why do so many people have it in for team sky ?

Nick T wrote:Anyone

Nick T wrote:

Anyone supporting a “team” where the only involvement they can have is paying to watch them or buying the kit, regardless of the sport, needs a good long look at themselves.

As all professional sport is fundamentally founded on people’s desire to watch it and to pay via tickets/television subscriptions and advertisements/sponsorship, your attitude is very perplexing and at odds with what the majority of people think. Your apathy to ‘support’ may be based in an apathy towards Association Football. As few as thirty people might actually play for the club, but the club would not exist in its current form without the tens of thousands who pay to see them and the millions who pay to watch through television. Alan Davies would probably be unhappy to be told that his involvement with Arsenal is inadequate and he needs a ‘good long look at’ himself. I suggest that this attitude would take us back to 19th century amateurism.
As the only involvement most people CAN have is paying to watch them or buying the kit your statement is just illogical.

Sport is Culture. People pay for Culture. You wouldn’t tell someone to go and join a band instead of buying an album or going to a concert, not everyone is capable of being a musician/being a professional athlete.

Meanwhile I just haven’t got time to respond to how stupid and prejudice Gkam’s comments are. It has been thoroughly covered above. Some people here project a lot and assume other people will think what they think; when you have a negative opinion you’ll soon find out you are probably wrong, haters gotta hate.

I could have been a bit
I could have been a bit clearer anyway. I certainly do have riders, people involved, etc that I do like for whatever reason, wether it’s because of the way they ride, their charisma, whatever it may be so I get your point totally.

I just meant that the team is just a business structure and anyone supporting – or in line with this thread, hating – one is just odd. My local football team may be Arsenal, but they don’t represent me in anyway so I don’t feel any allegiance to them. I have a cycle club I’m a member of though, and a lot of club mates race. I support them, I ride with them, they’re people I know who bring respect to the club who’s colours wear.

As much as I like watching Sagan or Voight, I can’t feel the same way.

I wasn’t responding directly
I wasn’t responding directly to your suggestion. As an aside though, watching sport without an interest in the outcome happens for most of the Olympics.

Anyone supporting a “team”
Anyone supporting a “team” where the only involvement they can have is paying to watch them or buying the kit, regardless of the sport, needs a good long look at themselves.

Eurosport is not free on Sky,
Eurosport is not free on Sky, because you have to have the News package, which, when added to the standard package is £1 extra month :H

I always thought he was the
I always thought he was the least likeable of the A Team too.

Cycling is funny – I mean, do
Cycling is funny – I mean, do you get behind teams or riders? OGE seem to be genuinely a ‘Team’, were the rest all seem to be very centred around their best riders; Cannondale being a perfect example of this.

Sky – not a huge fan, but I really like riders like Ian Stannard (who was on for big things on the cobbles this year), Geraint Thomas, Pete Kennaugh, Richie Porte & Bradley Wiggins – guys who are open with the public about their performances and are very human.

For my tuppenceworth, I think the Tour will be much more open this year – noone from Sky has looked close to the same level as last year, and Contador & Valverde have been hugely impressive. It may show a more human side to their riding, but then again, the detractors will just point at failure…