Cavendish - Spoilt Brat ?

iainf72

oldwelshman wrote:

What should he say when he looses? " Oh golly, sorry old chap I seem to have mistimed my sprint"

Yes, why not? Rather than blame non-sprinters or someone else

nickwill

With the exception of a couple of the Italian sprinters, he seems to get a lot of respect. Bettini, moved over to let him in the other day, and yesterday Benatti, gave him space in the final sprint. That shows that the other riders don't have any problems with him. Cavendish was notably gracious in thanking both riders after the finish.
Sprinters have to be agressive and there must be a hell of a lot of adrenaline flowing round the system during and immediately after the finish.
Get off his back!
He's the best British road racer for decades, and he's a character as well. If there was any justice, he'd be a candidate for sports personality ofthe year, even at this early stage of the season.

Peakraider

guv001 wrote:

Peakraider

During a TT on the Tour of California Cav caught Cipo, while passing him he took one of his feet out the pedals and went past him one footed pedalling...

Thanks

Bigmiksears

asked for examples - what about Michael phelps? Only slightly older than Cav an arguably the best swimmer that has ever lived - you dont see him acting in a similar fashion. To put this into perspective for people who may not know much about him - he qualified for the US olympic team in Sydney for the 200 fly - qualified for the final and placed 5th - at age 15. 4 years later and various world records achieves 6 gold, 2 bronze aged 19. To date he has broken more than 20 world records and has achieved a medal haul of 7 gold medals with 5 world records in those 7 aged 22!! The man is a legend! But presents himself to the world in a completely professional way - he is a true role model - non of this crap that you get with cavendish. Its not a case of being a pompus Brit - the americans are some of the most tenacious characters that are about - but they know how to control and channel their aggression. Cavendish is acting like a child. Grow a set cav and man up - yes he's doing well but have pride in victory and defeat. Respect goes a long way.

nickwill

But he is respected by the other riders :!: :!: :!:

RichN95.

Bigmiksears wrote:

asked for examples - what about Michael phelps? Only slightly older than Cav an arguably the best swimmer that has ever lived - you dont see him acting in a similar fashion. To put this into perspective for people who may not know much about him - he qualified for the US olympic team in Sydney for the 200 fly - qualified for the final and placed 5th - at age 15. 4 years later and various world records achieves 6 gold, 2 bronze aged 19. To date he has broken more than 20 world records and has achieved a medal haul of 7 gold medals with 5 world records in those 7 aged 22!! The man is a legend! But presents himself to the world in a completely professional way - he is a true role model - non of this crap that you get with cavendish. Its not a case of being a pompus Brit - the americans are some of the most tenacious characters that are about - but they know how to control and channel their aggression. Cavendish is acting like a child. Grow a set cav and man up - yes he's doing well but have pride in victory and defeat. Respect goes a long way.

Nobody's perfect

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/11/08/national/main654380.shtml[/url]

Bigmiksears

and how exactly did that affect his opponents? The way that Cavendish acts directly affects the people around him within his sporting world - the way that phelps conducts himself around the pool is completely different. What he does in his personal life has no affect on his competitors. All the article does is prove my point but to a further extent...if you had read it (which im sure you did) then you will have seen how he presented himself...

"I recognize the seriousness of this mistake. I've learned from this mistake and will continue learning from this mistake for the rest of my life,"

"The past few months have been extremely hard, " said Phelps, adding that he plans to pass his experience on to others in hopes of preventing them from making similar mistakes.

And can i also add...

He was tested at 80milligrams alcohol per 100mililitres of blood - which is on the limit for a UK based test. Its not as if he was hammered. (an im fully aware of the alcohol age limit in america - but did you not drink til you were 21, hardly)

If that is the only example you can find - my point still rests. Caught on the uk limit of alcohol having run a stop sign which has no affect on his competitors and only affects himself as a person - id say he's done pretty well.

eskimo Joe

[quote=" - the americans are some of the most tenacious characters that are about - but they know how to control and channel their aggression. .[/quote]
Yeah Mike tyson and lance with Simmoni to name but 2

andrewgturnbull

Bigmiksears wrote:

and how exactly did that affect his opponents? The way that Cavendish acts directly affects the people around him within his sporting world - the way that phelps conducts himself around the pool is completely different. What he does in his personal life has no affect on his competitors. All the article does is prove my point but to a further extent...if you had read it (which im sure you did) then you will have seen how he presented himself...

"I recognize the seriousness of this mistake. I've learned from this mistake and will continue learning from this mistake for the rest of my life,"

"The past few months have been extremely hard, " said Phelps, adding that he plans to pass his experience on to others in hopes of preventing them from making similar mistakes.

And can i also add...

He was tested at 80milligrams alcohol per 100mililitres of blood - which is on the limit for a UK based test. Its not as if he was hammered. (an im fully aware of the alcohol age limit in america - but did you not drink til you were 21, hardly)

If that is the only example you can find - my point still rests. Caught on the uk limit of alcohol having run a stop sign which has no affect on his competitors and only affects himself as a person - id say he's done pretty well.

