Wednesday Rant #2; Johnny-O' Still EXPERT??
Can it be? I just looked at the results from Bonelli, and I must say...the level of Sandbagging by local teams has reached EPIC proportions. Johnny-O (the "O" is for "Oh God, I posted another top 10 Pro time!") looked to be in great form, posting another Expert time that placed him squarely inside the top TEN PRO RIDERS. How does the management at Sho-Air allow this, even if the USA Cycling rules do? Beats me.
Shocking how many teams' athletes are posting sound Semi-Pro and Pro times (Platinum?) but remain in Expert classes. The Johnny-O thing...really. How many times can one be the National Champ as an Expert and not want to at least TRY moving up? Is that a victory even worth having at this point? Why do event promoters even still give him medals? Come on guys...it's time. Step out of the sandbox and into the right category, it's not even a joke anymore. After the THIRD National Championship, it wasn't funny. Move up.
Here is a list (the 1st page only) from USA Cycling's Results website..I hope USA CYCLING and the event organizers see this, even though they already know.
Race Results for Johnny O'Mara
Racing Age 47 from Laguna Niguel, CA
Place Name License Time Bib Team
09/09/2007 - Big Bear Shoot Out #2 - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 45-49
2 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1:38:35.75 62 SHO-AIR
07/21/2007 - USA Cycling National Mtn Bike Championships-2007 - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 45-49
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 2:11:10.60 771 SHO-AIR/RO
07/01/2007 - Big Bear Shoot Out #1 - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 45-49
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1:55:01.93 262 SHO-AIR
06/02/2007 - Santa Barbara Bicycle Festival - Cross Country - Expert - 45-49
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1:31:21.88 169 SHO-AIR
05/20/2007 - Castaic Lake - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 45-49
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1:48:24.16 38 SHO-AIR
05/05/2007 - Fontana NMBS - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 45-49
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1:43:31.39 411 SHO-AIR/RO
05/05/2007 - Fontana NMBS - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 45-49
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1:43:31.39 411 SHO-AIR/RO
04/15/2007 - Sea Otter Classic-2007 MOUNTAIN - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 45-49
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 02:47:16 531 SHO-AIR / ROCK N' ROAD CYCLERY
05/21/2006 - Big Bear Shoot Out #1 (Am Cup) - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 45-49
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1:44:48.33 62 AFP/VELO
05/07/2006 - Southridge/Fontana NMBS - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 45-49
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1:47:09.83 967 AFP/VELO/R
04/09/2006 - Sea Otter Classic-2006 NORBA - Cross Country - Expert - Senior - 45-49
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 02:56:10.2 551 AFP VeloSport Rock N Road Cyclery
03/12/2006 - Southridge Winter Series - Cross Country - Expert - 45-54
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872
02/26/2006 - Southridge Winter Series - Cross Country - Expert - 45-54
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872
02/12/2006 - Southridge Winter Series - Cross Country - Expert - 45-54
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872
01/15/2006 - Southridge Winter Series - Cross Country - Expert - 45-54
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872
11/20/2005 - Southridge Challenge 14th Annual - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 35-44
1 JOHNNY O'MARA 0
09/17/2005 - US Mtb National Championships - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 40-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 2:11:14.87 598 ROCKNROADC
08/21/2005 - Mammoth Mountain NORBA Reg DH & XC Champ - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 30-99
1 Johnny O'Mara 0 1:35:23.0 238
08/14/2005 - Snow Summit Amateur Cups #1-4 - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 40-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 2:06:10.55 209 CANYON CYC
07/24/2005 - Rim Nordic XC Series - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 40-49
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1.48.11 Rock & Road/Specialized
07/10/2005 - Rim Nordic XC Series - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 40-49
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1.52.20 Rock & Road/Specialized
06/19/2005 - Rim Nordic XC Series - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 40-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1.40.36 Rock & Road/Specialized
06/05/2005 - Snow Summit Amateur Cups #1-4 - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 40-44
10 Johnny O'Mara 50872 2:04:47.08 288 CANYON CYC
04/30/2005 - Devils Punchbowl Road Race - Road Race - Master - 35-99
10 Johnny O'Mara 50872 741 Sonance/Specialized
04/17/2005 - Sea Otter Classic NORBA - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 40-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 02:46:23.7 491 ROCK AND ROAD CYCLERY/SPECIALIZED
03/13/2005 - Southridge Winter Series - Cross Country - Expert - 35-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872
02/27/2005 - Southridge Winter Series - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 35-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872
02/13/2005 - Southridge Winter Series - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 35-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872
02/05/2005 - Boulevard Road Race - Road Race - Master - 35-99
7 Johnny O'Mara 50872 331 Specialized
01/30/2005 - Southridge Winter Series - Cross Country - Expert - 35-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872
01/16/2005 - Southridge Winter Series - Cross Country - Expert - 35-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872
10/10/2004 - Fall Classic - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 40-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1:16:07.01 203 CANYON CYC
09/24/2004 - US MTB National Championships - Mammoth - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 40-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1:54:26.74 534 CANYON CYC
08/22/2004 - Snow Summit Am Cup Series - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 40-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1:24:12.13 18 CANYON CYC
07/25/2004 - Rim Nordic XC Series - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 40-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 1:45:27 OSHOW@cox.com
07/11/2004 - Rim Nordic XC Series - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 40-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 2:06:50 Canyon Custom Cycles
06/26/2004 - San Diego Omnium 2004 - Road Race - Master - 40-49
9 johnny o'mara 0 239 long beach velo
06/20/2004 - Rim Nordic XC Series - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 40-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 2:3:18.00
06/06/2004 - Vandenburg AFB RR Elite Championship - Road Race - Cat 1/2/3 - Master
8 Johnny O'Mara 0 RNR Specialized
04/24/2004 - Firestone Walker MTB Weekend-AMBC - Cross Country - Expert - Master - 40-44
1 Johnny O'Mara 50872 24:21.1 145
06/16/2002 - D Racing Summer Omnium/Northgte Cl/Gino - Stage Race - Master - 40-99
2 JOHNNY MARA 50872 153 EXCEL
That's THIRTY FOUR F*****G GOLD MEDALS since 2004. HELLO!!!!! Anyone listening??? That's THREE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN FOUR YEARS. If I took all the sand from North Africa and placed it in a sack, it would still PALE in comparison to what is being allowed to go on here. Do people need to approach their sponsors with the notion that such unsportsmanlike conduct does not fit their marketing plan? I will continue to watch these results, look for more pages on Guinness Book Of World Records inductee for Sandbagging, Johnny-O.
