Michael Ball and the Zombies of Dope

Bakunin

He's gone and we should all be happy.

The P.T.Barnum of cycling.


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/rock-ra ... ro-license

SpaceJunk

I like how Baden Cooke puts it:

http://twitter.com/badencooke/status/9943205850

BikingBernie

Pat McQuaid won't be, he was a big fan...

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McQuaid met with Frank Arokiasamy, the man behind the Tour of America, at the Tour of California. He also plans to meet with Michael Ball, another man with grand ideas. Ball is the owner of the Rock & Republic clothing line and the Rock Racing cycling team.

Ball has had some missteps, primarily the firing of nice-guy Frankie Andreu as team director and the signing of three riders implicated in Operacion Puerto doping scandal (Tyler Hamilton, Oscar Sevilla and Santiago Botero). McQuaid offered that Ball might have been better off going a different direction with his signings, but overall McQuaid likes what Ball brings to cycling.

“Michael Ball … comes in from a completely different industry with a completely different approach, but he creates media interest and livens up the whole thing,” McQuaid said. “More and more, the sport is being perceived as attractive, as sexy, as interesting and so forth for people to be involved in both as a participant and also as a viewer.

“There is a place for Michael Ball in the sport of cycling. I discussed it with some of his people as recently as four days ago, and I’m sitting down with him someday soon and discussing that. … He’s a guy who can bring a lot of color and a lot of energy to the sport and bring a new media and a new audience to the sport, but he needs to do that within the framework of the establishment that’s there.”

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/10-spe ... n-america/

iainf72

Surely, in Bernie-World, McQuaid would've just forced through the licence for Rock Racing then?

disgruntledgoat

Michael Ball and the Zombies of Dope is an awesome name for a band.

Kléber

Iain, it's the other way, Rock had a trail of procedural disasters. Forget the questionable practice of rehoming cheats, many riders, officials and media sources kept telling of non-payment of wages, missing registration documents, conflicting promises and the "cheque's in the post" style of management, always promising he'd deliver tomorrow.

Instead this just seems to have been a stunt to maximise publicity for the team's owner, making it a far more cynical outfit that the likes of Julian Clarke and the Linda McCartney. It's a wonder the UCI didn't put its foot down a long time ago.

iainf72

I know all this Kleber, of course. But let's look at it a different way - If Ball paid on time, didn't hire too many dodgy people etc, why wouldn't McQuaid be interested in him being involved? As a character, he's very interesting and does bring some interest to procedings.

Kléber

I tend to think any interest and excitement should come from racing and perhaps PR, rather than failed admin and missing wages. It's fine to have bling team cars and other showy things but the UCI shouldn't be dazzled by these things, if wages are late the team should be suspended. Colour and fun shouldn't come at the expense of riders and team staff.

We'll see what happens with Lampre. They could be ejected from the Pro Tour if they don't get things right...

LangerDan

Kléber wrote:

Iain, it's the other way, Rock had a trail of procedural disasters. Forget the questionable practice of rehoming cheats, many riders, officials and media sources kept telling of non-payment of wages, missing registration documents, conflicting promises and the "cheque's in the post" style of management, always promising he'd deliver tomorrow.
Instead this just seems to have been a stunt to maximise publicity for the team's owner, making it a far more cynical outfit that the likes of Julian Clarke and the Linda McCartney. It's a wonder the UCI didn't put its foot down a long time ago.

But those sins aren't exclusive to Rock - over the past decade, we've seen a litany of such offences from many "proper" teams. Even in the past 12 months, Astana and Lampre haven't exactly been exemplary.

Let there be no doubt, Ball is a publicity-seeking horse-trader of the first water. But I can't help but feel that if he wore a sharp suit rather than jeans, was based in Italy rather than the US and signed "nice" former cheats like Millar and Basso rather than his freak-show line up, he'd have been given a lot more leeway by the press, UCI and the fans. Hell, he could have even presented his team as a two-whelled "Priory" for the rehabiltiation of the fallen. (but with coke and hookers, of course)

iainf72

Kléber wrote:

We'll see what happens with Lampre. They could be ejected from the Pro Tour if they don't get things right...

Indeed. Funny how they've got all these admin / money problems AND the huge amount of doping positives they've had over the last couple of years.

But on Rock Racing, doesn't this just prove the UCI licencing commission do have some value. External auditors look at the teams health and then make recommendations - So Ball's charisma didn't mean anything to those guys and licence denied.

stagehopper

The McQuaid interview is also two years old.

