From mtbiker@u.washington.edu Sat Dec 26 12:09:51 1998 Received: from jason02.u.washington.edu (root@jason02.u.washington.edu [140.142.76.8]) by lists.u.washington.edu (8.9.1+UW98.09/8.9.1+UW98.09) with ESMTP id MAA04610 for ; Sat, 26 Dec 1998 12:09:51 -0800 Received: from dante26.u.washington.edu (mtbiker@dante26.u.washington.edu [140.142.15.100]) by jason02.u.washington.edu (8.9.1+UW98.09/8.9.1+UW98.09) with ESMTP id MAA35360; Sat, 26 Dec 1998 12:09:49 -0800 Received: from localhost (mtbiker@localhost) by dante26.u.washington.edu (8.9.1+UW98.09/8.9.1+UW98.09) with ESMTP id MAA56538; Sat, 26 Dec 1998 12:09:49 -0800 Date: Sat, 26 Dec 1998 12:09:48 -0800 (PST) From: "T. Erickson" To: uwracing@u.washington.edu cc: radquer96@aol.com Subject: Re: happy holidays (fwd) Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Enjoy, and Dale could you forward to the rest of the gang, I'd have to type in each and every name with my program. Have a great week everybody. Busto ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 25 Dec 1998 08:01:00 EST From: STPHOTO@aol.com To: mtbiker@u.washington.edu Subject: Re: happy holidays Here is the first-ever, and maybe not the last, year-end cycling poem. Inspired by several years of observing (and occasionally even covering) pro road racing and one too many Sam Smith's Winter Welcomes the other night, the following will not: -get me the nod as Poet Laureate of the English crown -be published in the New Yorker -get me invited to Hein Verbruggen's New Year's bash (We're gonna party like it's 1929) It is supposed to make us all smile as we remember what was a frustrating, bittersweet year for road racing. Read, enjoy, (hopefully) laugh, forward to anyone you might think would like it, and direct all flaming e-mail responses to me. Happy Holidays, Joe Lindsey **** An Ode to the Road Hail to all, friends well met Gather 'round the Internet Hanging stockings on the modem Dang these stories, can't upload 'em Looking back on '98 Some things bad, some things great Think back to the start at the Ruta Better than the trails in Fruita Lance's return, quite the story false starts, high placings, lots of glory Casino's ambush on early season and then Pascal Richard's high treason He said "Me you don't appreciate!" We reply "You didn't win in '98" This team's talent came from Pluto Bo Hamburger, Agnolutto!? And who among us forgot Fat Jan and the buffet training plan Paris-Roubaix was quite the splash Lots of rain, Museeuw's crash And let's hear it for "VDB" 'cause he's lots richer than you or me With that big contract from Cofidis Bobby Julich the team may dis' And then we had the major Tours >From the Alps to Irish moors A bald guy in the mountains spanks While Zulle in the Giro tanks And then the big show on the Isle Could set back the sport awhile Willy Voet caught at the border With all those drugs, this disorder "Those are for my personal use!" You'll stick all those needles in your caboose? Hein Verbruggen's holiday Like Emperor Nero's fiddling may Be compared, and how about That TVM team we shout And all the while the UCI Stands on the sideline by With their tapes and their measures DQ'ing bikes with great pleasure But in the autumn things got better As the racing it got wetter Like at the Worlds in late fall Who's crazy idea was this call? Racing in damn near November Even neo-pros remember When the season was much shorter And things were in better order And over on the domestic front It seems racers bear the brunt Of BRAC's spat with the Feds Visions dancing in my head Of three licenses I'll need to race Is it worth it for 56th place? My '99 goal is something new Beat that VeloNews' Bryan Jew So here's to next year, and we hope That racing's done with illegal dope We will pause to let us remember A few choice folks this December Pantani, Zulle, Hincapie USPRO champ at last is he Mark McCormack, SuperCup Dale Knapp, please don't give up Richard Virenque, Laurent Dufaux Festina could've fired you, ya know? And lest you think I have a fever Remember Dutchman Bas de Bever Yes, he's a downhiller and this story Is supposed to be about roadies' glory But then I simply could not resist Telling this tale with no off-road twist And so I leave you hale and hearty Hoping that you have great parties Wishing well to you and yours See you next year at the Tours .