A Quote about which you should actually THINK.

First off, this quote is about doping & cheating in biking but it applies to every single sport, life action, etc. You like baseball? Yes, it applies to you. Football? Yep. Soccer? Damn straight. Curling? .....probably.


I present to you...

Adam Myerson, on bikes/doping. And, as always, on life itself:

"No one's saying these dudes should be put to death, or that they're not allowed to find some kind of peace and happiness in life. It should just be outside of cycling. If you care about bike racing, don't cheer for them. Don't buy their products or merchandise, don't go to their camps, don't like their pages, don't do their fondos, don't welcome them back like all is forgiven or even worse, nothing happened. If you find you can't do that because you're haunted by what you might have done in that situation, do it because of those of us who were very clear about it. Do it for the guys that walked away or said no and kept racing anyway, the Scott Merciers and Darren Bakers and Matt Johnsons and Kevin Monahans. If those are the guys you want to be able to cheer for and believe what you see, at the very least, don't support the ones you know did it wrong, even if you understand their choices. Otherwise, you might as well hire Bernie Madoff to do your investing."

"WE" are part of the problem. By supporting people who doped you are in effect giving current dopers a promise that doping won't actually cause them long-term harm. And when a given action has little negative effect on your future, then that action is well worth the risk.

Quote taken from a recent post in discussion of an article, "Hey Ryder, Fuck You", which addresses Ryder Hesjedal, partially in response to his recent admission to doping (without penalty, persecution, or concern).

That Question: "What Should I Do?"

This exact thing bugs me most of the time I hear it.

Everyone asks this question. Everyone acts like they need an answer. Maybe some people actually do. Most really don't. Some people ask it and could really care less; I still don't know why someone asks for your opinion then doesn't consider it and keeps on...keepin' on. Ya know?

What this is about isn't actually "What I..or you...or he she they it...should do?" This is about a simple question, that is seemingly harmless and sociable, but tells a lot more than most people realize. Asking this shows a host of things. Uncertainty in one's self is the most common and strongest tell in this question. Why not hold off, and take a damn 'leap of faith'. Even though the leap of faith you'd be taking isn't anything big in the grand scheme of things. How badly could it REALLY go if you don't rely on someone else to make a decision for you, how horrible could that be? Hey, maybe you will even learn something about yourself. Jeez, now that'd be a really sad thing, wouldn't it? In a world where we rely on almost everything and have such close contact with almost everyone...we have become less of ourselves. And that sucks.

People are becoming less of themselves and more like the first person who responds to a text message. Think about that for a second.

[Pause. Seriously, think.]

Now, I understand well that every once in a while it is a genuine concern for direction in unknown territory, or asking someone who is, comparatively speaking, and expert in a field. To that, I repeat myself:

"How badly could it REALLY go if you don't rely on someone else to make a decision for you, how horrible could that be? Hey, maybe you will even learn something about yourself."

So, you know what? Next time you're thinking "What Should I Do?" just make your own damn decision. Don't ask someone just to show your uncertainty or need for input. You'll realize that it is a freedom with which you very well may have lost touch. Or maybe you'll think to yourself it was idiotic and why did you ever consider what I wrote here in the first place.

Well...at least someone made you think, for yourself, today. And if that is the case, then you're better for it.