Comments on: Is Petter Northug a True Champion?

By: Petter Northug, Hero or Punk….

Petter Northug, Hero or Punk…. — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 09:14:30 +0000

[...] Is Petter Northug a True Champion? (20)Denver Clinches NCAA Championship With Nordic Victory, Colorado Glides Into Second In Tight Podium Race (10)Trondheim 2009 – The Full Potential of The World Cup Mass Start (5)How It’s Made: Atomic Skis (4)Legkov Wins World Cup 15km (3) [...]

By: Mike Trecker

Mike Trecker — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:15:53 +0000

I was just going to talk about Cav myself, he is truly humble but in the face of tough competition and the thrill of victory, he has laid out some brash victory salutes and quotes that can be mis-interpreted or wrongly perceived due to reporters or language barriers.

Northug may lack some manners but I wonder if some of his “comments in the press” have been mis-understood? Regarding his “champion” status, although I have to admit I liked Alsgaard’s personality more, Northug is a phenomenon and it can’t be denied that he is a crushing champion. However, huge congrats to Cologna for holding him off and taking the overall!!

By: Reese

Reese — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 02:21:13 +0000

Look at the young cyclist Mark Cavendish. The parallels betwwen him and Northug are uncanny, yet I haven’t heard of anyone questioning his lack of champion-ness. As he proved this morning with his Milan-SanRemo win, if he is in the lead group of any race, Cavendish will win at the line. He is younger and less experienced than the majority of his competition. And he openly touts himself as the fastest cyclist around. But no can can argue, because he delivers with rediculous consistency.

Not fitting into the old-school “gentlemans sport” image really has no bearing on Cavendish’s level of champion-ness. And it shouldn’t on Northug’s either.

By: nordic_dave

nordic_dave — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:21:26 +0000

Nah actually it was after a nap. Sorry if you didn’t get it.
Point is how do we “cheapin” sport to an everyday helping of trash. “The Waterboy” is a parady of many things. Sellin’ sport as entertainment just so people will watch it on TV should not be the reason a sport exists yet it is what many people are centered on a measurement of the sport by. Ahh and for those that do live by this measurement, Hockey a tough sport, learned a tough lesson a few years back and cleaned it up. So much more enjoyable to watch skating not thugs high sticking and fighting for “blood” . The NBA also learned to tone down the “gansta rappa’s” as it wasn’t helping any. I have already mentioned the Olympics and NFL and NCAA Football.

You see the point is as we teach our kids here ( and I’m sure they do the same in much of Europe) to play sports in which to build character. Most of us compete everyday in our jobs without a podium in which to be recognized as an idol. Win or lose to conduct yourself in a certain manner. It is not about chest thumping “it’s all about me Petter Northug” style. Any parent watching this ANTIC goes into horror at a little league game/ match or meet. Why would we have a different std. for Petter and or any other adult athlete?

Snowmobiling, motocross x games, ( I forgot, jet skiers) well sorry nothing against them as a sport I guess, I once actually met some great guys who were serious moto cross competitors. One guy actually ended doing the ski across Finalnd tour. Yet the by product of the multiple “wanna be’s” who emulate those activities is not a pretty sight.

Nice discussion though from those who feel differently but not but am very glad it appears the survey says otherwise.

Cheers!

By: ADS

ADS — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 05:33:00 +0000

@nordic_dave ……ummmm I don’t understand your last post….are you drunk?

By: nordic_dave

nordic_dave — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 22:50:58 +0000

Aah snowmobiling X games, motocross and of course who doesn’t have number 3 or number 8 on the back of their pick ups? Yes I’m quite sure we’ve missed a huge opportunity for marketing to those who didn’t attend school in New England. Imagine all the snowmobile bars we could be showing Petter Northug in. Very impressive idea. I know lets just get to it and it becomes like roller derby with designated enforcers.
A few big guys to take Petter the bad boy out. They could paint themselves up, CUZE after all PRO RASSLIN’ ( One of the world’s toughest sports) is where the big money is at not on skinny skis and they are the true hero’s in my life like Captain Insano and the Missisippi Mudhens with the great CHAMPION The Waterboy !

You guys just crack me up…..keep trying though!

By: Jamey Holstein

Jamey Holstein — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 13:39:49 +0000

Northug is exactly the kind of personality we need to make x-c skiing exciting, intersting and cool to those outside of the established North American racing scene. We have a very limited and tired talent pool of talent we draw upon (essentially the kids of those who raced in college, and of an elite, highly educated,upper class social stratum). Northug, and those like him, can only help to make our sport populular with those that currently have no interest. I say let ‘em duke it out in the mdiea and on the trails, and may the toughest bastard win! Bring on the sposnsors, bring on the blood!

By: Tim Kelley

Tim Kelley — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:52:05 +0000

I would imagine another reason veteran World Cup racers snipe at Northug is because of his age. In a sport where many of the top competitors have invested 10 to 15 years of their lives exclusively to hard and focused training, it’s tough for them to get their butts kicked by a kid. I personally think this is cool to see. It shows that talent is what makes champions. And talent is something you can see in a champion at an early age. The myth that it takes many years of 800-1000 hours of training per year to be the best in the world in cross country skiing when you are 30ish – is clearly shattered by Northug.

By: nordic_dave

nordic_dave — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 17:07:21 +0000

Here here Gene! Pass that post race pitcher around for all to drink and toast! Aah who can forget those German’s who jumped the gun and had a kegger before the last WC was over. Not so poker faced there uh er rather uh something else “faced”.

My favorite memory of Zorzi, playing games with Aalsgard
in the 4×10k relay at the 2002 Olympics. He lost at the line
to the great CHAMPION and threw a fit for losing. Aalsgard skied clean smiled at Zorzi for being an immature child after the race was over. Best part was watching him 10 feet away did stare Zorzi down at the top of Hermod’s Hill. Even took the lead as Zorzi drafted him down the hill into the stadium. Great memories of a great CHAMPION!

By: genegold

genegold — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 04:36:17 +0000

My, oh my, how most of the commenters have short memories. How about Zorzi and other Italians refusing to take the pull in the distance relays, vs. the Norwegians, and how the Norwegians and just about everyone else felt about that? And has everyone forgotten – or never learned or seen – the long-distance duel between Daehlie and Vladimir Smirnov, where they exchanged leads many times, and afterwards Daehlie invited Smirnov to the Norwegian party, where he congratulated him as a great competitor and sportsman. Unlike us dog-eat-dog Americans, who’ll come up with any excuse to justify that approach except when we are its victims and the sour grapes and whining come out, much of the world understands what it means to compete hard while showing professional respect (Ironically, I’ll bet most of these gung-ho commenters voted for Obama, too).

Northug is an unusual talent and will probably be at or near the top of the podium for years to come. But it seems that his maturing into worthy representative of the sport will be a bit slower in coming.