I'm sure it's a fantasy for most boys with cycling dreams, the big cycling dreams that encompass the biggest bicycle race there is, the Tour de France. As a kid, you'll put yourself in the toughest situation: You're down by a big margin with one last mountain stage to go. You and your team decide to go for broke, to ride with audacity. You decide to attack from the start, to try to cut that deficit by winning the stage, and perhaps win the yellow jersey. And in your dreams, you'll come out on top. In your dreams.
It's a child's dream because in the modern Tour such comebacks are unheard of. When a yellow jersey leader is ahead by seven minutes, as Oscar Pereiro (Spain) was at the start of Stage 17, teamwork and convention suggest that he would hold that lead to the finish. An attacker hoping to indulge in this child's dream couldn't possibly expect to maintain the pace needed to stay ahead of the peloton.
But somehow, Floyd Landis (United States) was able to fulfill this childhood fantasy. He rode the race of his life, winning Stage 17 (his first stage win ever), and seating himself in third place, a mere thirty seconds behind the leader, the presumably startled Oscar Pereiro. When I watched the recaps of Stage 16, the announcers had written off Landis. Landis was done. It was finished. He might gain time in the time trial (Stage 19), but it would be too much to expect him back in contention.
Except Landis expected more. He dominated the stage, setting an unmatchable pace in the high heat. He attacked early. He chased a breakaway, then became the breakaway leader himself. In the broadcast, the announcers kept expecting a response from the chasing peloton, but the response would come too late.
Experts were stumbling over the superlatives, trying to describe this stage win. "Best stage that I have ever followed." "...I am wracking my brain thinking what I can compare it to." "...the greatest single day ride in the history of the Tour..." When a childhood fantasy comes true, when it happens right before our eyes, it's hard to come up with the words.
In the end, the unassuming Floyd Landis was quoted: "I was going to make whoever wins this Tour deserve it." That person might be him.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Friday, July 7, 2006
Forza Italia!
I'll be rooting for the Italian side in this Sunday's World Cup final.
I love listening to the play call on Fabio Grasso's goal (for the Italians against Germany in the semi-final). The Italians have won the World Cup in 1934, 1938, and 1982. I remember the 1982 win, and the goal getter for the Azzurri that year: Paolo Rossi.
Their opponents are the esteemed French, who won the World Cup for the first time in 1998. They are led by the nimble Zinedine Zidane. When his game is on, he's the picture of perfect ball control.
Forza Italia!
I love listening to the play call on Fabio Grasso's goal (for the Italians against Germany in the semi-final). The Italians have won the World Cup in 1934, 1938, and 1982. I remember the 1982 win, and the goal getter for the Azzurri that year: Paolo Rossi.
Their opponents are the esteemed French, who won the World Cup for the first time in 1998. They are led by the nimble Zinedine Zidane. When his game is on, he's the picture of perfect ball control.
Forza Italia!
Monday, June 26, 2006
United 93
I watched United 93 over the weekend. The movie is extraordinary. (For those in the Boston area, it's playing at the Studio Cinema in Belmont.)
The terrible day of September 11, 2001 is well scrutinized. Of the four hijacked planes that day, only three reached their targets. The fourth was United Flight 93, headed from Newark to San Francisco. The Al Qaeda terrorists had successfully hijacked the plane, but they were then attacked by a brave group of passengers. The hijackers crashed the plane into a field in Pennsylvania.
Everyone knows the ending, but not everyone can remember the beginning. The opening sequences of the movie reveal a routine Tuesday. Newark Airport fills up with passengers and crew, rushing through security, rushing to make the gate. The offices of the air traffic controllers and military personnel are having a standard weekday morning. The non-chalance of everybody that morning is striking. Things would soon change for the worse.
The unusual flight paths of American Airlines 11 and United Airlines 175 catch the attention of air traffic controllers. AA 11 rammed into the North Tower first. Then there is a mesmerizing scene of traffic controllers in Newark swiveling their heads, following the too low, too fast flight of 175. One has a phone pressed to his ear. "I'll call you back," he says, as the rest of the team stare grimly at the smoking towers.
All this is in the movie. The pace quickens by cutting back and forth between the military response and the air traffic controller response. Keeping the focus on these two groups better reminds the viewer how little anyone knew what was happening. There was so much confusion that day, and the movie shows good people trying to do the right thing with so little information. When I saw Ben Sliney (the manager of the FAA) make the decision to ground all planes, I let out a big sigh.
