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Wiggins has called Pendleton 'a bit of a milkshake'
Never heard this before, what does it mean?
She doesn't rattle when shaken?
Think its along the lines of "nice but thick" or "tasty but thick".
He's gone down significantly in my estimation recently.
He's gone down significantly in my estimation recently.
He also called 'marginal gains' a load of tosh, so surely that must count for something?
This is what I think of whenever I hear Bradley's name now...
[img] 
[/img]
She brings all the boys to the yard, obviously.
That Skoda ad makes me shout drug cheat at the TV which was a pastime once only reserved exclusively for Alberto Contador. Do with that what you will.
Needs to take a step back and have a look at at himself before he starts badmouthing others.
On a very steep downward trajectory. Gone from mildly amusing, cocky geezer to b*ll*nd in pretty short order, imho.
Needs to take a step back and have a look at at himself before he starts badmouthing others.
On a very steep downward trajectory. Gone from mildly amusing, cocky geezer to b*ll*nd in pretty short order, imho.
+ 1
Does seem to love courting controversy these days. I once loved his determination and dedication, sporting wise I still do, his guitar playing and swagger too.. but Brad, why start pissing people off ?
but Brad, why start pissing people off ?
I can sort of get it, if you spent every day of your working life being questioned, having accusations leveled at you, being called a cheat and a fraud how would you react? I think several people posting would probably suggest a union and lawyer for the every day working bloke.
If you read the article, the way it's reported is taken a little out of order and context.
..he says the Milkshake thing in a jokey, familiar kind of way which sort of implies..."yeah,but you've gotta understand Vicky..." sort of thing, I don't think it's intended to be derogatory.
yeah, yeah, but what does 'bit of a milkshake' mean?
Ah well, I didn't read the article and in typical STW fashion became a bit of a keyboard handwringer..
Better to remain silent and let people think you're a fool, than speak up and remove all doubt
bikebouy - Member
Ah well, I didn't read the article and in typical STW fashion became a bit of a keyboard handwringer..POSTED 8 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
nickc - Member
Better to remain silent and let people think you're a fool, than speak up and remove all doubtPOSTED 1 MINUTE AGO # REPORT-POST
Bit harsh.
😉
'a bit of a milkshake' - internally 'blended' or messed up maybe?
[i]Told that Pendleton said she could never have won all her medals without Peters’ input, Wiggins joked: “But Vicky’s a bit of a milkshake anyway.[/i]
I suspect he is inferring she would have been in need of a psychiatrist if she was a top cyclist or working on a checkout.
He might be right....but was it his place to say it?
[quote=cynic-al said]He's gone down significantly in my estimation recently.
Started with the sleeve tats.
I think it means she doesn't have the need to resort to dodgy TUEs immediately prior to major races.
Of course, I might be wrong... 😉
Also, we all know just [i]exactly[/i] how highly esteemed the women are in british cycling. Brad's a product of this.
He might be right....but was it his place to say it?
I would imagine they know each other fairly well!
Any one have a link to the actual article?
Whether it's done in jest or not BC need comments like that like a hole in the head right now.
Any one have a link to the actual article?
I think it was a taxing interview on that famous bear-bating pit of inquisitive aggression that is Soccer AM. Wiggins used it to make a few oblique comments about how he was going to bring the whole house down when he finally tells his side of the jiffy bag story. I assume he'll manage to criticise BC/Sky without endangering his TdeF or Olympic wins by actually admitting to wrongdoing, so I have managed my expectations.
[url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cycling/2017/03/26/sir-bradley-wiggins-says-marginal-gains-load-rubbish-calls-victoria/ ]Link. [/url]
I also read it as "nice but thick".
I don't see much wrong with anything he said in the article to be honest. I don't know what 'milkshake' means, but it just seems like Wiggins is a fairly straight-talker who therefore doesn't do much editing before the words come out.
And I quite agree with his point about marginal gains. At the end of the day, a really successful athlete is someone who has the right combination of talent, mindset, physical skill, and right training. Sure, there may be little things that can help him or her do a bit better, but those must be peripheral at best.
Except in the case of Lance, whose body sounds like something akin to a Novartis storage facility.
