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July 22nd, 2005

Rumors: Lance, Linda, and the Card

Rumor mills can generate interesting fictions, blended with enough fact to feel true. Let’s cut the finish and then tell the story. Lance is not going to be in Austin on Sunday. Linda Armstrong Kelly is not going to be to Austin Sunday. However, if you get yourself to Tour Watch 2005 at Central Market on 4001 N. Lamar Blvd. in Austin Sunday morning, you will have the opprtunity to sign a big yellow thank you card that will be delivered to Lance.

The rumor mill in Austin had “The Card” (a giant yellow “thank you” retirement card to Lance) coming to Tour Watch 2005 at Central Market July 21 with Linda Armstrong Kelly (Lance’s mother) bringing it before boarding a plane to head to Paris for the finish of the Tour de France. Who knows, maybe that was a possibility at one point. The rumors grew. Then a fact came out. The card is coming to Central Market on July 24. Rumor mills are rarely bothered by fact, so there was still a rumor that Linda Armstrong Kelly would be there. Naturally, she would like to be at the best Tour watching party in Austin. Of course, her son will be in Paris, likely winning his seventh consecutive Tour de France. Perhaps, it is just possible she would rather be there?

But wait, it gets better. During the OLNTV coverage of Stage 18, Phil Ligget invited Austin listeners to Central Market to sign the card and within minutes, the phone started ringing. By the end of the day over 50 callers had called Central Market to ask when Lance was going to be at Central Market on Sunday.

Let’s set the record straight: Lance will be busy on Sunday (he has a prior engagement in Paris, you know—finishing the Tour de France) and is not coming to Central Market. Similarly, Lance’s Mom is not going to be at Central Market on Sunday (I’m pretty sure she has a better seat for watching the stage). Austinites and visitors, however, are welcome to to drop by Central Market at 4001 N. Lamar Blvd in Austin to sign a giant yellow thank you card for the man in Yellow, or “Daddy Yaya” as Paul has me calling him.

Posted in bike, austin, Tour de France | By Rob Sartin

One Response to “Rumors: Lance, Linda, and the Card”

  1. Paul Terry Walhus Says:

    July 22nd, 2005 at 9:16 am

    Word now is that Chuy’s has a shuttle mission waiting and a special parachute that will get him in to Central Market in time for the card signing. No word on whether Sheryl Crow will parachute alongside.

    When we heard Lance at 24 Hour Fitness, he said “never say never”; and he’s the boss. So we’ll see Sunday.

    You can hear all 15 seconds of my Phil Liggett podcast at

    http://touroftexas.com/podcasts/thanklance.mp3

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