When the movie focuses on the United 93, the passengers are introduced simply. Business travelers. Vacationers. Young. Old. The hijackers are drawn simply too. They are nervous, fidgety even. There are no names over their images as these people are seen on the screen. They are strangers to one another, just like on any other airplane ride.
United Flight 93 was delayed by nearly forty-five minutes. This enables the passengers to learn about the terrorist plot during their furtive calls to home during the hijacking. They begin to piece together the totality of that day. They realize that they are about to become victims. They learn that they are going to die. Unless they do something about it.
From the moment the hijackers take over the cockpit, to the courageous attempt by the passengers to overwhelm the hijackers and take control of the plane, I kept thinking: what would I have done? What could I have done? The depictions of the various passengers reaching their loved ones back home was heartbreaking. The actions taken by the passengers to try to take back the plane was rousing. The movie kept you gripped entirely in its present moment, and I kept thinking "this can't be happening."
The ending of the movie was quick, and startling. I was still gripping the arms rests when the end titles began to appear. I was still waiting in vain for the nose of the plane to lift up as I settled into the credits.
The bar for movies about the events of 9/11 has been set very high by United 93's director, Paul Greengrass. This is a movie that you shouldn't miss.
The terrible day of September 11, 2001 is well scrutinized. Of the four hijacked planes that day, only three reached their targets. The fourth was United Flight 93, headed from Newark to San Francisco. The Al Qaeda terrorists had successfully hijacked the plane, but they were then attacked by a brave group of passengers. The hijackers crashed the plane into a field in Pennsylvania.
Everyone knows the ending, but not everyone can remember the beginning. The opening sequences of the movie reveal a routine Tuesday. Newark Airport fills up with passengers and crew, rushing through security, rushing to make the gate. The offices of the air traffic controllers and military personnel are having a standard weekday morning. The non-chalance of everybody that morning is striking. Things would soon change for the worse.
The unusual flight paths of American Airlines 11 and United Airlines 175 catch the attention of air traffic controllers. AA 11 rammed into the North Tower first. Then there is a mesmerizing scene of traffic controllers in Newark swiveling their heads, following the too low, too fast flight of 175. One has a phone pressed to his ear. "I'll call you back," he says, as the rest of the team stare grimly at the smoking towers.
All this is in the movie. The pace quickens by cutting back and forth between the military response and the air traffic controller response. Keeping the focus on these two groups better reminds the viewer how little anyone knew what was happening. There was so much confusion that day, and the movie shows good people trying to do the right thing with so little information. When I saw Ben Sliney (the manager of the FAA) make the decision to ground all planes, I let out a big sigh.
When the movie focuses on the United 93, the passengers are introduced simply. Business travelers. Vacationers. Young. Old. The hijackers are drawn simply too. They are nervous, fidgety even. There are no names over their images as these people are seen on the screen. They are strangers to one another, just like on any other airplane ride.
United Flight 93 was delayed by nearly forty-five minutes. This enables the passengers to learn about the terrorist plot during their furtive calls to home during the hijacking. They begin to piece together the totality of that day. They realize that they are about to become victims. They learn that they are going to die. Unless they do something about it.
From the moment the hijackers take over the cockpit, to the courageous attempt by the passengers to overwhelm the hijackers and take control of the plane, I kept thinking: what would I have done? What could I have done? The depictions of the various passengers reaching their loved ones back home was heartbreaking. The actions taken by the passengers to try to take back the plane was rousing. The movie kept you gripped entirely in its present moment, and I kept thinking "this can't be happening."
The ending of the movie was quick, and startling. I was still gripping the arms rests when the end titles began to appear. I was still waiting in vain for the nose of the plane to lift up as I settled into the credits.
The bar for movies about the events of 9/11 has been set very high by United 93's director, Paul Greengrass. This is a movie that you shouldn't miss.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Black Stars
The World Cup match between Ghana and the Czech Republic was a thriller. A goal was scored within two minutes of the opening whistle. I was in the kitchen, but my wife's exclamation, and the muted shouting from our TV, told me that Ghana scored. Ghana is ranked 50th in the FIFA World Ranking, and the Czechs are 2nd. How could they have scored?
I parked in front of the TV, riveted by the exciting play from "the Black Stars", the team from Africa. They lost to Italy in their opening match, but somehow Ghana seemed determined against the Czechs, who walloped the USA in their opening group match.
