The near-universal reaction to Patrick O’Grady’s latest Foaming Rant about Jan Ullrich was a big thumbs-down, the general sentiment being that if anyone should be dope-tested, vilified and hounded out of the sport forever, it should be our acerbic editor at large. A representative sample follows. Tune in Friday as O’Grady takes on a basket of puppies and kitties with a ball-peen hammer. —Editor

Karmically bankrupt
Editor:
Way cold. I hope you're tutoring blind orphans in your spare time because otherwise your karma bank is gonna be way upside down after that number. I'm not an Jan Ullrich fan, but he didn't deserve that eulogy to what most humans would consider a pretty good career.

Scott Parsons
Munson, Florida

Way to kick a guy when he’s down
Editor:
Ouch. That was pretty harsh. Nothing like kicking a man when he's down, huh, O'Grady? Yeah, sure, he was no Lance. But that's saying that he just didn't happen to be the greatest Tour rider ever. Is that so bad? Last time I checked, winning the Tour, the Vuelta, and having six podium finishes at the Tour isn't such a bad career resume for a pro cyclist. It’s too bad for Ullrich that he will always be overshadowed by Lance and people will focus on what he didn't do as opposed to what he did.

Benjamin Doane
Milan, Italy

What’s O’Grady on?
Editor:
Give Jan a break. He never tested positive, at least for performance-enhancing drugs. He always conducted himself as a professional, he got "pounded" by perhaps the greatest Tour de France racer of our time. He has very impressive palmares with some very impressive signs of strength and racing ability. You don't win like that without being a great cyclist! Since when did that make him an underachiever?

So, you are going to nail him for being second five times in a race where just making the team makes a pro career, finishing is a mark of true grit, winning a stage makes you a hero, and being on the podium makes you a God. What are you taking?

If the only thing you can find him guilty of is being a nice guy, then I say bravo, Jan Ullrich! Have you looked around lately? Cycling needs more guys like Jan Ullrich so that fat guys who never race like you can have someone to make themselves feel good. Great talent, nice guy.

Scott Welsh
Redlands, California

Save your venom for the deserving
Editor:
Beside failing to meet expectations, including O’Grady’s, what great crime has Jan Ulrich committed? Why attack him now?

O’Grady claims Ulrich underachieved and squandered his talents, but how many professional riders would trade their careers for Ulrich's? A Tour title and five second-place finishes is nothing to scoff at, yet he condemns the man.

His analysis of Ulrich as a "tragic figure" is an absurd exaggeration and diminishes his many accomplishments in the sport. In today's sports culture a car wreck, a few too many beers and hamburgers, and the occasional amphetamine spree is hardly shocking. Of course it's bad behavior, but unfortunately athletes behaving badly is nothing novel. Ulrich's indiscretions pale in comparison to what may be found on SportsCenter virtually every single day.

O’Grady should save his venom for those who deserve it.

Sam Todd
Austin, Texas

Harsh and disrespectful
Editor:
I understand the creative expression in O’Grady’s article, but I think it is unnecessarily harsh and disrespectful of one of the greatest cyclists of all time. Creative writing is one thing, but focusing only on the negative is a half-truth, if that, at such an emotional time as this for him. Bad timing.

Seth Stiles
Wellington, Florida

Ullrich a failure? Ludicrous
Editor:
I couldn't disagree more. It's unfortunate that for some reason the media has decided to paint Ullrich as a fat lazy slob who couldn't win a bike race if he tried because he'll never be more than second best. What about guys like Joop Zoetemelk, or Adri Van der Poel? The media seemed to be more than okay with them finishing second.

I'd like to see a show of hands of all the fat media slobs who have ever finished second in a Tour. Hell, I'll give you top 10. Ullrich's big crime is that he was born in the wrong era. Had he been born between Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain or Indurain and Armstrong he may have won a few more tours but the fact that he showed up every July and finished second is no small feat.

And I don't care if this guy was screwing goats in the off-season. What does that have to do with him showing up in July and be fully prepared to race? I can't think of an example in all those years where he didn't show up ready. Maybe Armstrong was better than Ullrich, period. Or is that just too preposterous a statement?

So what if he got fat? So what if he partied like a rock star? I don't even care how well he drives a car. The point is the man could ride a bike faster than anyone on the planet, save one. And now he's the failure? Ludicrous!

What's sad is that this ridiculous Operación Puerto inquiry has ruined what should have been an incredible career from anyone's standards. One to be very, very proud of. But nowadays it seems accusations are all that's required to end someone's livelihood. That is the true crime.

And as for beating up on Ullrich, looks like you'll need to find another victim but it should be easy. Just pick whoever comes in second in July.

Sven Sprogoe
St. Louis, Missouri

A compelling athlete despite his faults
Editor:
Speaking of "vampiric entourage" and the like, perhaps O’Grady would like to comment on all the other riders implicated in the Puerto affair that are now gainfully employed? One Ivan Basso comes to mind. But hey, he's riding for an American team, Mr. Clean Lance's team, so that's okay, all is forgiven — right?

Yeah, coming in second in the Tour a million times to Lance sucks, but how many riders get in the saddle and crave to get a top-10 in that great race and never see it? Ullrich was Lance's Joe Frazier. Both came around when a better man (Armstrong and Ali) was the king. Sure, he could have worked harder, but he didn't. You upset about that? Well, don't be, he wasn't doing it for you.

Cycling will miss Jan, as I will. He was compelling for all the reasons O’Grady dissed him. He wasn't a choirboy and anyone who struggles with their weight is a friend of mine, quite frankly. Characters like Jan Ullrich make sport interesting. I can think of several top riders who just make me yawn. I'll miss you, Jan. No one could grind a big gear like you could.

