20 Questions: Smithers (Part 2)

(image caption) The man they call "Smithers" back in the days of Team Beaux Temps. (image courtesy SmithersMPLS.com)


Welcome to Part 2 of "20 Questions" with Smithers. If you missed Part 1 yesterday, click here.


Tuffy: Question 11: How did you meet your leadout man / superdomestique / enforcer Ped?

Smithers: We worked together for a while in 1997-8, but that is not really how I met him.

Tuffy: Well, then you really haven't answer the question, then.

Smithers: I guess not...it was the working together that made us friends. I met him on the racing scene in the early 1990's. We were rivals for the Opus racing series in 1991 I think.

Tuffy: What teams were each of you riding with at the time?

Smithers: He was on the REI team and I was on Loon State.

Tuffy: Did REI morph into something else, or did it just fold?

Smithers: The team was pretty much Ped's operation so when he left it just folded up. Loon State was my operation but the membership was big enough after three years that it kept going when I stopped racing in 1992.

Tuffy: And Ped left REI for GIS (Birchwood)?

Smithers: There was a gap between the two when Ped lived in Seattle and maybe California before he came back. He and I started GIS together in late 1997.

Tuffy: Ok. Question 12: Should the Donimator wear socks?

Smithers: Absolutely not.

Tuffy: Enough about Donimator. Question 13: How sad are you about Mike Sobol leaving town?

Smithers: On a scale of 1 to 10 I would say it's about a 5. It's always too bad when a fast racer leaves town, but I don't know Mike all that well so I won't be all weepy in the pillow about him leaving.

Tuffy: Who would you get "all weepy in the pillow" over?

Smithers: Ummm....pretty much just Ped I guess. Scotty Rob. Billy D. The guys I race with regular like. You. Super Rookie. (dis) Skidsy. should I go on? Skibby.

Tuffy: You really could have stopped at me.

Smithers: oh, ok. I probably should have.

Tuffy: Speaking of Superrookie, though, Question 14: Should Super-Rookie have been able to keep his MN State Cat 3 Kierin Championship?

Smithers: yes

Tuffy: And those who griped were ... ?

Smithers: sore losers.

Tuffy: Well said. Question 15: Fix the MCF in 3 easy steps -- Go!

Smithers: #1: take this out of the mission - "whose purpose is the education and promotion of bicycle racing skills and safety. #2: make the focus of the MCF only the promotion of bicycle races. #3: find a sponsor for the MCF that will pump in hundreds of thousands of dollars that can be used to promote more and better races.

Tuffy: Reasonable enough. Question 16: Why did you name your child "Baby Smithers"?

Smithers: So that everyone would know who's baby he was. I should have spelled it Baby Smithers'

Tuffy: Your use of rational logic is unsurpassed. Question 17: Why did you and Mrs. Smithers choose to enlist a "Skinner Box" in raising Baby Smithers?

Smithers: There is no better device to create or modify behavior. This kid will be ready for grade school in about 6 more months.

Tuffy: Sweet. Now that's American ingenuity at its best! Question 18: What is your position on China's "One Child Policy"?

Smithers: Not sure. I guess I would have to study it more. It seems a bit draconian for the state to dictate the size of your family, but China has a population crisis and this is their attempt to solve the problem. Those that have a real problem with it should adopt a few hundred Chinese kids I guess...

Tuffy: Speaking of multitudes of children, Question 19: Why have you and Mrs. Smithers withheld siblings from Baby Smithers?

Smithers: Well, Baby Smithers is only 13 months old and you can only turn these things out so quickly. This problem should be rectified in late June of 2007.

Tuffy: What happens in June 2007? Are you adopting Superrookie?

Smithers: No! I don't think I could handle two toddlers at once right now. Mrs. Smithers and I are expecting our next child.

Tuffy: Congratulations, Smithers! June 2007...so the Mrs. must be 2-3 months along, which begs the question: do you want to know the gender?

Smithers: Not yet, you don't find that out until 20 weeks or so. We are at 13 weeks.

Tuffy: Well, congratulations again. How big are you planning the Smithers' family to be?

Smithers: We are going to stop at two. Any more than that and cost may be an issue for my next bike.

Tuffy: That's why I have all of zero children. Question 20: Any last thoughts?

Smithers: I don't think that Hannibal had a choice.

Tuffy: Well, Smithers, many thanks for joining us today for "20 Questions"!

Smithers: My pleasure!