Didn't most of the procedural/financial problems arise after he gave it? Rock struggled to get a UCI licence in 2009 and failed to get one this year. Seems the commission are doing their job.

dennisn

disgruntledgoat wrote:

Michael Ball and the Zombies of Dope is an awesome name for a band.

I like it too. Good idea. Zombies of Dope.

BikingBernie

stagehopper wrote:

The McQuaid interview is also two years old.

It still shows what a fine judge of character McQuaid is. :roll:

Also, when McQuaid was speaking Ball had already developed a reputation for hiring 'ex' dopers, something that McQuaid didn't seem to be all that bothered about.

RichN95.

BikingBernie wrote:

stagehopper wrote:

The McQuaid interview is also two years old.

It still shows what a fine judge of character McQuaid is. :roll:

Also, when McQuaid was speaking Ball had already developed a reputation for hiring 'ex' dopers, something that McQuaid didn't seem to be all that bothered about.

But the article you posted says that he did mind.
I quote: "McQuaid offered that Ball might have been better off going a different direction with his signings"

BikingBernie

RichN95 wrote:

But the article you posted says that he did mind.
I quote: "McQuaid offered that Ball might have been better off going a different direction with his signings"

Given that Ball practically gloried in signing up 'bad boy' dopers, I would have expected a rather more critical comment from head of the UCI. What's more, the rest is nothing but praise.

iainf72

BikingBernie wrote:

Given that Ball practically gloried in signing up 'bad boy' dopers, I would have expected a rather more critical comment from head of the UCI. What's more, the rest is nothing but praise.

I'm not sure what you expect here. McQuaid stated when there was all the nonsense at the Tour of California that while he agreed morally with the stance of the organisers when they didn't want Botero, Sevilla or Hamilton riding, according to the rules they could ride.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2008/02/ ... ride_72174

Many organizers have taken the position that they do not want riders implicated in Puerto in their races. The UCI, as the governing body of cycling, cannot support this position from a legal standpoint even if the UCI agrees with it from a moral point of view. However, the UCI has to follow its rules and relevant legislation and Mr. Sevilla is innocent until proven guilty. There is no current anti-doping rule or other legal impediment to Mr. Sevilla taking part in races

Is this a "governing body of sport obeys it's own rules" stories?

Loads of people quite liked Ball, not just McQuaid.

blazing_saddles

Don't know about Michael Ball and the Zombies of Dope, but Rock Racing certainly are Les Miserables.

BikingBernie

iainf72 wrote:

I'm not sure what you expect here.

How about something like:

Mr. Ball has taken the position that he is quite happy to have riders implicated in Puerto in his team. The UCI, as the governing body of cycling, cannot oppose this position from a legal standpoint even if the UCI disagrees with it from a moral point of view. There is no current anti-doping rule or other legal impediment to Mr. Ball employing riders previously convicted of doping or currently suspected of doping. However, the UCI cannot openly welcome the participation of individuals such as Mr. Ball in the sport.

iainf72

BikingBernie wrote:

Mr. Ball has taken the position that he is quite happy to have riders implicated in Puerto in his team. The UCI, as the governing body of cycling, cannot oppose this position from a legal standpoint even if the UCI disagrees with it from a moral point of view. There is no current anti-doping rule or other legal impediment to Mr. Ball employing riders previously convicted of doping or currently suspected of doping. However, the UCI cannot openly welcome the participation of individuals such as Mr. Ball in the sport.

Do you think Pat should've made the same statements about Caisse d'epargne? After all, aren't they a much big fish to fry? Very much the same as Rock Racing but competing at the top level of the sport.

If Ball hadn't signed dopers, I get the feeling you'd still dislike him and feel he has no place in the sport.

BikingBernie

iainf72 wrote:

Do you think Pat should've made the same statements about Caisse d'epargne? After all, aren't they a much big fish to fry? Very much the same as Rock Racing but competing at the top level of the sport.

Yeah, why not?

iainf72 wrote:

If Ball hadn't signed dopers, I get the feeling you'd still dislike him and feel he has no place in the sport.

And I get the feeling that much of the time you take issue with almost anything I say simply in order to be contrary...

iainf72

BikingBernie wrote:

And I get the feeling that much of the time you take issue with almost anything I say simply in order to be contrary...

I can't let you be wrong all the time - I'm trying to help you out a bit

Anyway, you should think of me as a man of honour and integrity as I'm on Lance's list.

iainf72

Interview with Ball

I suppose the most notable bit is the falling out with Floyd.