TOMMO : The voice from Oz !

Twitter crosses time lines and grabs attention , occasionally provokes responses ! Just such a case took place these past coupl of days :                          

           

                         Michael Tomalaris

  Michael Tomalaris 22 Mar

                          Verified account

                                   ‏@miketomalaris17h

How about collectively wishing @rupertguinness all the best for tomorrow's       @IMAsiaPacific. A sports journo who practice what he preaches.

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My reply :

skippy mc carthy @skippydetour 23 Mar @miketomalaris @rupertguinness @IMAsiaPacific Wasn't he the Guy on Holiday when USADA came to light ? Now singing a diff. tune? Rolled over? Michael Tomalaris @miketomalaris @skippydetour @rupertguinness You're a dead-set goose Skippy! And you wonder why we flick you....

Not happy with this response , i decided to look for the link that caused me to remind " Tommo " of Rupert Guinness's previous acceptance of Lance's " Dubious " performance .          

1. skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour17m
   @miketomalaris @CyclingCentral @SBS2 Does this article remind you of Pre USADA Reasoned.."http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/a-moment-of-truth-and-not-just-for-armstrong-20120907-25jp5.html …
   IT DOES ME ! Read my Blog ?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Whilst i was on that search , the following Tweet appeared , so i responded with my two cents worth :
   
   

1. 
   
2. 1. Michael Tomalaris ‏@miketomalaris22 Mar

      A new-look @CyclingCentral TV is coming to @SBS2 ! More details soon.

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   skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour2h

   @miketomalaris @CyclingCentral @SBS2 Does this mean you won't be misleading the PUBLIC? Looking back for source material on the flick ! onya

skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour1h

@miketomalaris @CyclingCentral @SBS2 Does this mean you won't be misleading the PUBLIC? Looking back for source material on the flick ! onya

Next days i will add more to this Post , as i found a treasure trove of comments on " Tommo's performance " on SBS TV !



 "  Originally Posted by sittingbison
Darryl, Anthony Tan and Mike Tomolaris on SBS here in Australia (which is the cycling TV channel) just could not bring themselves to say "Armstrong is found guilty", it was all prevarication and misdirection. Weasel Words.

I haven't checked (will try to do so today), but I suspect Rupert Guinness the main cycling journo has not come forth either. Although he did tweet he was blacklisted by lance 2002-2004, and did not turn his back on journo mates like David Walsh."



  "  It depresses me that mainstream journos cannot even now get their facts straight, reporting such drivel as "never tested positive" or "USADA has no authority". Good grief.

EDIT: Rupert Guinness just tweeted he apologises for not commenting yet, was on private time with his family, and would comment fully on his return
I have always found him forthright and credible, looking forward to his opinion
Phil Anderson has defended Armstrong.

Tomalaris uses figleaf "alleged".   "


  "  Most so called journalists , especially the cycling ones, knew years ago re Armstrong ( and many others )and are as guilty as the peloton in keeping the omarta and spinning the myth.
I've had more than one chat , off the record ,confirming that.
Most are simply advertorial yarn tellers with ****** all concern with the injustice,s and there job is less about telling truth than it is about making there magazine/ paper a place for advertisers.  "


  "  Probably because most of the teams have made donations to the Verbruggen McQuaid Pension Fund.

After 20 years of this I have become so cynical now I call it "cash for negatives".

In fact I wonder why I even follow cycling at this moment in time.  "




http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=17941&highlight=Rupert+Guinness

  "  Australian Taxpayers revolt: Time to go Tomo!

I understand that Tomalaris has done and continues to do a lot for Australian Cycling but his commentary and hosting is becoming much beyond bareable. It is a disgrace and has been throughout the tour.

SBS is a partially Government funded Network and I believe it is time we stopped paying for his ****!   "



  "  I'm an aussie and fan of Cadel (for his determination and spirit at last years TDF and the first couple of weeks of this years) but I agree with Apollonius. SBS coverage is very good - a few inopportune ad breaks aside - and when you consider we have had live coverage of 3 monuments; the giro; tour and coming up the vuelta all on free to air TV I don't think we should be complaining! Sure at times Tomo says some stupid things but talking on live TV unscripted is much harder than ppl realise. I'm sure if you (or anyone else) had to talk for 5-10 minutes in between uncertain live crosses and sometimes tactiturn co-commentators you'd also be prone to the odd inanity. If one of the ex pros like scotty sunderland could step up to present they would. Fact is that they couldn't. If you think Tomo is bad imagine if we had to endure 'the tanman' for 10mins at the end of each stage.. His shameful podcasts uncover just how poor his cycling knowledge is and what a posing pouncy ****er he is. At least Tomo isn't that!


