More MCF
December 5th, 2006 |OK, ok.
So some took my questions and comments about the Minnesota Cycling Federation to be an attack on the MCF. This was not the case.
I was simply asking some questions about the MCF and its goals. I know that volunteering is a thankless job and those who are on the MCF board are doing a favor for our cycling community. So there is no reason to get defensive when someone asks questions about what’s going on. Just state the facts and be proud of the work you have done.
In addition, I do believe that the MCF needs to do a better job of explaining and promoting its worth to the cycling community. You can work your ass off all year but if no one knows about it then what difference does it make? That’s what I meant when I wrote “The real problem here is that the MCF is not showing that it provides an invaluable service to local clubs and racers.”
A good start would be putting a link on the MCF website that shows the minutes from all past MCF meetings so it would not be necessary to slog through the MCF message board looking for them. The everyone would easily be able to see what is going on at the MCF meetings and get involved if and when they see fit.
Finally, I do think that the MCF is making a mistake by trying to focus on racers, via youth cycling programs and new racer programs, as opposed to races. I strongly believe that individual cyclist introduction and development should be occurring in clubs and the MCF should work towards the goal of race and promoter support at the exclusion of rider development. More races, better races, and more support for race promoters will do more to grow the sport in Minnesota then attempting to develop riders outside the club level.
Think about what got you interested and involved in bicycle racing.
That’s my opinion.
48 Responses to “More MCF”
You nailed it. promoters are the key, they promote races, they promote cycling.
You nailed it. promoters are the key, they promote races, they promote cycling.
You nailed it. promoters are the key, they promote races, they promote cycling.
Index of minutes
http://www.mcf.net/minutes/
Index of minutes
http://www.mcf.net/minutes/
Index of minutes
http://www.mcf.net/minutes/
how many new racers has urthel produced?
how many new racers has urthel produced?
how many new racers has urthel produced?
how many new racers has urthel produced?
(dis) you forget that:
promoters are the key, they promote races, they promote cycling.
urkel supports promoters, that’s why they have an anti-opus ride on the nights of opus, to give people an option to not race and provide more mcf fees to the club that provided more than $1,500 dollars to the MCF coffers in 2006. (Loon State)
Again, thanks for your support…
how many new racers has urthel produced?
(dis) you forget that:
promoters are the key, they promote races, they promote cycling.
urkel supports promoters, that’s why they have an anti-opus ride on the nights of opus, to give people an option to not race and provide more mcf fees to the club that provided more than $1,500 dollars to the MCF coffers in 2006. (Loon State)
Again, thanks for your support…
how many new racers has urthel produced?
(dis) you forget that:
promoters are the key, they promote races, they promote cycling.
urkel supports promoters, that’s why they have an anti-opus ride on the nights of opus, to give people an option to not race and provide more mcf fees to the club that provided more than $1,500 dollars to the MCF coffers in 2006. (Loon State)
Again, thanks for your support…
how many new racers has urthel produced?
Urthel is not a club.
Urthel is a loose association of racers.
how many new racers has urthel produced?
Urthel is not a club.
Urthel is a loose association of racers.
how many new racers has urthel produced?
Urthel is not a club.
Urthel is a loose association of racers.
urkel supports promoters, that’s why they have an anti-opus ride on the nights of opus, to give people an option to not race and provide more mcf fees to the club that provided more than $1,500 dollars to the MCF coffers in 2006. (Loon State)
Again, thanks for your support…
I see. So if we are not interested in racing at Opus we are supposed to just sit home instead of organizing a ride for ourselves?
One guy on Urthel shoots his mouth off on the MCF message board about our Tuesday night ride and that means that we are trying to destroy Opus I guess.
Is Opus suffering from a lack of attendance? The six or eight guys in total that show up on our Tuesday night rides really taking a bite out of race revenues? I even raced at Opus once in 2006.
Would you feel better if I gave the MCF $50 to cover the potential lost revenue for our stupid Tuesday night training ride?
Thanks for the support? Maybe you should ask me some time what I have done for Minnesota cycling. Want to guess who started your club in the first place? Want to guess who started another of the larger cycling teams here in the Twin Cities? Want to guess who supported a summer racing series at Opus in 1998 and 1999? Who carried the Black Dog time trial series in 1998 and 1999 when no one else wanted to do it? Who sponsored a womens racing series in 1998 with funds out of his own pocket? Thanks for the support? Dont give me that crap.
Im sorry that I am not more involved in the Minnesota cycling community right now. I have been in the past and I am sure will be again in the future.
