Balls of Steel

Updated Below

Last Fall a former team member, henceforth known a Nameless Rider (tm), bought a bike and '07 team kit*. He'd ridden on the team for several years and had always begged poverty but did pay his bills. So he asked if he could give me his check card number now, grab the stuff and then I could charge it at the end of the month. We said sure.

All was good until we went to run the card and found out he had closed the account. Well that's slimey. But, he had ridden for the team for several years and had always paid his bills so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I called. No answer. Called again. No answer. Called again from my home phone, which I had never used before, and amazingly he answered. He was very very apologetic. Swore it was a mistake and he'd get me a new credit card number. Well, never heard from him. Finally I found him at Elma. I grabbed him and said listen, you need to either pay for the kit and bike or give it back. Oh, I want to keep it, I'll pay, here's a new cc he said. I again suggested if he was in financial straights he should just give the bike and kit back. Nope, I want to keep it. The only request was to charge $500 now and the rest in 30 days. No problem I said.

So I go to charge the card, and it goes through. Nameless Rider (tm) then turns around and disputes the charge. At that point the gloves came off. I got the charge reinstated but couldn't legally recharge the balance. I told Nameless rider to either return the stuff or I'd file a small claim against him.

Well I filed that small claim and got a judgement against him (which I doubt he'll ever pay). In the process I learned that we aren't the only people (I mean we as a team and a company) he did this to. He also told a lie to the police and the court by claiming he was in Michigan when he is actually lives and works here in Seattle.

So why am I bringing all this up? Well, because Argysnufulufugus saw said rider riding the other day on a bike he stole from his ex-girlfriend and wearing that team kit he never paid for.

While I went down the tough love path with Nameless Rider, I assumed that he in fact felt bad about the whole thing. Just got in over his head and didn't know how to deal. I know I felt bad for having to take him to court, but I didn't see any choice. But, if I were in his shoes there's no way I'd wear that team kit. Just putting it on would make me feel guilty. I don't see how someone with a concience could do that. And the balls of wearing it the team's hometown?

Wow.

*We normally get our new kit in the Fall.


UPDATE I 9-21-07
The rider in question is not Trevor Mays. Not only doesn't he fit the description above (eg he live and works in Boise, has only riden for us 1 year) but is the exact opposite of my experience with him. He has always paid any bills on time. In fact I owe him money. So if anything, he should be posting nasty blog-o-grams about me.

I can say right now that unless you actually know who the rider is because I told you then you will not be able to figure out who he is. If you read into the post (eg TM is a hint) you'll just be grabbing names arbitrarily.