People after a link, I read it all here - http://www.eurosport.com/cycling/blazin-saddles-bradley-wiggins-slams-rubbish-marginal-gains_sto6106372/story.shtml - which hits a pretty perfect tone of sardonic digs at Wiggins throughout the article, IMO.
I thought we had Jonathan Vaughters to thank for BW's sudden change into GC winner?
I remember seeing BW, whilst at Cofidis, grinding up in the autobus during S17 of the 2007 TdF on the Port de Pailhères climb - the massive change to [s]2008[/s] 2009, hmmm...
And I quite agree with his point about marginal gains. At the end of the day, a really successful athlete is someone who has the right combination of talent, mindset, physical skill, and right training. Sure, there may be little things that can help him or her do a bit better, but those must be peripheral at best.
I can't see how you can disagree, though I guess it depends what you classify as marginal gains- in a sport where winning margins are 100ths of a second on the track, or tens of seconds on a 3 week Grand Tour, then most any advantage has the potential to help, and to change the result at the pointy end of the field.
In any sport, if you want to win, and you can make a change to improve performance, unless the price (monetary, health, time, legality) is prohibitive then the athlete who really wants to win will make that change.
Brad, why start pissing people off ?
He's trying to find a place for himself post-cycling career, ideally in the meedja.
Perhaps he's had a glance at how much money that Hopkins woman is bringing in as a professional troll, and compared that to how much every other Apprentice reject has made (except maybe that reggae sauce fella).
See also: Piers Morgan
People who've achieved what he has get tv progs made about them, but people always trotting out bland, safe, PR approved platitudes don't get their own series.
So I think that marginal gains are more for other people maybe to justify their jobs. I think it’s true. Fundamentals – talent, hard work and dedication – are more important. Because that 5% on top – that’s not going to make you win the bike race if you don’t have the other 95% underneath.
Well, yes, obviously. But if the other bloke also has the 95%, the 5% suddenly gets more important...
Still, he's got to milk his money from wherever he can these days, he's clearly given the same chat to dozens of other middle-management get-togethers.
"Bit of a milkshake" sounds a lot like he's trying to emulate Shane Sutton in his attitudes and language.
From that Blazin' Saddles piece this is the bit I find confusing too...
It wasn’t, after all, a probing House of Commons anti-doping committee to which Wiggins was inexplicably never invited.
As for marginal gains, the key word is "marginal"... if a mattress gained you 10% performance, Silent Night would be doing jiffy bag deliveries. The thing is that you sleep better in your own bed, in your own room etc so replicating the same thing day in day out across some random hotel is a small benefit. Having a kick ass bus with showers inside, internet etc is a small benefit. They're perhaps not noticeable individually but together they're helping... or the delivery from the women's coach and TUEs are... Brad didn't win a TdF without them.
Oh dear. Seems like he's resentful over the Sky hype and desperate to shore up the credibility of his wins.
The Pendleton comment is very disrespectful IMO, regardless of genders.
He's gone from lovable bell end to embittered bell end. Wonder why that could be, eh?
embittered bell end
Not quite seeing it. What am I missing? (Serious question.)
he's clearly given the same chat to dozens of other middle-management get-togethers.
This. I imagine any chats he has with groups of school kids or the WI might be somewhat different. He presented what his audience wanted to hear.
This. I imagine any chats he has with groups of school kids or the WI might be somewhat different. He presented what his audience wanted to hear.
Like the time he made lewd sex references to the audience at a Charity event for the victims of Child sex abuse?
He got dragged to his TDF win by Froome, and had to use performance enhancing substance as hard as he could within the TUE system to get there. If he was a remotely affable person you might forgive him like David Millar but he's not, I genuinely hope WADA look retrospectively into the misuse of TUE's.
Saxon Rider...
" So I think that marginal gains are more for other people maybe to justify their jobs. I think it’s true. Fundamentals – talent, hard work and dedication – are more important. Because that 5% on top – that’s not going to make you win the bike race if you don’t have the other 95% underneath."
The whole idea is that everyone DOES have the other 95%.
The same with the whole chimp theory – that there’s a chimp living inside you. It never struck a chord with me. The people it struck a chord with are those who made fortunes selling it and telling you it’s the best thing since microwaves.
Not everyone is the same though Bradders.
Later, when she asked Wiggins whether or not he’d be happy if his son was to try his hand at following in his footsteps and becoming a cyclist, Wiggins said: “The way things are going at the moment – no.”
