[diverg]

From today's front page

..... Perhaps the most interesting part of the presser was Ellison's explanation for why no one from BMW/Oracle would be at the official event press conference on Sunday - in Cups past, the place where the real fireworks were laid out. Who can forget Connor's famous quip during this traditional meeting "Why would you build a boat out of plastic unless you wanted to cheat?" Like a boxing match, the final press conference is the final build-up of drama, but although this is ostensibly a Consorcio event and purportedly meant to make Valencia look good, Ernesto's power over the city apparently allows him to have specifically excluded Russell Coutts from this tradition, and Larry showed some stones by telling them to pound sound. "If Russell is not good enough" for the venomous Bertarelli, neither is anyone from BMW/Oracle's team. .....

My question about the bolded above is if this statement is true why the hell should the next AC be in Valencia if Oracle wins?

[Lars Boyscout]

Another moronic front page piece.

SA Guys, what is wrong with you? You seem seriously mortally offended by EB not kissing your ass. Who do you think you are? They took piles of shit from you over the past months/yrs so what???

Just get over with it, behave like professionals and put together some entertaining coverage (you´re the only sailing mag capable of actually doing that!!!)

This is like kindergarten. Man the fuck up and party as this may be the CRAZIEST AC EVER!!!

[diverg]

Lars it has been pretty obvious to most people that it is EB and Alinghi that has been the most unprofessional. Banning media, and CEO's of teams is extremely unprofessional.

I also fail to understand why the Consorcio would want to piss off Larry. If they think kissing Ernie's Swiss ass is going to keep AC 34 in Valencia(if Alinghi win) then they are delusional.

[Lars Boyscout]

diverg, on Feb 6 2010, 09:55 PM, said:

Lars it has been pretty obvious to most people that it is EB and Alinghi that has been the most unprofessional. Banning media, and CEO's of teams is extremely unprofessional.

I also fail to understand why the Consorcio would want to piss off Larry. If they think kissing Ernie's Swiss ass is going to keep AC 34 in Valencia(if Alinghi win) then they are delusional.

There are assholes on BOTH sides.

The only thing I expect from Sailing Anarchy is to BE ABOVE THAT and party like its 1999!

This is history in the making and it would be stupid to be offended and take all the shit going on personal.
When EB and LE behave like children there´s NO reason for SA to do the same.

BTW RC wasn`t "banned". This press conference was meant for LE and EB ONLY! LE could have given it a chance ....

[cuckoo's clan]

Lars Boyscout, on Feb 6 2010, 10:02 PM, said:

diverg, on Feb 6 2010, 09:55 PM, said:

Lars it has been pretty obvious to most people that it is EB and Alinghi that has been the most unprofessional. Banning media, and CEO's of teams is extremely unprofessional.

I also fail to understand why the Consorcio would want to piss off Larry. If they think kissing Ernie's Swiss ass is going to keep AC 34 in Valencia(if Alinghi win) then they are delusional.

There are assholes on BOTH sides.

The only thing I expect from Sailing Anarchy is to BE ABOVE THAT and party like its 1999!

This is history in the making and it would be stupid to be offended and take all the shit going on personal.
When EB and LE behave like children there´s NO reason for SA to do the same.

BTW RC wasn`t "banned". This press conference was meant for LE and EB ONLY! LE could have given it a chance ....

maybe the white knight didn't dare to talk with Ernesto in front of the international press ?

[jonsailor]

Lars Boyscout, on Feb 7 2010, 07:02 AM, said:

diverg, on Feb 6 2010, 09:55 PM, said:

Lars it has been pretty obvious to most people that it is EB and Alinghi that has been the most unprofessional. Banning media, and CEO's of teams is extremely unprofessional.

I also fail to understand why the Consorcio would want to piss off Larry. If they think kissing Ernie's Swiss ass is going to keep AC 34 in Valencia(if Alinghi win) then they are delusional.

There are assholes on BOTH sides.

The only thing I expect from Sailing Anarchy is to BE ABOVE THAT and party like its 1999!

This is history in the making and it would be stupid to be offended and take all the shit going on personal.
When EB and LE behave like children there´s NO reason for SA to do the same.

BTW RC wasn`t "banned". This press conference was meant for LE and EB ONLY! LE could have given it a chance ....

Then what was butterballs doing there ready to jump.??

[Lars Boyscout]

jonsailor, on Feb 6 2010, 11:44 PM, said:

Lars Boyscout, on Feb 7 2010, 07:02 AM, said:

diverg, on Feb 6 2010, 09:55 PM, said:

Lars it has been pretty obvious to most people that it is EB and Alinghi that has been the most unprofessional. Banning media, and CEO's of teams is extremely unprofessional.

I also fail to understand why the Consorcio would want to piss off Larry. If they think kissing Ernie's Swiss ass is going to keep AC 34 in Valencia(if Alinghi win) then they are delusional.

There are assholes on BOTH sides.

The only thing I expect from Sailing Anarchy is to BE ABOVE THAT and party like its 1999!

This is history in the making and it would be stupid to be offended and take all the shit going on personal.
When EB and LE behave like children there´s NO reason for SA to do the same.

BTW RC wasn`t "banned". This press conference was meant for LE and EB ONLY! LE could have given it a chance ....

