Hamilton's autobiography *spoilers*

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Comments

  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    I find it ironic that this guy made a ton of money from hardcore doping and is now going to profit massively from book sales describing that doping.

    I have not bought it but I am sure a lot of the 'doping' brigade on this forum have. Congratulations - you hate dopers (albeit selectively) and yet are happy to line their pockets.

    Removing titles and stuff for these people doesnt matter. They need to be hit in the bank balance.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Removing titles and stuff for these people doesnt matter. They need to be hit in the bank balance.
    You're right, they just keep saying things like "I've won 7 grand tours" anyway. But the Spanish economy is ropey enough as it is, it would be a shame to take any more away from it ;-)
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    bompington wrote:
    frenchfighter wrote:
    Removing titles and stuff for these people doesnt matter. They need to be hit in the bank balance.
    You're right, they just keep saying things like "I've won 7 grand tours" anyway. But the Spanish economy is ropey enough as it is, it would be a shame to take any more away from it ;-)


    Sharp. Chapeau.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    frenchfighter wrote:
    I find it ironic that this guy made a ton of money from hardcore doping and is now going to profit massively from book sales describing that doping.

    I have not bought it but I am sure a lot of the 'doping' brigade on this forum have. Congratulations - you hate dopers (albeit selectively) and yet are happy to line their pockets.

    Removing titles and stuff for these people doesnt matter. They need to be hit in the bank balance.

    Couldn't agree more. The old saying "don't buy books by crooks" couldn't be more true in these cases. Buy the book and you're, in reality, giving money to those you claim to hate.
    As for being "...hit in the bank balance." I think most of the caught dopers are not making anywhere near the amount of money they were making while in the sport. So yes, they are being "... hit in the bank balance." Maybe not to the extent you would like to see but hit none the less. No contract, no sponsors, no prize money, no free travel, no appearance fees, etc., etc.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Yeah I agree to that Dennis. I also mean to get them now with some sort of fines or asset repossession which is tough one to do.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • IanLD
    IanLD Posts: 423
    Yes FF, I have bought it and am glad to have done so.

    I also bought Millar's books and years ago bought Kimmage's book too.

    All books by dopers and all fascinating reads.

    Have also bought Hinault's book, Ned Boulting's book, The Great Bike Race from back in my early racing days in the '70's (got it at the time) and borrowed quite a few others.

    I have no objection to Hamilton making some money from the book as he is one of those who eventually stood up to what has been wrong in sport for so long. At least he finally admitted what he had done unlike a certain rider you seem to have double standards about.

    I think you'll find it hard to repossess much of Tyler's as he ended up pretty poor by the time he fought his misguided defence.

    I'd be more interested in going after certain officials who have been more corrupt and complicit than many of the riders. They had the ability to stop or at least reduce this a long time ago, but failed to do so.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    IanLD wrote:
    Yes FF, I have bought it and am glad to have done so.

    I also bought Millar's books and years ago bought Kimmage's book too.

    All books by dopers and all fascinating reads.

    Have also bought Hinault's book, Ned Boulting's book, The Great Bike Race from back in my early racing days in the '70's (got it at the time) and borrowed quite a few others.

    I have no objection to Hamilton making some money from the book as he is one of those who eventually stood up to what has been wrong in sport for so long. At least he finally admitted what he had done unlike a certain rider you seem to have double standards about.

    I think you'll find it hard to repossess much of Tyler's as he ended up pretty poor by the time he fought his misguided defence.

    I'd be more interested in going after certain officials who have been more corrupt and complicit than many of the riders. They had the ability to stop or at least reduce this a long time ago, but failed to do so.

    Luckily we are all allowed to buy books by whomever we please and read whatever we please. This is not true in more than a few countries / places in the world. To be honest I haven't read any cycling books by anyone except a few wheelbuilding / repair manuals. My reading interests are in other things. I guess I would say to read whom and what you want but know that the author will make some money on it. And I guess that's only right. After all he put in the time to make the book happen.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,391
    Think the point is that there are far easier ways of making much more money for much less time that writing and publishing a book!
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    ddraver wrote:
    Think the point is that there are far easier ways of making much more money for much less time that writing and publishing a book!
    Ya got that right. Who knows what kind of deal Tyler had to sign onto in order to get it published. I would bet that most publishers probably looked upon the idea as sort of a cr*p shoot and felt that if they were taking the risk then they should get most of the rewards. But that's just speculation on my part.
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    knedlicky wrote:
    Nominated for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year. Pendleton's book too, and 12 other books.
    Previous winners include Rough Ride and It's Not About the Bike.
    It's just won a sports book of the year award – perhaps this one?
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Kind of off topic but I am reminded of what I've always considered the best sports book I ever read, and I will admit I haven't read all that many, was Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball by George Will.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    IanLD wrote:
    Yes FF, I have bought it and am glad to have done so.

