Not just a tool, a tool BOX. See sport.be today.

So they were supposed to put out a press release making nice and saying they would renegotiate at the end of the year, etc. so that it did not look so bad for both sides. Sure, we all know it was not going to continue, but appearances do matter.

They also agreed not to discuss this further, and to continue to make nice, etc.

Of course, JM rewords the press release to say he accepts JP's apology or whatever. Fine. Let it slide.

Now today he comes out saying he wants Bart Wellens and will throw dough at him. Fine, not the way most managers do their business, but whatever. But then he just has to add in that little dig at the end that Page wont be on the team next year just like Willemsen and Vannoppen cause he wants to be winning, blah blah blah.

Hey, to me, that is bringing it up again. He is getting LET OUT of a year of HAVING to pay JP for another year whether he tried to race fast or whether he decided to sit around and NOT try to ride like a VDB or a Vannoppen (I am sure he had his reasons, but he still got paid, ALOT). Obviously JP wanted to leave, but still, there was a legal process, etc. behind the scenes.

This guy just cant shut his trap. Any rider he hires is going to die on the vine over there. Klas deserves what he gets, he can count his money all the way to the bank just like Vannoppen and Vantourenhout did, but he wont have good results to show for it.

I dont think Wellens will be that foolish.

J

sunweb is not casting a positive image for themselves with their treatment of page but let's also admit he has fallen well short of expectations. he's on a PRO team with PRO expectations (maybe not PRO treatment though).

In a team sport like football or baseball the coach can take the blame for a poor performance. in cross you are, for the most part, racing as an individual. if you crash or do not have the fitness to compete, you can't hide behind management.

So, when your boss creates a very hostile enviroment, you do better work? Come'on.. Yeah, he isn't winning or placing super high like was expected, but he is pretty much racing where he always has.. I know when I'm put under alot of stress at work, my performance goes down.. There are too many distractions and his manager running his fat mouth doesn't help anything at all.. If I was Sunweb, I'd fire the manager just because he's an idiot and making them look like a bunch of fools and bullies. How can you focus on your job, be it anything, when you got some idiot saying that you're going to be fired at the end of the day.. :rolleyes:

sunweb is not casting a positive image for themselves with their treatment of page but let's also admit he has fallen well short of expectations. he's on a PRO team with PRO expectations (maybe not PRO treatment though).

In a team sport like football or baseball the coach can take the blame for a poor performance. in cross you are, for the most part, racing as an individual. if you crash or do not have the fitness to compete, you can't hide behind management.


I think that is irrelevant to this situation. He keeps riding like this, he does not get a contract extension...in TWO YEARS. How many pro sport guys come up hungry, have a great year, and land a fat contract then loose that little extra mental edge as a result and just ride out the cash till contract year? Alot. I am referring to ball sports, race car driving, and endurance sports.

The point I was making was that a legal deal was made, with papers signed, to allow a graceful mutually beneficial exit for both parties. But JM is just a tool who cant keep his mouth shut.

In no way absolving JP from not riding well. Not even blaming the team for the poor riding. I dont think that was the root cause, personally, more of a related cause and affect.

J

If I was Sunweb, I'd fire the manager just because he's an idiot and making them look like a bunch of fools and bullies. How can you focus on your job, be it anything, when you got some idiot saying that you're going to be fired at the end of the day.. :rolleyes:

And then going out in public saying you are trying to steal everyone elses marquis riders while they are still under contract.

Gosh, you have your people talk to their people and find some common ground, then try to work out a deal, then let the rider deal with his management gracefully.

Hans van Kastren has all ready made comments regarding dumping Klas to appease JM. But the guy continues to write checks his ___ cant cash saying he is going to throw money at Wellens and sign him up. I dont think he is helping his own case.

So say he gets Wellens cause he threw RIDICULOUS money at him. Lets face it, that is what he is going to do. He is getting out of a FAT contract to Vannoppen, dropping a few smaller deals, and he signed up a new sponsor. So now he is DEEP into Wellens. What do you think he is going to expect in return? Podiums? I dont think so. He is going to want Championships.

Just playing devils advocate here, Wellens in number 2 in the world in my mind, but what has he won lately? He has only raced it out with Sven what, once? Koppenburg...Belgian Champs last year...I am just saying. He is awesome and all, but is that enough when you get huge money from a team?

If he cant do it with Fidea, what would suggest he could do it with Sunweb.

Long ramble, same point, JM is a tool.

I really don't think JP (or Van T or Vanop) are hiding behind the management. But the managment sure is going out of their way to make everybody look bad! Negative press is still press!

For instance I don't know the names of ANY other cross team managers, other than Jurgen the Jack Ass.

I have always believed in creating an atmosphere for athletes (or employees/coworkers) to thrive in, its all based on culture. Not what seems to be growing at Sunburn-Prosout ofaJob.

My call:

Jurgen the Jack ass obviously has money to throw around right now BUT Ithink the whole thing will blow up in his face next year with or with out wins or Bart Wellens.

So say he gets Wellens cause he threw RIDICULOUS money at him. Lets face it, that is what he is going to do. He is getting out of a FAT contract to Vannoppen, dropping a few smaller deals, and he signed up a new sponsor. So now he is DEEP into Wellens. What do you think he is going to expect in return? Podiums? I dont think so. He is going to want Championships.

With Nys making like he's going to race road, Wellens might just be THE man. Also, you don't win world championships with Nys anyway.

The point I was making was that a legal deal was made, with papers signed, to allow a graceful mutually beneficial exit for both parties. But JM is just a tool who cant keep his mouth shut.


exactly.

As a drunk girl in Alabama said to me this summer (about someone else)

"he is not an a**hole, he is the WHOLE a**!"

God that still cracks me up. You have to imagine it with the thick southern drawl and alcohol induced slurred speach. It was priceless.

Page had zero results last year except for his silver at Worlds. What leads SunWeb to have expectations that Page will be at the front all season long? Secondly, where has Sven Vanthourenhout been all season? Didn't he get paid a bundle to leave Rabobank to head up this team? What expectations has he had to live up to? It seems to me that SunWeb management is looking for a scapegoat for the teams poor performance, and picking on the foreigner is easy. They stand no chance of losing business over here and they won't alienate any of the Belgian fan clubs by criticizing on e of the homeboys.

it would be pretty cool to see wellens come back with a public response along the line of...
it's not just about money but also about management...

i think the guy is just an attention w#ore

Page had zero results last year except for his silver at Worlds. What leads SunWeb to have expectations that Page will be at the front all season long?

Actually he had several top tens at big races early, then the shoulder, then 2nd at nats, followed by more good results, then 2nd at worlds, then more top 10s in the late season. I think he was only out of the top 10 a couple times last year actually. I cant find my results file right now though.

Aside from the lapse for the surgery, it was his best year, just overlooked cause of the worlds result.

Every expectation was that he would step it up this year, or at least stay in the top 10. He has not come thru with it.

J

With Nys making like he's going to race road, Wellens might just be THE man. Also, you don't win world championships with Nys anyway.
By 2009, Albert and Boom could very well be the men instead of Wellens.

did we see sport.be this morning? Wellens laughed and said he had not heard from JM, and if he wanted to sign him maybe he ought to call him or some such. Then I also saw that now JM is saying he will basically flood Wellens with money and its a forgone conclusion. Oh, and he said maybe he will buy Albert instead.

Classy dude.