Mailbag!

I got this one today from a fellow MCF racer:


Not gonna go public on this one...but if you want me to obey your dictum to me, "keep my name out of your mouth" I would suggest you live to that standard as well.

FWIW, instead of calling somebody out indirectly on a public message board, I think it would make more sense to go directly to the officials and address it or notify Matt Anderson our upgrade guy, and notify Mike Hanley the Midwest Region Coordinator. That way you don't piss off the guys that you want to come and support the race you are going to promote next year.

For the record, you complained (publicly or privately) no less than four times to a race promoter who happens to be a co-worker and a very good friend of mine. For all I know, you've complained to every race promoter and every official. I only know what I've heard of, and I'm no psychic. Over the whole CX category thing, you don't even race, but decided to call out a 17 year old who was regularly doing well in the B races, over 2 guys who are a minimum of 6 years older than said highschooler (and I am not sure one of them really even cared to have you call anyone out on their behalf).

But really, why are we upset with each other? If I remember right, it's merely because I disagree with you. Honestly, I do respect your right to your opinion and have no problem with you voicing it, and the only time I have ever had a problem with you voicing said opinions is when you do so in a negative and inflammatory fashion. I'm entirely willing to bury the hatchet on this. I think you're extremely intelligent and a potential asset to the cycling community, but the directed negativity is a bit much. I really wish you would respect the right for people to have opinions that differ from yours and keep things respectful, and I commit to doing so with you from this moment forward. I really hope that you change your opinion of the MCF and those who guide it, and continue to attend meetings and be involved, in a positive and constructive way.

Respectfully,

Racer X


Here's the Official Tuffy Response:

--First, I'm going to post your message and my response publicly because you, sir, have chosen on numerous occasions to publicly bring my name up during your comments on others' sites incessantly, regardless of whether or not I had anything to do with the issue at hand. You, sir, have initiated this behavior in every instance. I feel justified in responding to your libelous slander but, frankly, am always annoyed that I have to bother.

--Point 2: I'm not angry with you Racer X, because the opposite of love is not hate: it's apathy. And I really don't care all that much, if at all, about you. You are a minor, minor speck on my day-to-day radar.

--#3: You can call my comments negative or inflammatory all you want. But anyone who has paid attention to the critiques that I've offered will see that, time and time again, my main beef has been the lack of attention paid to the rules that govern our sport. Whether the issue is proper upgrading/downgrading etiquette, Category 5 racers getting shorted laps at OPUS, coaches at OPUS interfering in races, or flat-out lying on the part of (SRR) race promoters, my intent has been to improve the sport. In retrospect, it seems that your focus during the same debates has routinely been to improve your self-image or to act condescending towards your fellow racers. Sometimes both.

--And finally, Numero Cuatro: The main thing I detest about cycling culture is elitism. Racer X, you embody this element more than anyone I've met in Minnesota racing to date, and your message to me today reeks of it.

Respectfully disagreeing with your assessment,
Tuffy