Mark Crosby
Ringoes, New Jersey

An appealing champion
Editor:
No doubt Jan Ullrich serves as an easy target for O’Grady’s rapier-like wit, but in spite of his foibles he also possessed qualities that made him the appealing champion that he was. In particular, he never dissed an opponent or defended himself when unfairly attacked in the press (e.g., the famous musette incident in which Armstrong for one accused him of not waiting for him only to recant later).

He was, perhaps to a fault, as gracious in defeat as he was in victory, but to my eye he set an example of what a true sportsman should be vs. someone who is willing to win at all costs. No doubt most, save a couple of pros, would gladly swap their palmares for his.

And so while others touched by Operación Puerto find new homes through well-paid spin doctors it appears Jan once again takes the high road and leaves the quacking to the ducks. I for one wish him the best and will miss his tenacity, grit and good nature.

Ed Kriege
Highland Park, Illinois

Flawed hero and a favorite underdog
Editor:
Say what you will about Jan Ullrich's wasted potential; he gave eternal hope to those of us amateur racers who always struggle to keep off the weight in the winter months. It will be disappointing looking forward to a Tour de France without him. He was a tragically flawed hero in the epic tale of pro cycling, but his faults made him more human than his elite peers, thereby endearing him as my favorite underdog.

Mark Hotchkin
Carson City, Nevada

Give Ullrich a break
Editor:
I don't understand the constant criticism of Ullrich. He has a great record that is exceeded only by a handful of his peers. He happened to be beaten in the Tour de France on several occasions by the incomparable Lance Armstrong, who was a better rider with a better team. Someone has to come in second.

He had a successful career, made a lot of money, and is retiring at a reasonable age for a pro cyclist. My guess is that he is quite satisfied with his life to this point. It's not like none of us have ever put on a few kilos, partied too hard, or had a fender-bender. Give the guy a break.

Andrew BowdleSeattle, Washington

Way too hard on Ullrich
Editor:
I, for one, am really sorry to see Jan go and always hoped he would win another Tour. O'Grady is way too hard on him and overestimates Armstrong's dominance. There were years of the Tour when Jan actually looked stronger than Lance and probably would have won if he rode for a team that was as strong as Postal/ Discovery. There was the year when I think he would have won, had he not slipped in the rain in the final TT.

And I will always remember the time when Lance attacked in the mountains (after hitting a spectator and having the lead group wait for him) when Ullrich refused to concede more than about a minute. He just kept pounding away in the saddle, riding like a machine, with Iban Mayo buzzing around him like a fly. Every time the camera cut back to Ullrich the salt on his face was caked up more and more as he continued to ride with awe inspiring focus and determination. My memory of that image still gives me chills.

Despite his lapses in discipline, the guy was one hell of an athlete.

Eric Schneider
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Long live Der Kaiser
Editor:
Oh man, I have been a devoted Jan Ullrich fan for so, so long, ever since he towed Bjarne Riis to victory over Indurain. Then I read this on your site:

"...Ullrich couldn't find a ride, in part because he was said to insist on dragging his ponderous, vampiric entourage along despite the fact that he was no longer one of pro cycling's rock stars, but rather the two-wheeled equivalent of a Holiday Inn crooner with a cheap Yamaha keyboard and a second-hand drum machine."

This statement above, written by O'Grady, though painfully harsh, probably is true. As disappointed as I am, I guess I would rather see him retire than have to go through the ridiculous press debacle that Tyler Hamilton and Floyd Landis have been mired in, trying to save face. I would bet that Jan will end up having more savings in his account when it is all said and done, and a lot less stress.

Long live Der Kaiser! And bring those beautiful Jan Ullrich bikes to the USA!

Chris Brandt
Eugene, Oregon

Entourage sped Ullrich’s downfall
Editor:
If anything it was his entourage protecting him from the world that was his downfall. Just like Elvis and Colonel Parker, who took most of Elvis' money and always made the contracts whether Elvis liked it or not. It got to the point where Elvis was so depressed by the crap Colonel Parker got him into (beach party movies) and the fact that he had to do them because Parker owned him that Elvis lost the will to live.

And so it goes for Ulrich. Few have ever looked so good as him on the bike. And Operación Puerto just sealed the deal because he was looking for a way out.

Brian Polhemus
Spencertown, New York

Ullrich, a runner-up remembered
Editor:
This was an accurate profile of a solid number two in the world of professional bicycle racing. I refer to "How Lance Does It," by Brad Kearns: Clearly Ullrich didn't have the mental edge that propelled Lance Armstrong to the top spot on the podium year after year. Godefroot had it right way back when, and unfortunately he wasn't able to raise Jan's hackles enough to get him to fight for the win, because Jan just didn't have the desire.

Read the part in Kearns' book about the come-from-behind athlete who took gold in the first Olympic triathlon in Sydney, where he stated to the effect, "I always believed a gold was possible." Those are the words of a champion. The second-place finisher was content with any medal, and that's what he got.

When Jan Ullrich crashed in the final time trial into Nantes on that rainy afternoon in 2003 he wanted to crash, because he knew he wouldn't win, and he had to go down fighting for appearances. Crashing into hay bales was his out. It was good enough for second place.

It's easy to pile on Ullrich for his weaknesses, but in comparing him to Lance Armstrong, it is instructive to see what defines a champion.

It's been said no one ever remembers who finished second. Ullrich is the exception.

David Kamp
Corvallis, Oregon

A tragic figure indeed
Editor:
Ullrich is a tragic figure of Greek proportion, in the most classic sense of the word, his reversal of fortune being largely wrought by his own hand. It's a sad, but not surprising, end.

Katie SanbornEl Granada, California

O’Grady is brilliant
Editor:
Loved it.

Spencer Dech
Lansdale, Pennsylvania