Ok, so perhaps last week’s contest between Campagnolo and Camp Anawana was a little esoteric. No big deal. Today’s battle between Gary Fisher and Bobby Fischer (yes, that link is his official page) should prove far more of a crowd pleaser.
| Category | Bike Culture: Gary Fisher |
Pop Culture: Bobby Fischer |
Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claim to Fame: | Mountain bike pioneer | Greatest American chess player | Draw; a solid start for both sides | Palmares: | 12th, US Road Nats, 1974; 5th US ‘Cross Nats, 1977 | 8-time US Chess Champ, World Champ 1973-5 | Bobby; by a fair margin |
| Went on to: | Found mountain bike company | Become recluse | Gary; as noble as the career of recluse is… |
| Fighting the Man: | Lost 3 years of competitive career for refusing to cut his hair | Missed 3 years of chances to challenge for World Chess Title to protest collusion among Russians | Draw; again, each is impressive |
| Outlandish Claims: | That he invented everything even remotely associated with mountain biking, short of dirt | That, in reference to the 9/11 attacks, the US “had it coming” | Gary; the reasons are obvious |
| Delusions of Persecution: | None apparent | Believes in worldwide Jewish conspiracy focused solely on his destruction | Gary; again, self-explanatory |
| Low Moment: | Sold out to Trek in 1993 | Temporarily incarcerated after being mistaken for a bank robber | Bobby; no one handcuffed Gary and forced him to sell out |
| Misuse of Opposite Sex: | Perhaps over-focused on the shapely figure and alluring smile of World Champ Paolo Pezzo to sell his bikes | Attempted to marry Japanese woman to avoid extradition to the US in 2004 | Gary; Pezzo was at least paid for her services |
| Bad Movies Inspired: | None yet | Just one | Gary; though one bad flick could even the score |
| Lasting Contributions to Society: | Mountain bikes (maybe), DH riding (maybe), 29″ wheels (maybe) rear suspension (maybe), etc. | Fischer Random Chess and a new type of chess clock | Bobby; it’s debatable that Gary invented any of the things he’s famous for. |
So it’s a 5-3 victory in favor of Fisher (the one without the “c”). Just goes to show you that old adage about not letting your genius go to your head, and not becoming a reclusive, raging, anti-American anti-Semite, still rings true, even in the modern day. Prentending that you came up with every good idea you’ve ever seen doesn’t hurt, either.
You seen this?
https://www.ineedaprocontract.com/
-Dave M.