In Your Travels

MSR Humor Turns Sour: Cute Dorks Become Lame Geeks: A Thin Line is crossed

In an example of hubris gone over the line, M Street Racing's Blog has recently turned from gently prodding humor into mean spirited cracks and lame attempts at parody to cover their behavior. M STREET RACING: Editorial: No Blood, No Free Lap.

First they accused NCVC's elite team of straight up cheating at Leonardtown. To hear them tell it, the area's oldest elite squad was roundly shelled, and then used the excuse of a crash to take a free lap and rejoin the pack. But this blogger used his extensive contacts to find out the true story. Everybody knows that Leonardtown is one of the most technical and tough courses around, with bike handling at a premium. So after some fatigue set in, it was no surprise that somebody got a bit unsteady in one of those turns. NCVC's squad, which includes two riders who have been to the Olympic Trials, was run off the road into the woods due to the crash! Now you'd think that would be deserving of a mechanical, wouldn't you?

Well unfortunately the answer from the USCF rulebook is no. Well, it seems like a no. Rule A20:

A mishap is a crash or a mechanical accident (tire puncture or other failure of an essential component). However, a puncture caused by the tire coming off due to inadequate gluing is not a mechanical accident, nor is a malfunction due to mis-assembly or insufficient tightening of any component. A recognized mishap is a stoppage that meets the above conditions. An unrecognized mishap is a stoppage where the above conditions are not met.
A broken toe strap or cleat is a mishap. A worn or misadjusted cleat or toe strap is not a mishap. If more than one toe strap is used on a pedal, breakage of one is considered a mishap. Any mishap not immediately inspected by an official is unrecognized.

Only one thing is left undefined, crash. Now it might seem like a simple thing, we all know what a crash is right? But what if you crash onto a bunch of people but don't hit the actual deck? Is that a crash? What if people run into you and push you off the course, into the woods, is that a crash? Well lets look at the dictionary (dot com) definition of a crash.

To break violently or noisily; smash.
To undergo sudden damage or destruction on impact: Their car crashed into a guardrail. The airplane crashed over the ocean.
To make a sudden loud noise: breakers crashing against the rocks.
To move noisily or so as to cause damage: went crashing through the woods.
To undergo a sudden severe downturn, as a market or economy.

It seems to me that that last definiton leaves a grey area that most officials (wearing black and white) would not see. Although in this case, it seems the zebras could see elephants. Maybe if there are 150 riders then officials need to see some marks or a breakage, but at a small race with 20-25 guys left in the pack, it doesn't seem necessary that blood needs to be in evidence to give somebody a free lap when it is obvious they were caught up in a crash. It is their integrity after all, if they bend the rules, they'll be the ones having to sleep at night (or not). Yes I am arguing for the honor system under certain conditions, and guys like Moglia, Stevenson, Brown and Schmidt have been out there kicking butt since some MSR guys were drinking milk from a bottle, with a nipple on it, and they don't deserve to be subjected to high-handed self-righteous, self-serving criticism. As if any real racer would want to take a rhythym breaking free lap, anyway, like it is some big edge. Team old school, circle the wagons! Furthermore there were officials right there on the scene who declared a free lap warranted by those who claimed it.

Furthermore this kind of punk-driven bruhaha can only rile the sleeping giants that are other D20 powers. MSR is on notice: your reign of terror is about to cease.

The second thing M STREET RACING: M Street Blogger Gets Cocky..Missingis they showed themselves to be truly lame geeks, quoting Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Weird Science. What's next? A declaration of undying love for Molly Ringwald? I know she was hot in Fresh Horses but c'mon.
MSR: just not so cute anymore....

posted by Mark @ 5:54 PM