They must be Raiders fans

Oakland Raider fans are known as thugs. This must be why Doug's buddy Small is a member of the Raider nation. But let's face it, when you think of cycling (bicycling, not motorcycling), you get this image of polite sedateness. In fact, it's hard to picture Europeans getting worked up in a frenzy about any sport. It's much easier to picture Europeans sports fans as reserved spectators of Wimbledon or the British Open than it is to picture them as face painted tailgaters.

Of course, this is just a facade. Many of us remember the riots at soccer games several years ago. And watching the Tour de France, you wonder what planet most of these folks come from. Today Andrey Kashechkin, a rider for the Credit Agricole team, got punched in the face by a spectator during Stage 16 of the race. Evidently Kashechkin ended up with a bloody nose. In watching the various stages, particularly the mountain stages, I am practically biting my nails. Spectators block the road, moving at the vary last minute. They run along side the riders, sometimes they touch the riders, patting them on the back or giving them a push (this is illegal, btw). During the Alpe d'Huez time trial last year spectators spit on Lance. I guess it's ironic that they think we are uncivilized.