  "  Tomo just jumps on the bandwagon of whoever is winning. He is painful but a bit better than he used to be. "



  "  Tomo is ok in small doses ... remember we want to keep cycling on SBS unlike the farce that was the tour down under coverage on channel nine ...... please, please dont wish the Tan Man upon us .... I turn channels or fast forward when i know he's coming on ....... the pick of the bunch is clearly Matt Keenan ..... but be careful what you wish for ...... I do agree however that his comments re Cadel and ditching the Tour for the Giro etc were ill timed.     "


  "  Yes please, I refuse to watch Tomo unless Tan is alongside.   "


  "  We do have them! At least they understand Cycling unlike Tomo.    "


  "  Tomo seems to have gone from Cadel being the next coming to making it sound like he should be thrown on the scrapheap (which Cadel does not deserve).
- Don't really like Rupert Guinness but can't really explain why just one of those things. "


  "  Maybe I was a little hasty but the calls that Cadel's career was over which was said multiple times by Tomo shows how naive and stupid he really is.  "


  "  Mackenzie sometimes seems to wince at what Tomo is saying which is quite amusing.  "


  "  Tomo's also needs to work on his pronunciation of French place names - he has the most ocker speech of any SBS presenter!  "



  "  Yes he does say some stupid things on the spur of the moment but I think I have become used to it and can overlook it.  "


  "  Speaking of commercials tho - what's with all the erection medication ads during the tour. Are they implying cyclists are soft c**ks? lol


  "  he is an absolute top bloke in person when he is not 'working'  "

TESSA WORLEY , the SKI Champion !

Tessa Worley , today won the World Championship in the Reisen Slalom Event , for France , at the 2013 Schladming World Alpine Ski Championships . Interviewed after the event on ORF1 , she related her elation in English . This should come as no surprise to those that know that her father is an Australian . This fact was relayed to me when i met her , in Sestriere , when i was there as a Volunteer , working on the Race Piste as a Slipper ,  with both the Olympic & Paralympic Winter / Torino Games in 2006 .

At that time , i mentioned that i had met Zali Steggall at St Anton in 2001 , when she won the World Championship Special Slalom Event . We were on the Chair lift with her Mother when i started a conversation that led to her saying her father was an Australian and that she was aspiring to ski in the French National Ski Team . When i mentioned this conversation top some Aussies , they said that she had a better chance of progressing with her career , whilst in the French Team . They were correct in that , now we look back and see her steady progression through this season .

Whilst watching the scenes of jubilation , that occured , as Tessa waited for the end of the first run , of the first 30 skiers , i noticed @julian lizeroux , in the French Group . I had earlier had a chuckle as i watched Austrian TV , ORF 1 , interview Alberto Tomba . Being the SKI Icon that he is , he refused to use the German that he is able to speak . Bruno the Italian , that used to be his Manager / Trainer , thus translated the German / Italian content .  At Bormio in 2008 whilst chatting in English with " La Bomba " , we were interupted by someone we both knew and that convo was in German . Perhaps he wanted to avoid too long an Interview today ?

Shortly after this ,  i spotted #59 , skiing her first run , and Greta Small was unable to make it into the first 30 starters for the second run , so as to be sure of being on TV . As luck would have it , we got glimpses of her skiing into 45th place , some 10secs in arrears of Tessa  . Shortly after we saw the New Zealander , lose control on her run , it would be a DNF for her .

Tainting today's news , is the relevation , concerning Oscar Pistorius . Noted the Paralympic issued the following statement :          http://t.co/Jn7mHp1A

The great disappointment , that many will experience , is that he was responsible for changing so many peoples' perception of Disabled Sport . He fought hard for many years , for the right to be treated as a " Normal Athlete "! Attending London 2012 Olympics , as an Athlete , then going onto the Paralympic Games , as an Athlete , was certainly an extraordinary achievement . He had to miss the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a result of missing the qualification standard by a few tenths of a second .

Incuídental to all this , is the sponsorships that he has garnered because of his Sporting Triumphs . As i finish this post tonight , CNN show twice , within minutes a Self Promotion Ad , featuring many World Renowned Personalities . Amongst these , after President Jimmy Carter , until now , you will see Oscar saying "My Voice, My Right , My Voice Counts "!  Wonder when this ad will be removed , or , amended ?

Gun Control is a subject that i have covered in many Posts and one thing that i am sure i mentioned , was the statistical imbalance created by the presense of Guns in the home .  Seems likely that , this was another occasion where , things got out of control and unfortunate results were the outcome . US Government Authorities are presently trying to legislate for New Laws , to control access to Guns . As they debate , there continues to be loss of life , some of those losses would have been  preventable , had the " Loopholes " been closed earlier !

Watching the " State of the Union Address " given by President Barack Obama , 12th Feb , it would have been clear , how many lives were lost , even since his Inaugeration , and before that when the Sandy Hook Massacre , focused the world on this US Dilemna !

Seeing Gabby Giffords shuffle into the Senate Hearing last week , should have been enough , to remind the Law Makers of " There but for the Grace of God , GO I "!

Tracey Gaudry Organise Aussie Cycling Amnesties !

No secret that UCI President , phat mc sqat , has dragged the UCI , through the mud once again ! Irks me to realise , that i was born in the same country ! YES , everybody has problems , but does the Road Race  Cycling Sport , deserve to continue to be treated , as the source of " Personal Benefit " , to heinous and phat, principal members of the Aigle tag team ?

