This is stolen by me from Bicycle Retailer, who stole it from the movie
Almost Famous;
These are words to live by, not just for rock, but for cycling as well.
Quote of the Day JUNE 29, 2007 -- "You CANNOT make friends with the rock stars. That's what's important. If you're a rock journalist--first, you will never get paid much. But you will get free records from the record company. And they'll buy you drinks, you'll meet girls, they'll try to fly you places for free, offer you drugs... I know. It sounds great. But they are not your friends. These are people who want you to write sanctimonious stories about the genius of the rock stars, and they will ruin rock and roll and strangle everything we love about it.
-Lester Bangs from "Almost Famous" Don't get me wrong, I love the sport and the riders and I am happy to be close to the riders I am close to. It's the cycling press that sometimes forgets these things... sometimes, a little distance from the subject gives you a little better clarity of judgment.
I'm just saying...
Tim
8 comments:
Amen, my friend.
Tim,
"This has been termed PAYOLA (includes associates, cronie, groupie, fair weather friend, hanger-on, hero worship) for decades!"
Rampant within today's 'sports business'.
That hurts Tim. We can still be friends, can't we?
What was that other line from the movie......"it's a think piece"...great film.
And yes, amen, I think there are quite a few cycling "journalists" who need to take a step back and say to heck with access I gonna write the good stuff not a PR for the team.
And we need more real narritive, like the old Sporting News journalists used to do.
Yup. Why do you think I've been so vocal about how companies introduce payola into the community? I know it's not cycling but it's the same principle you just quoted.
I hear you, friend.
Are you winning friends again?
there's a cycling press???
So true...
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