Im really sorry I put this bug up your ass Skibby but maybe you should lighten up.
urkel supports promoters, that’s why they have an anti-opus ride on the nights of opus, to give people an option to not race and provide more mcf fees to the club that provided more than $1,500 dollars to the MCF coffers in 2006. (Loon State)
Again, thanks for your support…
I see. So if we are not interested in racing at Opus we are supposed to just sit home instead of organizing a ride for ourselves?
One guy on Urthel shoots his mouth off on the MCF message board about our Tuesday night ride and that means that we are trying to destroy Opus I guess.
Is Opus suffering from a lack of attendance? The six or eight guys in total that show up on our Tuesday night rides really taking a bite out of race revenues? I even raced at Opus once in 2006.
Would you feel better if I gave the MCF $50 to cover the potential lost revenue for our stupid Tuesday night training ride?
Thanks for the support? Maybe you should ask me some time what I have done for Minnesota cycling. Want to guess who started your club in the first place? Want to guess who started another of the larger cycling teams here in the Twin Cities? Want to guess who supported a summer racing series at Opus in 1998 and 1999? Who carried the Black Dog time trial series in 1998 and 1999 when no one else wanted to do it? Who sponsored a womens racing series in 1998 with funds out of his own pocket? Thanks for the support? Dont give me that crap.
Im sorry that I am not more involved in the Minnesota cycling community right now. I have been in the past and I am sure will be again in the future.
Im really sorry I put this bug up your ass Skibby but maybe you should lighten up.
urkel supports promoters, that’s why they have an anti-opus ride on the nights of opus, to give people an option to not race and provide more mcf fees to the club that provided more than $1,500 dollars to the MCF coffers in 2006. (Loon State)
Again, thanks for your support…
I see. So if we are not interested in racing at Opus we are supposed to just sit home instead of organizing a ride for ourselves?
One guy on Urthel shoots his mouth off on the MCF message board about our Tuesday night ride and that means that we are trying to destroy Opus I guess.
Is Opus suffering from a lack of attendance? The six or eight guys in total that show up on our Tuesday night rides really taking a bite out of race revenues? I even raced at Opus once in 2006.
Would you feel better if I gave the MCF $50 to cover the potential lost revenue for our stupid Tuesday night training ride?
Thanks for the support? Maybe you should ask me some time what I have done for Minnesota cycling. Want to guess who started your club in the first place? Want to guess who started another of the larger cycling teams here in the Twin Cities? Want to guess who supported a summer racing series at Opus in 1998 and 1999? Who carried the Black Dog time trial series in 1998 and 1999 when no one else wanted to do it? Who sponsored a womens racing series in 1998 with funds out of his own pocket? Thanks for the support? Dont give me that crap.
Im sorry that I am not more involved in the Minnesota cycling community right now. I have been in the past and I am sure will be again in the future.
Im really sorry I put this bug up your ass Skibby but maybe you should lighten up.
“More races, better races, and more support for race promoters will do more to grow the sport in Minnesota”
exactly
so say you just bought your first road bike, its probably june, july, maybe may. you start riding and youre thinking this is kind of fun. then you think maybe i should try a race. you get your google on or ask the guy at eriks where you can find out about racing. you end up at the mcf website and find out that there is only 1 road race and a couple ‘crits’ (which you have to google to learn what they are) left in the year. so you give it a shot and are dropped right away because many of the 4/5 field have been racing since april/may and/or have more than enough points to upgrade. do you want to race again?
“More races, better races, and more support for race promoters will do more to grow the sport in Minnesota”
exactly
so say you just bought your first road bike, its probably june, july, maybe may. you start riding and youre thinking this is kind of fun. then you think maybe i should try a race. you get your google on or ask the guy at eriks where you can find out about racing. you end up at the mcf website and find out that there is only 1 road race and a couple ‘crits’ (which you have to google to learn what they are) left in the year. so you give it a shot and are dropped right away because many of the 4/5 field have been racing since april/may and/or have more than enough points to upgrade. do you want to race again?
“More races, better races, and more support for race promoters will do more to grow the sport in Minnesota”
exactly
so say you just bought your first road bike, its probably june, july, maybe may. you start riding and youre thinking this is kind of fun. then you think maybe i should try a race. you get your google on or ask the guy at eriks where you can find out about racing. you end up at the mcf website and find out that there is only 1 road race and a couple ‘crits’ (which you have to google to learn what they are) left in the year. so you give it a shot and are dropped right away because many of the 4/5 field have been racing since april/may and/or have more than enough points to upgrade. do you want to race again?