The only light at the end of the tunnel , that i have seen , in recent times , has been the departure of the " tag Team's , lap dog , mike turtur ! Whether it was always in his best interests , to dance to the " tag team's " tune , or he genuinely thought that he was helping Australian Cycling , or the " Tour Down Under Event " , is unclear . What is clear is that when Tracey Gaudry , was proposed as a replacement , he stood aside before, it was necessary for the vote !

With Tracey taking the Presidency of the " Oceania Region of the UCI " , there are glimmers of a " Brighter Future " for Cycling in that region ! Also heard recently , that the Dane Presidency has changed , not yet taken the time to discover by whom , and whether this also will lead to the betterment of Cycling in that Country ?

Letter by Tweet to Tracey Gaudry !

@GaudryT

With the recent news , that the " Independent Commission of the UCI ( UCIIC ) " , has been terminated by the UCI , Cycling Sport , is once again thrown into confusion !

Strong leadership is a requirement for any Sports Federation . Regretably , this quality does not exist at the UCI !

As President of the Oceania Region , you are in a place , where you are able to gain the attention of the other Regional Presidents . No doubt , you are still trying to find your place amongst those , who have been involved for many years , however , as the CEO of the " Amy Foundation " for many years , you will have the " Street Smarts ", to be able to gain the attention of others and perhaps influence their decisions .

It is pertinent to add Travis Tygarts comment about the decision to close the " Independent Commission , yesterday :
  "The UCI blindfolded and handcuffed its independent commission and now hopes the world will look the other way while the UCI attempts to insert itself into the investigation into the role it played in allowing the doping culture to flourish."

Listed here below , are two " Petitions " that i created over the past months ! They are not perfect , indeed i am sure they could be written in a better way , but achieve similar results . Currently , i am reading of the Dutch Federation , conducting their own " Truth & Conciliation Process " , two Racers having been given a 6 month Sanction , as a result of their disclosures .  Could it not be possible for more countries to follow the Dutch example ?

With John Fahey , Chairman of WADA and Jaimie Fuller , Chairman of Change Cycling Now being Australians , i feel sure that as Australians , you will ALL , wish to act in a way , that helps Australian Cycling to benefit ?

My petitions for your perusal :


http://www.change.org/petitions/wada-create-an-amnesty-in-all-sports …
&
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/office-of-the-governor-general-of-australia-create-the-means-for-a-sports-amnesty-in-australia#invite …

Sincerely 

Skippy Mc Carthy

NB

Some of the Press releases from " Stakeholders "!


John Fahey's Press Release begins with :

 " WADA is dismayed by the press release issued by UCI yesterday, both in terms of its content and its deceit."

The entire Press release here :

http://playtrue.wada-ama.org/news/statement-from-wada-president-john-fahey-in-response-to-uci-press-release-of-january-28-2013/


Jaimie Fuller of Change Cycling Now , has this to say :

  "  Change Cycling Now today calls on the general sport of cycling, its National Federations and other global stakeholders
to enforce the removal of a manipulative and contemptible administration that is content to drag cycling further into
disrepute in order to safeguard the positions of its leaders.

It is now clear, beyond all doubt, that the UCIIC was never independent"

read more here :

http://www.changecyclingnow.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/CCN_Press_Release_290113.pdf

Statement from " UCIIC " , just released , The Panel members , show their Integrity , with this :

  "  The Commission urges all those who have an interest in cycling to make sure that an independent TRC is established and remains willing to offer assistance in the process if required."

http://www.uciic.org/press-release-29-january-2013/


A Cycling Fan , attended last Friday's session of the " UCIIC Procedural hearing " , in London and reported to CNF Clinic , these observations : titling themselves as " Morbius ":

  "  UCI were due to present their proposals on T&R to WADA by the beginning of this week at the latest.

The UCIIC wanted evidence that WADA had bought into the UCI proposals for T&R before volunarily suspending activity - and at a serious level, not just in principle. UCIIC were very clearly not just going to take the UCI's word that T&R would go ahead on a sensible timescale and not be stalled by other issues.

UCIIC were also concerned that a broader T&R process would kick the investigation into UCI activity around Armstrong / USPS into the "long grass".

The purpose of the meeting due on Thursday was to review whether WADA and UCI had reached agreement. If there was no agreement, the meeting would continue to look at UCIIC evidence processes.

Now it appears UCI have pulled the plug unilaterally. There is no evidence in their press release that the detailed proposals for T&R have been agreed with WADA, or even presented to them. There is clearly no sign that UCIIC agree with UCI about the ending of the investigation.

I really hope that
1) we get comments from UCIIC commissioners,
2) the press follow up the specific concerns of the UCIIC including about the timing of the process, the commitment of WADA, agreements to fund the process and the continued focus on the behaviour of UCI.

I guess the Thursday Meeting , now cancelled , will not be the end of the matter , having just heard " Jaimie Fuller of CCN , speaking by phone , on the SKY TV News Sport segment !