Hi there.

Mik, it takes all types to make the world go round. Personally I've got more time for a loudmouth than a drunk driver, but maybe that's just me.

Cheers, Andy

thamacdaddy

And to be fair to him for how he is being painted here (which I think is a tad harsh considering half the bad stuff comes from after race quotes where he is pumped up and/or frustrated) he is still in the Giro doing the mountains while sprinters such as Rbbie Mc have pulled out.

Seems like the guy wants the experience of doing the 3 week tour plus the chance of the points jersey....see if he carries on and makes the cut each day.

RichN95.

Bigmiksears

I was just being mischeivious after you lauded Michael Phelps - he does seem a decent guy.

I still maintain that the vast majority of really top class sportsmen have character flaws which are necessary to succeed. Narcissism, tunnel vision, intolance etc.

Now most of them only display it when competing and can be perfectly charming away from their sport. I believe they call it 'white line fever'. I've only know a couple of top line athletes in my time, but they're all like this. The hockey player I mentioned earlier happily admitted that there were three players in our club more talented than him - but they didn't have the 'right stuff' mentally.

There are plenty of great sportsmen who seem lovely people - Miguel Indurain, Matthew Pinsent, Ryan Giggs, Michael Johnson to name just four. But we don't see them behind closed doors.

Sprinting is the most macho side of cycling. To do what they do, you have to have an ego and plenty of agression. There are far worse characters than Cav out there.

Bigmiksears

and mischevious your were Mr Rich :P :twisted:

the degree to which you have the 'right stuff' is determined by personaility traits this is correct. What i dont want people to confuse is the fact that they think every athlete has to be outlandish and very extrovert in their ways. Not every athlete conducts themselves in such a brash fashion - you can still be a top level athlete and be a very introvert individual and that spans right accross from being a sprinter right through to sailing. It is true that more sprinters and team games players are extreme extroverts on the field - and in the case of your Hockey friend can display both traits on and off field. And similarly more introvert individuals are suited to more individually based events such as Michael Pehlps. I cannot help but frown at Cavendish's behaviour as i believe that being a very extrovert individual, as he is, is not a desirable personaility trait - yes it works for him and im not disputing that i enjoy British sucess and that his personailty is apart of him. Id much rather see it from someone who respects his competitors.

flattythehurdler

Michael Phelps is 1. A drunk driver.
2. Doesn't have to muscle his way into a sprint chain at 60-70 kph. He would, I suspect, get eaten alive in the peleton.

LangerDan

See what happens? A high-profile riders starts finger-wagging in a sprint and suddenly they're all at it........

http://tinyurl.com/5lx2ws

flattythehurdler

the americans are some of the most tenacious characters that are about - but they know how to control and channel their aggression. Cavendish is acting like a child. Grow a set cav and man up - yes he's doing well but have pride in victory and defeat. Respect goes a long way.[/quote]

Now I am a paddy, but this is the biggest buch of @rse I have read in a long time. You sound like a bible totin', republican votin' good ole boy whose idea of diplomacy is abu ghraib.
Now let me think of some american sportpeople. Hmmm, Nancy kerrigan, marion Jones, the footballer who organises dog fights, oj, lance, floyd (nice channelling of the aggression with greg lemonde don't you think?), flo-jo,
I would go on, but I really can't be bothered.
Are you one of the 30% with a passport?
Do you think the earth is round or flat?

Bigmiksears

You sound like a bible totin', republican votin' good ole boy whose idea of diplomacy is abu ghraib.

Are you one of the 30% with a passport?
Do you think the earth is round or flat?

its very easy to sit behind a keyboard an insult people

The fact what i have written isnt directly aimed at one individual alone (except cavendish) nor is it insulting to the other users of the forum. very big of you - i can appreciate being wrong if someone points it out to me - not when that individual feels the need to insult me. You have no idea who i am and judging everything based on one paragraph.

Maybe my post was too generalised for you - am i going to appologise? No - why should i. Its rediculous that you cannot post your views on a matter without someone feeling the need to directly insult you just because they have a different opinion to you - thats all it is im afraid. If you want to express your opinion then why dont you structure a response that highlights what you wish to say instead of being a tit about it. For all you know i could be a 13yr old lad who could get quite upset by your comments.

And for your information,

Im an atheist,
American polictics is a joke (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3p9y_OEAdc)
Your unique coupling of Abu Ghraib and my view on diplomacy - how can you form a judgment if you dont know my first name
I have a passport
The earth is round

Good day

flattythehurdler

Bigmike, you are absolutely right. I was very rude and I apologise. FWIW I had just listened to two american academics debating on Radio 4 as to wheter the Iraq invasion was worth the 4,000 deaths without a mention of the 500000 or so civilians, and I was incredulous.
I then read your post as implying that all american athletes were dignified tolerant people and it tipped me over the edge. Virtual pint on me. :oops:

Bigmiksears

appology accepted - il be more specific in future,

Cheers,

Bigmiksears