Friday, October 12, 2007

New Manufactured Hero

After my... "indiscretion" with Peter Reid last year, I never came up with a replacement Manufactured Tri Hero. A Manufactured Hero is someone who you learn about so that you can create a connection with the races and make them more interesting. There have been several potential candidates:

The frontrunner was Tim DeBoom. I just think he has a great name. DeBoom. Very cool. But since he lives Down Under it would be harder to meet him some day. (For the record, I also love the name "Paula Newby Fraser". It rolls off the tongue like buttah.) UPDATE: I'm now told DeBoom lives in the States. Oops.

Then there's Olympic Triathlon hopeful Andy Potts. He'll certainly be getting a lot of press in the Tri magazines this year and probably in the mainstream media as well. But he named his kid Boston. Boston Potts. I mean, come on. Seriously? And this is totally unfair to him and I'll probably offend a bunch of people, but he's one of those Ayn Rand followers. I had some bad experiences with that group in college which sadly has tainted me.

Then there's Michael Lovato. I saw him at Ironman Arizona. This past weekend I watched the coverage from Coeur d'Alene where he placed a disappointing 3rd. He was interviewed after the race by Dennis Patchin:

Patchin: "You were way behind getting off the bike and in the run you made up a lot of ground; was it just too much to make up?'
Lovato: "Thank you very much for the reminder, yes I WAS way behind."



Video Clip


Here he is, just minutes after finishing an Ironman, and he still has the state-of-mind to take a light-hearted sarcastc jab at an interviewer. Now that's my kind of triathlete! Hilarious.

Michael did not win Coeur d'Alene. I'm racing in Coeur d'Alene next year, and rumor has it that I'm not one of the favorites to win. So we already have something in common.

For his sarcastic wit, I am declaring Michael Lovato as Neoprene Wedgie's Manufactured Triathlon Hero. Don't blow it, Lovato.

Michael Lovato's Blog (he's blogging from Kona this week, wish him luck!)

7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

He looks a little bit like Michael Vartan. He can be MY Manufactured Tri Hero too!

8:21 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Uhhhh Errr? I think Tim DeBoom lives in Colorado.

9:48 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I think he's your triathlon crush, Wedgie.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

11:02 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I still like Faris, but this one ain't so bad. I'm glad you found a new mancrush. Oh sorry, man HERO.

ttt

6:08 PM  
Blogger Nancy Toby said...

Lovato is hilarious - he could be a stand-up comic in his next career. He did some impromptu stuff on stage at the rpe-race dinner at IMFL that had everyone cracking up.

1:19 PM  
Blogger monica said...

no way man, it's all about MACCA!!!!!

he's hawt, and now he's the WORLD CHAMP!!!

awe yeah.....

9:42 PM  
Blogger Bigun said...

you know, I instantly became a fan of Lovato for that very comment on that interview! Go figure....

3:47 AM  

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