OG cycling mullet

For a guy that was world champion***, it is hard to believe that his hair is his true legacy. But looking at Vladi Karpets and others, how can you not give Brochard credit for his single handed defense of the mullet through the 90s? Even Jean-Claude Van Damme turned his back on this style.
You stay famous in France for small things-Virenque could climb, Durand would attack from the gun, and Laurent had the Mullet.
Thanks Laurent!


***Winning the 97 RR Championship while riding for Festina isn't proof that you were doping, but it is pretty close.

Wish I read Italian better.......

As the worlds approach, I wish I could read Italian better so I could enjoy the gossip and drama as laid out daily in La Gazzetta dello Sport. The intrigue and drama is just out of my reach,.
Franco Ballerini is the DS for the Italian National Team(but as pictured above he was also a beast of a classics rider). A position that ever year causes him to be at the center of drama,rumour, and treachery on a scale that is as epic as it is Italian. Remember Bettini vs Pettachi, Rebellin-is he in or out? Except the year everyone worked for Cippollini on a flat course, you never know what will happen on the road.
This year seems ripe for drama. DiLuca and Ballan have been having great seasons. Bettini and Rebellin not so much-but they will not be reduced to the role of domestique very easily.
Five are selected -Bettini,Ballan,Cuenego,Pozzatto, and Rebellin. The Stuttgart course could be good for all of them-it definitely doesn't eliminate any of them. That leaves four spots and 2 reserves. It is hard to imagine Ballerini leaving DiLuca off the team, but why add another potential leader to the team? They need some workhorse perhaps like Bruseghin aka "the donkey"
No matter what happens Italy will be putting a formidable line up on the start line and if they can work as team they should be unstoppable. But that is probably Ballerini's biggest task-to get them to work together.

Roots of Rock and Roll

The "origin of rock and roll", "the first rock and roll record", The "roots of rock". This subject is a nexus of debate for an argument so boring it makes you wish someone would douse the competing experts in gasoline while yodeling great balls of fire. Who cares who invented rock and roll just be happy they did. The only thing worse is competing experts arguing about which record marks the transition from rocksteady to lovers rock.
Regardless a quick read of Nick Tosches' Unsung Heros of Rock and Roll should get you fired up to check out these ancient pioneers. Tosches main thesis is that rock and roll turned to shit right about the time your grand parents probably got sick of fucking each other(in or around 53/54 to be more exact) So it was over before it started, or it was done by the time a bunch of white teenagers started howling about rock and roll. And this is more or less an argument everyone has-they just move the date that things started sucking after to suit their age or theory.
There are several comps covering this subject, but I picked up another recently. "Rock and Roll before Elvis,Before Little Richard,Before Chuck Berry,Bo Diddley, or Bill Haley" is the non-confrontational title of this double disc 44 track comp on Hoy Hoy LTD.
49-53 is the time frame. Most of the names you would expect to see are here (Joe Turner,Amos Milburn, Louis Prima, Ike Turner, Treniers,Wynonie Harris,etc) along with an army of couldas, wouldas, and shouldas. First time I played it through without paying too much attention and it was a good listening experience. FUN- no lags, no dogs, no skips. Throw it on and jump,jive,rock,roll,wail,stomp,shout, and boogie. While your at it don't forget to drink and dance.
Doc Sausage is probably the star of the of the unknowns. Especially since his track is "Sausage Rock"! Harry the Hipster, H-Bomb Ferguson, and "Fat Man" Humphries are no slouches either. Paul "HuckleBuck" Williams drops the super catchy "Rocking Chair Blues" and you better not confuse him with that creepy sorta albino dude with the same name. I wonder if there is similarly heated debate over the origin of the "hucklebuck"?
There was well known name on here that I didn't expect. Scatman Crothers apparently did more than act. Nice to know.
This comp has excellent liner notes and they dig deep to deliver the goods.
At the end of the day it doesn't matter what pre-50s roots of rock comp you get (or who invented rock and roll), just get one cause it will let you see that people were cutting loose after WW2. Do yourself a favor and get the Tosches book while your at it. It will help you realize how "old school" you really aren't.
If you can't track down this one there is a three cd set called "roots of rock and roll" that might be easier to find

Tour of Ireland- Game Over??