Today's match was a great game to watch. Wave after wave of pressure from Ghana. A missed penalty kick by Ghana. An ejection for the Czechs. And finally, with moments to go before full time, a second goal from the unheralded team. The Czech looked despondent. Ghana looked like spoilers. And this Thursday, the US plays this ascendant team.
I parked in front of the TV, riveted by the exciting play from "the Black Stars", the team from Africa. They lost to Italy in their opening match, but somehow Ghana seemed determined against the Czechs, who walloped the USA in their opening group match.
Today's match was a great game to watch. Wave after wave of pressure from Ghana. A missed penalty kick by Ghana. An ejection for the Czechs. And finally, with moments to go before full time, a second goal from the unheralded team. The Czech looked despondent. Ghana looked like spoilers. And this Thursday, the US plays this ascendant team.
Sunday, June 4, 2006
Team USA
The 2006 World Cup starts this week, and once again I will be glued to my high-definition enabled television.
The United States, playing in Group E with Italy, Ghana, and the Czech Republic, start matches on June 12. By some reports, this is "the group of death", the term given to the first round group of closely matched teams. The US squad will have a successful World Cup if it can get out of this group alive, and while I'm hopeful for this outcome, it just doesn't feel realistic. I hope I'm wrong, but if I'm betting, I'm picking Czech Republic and Italy to advance.
I hope to be eating these words. C'mon, Arena! Prove me wrong!
The United States, playing in Group E with Italy, Ghana, and the Czech Republic, start matches on June 12. By some reports, this is "the group of death", the term given to the first round group of closely matched teams. The US squad will have a successful World Cup if it can get out of this group alive, and while I'm hopeful for this outcome, it just doesn't feel realistic. I hope I'm wrong, but if I'm betting, I'm picking Czech Republic and Italy to advance.
I hope to be eating these words. C'mon, Arena! Prove me wrong!
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Bob Dylan
Today is Bob Dylan's 65th birthday.
My favorite song of his is "Shooting Star", from the album Oh Mercy. I heard it for the first time a few years ago while listening to "The Coffeehouse", a mellow morning radio show from WERS. The song is romantic, but also very sad. I liked it immediately, and I was surprised it was a Dylan tune. I listened to the song a few times again today. Very nice! Happy Birthday, Bob.
My favorite song of his is "Shooting Star", from the album Oh Mercy. I heard it for the first time a few years ago while listening to "The Coffeehouse", a mellow morning radio show from WERS. The song is romantic, but also very sad. I liked it immediately, and I was surprised it was a Dylan tune. I listened to the song a few times again today. Very nice! Happy Birthday, Bob.
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Rooting Interests
With the return of Stanely Cup ice hockey, and the apparent rise of LeBron James, I'm quite engaged in this month's batch of playoff series. Here are my rooting interests:
Cleveland Cavaliers. Yes, I'm on the LeBron band wagon. Witness and all that. I think the Cavs have a tough road ahead of them in tomorrow's Game 7 at Detroit. But I'm hoping to catch some of it, to see if I really am witnessing the rise of an NBA great.
Los Angeles Clippers. The other basketball team in Los Angeles. I like the storyline of the long suffering franchise suddenly catching some good luck. (The Lakers loss to Phoenix meant LA would have to wait another year for a Freeway series.)
Buffalo Sabres. Any team with Chris Drury is worth rooting for. Plus they have Mike Grier, a fellow former Boston University standout.
Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Paul Kariya isn't there anymore, but Teemu Selanne is. Teemu's having a resurgent season. Go Ducks!
Cleveland Cavaliers. Yes, I'm on the LeBron band wagon. Witness and all that. I think the Cavs have a tough road ahead of them in tomorrow's Game 7 at Detroit. But I'm hoping to catch some of it, to see if I really am witnessing the rise of an NBA great.
Los Angeles Clippers. The other basketball team in Los Angeles. I like the storyline of the long suffering franchise suddenly catching some good luck. (The Lakers loss to Phoenix meant LA would have to wait another year for a Freeway series.)
Buffalo Sabres. Any team with Chris Drury is worth rooting for. Plus they have Mike Grier, a fellow former Boston University standout.
Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Paul Kariya isn't there anymore, but Teemu Selanne is. Teemu's having a resurgent season. Go Ducks!
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