The tempo of human machines pumping weightless titanium pedals, the whir of perfectly maintained drive trains, the hum of hundreds of 23mm tires echoed through the French Alps. This was the 1300 meter final descent of Stage 17 of the 2009 Tour de France, a historic leg of the tour. Next was the push from Allemont to L’Alpe-D’Huez the 1090 meter climb before the finish and time for the top climbers to do what they do best. In prior Tours, Armstrong holding fast in the front of the group would begin his push for first place, most times gaining minutes overall in the last 26 kilometers.
This time at the start of the climb Lance was well behind three competitors, one of them being a fellow teammate running second. It was Armstrong’s time to shine, being famous for bouts of superhuman cadence and power, especially on this twenty-one hairpin mountain route. The Livestrong spokesman rose off the saddle and put as much power as his body could muster into thousands of dollars of carbon fiber.
In the end it wasn’t enough, a fourth place finish in this famous stage, and a third place finish on the podium proved that Armstrong is not a cycling superhuman. He is a thirty seven year old, well tuned man, whom is excellent at cycling.
You may not consider thirty seven to be old, and on the timeline of life it’s not. Though on the timeline of professional sports that rely heavily on physical ability, it’s getting up there. This years third place finish makes Lance the oldest man on the podium since 1976, if he would have won, the oldest ever.
The Tour de France is hard for many of us to relate to, cyclists or no. I write about it only to prequel this next statement, John Quardokus and Jim Noel are old dudes that proved last week they can excel at a professional sport that is near and dear to all of our hearts; even if the KWL has slightly less media coverage than the Tour.
If you missed it last week, there was an epic match up between the Diablos and the Chuckers, Noel and John Q the steam engines pulling their teams into a 20-21 game two.
By itself, game one was impressive. Not only did John get the W, only giving up three runs to the devils, he himself went six for ten with two homeruns. In total he contributed four RBI’s of the ten Chucker runs. Going two for six with an RBI and a solo monster, Noel was no slouch game one, but wouldn’t come on fire until the start of game two.
Top of the first, Matt Quardokus on the mound two walks on the bags; Noel hits his first jack of the game. John, obviously resting after a game well done, grounds out his first at bat. Four to naught Diablos.
In the second, Jim restrains himself with just an RBI single, while John Q shows off with not only an RBI double but with a three run jack of his own. This ties the score at five to five going into the third.
After being shown up, Noel fires out of the hole with not one, but with two consecutive two run blasts. Some help from teammates puts five total runs on the board this inning for the Diablos. In the bottom of the third John followed up Tom Mausen’s solo homerun with a well placed single, but would be stuck there for the last two outs. Diablos now led ten to six.
The fourth for the Diablos would involve three runs scored on three walks and three base hits but no real fanfare. That is until John, hitting himself in with a two run bomb, started a rally of five consecutive blasts putting them one behind the Diablo’s thirteen runs.
Feeling left out, Noel first in the box in the fifth, had a solo homer; contributing one run to his teams four that inning. Once again John was happy to hit himself (on second), and another teammate, in on a three run dinger. Matt immediately followed this up with a solo to keep the game still within one.
A three run swat by Noel in the sixth raised the score to a KWL unheard of twenty, putting the pressure on the Chuckers for three runs to seal the seventh. Some quick footwork by Mausen fueled by a timely double by John started the rally. Tom's bat stayed hot with a double and John, not one to let down his team, drove the plastic to the woods. Tie ball game into the seventh.
Noel at the plate while Tim was on first proved to be the Diablos last chance at pushing ahead. Noel had a well hit double, but it wasn’t enough to get Tim home and they sat on the pond for the last two outs. The one two combo of Mausen on first and John at the plate was a common sight this game, and no less deadly at the bottom of the seventh. All it took was a single to push Tom to the plate, putting the Chuckers up by one, and ending the game at twenty runs to twenty one.
If you haven’t been keeping score Jim went eight for ten, with five homeruns, and twelve RBI’s game two. John - eleven for fourteen, five homeruns, and fourteen RBI’s. Game one would add one and two HR’s respectively. The five homeruns they each put up tied the single game homerun record. Twelve RBI’s by Noel was enough to get fourth all time for single game, while John Q’s fourteen RBI’s notched him second respectively. John was not done with those two marks, the eleven hits broke a record from 2007, as the most hits in a single game.
Unfortunately these were two makeup games that many spectators missed, but those that did make it saw some of the most ridiculous hitting this year in the league; from the hands of two of the eldest.
There is no yellow jersey, or podium ceremony in the KWL, but my hat comes off Jim Noel and John Quardokus. Thanks for showing us young bucks what’s up. And a special thanks to Jim for proving that even when I’m almost to the top of the hill, I can still wear my Industrial’s hat proudly… even backwards. |