Then what was butterballs doing there ready to jump.??

at the beginning of the Show the chair next to assnesto was empty. LE could have taken that seat. He didn't so what the Big fuckin deal?

[Lightbulb]

The impression taken from the BMWO press conference was that RC was specifically banned by name from the owners press conference altogether, if this was indeed the case then it is childish behaviour beyond belief from Alinghi. If RC however was simply not allowed be the owner's representative then this may be understandable, of course LE should be representing his own team. Somehow I doubt this was the case, especially if LE made a point of not turning up, he has absolutely nothing to fear sitting beside EB at a press conference. As a European and wanting the cup to hang around here I would still like to think I was fairly neutral towards both teams but even so it has been difficult to stomach some of the BS coming from Alinghi, not just in the last week or two but over the last two years.

Whether or not EB looking like a spoilt child and at times a complete ass is a product or either teams' PR skills or maybe more accurately ,lack of PR skills, it has certainly not done him any favours in the sailing world. It will be interesting to see what he decides to do if he loses the Cup to LE, who is no saint either with litigation after litigation but certainly him and his team have come across as the more straight talking even if they did a champion job of dodging questions at their latest press conference. Butterworth seems to be a shadow of his former self lately, maybe not physically but you know what I mean, which makes you wonder what the belief is like in the Alinghi camp but on the other hand they have held on to a team of top top talent so it can't be all bad.

Up until the boats arrived in Valencia I firmly believed Alinghi easily had the measure of USA even with the wing, she just seemed more refined, lighter, lifting a hull with ease, she just looked right. USA on the other hand was beginning to look like a bit of a hatchet job, they didn't even seem able to decide where to put the mast step and the middle hull frequently seemed reluctant to leave the water. No matter what anyone says about refinements, developments and tuning etc these were big changes to be making close to the match. Now however, having seen coverage of both teams during their final tune up BMWO certainly looks the more relaxed and confident, have they done their maths and really fancy their chances? Sanding bagging or not I reckon both teams have a pretty good idea of the outcome of this match before a gun is fired, notwithstanding gear failure.

It is going to be an incredible spectacle watching these two unbelievable machines line up on Monday morning, and Wednesday, and although my head doubts it my heart would love to see it go to a decider on Saturday. It is going to be the most memorable Cup match in history and quite possibly will never be repeated after the money both teams have spent and money the other teams have lost out on while sitting sitting on the sidelines and going bust. So enjoy every second of these two magnificent craft racing over the coming week, we will probably never see the likes of it again and while it has been painful listening to both sides bicker it is great to see the Cup resemble the days of the huge J-Class yachts with massive budgets for their time battle it out for a truly special and unique trophy.

[Rail Meat]

Lightbulb, on Feb 6 2010, 08:13 PM, said:

The impression taken from the BMWO press conference was that RC was specifically banned by name from the owners press conference altogether, if this was indeed the case then it is childish behaviour beyond belief from Alinghi. If RC however was simply not allowed be the owner's representative then this may be understandable, of course LE should be representing his own team. Somehow I doubt this was the case, especially if LE made a point of not turning up, he has absolutely nothing to fear sitting beside EB at a press conference. As a European and wanting the cup to hang around here I would still like to think I was fairly neutral towards both teams but even so it has been difficult to stomach some of the BS coming from Alinghi, not just in the last week or two but over the last two years.

Whether or not EB looking like a spoilt child and at times a complete ass is a product or either teams' PR skills or maybe more accurately ,lack of PR skills, it has certainly not done him any favours in the sailing world. It will be interesting to see what he decides to do if he loses the Cup to LE, who is no saint either with litigation after litigation but certainly him and his team have come across as the more straight talking even if they did a champion job of dodging questions at their latest press conference. Butterworth seems to be a shadow of his former self lately, maybe not physically but you know what I mean, which makes you wonder what the belief is like in the Alinghi camp but on the other hand they have held on to a team of top top talent so it can't be all bad.

Up until the boats arrived in Valencia I firmly believed Alinghi easily had the measure of USA even with the wing, she just seemed more refined, lighter, lifting a hull with ease, she just looked right. USA on the other hand was beginning to look like a bit of a hatchet job, they didn't even seem able to decide where to put the mast step and the middle hull frequently seemed reluctant to leave the water. No matter what anyone says about refinements, developments and tuning etc these were big changes to be making close to the match. Now however, having seen coverage of both teams during their final tune up BMWO certainly looks the more relaxed and confident, have they done their maths and really fancy their chances? Sanding bagging or not I reckon both teams have a pretty good idea of the outcome of this match before a gun is fired, notwithstanding gear failure.

It is going to be an incredible spectacle watching these two unbelievable machines line up on Monday morning, and Wednesday, and although my head doubts it my heart would love to see it go to a decider on Saturday. It is going to be the most memorable Cup match in history and quite possibly will never be repeated after the money both teams have spent and money the other teams have lost out on while sitting sitting on the sidelines and going bust. So enjoy every second of these two magnificent craft racing over the coming week, we will probably never see the likes of it again and while it has been painful listening to both sides bicker it is great to see the Cup resemble the days of the huge J-Class yachts with massive budgets for their time battle it out for a truly special and unique trophy.

Well spoken. Thank you.