You put a bug up my ass with irresponsible comments without the facts, comments about the MCF purposefully trying to hurt riders when they did no such thing? But that’s ok, you pass it off as asking questions? Funny, I don’t see any question marks in that post. Then later you threatened me with the
You want to really see the MCF vilified? Keep up the “fuck you, you weren’t at the meeting” attitude.
yeah, I’m the one who needs to lighten up…
You put a bug up my ass with irresponsible comments without the facts, comments about the MCF purposefully trying to hurt riders when they did no such thing? But that’s ok, you pass it off as asking questions? Funny, I don’t see any question marks in that post. Then later you threatened me with the
You want to really see the MCF vilified? Keep up the “fuck you, you weren’t at the meeting” attitude.
yeah, I’m the one who needs to lighten up…
You put a bug up my ass with irresponsible comments without the facts, comments about the MCF purposefully trying to hurt riders when they did no such thing? But that’s ok, you pass it off as asking questions? Funny, I don’t see any question marks in that post. Then later you threatened me with the
You want to really see the MCF vilified? Keep up the “fuck you, you weren’t at the meeting” attitude.
yeah, I’m the one who needs to lighten up…
do all minnesotan’s get this cranky in December? is this what happens when your bike is sitting on a trainer for a few months? why don’t ya’ll come down to austin for a good three hour ride, in 60 degree weather, and work off some of that excess winter testosteron-ay. it’d do you polar bearz some good.
do all minnesotan’s get this cranky in December? is this what happens when your bike is sitting on a trainer for a few months? why don’t ya’ll come down to austin for a good three hour ride, in 60 degree weather, and work off some of that excess winter testosteron-ay. it’d do you polar bearz some good.
do all minnesotan’s get this cranky in December? is this what happens when your bike is sitting on a trainer for a few months? why don’t ya’ll come down to austin for a good three hour ride, in 60 degree weather, and work off some of that excess winter testosteron-ay. it’d do you polar bearz some good.
so you give it a shot and are dropped right away because many of the 4/5 field have been racing since april/may and/or have more than enough points to upgrade. do you want to race again?
If you did the one road race left on the calendar in August, which was the Gluek road race, there was a separate Cat 5 only field and we had quite a few new racers that day…
so you give it a shot and are dropped right away because many of the 4/5 field have been racing since april/may and/or have more than enough points to upgrade. do you want to race again?
If you did the one road race left on the calendar in August, which was the Gluek road race, there was a separate Cat 5 only field and we had quite a few new racers that day…
so you give it a shot and are dropped right away because many of the 4/5 field have been racing since april/may and/or have more than enough points to upgrade. do you want to race again?
If you did the one road race left on the calendar in August, which was the Gluek road race, there was a separate Cat 5 only field and we had quite a few new racers that day…
comments about the MCF purposefully trying to hurt riders
Quote it. I did no such thing. That’s utter BS.
Then later you threatened me with the You want to really see the MCF vilified?
Threatened you? That comment had specifically to do with line I always hear that if you dont go to the MCF meeting you have no say in whats going on. My point was that the quickest way the MCF can make itself irrelevant is to stomp on anyone who asks public questions about what the MCF is doing. If you took that as a threat then you read way more into it then I ever intended.
If the MCF is doing good for MN cycling, then the MCF board members have no reason to get defensive or irate when people ask questions. Put out the facts and they will speak for themselves.
In the absence of information, which is what my post addressed, people are left to guess for themselves what the MCF is doing with their money. If the MCF wants to avoid this kind of speculation then it should do a better job at publicizing what it is doing. I said as much in the conclusion of my post.
If you re-read my post you will find it is devoid of hostility and full of questions. Thats more than I can say for the comments.
comments about the MCF purposefully trying to hurt riders
Quote it. I did no such thing. That’s utter BS.
Then later you threatened me with the You want to really see the MCF vilified?
Threatened you? That comment had specifically to do with line I always hear that if you dont go to the MCF meeting you have no say in whats going on. My point was that the quickest way the MCF can make itself irrelevant is to stomp on anyone who asks public questions about what the MCF is doing. If you took that as a threat then you read way more into it then I ever intended.
If the MCF is doing good for MN cycling, then the MCF board members have no reason to get defensive or irate when people ask questions. Put out the facts and they will speak for themselves.
In the absence of information, which is what my post addressed, people are left to guess for themselves what the MCF is doing with their money. If the MCF wants to avoid this kind of speculation then it should do a better job at publicizing what it is doing. I said as much in the conclusion of my post.
