Can we not have our own history?

The St. Louis cycling message board had been lit with enthusiasm when the topic of great former local St. Louis riders came up. History is hard to define after the fact. Those that were there know their true stories, but it is still interesting to here a debate not about Lance Armstrong. After debating the whos who of St. Louis past racing history, I realized that everyone has their own idea about who the hardmen were. Of course, I put in a couple of names I thought were missing. The midwest has always been a hot bed for racing, and this topic reraised that issue. It must be winter. Ultimately, the thread came to a screaching hault when a veteran who should know better quite smartly pointed out none of these people or the current talent are as good as Lucky Lance. Okay, sure, there really aren't any grand tour riders here. Kevin Livingston? Whatever. I do think that it is important to know the history so you can evaluate the present and improve in the future. But, holy shit, if I have to hear about Armstain the rest of my cycling career (life) because people are so blinded by his tv coverage I am gonna need a rope and a tall tree. Sure I think he is super, but for me cycling or even bicycle racing does not begin and end with Lance Armstrong. He is a small extremely visible part of a huge global community of riders. My point is that our little local history is as important to our cycling community as Lance is to the international cycling community.

Our past and present local hard men are important. Do not forget who helped you get started, motivated you and who supports you now. Otherwise we all should retire like Lance. I don't know about you, but I am a lifer. And, no I didn't get arrested again.