The American Spectator

Reader Mail

(Page 6 of 12)

Former U.S. Rep. John Kasich looks real good to a lot of Republicans, but he will dilute the available resources, i.e. money, manpower, and votes. It looks like Ohio can be a real cartoon with jokers like the deviant TV host and check kiter from Cincinnati, Jerry Springer. He has a radio talk show in Cleveland, the home of both boy blunder, Dennis the Menace Kucinich, and the idiot from the east side, Tubbs-Jones.

p>Ohio could be a problem for the points you made in your article. br> -- Vic Cruder /p> p> ROMANCING LANCE IN FRANCE br> Re: Jay D. Homnick's The French Conniption : /p>

Good job on the article. You pretty much nailed the French view of Lance dead on. But you really only scratched the surface.

The problem is a lot worse than Lance just dominating their national sporting event. It has been 20 years since Bernard Hinault won his fifth tour in 1985. Since that last great French racer, there has been zero victories for the home team, and TEN for Americans. That is, three from Greg LeMond, and the current run of seven for Lance. That is the statistic that is just killing the French cycling fan: A whole generation of French who have never seen a countryman on the top step of the podium in Paris.

And it gets worse. There are no prospects out there. None. The cupboards are bare. There is one French rider in the top 20, but there are five Americans. French riders are left to nibble at the edges, hoping for a win on Bastille Day to call it a good tour.

I think Lance could win two or three more-- he is that dominant. But as he leaves, look for riders like Levi Leipheimer, Floyd Landis and David Zabriskie to continue to pummel the French psyche even further.

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