:33am | Report comment
Is he really non european.
According to the Tax man he’s swiss?
July 26th 2011 @ 12:05pm
The Cattery said | July 26th 2011 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
…riding for an American team – it’s a complicated world we live in.
July 26th 2011 @ 12:24pm
punter said | July 26th 2011 @ 12:24pm | Report comment
We live in Global world, many sportman, musicians, actors, businessmen, Doctors, Professors live all over the world & are Australians.
July 26th 2011 @ 1:13pm
Danny_Mac said | July 26th 2011 @ 1:13pm | Report comment
What licence does he race under? who does he represent at the olympics? We are more than happy to claim the odd russian boxer, weightlifter, or canadian snowborder arent we? he was born here, raised here, comes back here as much as he can… which is more than can be said of some of our soccer heros…
Nicholas Roach races under an Irish licence, but I’m pretty sure that he has lived most of his life in France (his old man – Stephen – won le Tour in ’87), and races for a predominatly French team (AG2R)
July 26th 2011 @ 3:44pm
Ben of Phnom Penh said | July 26th 2011 @ 3:44pm | Report comment
Where someone comes from is defined by what the person believes. Living in Cambodia hardly makes me Khmer.
July 26th 2011 @ 12:34pm
nordozzz said | July 26th 2011 @ 12:34pm | Report comment
The problem with views like “sports people shouldn’t be heroes” is that its too dogmatic.
Forgetting that there are sports people who fit that category. Like Cadel Evans i’d suggest. Just because some sports people don’t (and shouldn’t have to) fit the hero mould, doesn’t mean some of them can’t.
i guess she took the occasion to make a point and didn’t factor in the specifics of this achievement and the person. Out of ignorance of the sport quite likely.
July 26th 2011 @ 1:06pm
Danny_Mac said | July 26th 2011 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
http://www.bridie.com.au/component/content/article/47-a-letter-to-mia-freedman
A very interesting open letter to her, highlighting that the so called “unmentioned heros” she talks about are more than often in it for very self interested reasons, thus contradicting the definition of a hero.
A sergeon who saves lives every day, but who is an egotistical, money hungry douchebag, fundamentally, isn’t a hero…
July 29th 2011 @ 7:58am
T.J. Collins said | July 29th 2011 @ 7:58am | Report comment
Best response to Freedman’s vapid argument. Go, Bridie!
July 30th 2011 @ 9:14pm
Shaken said | July 30th 2011 @ 9:14pm | Report comment
The best qualified person to comment on this “issue”.
Perhaps, MF should take note.
July 26th 2011 @ 1:35pm
Rob McLean said | July 26th 2011 @ 1:35pm | Report comment
I wonder, if the people that believe sportspeople shouldn’t get soooo much coverage, also believe that they should cop the flack when they do something wrong.
If we remove their achievements from the EGN, then their indiscretions would surely be less newsworthy? Or not….
Hmmmm…maybe Mia has a point.
July 26th 2011 @ 3:23pm
Ben G said | July 26th 2011 @ 3:23pm | Report comment
You think we should spend less time focusing on sport and more time focusing on… what, exactly? The terrorism in Norway, our underfunded hospitals, the death of Amy Winehouse etc? Sport is the last positive outlet that permeates our lives. If anything we should be spending more time focusing on such a positive outlet.
July 26th 2011 @ 3:29pm
Rob McLean said | July 26th 2011 @ 3:29pm | Report comment
Ben G, sorry, my post wasn’t clear.
I was posing a serious question to those who think sport should be confined to the back pages.
The “hmmmmm….” bit was being a little sarcastic.
July 26th 2011 @ 4:13pm
The Cattery said | July 26th 2011 @ 4:13pm | Report comment
I agree with the logic: if sports people are not to be feted as heroes, then it follows that they don’t deserve any particular opprobium for minor misdemeanours or for having an affair.
July 26th 2011 @ 10:54pm
Jonny G said | July 26th 2011 @ 10:54pm | Report comment
“Sport is the last positive outlet that permeates our lives”
This is actually the most profound thing i’ve ever read about sport