    I also bought Millar's books and years ago bought Kimmage's book too.

    All books by dopers and all fascinating reads.

    Have also bought Hinault's book, Ned Boulting's book, The Great Bike Race from back in my early racing days in the '70's (got it at the time) and borrowed quite a few others.

    I have no objection to Hamilton making some money from the book as he is one of those who eventually stood up to what has been wrong in sport for so long. At least he finally admitted what he had done unlike a certain rider you seem to have double standards about.

    I think you'll find it hard to repossess much of Tyler's as he ended up pretty poor by the time he fought his misguided defence.

    I'd be more interested in going after certain officials who have been more corrupt and complicit than many of the riders. They had the ability to stop or at least reduce this a long time ago, but failed to do so.

    Yeah that's fine, just saying that some people may, without thinking, be supporting a doper which they may not like if they realised. I wouldn't buy it for that reason although I wouldn't realistically hold anything against anyone that did.

    Yes he came forward but there is much discussion on that - as Cancellara says in that interview: its a choice and they are at fault. He has also made boat loads of cash and only came clean after his bank balance was solid. He robbed clean riders of livelihoods and didnt have the moral fortitude to come forward earlier so I wouldn't hold him up with any respect imo.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    tbh Frenchie, I'd have to agree with you on the Hamilton front. Even before we talk the book, in fact he did only testify in the first place because of the power of the grand jury leverage, not because he approached the Feds because he wanted to fess up. Without that phone call from Novitzky making him an offer he couldnt refuse, he'd still be silent.

    Just as it was Armstrong ignoring his demand to help him get a place on his team, that led to Landis starting to talk.

    Have to say I cant be dealing with the folks who hail these guys as heroes. They finally - after years - spoke and helped to give Tygart the wedge to prise open the door. And good for that. But heroes who should be lecturing (in Hamilton's case) cycling and its protaganists about the future of the sport? Sod off....
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,391
    +1 - I think Hamilton knows that to be fair, he does nt show it often but he does have something other than thick luscious locks between his ears. Listening to interviews he usually sticks to his own story, and has to be cajoled into talking about the future of cycling and the UCI etc

    It's interesting to compare the reaction of Genuine Sports Writers, to whom he's just another sportsman, to the US internet bloggers, to whom he's a legend and it's "oh so cool to feature him on my blog" etc. The genuine writers are a lot cooler toward him.
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • IanLD
    IanLD Posts: 423
    frenchfighter wrote:

    Yeah that's fine, just saying that some people may, without thinking, be supporting a doper which they may not like if they realised. I wouldn't buy it for that reason although I wouldn't realistically hold anything against anyone that did.

    Yes he came forward but there is much discussion on that - as Cancellara says in that interview: its a choice and they are at fault. He has also made boat loads of cash and only came clean after his bank balance was solid. He robbed clean riders of livelihoods and didnt have the moral fortitude to come forward earlier so I wouldn't hold him up with any respect imo.

    Agree with what you are saying there, but he is very much not alone in not coming forward early. I would also agree with those who find Hamilton and Landis hard to stomach given there setting up fund raising activities to help 'fight' for their proclaimed innocence. These are not admirable acts at all and have caused direct loss to anyone who chose to donate to their fighting funds. As I don't know anyone who did, then I can't ask them how they feel about them, but I imagine they quite rightly feel aggrieved by how they attempted to deny everything until forced to confess.

    They are not alone in the denial though, as so many riders are gradually being exposed as having doped. This is where Hamilton, Landis and Millar have at least set a major change in motion. They have been prepared to go further than before and Hamilton's book takes the reader deeper in to the underworld of cycling than before. They do deserve some credit for this although it may be that there were some ulterior motives in doing so.

    Certain sections of the pro scene (Spain in particular), seem to still be in denial, both from riders being unwilling to confess, and a seemingly untouched omertà with denials of having seen any doping. Are these riders any better than those who have now confessed?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,702
    I'm OK with giving Hamilton some money for the book he got ghost written.
    _

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