Tour De France...Disappointed with letsrun

i dont understand people wrote:

i dont get why people have such a problem with france. i back packed europe last month and paris was my favorite place along the route. its really an amazing place and i didnt see much if any evidence of the typical stereotypes.

It's called ignorance. And it's not just France. Look at what people in middle America and coastal America have to say about each other. People hate what they don't know or don't understand. Simple. It's not an American thing, but xenophobia does seem more widespread in America and I can only assume it's because fewer Americans travel abroad. Not surprising, it's just a lot harder and more expensive to visit France if you're in Kansas than if you're in the Netherlands. That's honest enough. The part I have a problem with is when people claim they have no desire to go abroad. That's when I stop taking them seriously and it doesn't matter if they're French or American.

fgfg wrote:

france smells like piss i was there last week . Metro works good but station have those horrible little pay toilets.

Good for you, you made a post.

I dont think American Letsrunners suddenly hate cyling and france. I watched last year when there was no clear US favorite and rooted for riders from lots of nations. I want to give the benefit of the doubt but last year left a bad taste in my mouth. A B rider winning after his breakaway was given too much on a flat stage, after the old winner was DQed for drugs...what excitment.

Out of curiousity, what are the commenatators saying about the drugs this year? I love Liggett and crew but they (and especially Roll) were in denial about the state of cycling last year.

moosehead wrote:

Why do American kiddies hate France so much?

Do they teach you to do it at school?

It seems a lot of indoctrination goes on in the American education system. The USA is so self-concious as a nation that they feel the need to unfairly belittle other countries constantly.

Nope, people hate France because the French act like they are the world's cultural elite and that their dogshit all over the sidewalks (and there's plenty of it) doesn't stink, so to speak. When I was in France, I've never seen so much attitude and rudeness towards Americans. Furthermore, the Americans can't stand the fact that we bailed you out of two wars and made innumerable sacrifices in terms of lives and money, but your own prime minister basically told Bush one thing in the leadup to the UN vote on Gulf War II, but then stabbed him in the back. France is starting to be undermined by the Muslim community and will certainly become part of the restored Caliphate because of their lack of backbone, and the US will be once again called upon to bail your sorry, pathetic, socialist asses out yet again. And we will go willingly, even if the French government votes against it.

France Lacks Cajones wrote:

blah blah blah

No adults on letsrun today?

But you have got to love the fact that an American has won the Tour de France for eight consecutive years. Must just eat at you terribly. Hell, an American cyclist has won the tour in eleven of the last 20 years. That's more than 50%. How many have the drugged up French won? Can you say Festina?

Actually, I have to agree with most of what he penned, even if it did sound like it came out of a child's mouth. That is, until he started the stupid bravado about American domination of the TDF. But the historical, political part is pretty much correct.

Oh, that and the fact that France is starting to realize that socialism and onerous fiscal policy aren't working. The recent election and appointment of a USA-educated Trade Minister reflects that in spades. Despite Michael Moore's reference to the success of France's health care system, it is actually not a sustainable dynamic and specific taxes have been raised inordinately high to subsidize it. France is most certainly moving away from such stringent policy at a time when America seems ready to embrace it. Ironic as they say.

We hate France because they brought homosexuality over to our country.

moosehead wrote:

Why do American kiddies hate France so much?

Do they teach you to do it at school?

It seems a lot of indoctrination goes on in the American education system. The USA is so self-concious as a nation that they feel the need to unfairly belittle other countries constantly.

dizzy-dub wrote:

We hate France because they brought homosexuality over to our country.

No, I believe that came from the Vatican.

moosehead wrote:

Why do American kiddies hate France so much?

Do they teach you to do it at school?

It seems a lot of indoctrination goes on in the American education system. The USA is so self-concious as a nation that they feel the need to unfairly belittle other countries constantly.

Because the media told them to. Most of the people who hate on France have never been there and have never met a French person. Same reason why Britney is popular and all the other crap on TV.....people are stupid.

No Lance this year. Last year was the first Post-Lance TdF so of course people were interested. This year it's back to business as usual. There are at least more Americans on the tour now as compared to Pre-Lance. Plus the winner of the Tour last year (Landis) tested positive for a higher than allowable T:E ratio. If he hadn't won the Tour it wouldn't have been such a big deal, but he won and that turned people away. It's like the 1919 White Sox.

Alan

Can't get excited about watching a bunch of spandex-clad lads riding their bikes. Maybe if they had to toss newspapers accurately onto porches while riding by, that'd spice it up a bit.

You probably haven't received the kind of responses you're after on this thread. So as someone else said, go to 'Tour de France 2007'. Interesting discussions/topics and on Saturday riders are in the alps so expect some decent 2007 posts from then on.

Go check out a cycling site and see if there's much talk about Osaka . . .

Lazy Llama wrote:

This year, I really don't give a f***. I'm tired of being super-impressed by the feats these guys pull off, then having to question all of it a couple weeks after the Tour.

My feelings exactly. When the wholesome Mennonite boy tested positive, there went the last of my illusions. And I so wanted to believe him, but when the story kept changing....

i dont understand people wrote:

i dont get why people have such a problem with france. i back packed europe last month and paris was my favorite place along the route. its really an amazing place and i didnt see much if any evidence of the typical stereotypes.

Oh really, did you happen to try to speak to anyone there in a language other than French? Even if they KNOW the language you'll have to pull teeth to get them to speak it.

gsjsag wrote:

Oh really, did you happen to try to speak to anyone there in a language other than French? Even if they KNOW the language you'll have to pull teeth to get them to speak it.

This is exactly right. And then if you do attempt to politely speak some French to show them some courtesy in their country, they still berate you. The nerve and hypocrisy of a Frenchmen to come on here and question the character of Americans is amazing.

France Lacks Cajones wrote: The nerve and hypocrisy of a Frenchmen to come on here and question the character of Americans is amazing.

Well they go freaking gaga over New York and its people. I think they're just a little shocked when they wander too far away from here and find out what the rest of y'all are like.