Speaks for itself.
If he was a remotely affable person you might forgive him like David Millar
Oi, who said anyone here forgives that dirty cheating scumbag?
A lot of deep insights into his character given on here. How many of you know him?
How many of you know how much someone's personality can be distorted by even well-intentioned media?
While I wouldn't take such a hard line on Millar, I'd still have more time for Wiggo than him.
Shame the interviewer didn't ask him about DM actually, I get the impression there's no love lost.
The whole idea is that everyone DOES have the other 95%.
Yes, I understand that, but the perception often being put out there is that these instruments for marginal gains work like the old comic books ads,
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whereas in fact, the whole doping question is often one of slight overuse of an antihistamine (or whatever).
In any case, the whole situation just makes me sad, when cycling (of whatever type) and competing on a bike should all be about fun, the virtues of sportmanship, and personal development. To not want your own child to do what you did is a tragic indictment.
The same with the whole chimp theory – that there’s a chimp living inside you. It never struck a chord with me. The people it struck a chord with are those who made fortunes selling it and telling you it’s the best thing since microwaves.
funnily enough I've heard interviews when he's then gone onto pretty much describe the chimp paradox in his own words and how he dealt with it.
Yes, I understand that, but the perception often being put out there is that these instruments for marginal gains work like the old comic books ads,
I haven't seen it portrayed that way.
The notion of marginal gains is dependent on all else being equal, really.
how much every other Apprentice reject has made (except maybe that reggae sauce fella).
That was Dragons' Den
That was Dragons' Den
And the sauce recipe wasn't his or his grandma's, as portrayed in that episode
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/law/2011/nov/16/levi-roots-reggae-reggae-sauce
molgrips - Member
A lot of deep insights into his character given on here. How many of you know him?
How many of you know how much someone's personality can be distorted by even well-intentioned media?
Very much this.
A bit of an unnecessary backlash imo.
[quote=midlifecrashes ]
If he was a remotely affable person you might forgive him like David Millar
Oi, who said anyone here forgives that dirty cheating scumbag?
Which one are you on about now?
It's his comment about VP that was unnecessary IMO.
I don't think he's doing himself any favours. Histories on the bike notwithstanding, David Millar comes across far better I think (and far less biting the hand that fed him) off the bike.
I think he means that she's really tasty and you can't help fancying her on the way home from work on a Friday?
molgrips - Member
A lot of deep insights into his character given on here. How many of you know him?How many of you know how much someone's personality can be distorted by even well-intentioned media?
It's the direct quotes that i am getting put off by.
It's the direct quotes that i am getting put off by.
Oddly I find his honesty endearing.
Have you ever seen the film 'The Departed'? The character played by Mark Whalberg is the only person in the film you can trust precisely because he is so utterly rude and obnoxious to everyone. When someone is like this, it tells you they've got not filter; whatever is in their head comes out of their mouth regardless of who it's going to offend.
They may be offensive, but at least you know you can trust what they are saying.
Sports stars these days have to be politicians as well as athletes.
I've previously defended Bradley Wiggins on this forum, and on The Graun's CiF.
But . . . I saw the Skoda ad last night.
What a ****.
Im with GeeTee. Wiggins just says what he thinks/wants, which I like. All the Sky hatred is just bizarre. People love Valverde - convicted doper - but froth about Wiggins, who pushed the boundaries like all sportsmen, but stayed within the boundaries until proven otherwise.
and had to use performance enhancing substance as hard as he could within the TUE system to get there.
And you know more than WADA & the UCI how exactly?
He's probably now dropped to my 6th or maybe 7th favourite drug cheat.
at least you know you can trust what they are saying
ahem, "needle free policy................" 8)
Yeah, trust isn't exactly Wiggo's biggest asset at the mo.
Im with GeeTee. Wiggins just says what he thinks/wants, which I like.
That's the problem with modern society really, lots of people think that because they CAN say something that they SHOULD. It says more about him as a human being that he feels that peers or former colleagues are all fair game now it's about lining his own pocket in after dinner speech fees. If he'd been saying he thought all the marginal games stuff was bollocks when he was at Team Sky or (presuming we all read it right) how nice but dim VP is when he was in Team GB with her then I'd still think he was a **** but at least he'd have the courage of his convictions. Doing it after the fact just feels like tabloid bullshit.
