Lance in France (Armstrong at the Tour)

So says Lance Armstrong as he prepares to roll down the start ramp of the first stage of the Tour de France on Saturday. But he’s 37 years old (older than any Tour winner), took four years off, suffered a broken collarbone just a couple of months ago, and became a father again in June. So, you might excuse the doubters.

But when it comes to Lance Armstrong, normal rules don’t apply. After all, he came back from much tougher odds, near death from cancer, to win his first Tour in 1999. After all he’s been through and achieved, you’d expect that he might be a notch off his game. Not so, say his entourage, who has seen this movie seven times before.

“He’s in as good a shape as he could be in today,” added his marketing guru Bart Knaggs. “It’s taken time, but his weight is right, his power is there, his enthusiasm is burning, he’s ready. He’s mentally and physically put himself in a great position to seize whatever moment is available.”

On Sunday we witnessed America’s Greatest pure athlete win his 6th straight Le Tour de Lance then that night saw one of America’s Worst athletes lob out the first pitch? The contrasts could not have been more strident. Why does America produce from a very limited number such quality athletes that it dominates a sport the world cherishes? Simple, America is the most creative, talented and hard working nation on the planet. The opposite end of that spectrum was on display in Fenway.

Lance Armstrong is not only a great personal story of an unbelievable athlete, he embodies much that has made this Country the Greatest Country in history. His overcoming cancer and getting back on the Tour stronger than when he started is testimony to his personal fortitude. Unfortunately his marriage was a disaster although we do not know the specifics except speculation of his obsession with the sport. There are two children that have been tragically hurt by his bicycling and that cannot be diminished and is not what this story is about.

How is it that America can dominate a sport that the country has little interest in and is outnumbered by casual bike riders 100-1 vs the Europe and Asia? Between Greg Lemond and Lance we have completely dominated this race? What is it about America that it can continue to turn out these types of athletes from our minuscule numbers of competitors? It is simple, we have the most creative and innovative training methods ever devised. It is in our mentality that we are willing to experiment and create which sets us apart from the other autocratic Socialistic societies.

Lance Armstrong after he overcame cancer determined he needed a new way of riding a bike to get back in contention. He found that if he increased his leg speed and had a higher cadence he could climb hills faster than the standard slow cadence up the mountain. This allowed him to use his superior cardiovascular system to offset the weakness in his legs. As his strength increased he found that the high cadence became even more effective and has completely dominated the sport which continues to use the slow cadence method. The Europeans are now 5-7 years behind his training and with their inability to change will not use his methods. That is American know how and capitalism in a nutshell. In The USA necessity is the mother of invention and immediate flexibility is the key.

The Demosaurs would have Lance go back to the slow cadence so the Europeons would like him more. They feel the Eurotrash are the models to follow. They don’t believe that America should dominate but just run with the pack. Lance would rather be feared and admired than loved. He would rather run in front of the pack with a few loyal friends than with the middle or back of the peleton. He did not work as hard as he did and make as many sacrifices as he did so that he could give it away to the Germans or Frogs. He dominates the race and in the end it makes the race stronger, safer and better.

We witnessed the other end of the athletic spectrum on Sunday night. Yaaawn Girly Tax & Kerry lobbed out the first weenie pitch of the night. That was what you would expect someone who attempts to be France. Someone who has no American, can do attitude but wants to give all the power to the world. There was no strength or honor in that muff, only an exhibition of strident inflexibility and wimpishness. That was a pitcher who would be happy if America ran in the rear of the peleton so nobody in front would be offended. The results of that pitch displayed what that belief will get you, a ball bouncing past the catcher on it’s way to oblivion.

Pray for W and Our Troops

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