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Columnist Patrick O'Grady weighs in on the Kansas City fracas

Published: Dec. 19, 2008
Dog Breath: Against the Rules.
Dog Breath: Against the Rules.
Photo: Patrick O'Grady


“I mean, don't f--k with another man's vehicle.”
“You don't do it.”
“It's just against the rules.” — hitman Vincent and dope dealer Lance chatting in “Pulp Fiction”



Cyclocross must’ve finally hit the big time. It’s attracting the same type of fan as the lesser sports, like baseball, football and basketball — to wit, the loudmouthed, knuckle-dragging thug.

You’ve read the story. A spectator went all First Amendment on Jonathan Page at ‘cross nationals, Page’s brother-in-law took offense, and before you could say Wayne Gretzky, a hockey game broke out.

Is our sport so desperate for any type of mainstream attention that it needs this particular subspecies of fanboy? The overfed, undereducated, mouth-breathing chest-thumper who strips to his pee-stained boxers, paints his man-boobs in team colors and prances around and about in search of a cameraman, barking like a baboon, hoping to finally get started on that 15 minutes of fame?

I don’t get out much, but the last cyclocross I attended had something of a Montessori flavor to it. Everybody was a winner, or at least was cheered and applauded as such. There’s not a ton of money in ’cross, even for the pros, and the events I remember were something of a mutual admiration society, for racers and spectators alike. No quarter was asked and none given during the actual racing, and a few tightly wound sorts would occasionally give off with some bad noise in the heat of the moment, but I don’t recall anyone getting medieval on someone’s ass afterward.

But the world is full of bullies and punks, and some of them have discovered bicycling. Like 28-year-old Dustin Dunlavy of Madison, Wisconsin, who in late November was said to have tried to crash 51-year-old bike-shop owner Colin O’Brien, then followed him home, where it is further alleged that he hurled the older man to the ground and kneed him in the ribs. O’Brien’s crime? Saying, “Get a light,” to Dunlavy, who was riding after dark sans illumination, which is illegal. Dunlavy said he felt “extremely insulted.” Now he feels extremely arrested, on charges of battery and disorderly conduct.

The fracas in Kansas City began after an amateur racer, Cale McAninch, was inspired to offer vocal criticism of Page while the latter was being interviewed post-race. Page's brother-in-law, Wade Book, told him to button it, McAninch retorted that he had the right to express his opinion, and soon the two were tussling. McAninch's Boston Mountain Cyclists teammate Jim Farasy got involved, as did Page's wife, Cori, who slapped a headlock on one of the guys. "I saw my brother getting the crap kicked out of him; I had to do something," she told VeloNews.

During the melee, some of Richard Sachs’ bikes were ill-treated, and thus yet another level of offense was achieved — the outrage of a master framebuilder who takes great pride in making excellent bikes and doesn’t appreciate seeing them get all dented and bent like the playground equipment at reform school. No charges were filed — the Kansas City cops, familiar as they are with mob warfare and gang violence, probably didn’t even recognize cyclo-combat as “fighting,” per se. But Sachs warns that he may sue to recover damages, if the guilty parties don’t ‘fess up and pay up.

McAninch told VeloNews he was willing to pay for “his share” of the damage. "I'm not accepting all the blame for this, but I was a third of it," he said, apparently failing to realize that had he kept his yap shut, saving his post-race analysis for the pub, none of the subsequent nonsense — including the damage to Sachs’ bikes — would have occurred.

So, a word to the wise(asses): Don’t f—k with another man’s vehicle. You don’t do it. It’s just against the rules. And if the wife of the guy you heckle can take you, you’d best keep your piehole shut.


Was that a stiff uppercut or a limp-wristed slap with a purse? Give us your best shot at webletters@competitorgroup.com