He sounds like someone who has simply got to the point of telling it like it is.
Snake oil is snake oil ..... and I figure he has had to take enough of it over the years including team doctors telling him what he must take.
At the end of the day margin gains are bollox... either you go and ride then puke then ride more, puke and ride more or you fail and no special mattress of magic crystals (or 95% of TUE's) are going to change that.
Worse, when you don't have the magic mattress and crystals you also fail if you believe it has anything to do with your actual performance.
Some people are so hopeless they need a job and invent marginal gains ...so long as everyone HAS to do it in the team noone can prove it's bollox....
Those who believe in a magic crystals and similar rubbish are what I think he refers to as milkshakes.
This isn't specific to cycling or even sport ... I've seen similar stuff at work, usually by HR types trying to justify their existence.... then some people seem to just latch on to mystical crutches, usually those lacking in confidence which isn't the same as those crap at their job.
I've spent weeks overall on "motivational bollox" etc. organised by HR and anyone speaking out about "how about I just do my job well instead" joins a redundancy list... which is of course great motivation!
telling it like it is.
Along with "keeping it real" that phrase is the refuge of the rude arsehole who wants to justify their own crappy behaviour.
the refuge of the rude arsehole ...
Of course, by calling someone a rude arsehole, you are just "telling it like it is" and "keeping it real" right ?
Snake oil is snake oil ..... and I figure he has had to take enough of it over the years including team doctors telling him what he must take.
That snake oil that he injected before all three of his major GC victories?
That snake oil that a consultant specialist in asthma said administering was “bizarre”, “unacceptable” and akin to “using a sledgehammer to crack a nut”.
That snake oil that David Millar no stranger to doping said was the Most Powerful performance enhancing substance he took over the years?
Worse, when you don't have the magic mattress and crystals you also fail if you believe it has anything to do with your actual performance.
you've failed to grasp the purpose and scope of Brailsford et al's Marginal gains strategy, but whatever; crack on
That snake oil that David Millar no stranger to doping said was the Most Powerful performance enhancing substance he took over the years?
His well-established beef with Wiggo makes him an unreliable source on that though.
Of course, by calling someone a rude arsehole, you are just "telling it like it is" and "keeping it real" right ?
I'm generalising in my assertion some people are rude arseholes and I doubt anyone would disagree, I've not identified anyone by name other than Brad but apparently telling it how it is will earn me some kudos.
Snake oil is an unreliable sauce?
Snake oil is an unreliable sauce?
it's as bad as that reggae reggae stuff 😆
Along with "keeping it real" that phrase is the refuge of the rude arsehole who wants to justify their own crappy behaviour.
I'm not justifying mine... or really his either. I more see this as him getting to the point where he's no longer spouting the BS he's been forced to spout.
However British Cycling has obviously got some real deep fundamental issues and a huge amount of people raking it in.
It reminds me in many ways of the NatWest whistle blower...who spoke out whilst she still had a job... then not only lost the job but became unemployable.
I wonder what she's doing now?
It's similar to the whole London Olympics jobbo....
Cost the country billions we couldn't afford but Sir Seb and his mates all raked it in. Meanwhile lots of people especially in resto's lost their jobs because of the Olympics shutting their work and then Sir Seb and his mates sold mobile pitches that mostly turned out to be rubbish ...
Speaking out is all fine and dandy unless those with the money decide that keeping your mouth shut is more important than actually winning.
you've failed to grasp the purpose and scope of Brailsford et al's Marginal gains strategy, but whatever; crack on
Oh I understand the strategy ... its about how much money they can make spouting BS... if it has or has not any benefits is irrelevant to them so long as they can rake in the ££££
huh uh...as I said, crack on. It's not like anything looks like it's going to stop you anytime soon anyway, you seem to be just getting into your stride.
That snake oil that he injected before all three of his major GC victories?That snake oil that a consultant specialist in asthma said administering was “bizarre”, “unacceptable” and akin to “using a sledgehammer to crack a nut”.
That snake oil that David Millar no stranger to doping said was the Most Powerful performance enhancing substance he took over the years?
As I've said elsewhere... the real guilty parties where a doctor has signed a prescription are the doctors.... though you could argue they are just doing what their employer tells them to do.... or the employer will find another doctor that will.