In a one week stage race winning margins are usually small and often can be determined by time bonuses. So how does a break get 13 minutes on the first day of racing and effectively end the race for anyone not in the break? CSC,T-Mobile,Slipsream,LPR, and Navigators all had men in the break and they are arguably the strongest teams in the race. Everyone else will be hunting for stages.
Will the Schelck brothers be grabbing bottles for Marcus Ljungqvist? I guess there will still be a battle for stage wins and some shuffling among the 10 from the break, but this does not make for an exciting race
People must have been asleep at the wheel to let that go. There were 8 other teams including Rabo continental(with Sven Nys as a ringer) that could have at least tried to pull it back. Ouch

It is rad to see Unibet always going full out when they get a race start. It is fucking ridiculous how bad the governing bodies fucked these riders with there bullshit politics.


Leiphemer transfer rumours incude Lotto(why?) and T-Mobile(makes more sense except for the T-Mobile transfer curse). On paper it seems like any of the French pro-tour teams should jump at him. Same thing for Slipstream or Saunier Duval. There aren't that many other Pro-Tour teams built around a GC guy. Moving to Quickstep almost guarantees, he would be one his own maybe hunting for stages or a polka dot jersey.

SUNN Oracle LP

This record pushes the "how much art can you take" point of view way past its logical conclusion, past the ridiculous and right to the sublime. A soundtrack to a sculpture exhibition??? An entire massive back line of amps cast in salt and resin? OK. Over my head, but who cares.
Graphics are cool and I thought the shirt looked look like a cool post modern black flag photo negative tribute. But this is a band and they make records not shirts or sculptures-so how is the music? Fans of Grave-Temple and Burial Trio will enjoy this. Attila is in effect and of course recorded from a sealed coffin. But does the music even matter at this point? With each release they push the limit of commerce, art , and spectacle with music usually being discussed last or least. (Such as right here for example).
Southernlord of course is the home for this release.

cycling update late august

With transfer season approaching and teams disappearing, the dwindling number of races become very important for riders who will be looking for rides next year. Tour of Ireland and Eneco tour should have a more than a few riders desperate to impress-especially if they aren't doing the Vuelta. Rabobank are sending a strong team and a lot of sprinters will be present-including some JJ Haedo vs McEwen show downs. Schumacher will not be there to defend, nor Hincapie to avenge last years results.
Tour of Ireland has some heavy hitters-CSC is sending both the Schelck brothers. As usual Irish stage races have a heavy American presence and Navigators,Colavita, and Team Slipstream will all be there. Hard not to view this as a race between T-Mobile and CSC, but anything can happen on the road.
Slipstream is making moves and the domestic core of this team has got to be nervous about their job security. Millar,Backstedt,Vandevelde, and Zabriskie? Is the team really getting built around Millar for stage races? V and Z might be solid for the super domestique category and at least they have UCI points, but can Vaughters get them to a level that CSC hasn't??
In other transfer news, Hincapie to T-Mobile is up first. Probably a good move for him if he is getting a big paycheck, but as far as results??? Transfer to T-Mobile has equalled career over or wasted year for many before him...... And what does T-Mobile get? A savvy tactically astute veteran? NO. A no-excuses winner? NO. A handful of 3rds and 4ths and a lot of complaining? YES!
Ballan getting courted by AG2R???? Please don't do it. Ballan has had the breakout season of his career and deserves a good contract on a good team. Will there be anyone from AG2R with him at critical points in the one day classics when it counts?
Risky move if it happens. Lampre should pay up and keep him. The core of Ballan, Bennati, and Napolitano have gotten them most of their wins. Maybe the will try and build the team more around Cunego, but that seems risky based on what they accomplished this year.
With at least 2 teams departing and 2 other teams more or less dead in the water, that is going to leave a lot or riders looking for work. Maybe a very easy way to ease out some questionable riders? I hope so.
Outside of a handful of one day races in Italy that is about it until the Vuelta and the Worlds.
In non-cycling doping news SI.com is breaking some Baseball steroids news that could be major. I wonder how people will react if "scores" of names are published and will MLB take the kind of aggressive action cycling has?

Salted Radishes.

This is summer food at its simplest and most enjoyable. Go heavy on the salt and you can close your eyes and think potato chip with out the penalty.
Take a couple bundles of radishes and wash them and cut off the stalks.
Cut them into 1/8" slices. Maybe a little thinner if you like. Throw them in a bowl and toss them with a couple pinches of salt-aka season to taste. Put in a bowl and serve. Then sit back and watch the pounds melt away as you replace your junk food intake with spicy radishes. Damn you are you smooth. Goes well with beer, so get it going before summer is gone.