If you re-read my post you will find it is devoid of hostility and full of questions. Thats more than I can say for the comments.
comments about the MCF purposefully trying to hurt riders
Quote it. I did no such thing. That’s utter BS.
Then later you threatened me with the You want to really see the MCF vilified?
Threatened you? That comment had specifically to do with line I always hear that if you dont go to the MCF meeting you have no say in whats going on. My point was that the quickest way the MCF can make itself irrelevant is to stomp on anyone who asks public questions about what the MCF is doing. If you took that as a threat then you read way more into it then I ever intended.
If the MCF is doing good for MN cycling, then the MCF board members have no reason to get defensive or irate when people ask questions. Put out the facts and they will speak for themselves.
In the absence of information, which is what my post addressed, people are left to guess for themselves what the MCF is doing with their money. If the MCF wants to avoid this kind of speculation then it should do a better job at publicizing what it is doing. I said as much in the conclusion of my post.
If you re-read my post you will find it is devoid of hostility and full of questions. Thats more than I can say for the comments.
do you want to race again?
an U/A rider will probably never show up again given the scenario fil just described.
but i get the impression from some people that they could care less.
you can’t market the sport to new riders the way it is now.
there will be a trickle of new riders injected every year, but you’re not going to see real growth.
10 years from now, we’ll all still be doing parking lot crits for 15 bucks and everyone will still be bitching about the same things we are today.
meanwhile, across town, there will be title sponsors putting on an entire calendar of multi-sport events (on closed courses!) for doods wearing sport bras and speedos!
do you want to race again?
an U/A rider will probably never show up again given the scenario fil just described.
but i get the impression from some people that they could care less.
you can’t market the sport to new riders the way it is now.
there will be a trickle of new riders injected every year, but you’re not going to see real growth.
10 years from now, we’ll all still be doing parking lot crits for 15 bucks and everyone will still be bitching about the same things we are today.
meanwhile, across town, there will be title sponsors putting on an entire calendar of multi-sport events (on closed courses!) for doods wearing sport bras and speedos!
do you want to race again?
an U/A rider will probably never show up again given the scenario fil just described.
but i get the impression from some people that they could care less.
you can’t market the sport to new riders the way it is now.
there will be a trickle of new riders injected every year, but you’re not going to see real growth.
10 years from now, we’ll all still be doing parking lot crits for 15 bucks and everyone will still be bitching about the same things we are today.
meanwhile, across town, there will be title sponsors putting on an entire calendar of multi-sport events (on closed courses!) for doods wearing sport bras and speedos!
Its too bad that a hard line taken by the MCF may do nothing but punish local racers. ???
Put out the facts? At 7:30 in the fucking morning? After I work a 11 hour day, and then go to a 3 hour meeeting? Get home at 11:00 PM???
Maybe if you would’ve started out with, “when will the minutes be posted”, or “why don’t you guys put a permanent link to the minutes on the MCF Board?” rather than attacking right away. Unfortunately I can’t read minds, and by the time you had started asking questions, I was already pissed.
Its too bad that a hard line taken by the MCF may do nothing but punish local racers. ???
Put out the facts? At 7:30 in the fucking morning? After I work a 11 hour day, and then go to a 3 hour meeeting? Get home at 11:00 PM???
Maybe if you would’ve started out with, “when will the minutes be posted”, or “why don’t you guys put a permanent link to the minutes on the MCF Board?” rather than attacking right away. Unfortunately I can’t read minds, and by the time you had started asking questions, I was already pissed.
Its too bad that a hard line taken by the MCF may do nothing but punish local racers. ???
Put out the facts? At 7:30 in the fucking morning? After I work a 11 hour day, and then go to a 3 hour meeeting? Get home at 11:00 PM???
Maybe if you would’ve started out with, “when will the minutes be posted”, or “why don’t you guys put a permanent link to the minutes on the MCF Board?” rather than attacking right away. Unfortunately I can’t read minds, and by the time you had started asking questions, I was already pissed.
I think Skibby is taking a page out of the right wing book. That one that says shout down anyone asking difficult questions. If those pesky questions keep coming, shout louder. If that does not work, then go for either personal or un documented attacks on the person asking the question.
Discussion is good, thin skins and frail egos are not.
I think Skibby is taking a page out of the right wing book. That one that says shout down anyone asking difficult questions. If those pesky questions keep coming, shout louder. If that does not work, then go for either personal or un documented attacks on the person asking the question.
Discussion is good, thin skins and frail egos are not.