posted by Sharpie @ March 12, 2008
10 comments
10 Comments:
WOW.. he's consistant huh!!! He is personal trainer to several Supercross racers.. I wonder if he teaches all of them to "Not Step Up".. hmmmmm
Nice moto-reference! "Step-Up," get it?? Nice job Jimbo..
Your a little write Jimbo he only trains one supercross rider and thats Ryan Dungy. anyway after last weekend I new this rant was coming great job Captn. keep on truckin bro.
Did you know he used to a pro xc rider in the mid 90s? He was pretty good, but not in the top of the field. So, he decided he didn't want to pursue that full-time and stepped down to Expert eventually. Semi-pro doesn't make sense as that category is for "aspiring pros". That is not appropriate either. So he always races Expert so that when he does do Nationals he is the right category for his age bracket.
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Yes anonymous, I know he raced Pro..why do you think I loathe the sandbaggy-ness so much? He didn't quit because he was getting beaten, he quit because of Epstein-Barr Syndrome. Semi-Pro is what you move down to from Pro, Expert's downgrade to Sport, and Sport's to Beginner. You don't jump down TWO categories when you still turn decent times in the Pro field. Semi-Pro is NOT designated for aspriring Pro's only. It is where you go when you have won three out of four National titles as an Expert. Do you need to move it on up, too?
YES, I know I added an extra "r" in "aspiring."
Actually, I upgraded to Pro XC in 1994 and have never downgraded. I wanted to race against the best and make a living racing. I never "made it" (got paid to race), and had to continue working to support myself. So here I am with a Pro license, now 40, and I've held a full-time job with the same company for the past 9 years. I train before or after work. So, at what point is it "fair" for me to downgrade and race Expert 40-44 Nationals? (not that I want to) I think the problem is that in SoCal the Expert class is weak overall so when you get a fast guy like Johnny in there he looks so much better than everyone else. I have not raced one xc mtb this year. Last year, the only xc race I did was a singlespeed pro/semi-pro class and I won. So can I downgrade and race my age at Nationals and not be a sandbagger? I'm guessing you'd say I should be a "semi-pro". So do I need to race semi pro and do poorly, and then it'd be ok to move down? I understand your point that Johnny is killing people in his expert age-group locally. It does look silly, but it's his choice. IMO, Mtb'ing needs to get back to the old days. Racing was much cooler. This problem would not exist. Back when I started there were not a million categories. I think 5 levels is a joke, and the bottom 3 usually have 5 year age increments. Lame. It makes for super small fields and waters down the racing. It would be much more exciting if we had large fields with just Pro/Expert (combined), Sport, and Beginner. Yeah, I'm talking 3 huge classes and mass start. Pay the top 10 Pro/Expert cash (that's a big problem here..TBB!) and give the sport and beginners some product. It works. The payout could be based on # of entries if the promoter is worried about loosing money, but it needs to be there to make the racing legit. And Singlespeed being 3 classes (Pro/Semi, Expert, and Sport) is also a joke. So now you know why I don't like the mtb racing scene here, but by golly I'm a "pro" and not a sandbagger like that Johnny O!
I have more respect for you NOT d-bagging the lower classes and NOT EVER RIDING AGAIN, than I do someone who turns competitive Pro times and races in Expert (regardless of the rules not forcing you to). He gets paid a good deal of cash (on the company payroll at sho-air)to race, unlike most people in the Pro and Semi-Pro ranks. Even top-tier athletes in mtb racing in the states make barley enough to pay attention.
The Expert class is very fast, and our riders do well against the best in the nation. I would never allow a sandbag attack to go on like that on my team, it makes the whole sport look crap and the team you race for as well.
The vast majority of all the dirt riders I know work full time. Great job making it to Pro
with a job, and even better job keeping it O.G. (I started racing in 1988) and not sandbagging like a punk! Much respect for doing the right thing.
By the way, Bert B. is well over 40, and just moved up to pro singlespeed and semi-pro XC!
Holla!
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