The whole thing is set up to point back to someone who is being TOLD what they take and TOLD not to question it when the directives and way they treat team members/employees is a top down way of working.
“I think it’s [marginal gains] a load of rubbish, if I’m honest. A lot of people made a lot of money out of it and David Brailsford used it constantly as his calling card. But I always thought it was a load of rubbish.”
For once I actually agree with him.... 😆
[url= https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/mar/25/bradley-wiggins-doping-worst-thing-to-be-accused-of-for-a-man-of-my-integrity ]Sauce[/url]
For someone who professes to hate publicity, BW seems to spend a lot of time courting it.
For someone who is so critical of marginal gains he threw the kitchen sink at the hour record, custom 3d printed Ti bars, etc.
Sure, there may be little things that can help him or her do a bit better, but those must be peripheral at best.
Which is why they are called "marginal gains"...
I'm not sure why there are so many "MG is rubbish" comments. It doesn't seem a particularly controversial or radical concept, and no one has suggested it replaces the need to have exceptional mental and physiological abilities as an athlete (and perhaps the right drugs as well). It's just taking a systematic approach to optimising everything you do as a racing team. An awful lot of pro cycling has traditionally been very old school and not necessarily very scientific. I remember Robert Millar talking about his DS telling him to always wear tracksuit bottoms off the bike, to avoid "getting fat on your legs".
I think it is perfectly feasible to have gained a wee advantage by looking hard at how things were traditionally done and seeing if there was a better way.
I never thought the marginal gains approach would ever produce the same performance benefits as a good solid doping program.
For someone who is so critical of marginal gains he threw the kitchen sink at the hour record, custom 3d printed Ti bars, etc.
He's critical of them NOW. When they were helping him achieve his goals and fill his bank account he loved them.
I'm not sure why there are so many "MG is rubbish" comments. It doesn't seem a particularly controversial or radical concept
It's not the concept ... rather it's the sales that go with those who "sell it" and how its then extended into a slippery slope ending in superstition.
Sure a comfy bed the night before is great... but it won't replace actually doing the miles. The problem comes when there is a dominance of marginal gains over actual training hard .... a "secret recipe type sauce" that certain coaches sell ...
This can go even further into stuff without any foundation and pure snake oil... [b]and the point is anyone speaking out about it is chucked out...[/b]
We had a similar thing at work... where most people actually needed a bit of actual on the job training - 90% of people would have (and did say off record) what they needed was training in the new computer system etc. (This being a bunch of scientists and engineers)
Instead HR arranged "inspirational talks" (some rowing gold medalist) then it was "not drinking coffee and meditation" ... when it got to spirituality and crystals I and half the other scientists/engineers quit with the ones who been vocal about "what we need is training in...not this spirituality stuff" were pushed or fired.
It's one thing to have to attend a "how crystals will balance your aura" workshop... its quite another as a scientist or engineer to be forced to write lies as to how it benefits your work....
It's one thing to have to attend a "how crystals will balance your aura" workshop... its quite another as a scientist or engineer to be forced to write lies as to how it benefits your work...
To be honest, the last thing that BW will ever be accused of is being a scientist or engineer.
A lot of the MG stuff was to out-psyche the opposition, of course all the riders will have done masses of training leading up to the season, and throughout it. The marginal gain is the last 1% or so that actually gives you that victory - its not the 95% of just sheer hard work that basically all pro riders do.
The marginal gain is the last 1% or so that actually gives you that victory - its not the 95% of just sheer hard work that basically all pro riders do.
As I say, I'm not against that 1%.... I'm against team trainers etc. thatr make their living claiming that 1% is a magic they bring that the whole team must follow and more importantly "buy into"
To be honest, the last thing that BW will ever be accused of is being a scientist or engineer.
Perhaps not but what HE knows is the 95% pain and hard work...
Specifically about the thread topic.... "bit-of-a-milkshake" is what I believe is his term to those who actually believe in the magic mattress and magic crystals etc.
The thing for me though is it's sort of irrelevant ... because it's more about his lack of freedom to express those views when he was on the team.
British Cycling is turning out to be a toxic organisation... largely because people were not allowed to speak out without being dropped from the team.
Shut up and tow the line seems far more applicable to Olympic team selection being based on actual performance!