I think Skibby is taking a page out of the right wing book. That one that says shout down anyone asking difficult questions. If those pesky questions keep coming, shout louder. If that does not work, then go for either personal or un documented attacks on the person asking the question.
Discussion is good, thin skins and frail egos are not.
Put out the facts? At 7:30 in the fucking morning? After I work a 11 hour day, and then go to a 3 hour meeeting? Get home at 11:00 PM???
Somehow my post has been turned into some kind of personal attack on Skibby for not putting out last nights MCF meeting minutes fast enough. That was never my intention with my original post(s) and I apologize to Skibby if he thinks that I am attacking him or his work with the MCF.
The comments that I have are regardless of last nights meeting. The questions that I have are not questions that can always be answered by reading meeting minutes.
What is the MCF? What is the goal of the MCF? Does everyone know what the stated goal of the MCF is? Does everyone agree with the stated goal of the MCF? Is the MCF achieving their goals? Does the MCF care if the racing public knows what the MCF is doing and if they are meeting their goals?
Sure, I got into some specific issues that may have been dealt with during the meeting last night. But I am not the only one that is concerned about the issues that I raised. Others, including some who were even at the MCF meeting last night, have similar concerns.
Its too bad that a hard line taken by the MCF may do nothing but punish local racers.
OK. I dont think that this comment meant to imply that the MCF would be purposefully hurting racers by holding the line on the surcharges. But my intention in this post was to ask what a small club with limited resources is supposed to do if they want to host a state championship event but can not afford to pony up the MCF surcharge?
In regards to the specific case of Kenwood, I am waiting to get a statement from their club that addresses this situation from their perspective. Kenwoods case may not be defensible but I would like to see it.
Put out the facts? At 7:30 in the fucking morning? After I work a 11 hour day, and then go to a 3 hour meeeting? Get home at 11:00 PM???
Somehow my post has been turned into some kind of personal attack on Skibby for not putting out last nights MCF meeting minutes fast enough. That was never my intention with my original post(s) and I apologize to Skibby if he thinks that I am attacking him or his work with the MCF.
The comments that I have are regardless of last nights meeting. The questions that I have are not questions that can always be answered by reading meeting minutes.
What is the MCF? What is the goal of the MCF? Does everyone know what the stated goal of the MCF is? Does everyone agree with the stated goal of the MCF? Is the MCF achieving their goals? Does the MCF care if the racing public knows what the MCF is doing and if they are meeting their goals?
Sure, I got into some specific issues that may have been dealt with during the meeting last night. But I am not the only one that is concerned about the issues that I raised. Others, including some who were even at the MCF meeting last night, have similar concerns.
Its too bad that a hard line taken by the MCF may do nothing but punish local racers.
OK. I dont think that this comment meant to imply that the MCF would be purposefully hurting racers by holding the line on the surcharges. But my intention in this post was to ask what a small club with limited resources is supposed to do if they want to host a state championship event but can not afford to pony up the MCF surcharge?
In regards to the specific case of Kenwood, I am waiting to get a statement from their club that addresses this situation from their perspective. Kenwoods case may not be defensible but I would like to see it.
Put out the facts? At 7:30 in the fucking morning? After I work a 11 hour day, and then go to a 3 hour meeeting? Get home at 11:00 PM???
Somehow my post has been turned into some kind of personal attack on Skibby for not putting out last nights MCF meeting minutes fast enough. That was never my intention with my original post(s) and I apologize to Skibby if he thinks that I am attacking him or his work with the MCF.
The comments that I have are regardless of last nights meeting. The questions that I have are not questions that can always be answered by reading meeting minutes.
What is the MCF? What is the goal of the MCF? Does everyone know what the stated goal of the MCF is? Does everyone agree with the stated goal of the MCF? Is the MCF achieving their goals? Does the MCF care if the racing public knows what the MCF is doing and if they are meeting their goals?
Sure, I got into some specific issues that may have been dealt with during the meeting last night. But I am not the only one that is concerned about the issues that I raised. Others, including some who were even at the MCF meeting last night, have similar concerns.
Its too bad that a hard line taken by the MCF may do nothing but punish local racers.
OK. I dont think that this comment meant to imply that the MCF would be purposefully hurting racers by holding the line on the surcharges. But my intention in this post was to ask what a small club with limited resources is supposed to do if they want to host a state championship event but can not afford to pony up the MCF surcharge?
In regards to the specific case of Kenwood, I am waiting to get a statement from their club that addresses this situation from their perspective. Kenwoods case may not be defensible but I would like to see it.
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