I think that’s where the “influencer” culture is working in his favour. In the past, a sportsman had to be successful to make a living. Now if you’re quirky and interesting you can make a living off your YouTube channel without actually winning anything 
Or you were very good looking
I think there were entertainers in every spectator sport before the Net, and popular without winning.
While I would agree there is a wealth of influencers that are negative, no more than cheap salesmen/women, there are a lot of positive characters out there too.
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Poulidor is a great example and topical. To say he wasn’t a winner is harsh but his popularity and fame is for coming so close but not winning the TdF.
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Being a maverick is one thing; indulging in self sabotage with rookie mistakes, again and again, is a bit different
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Luckily he’s only really accountable to himself.
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Oh contraire. He’s accountable to the rabid crowd on ST, they own him (he just doesn’t know it 
)
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That still doesn’t explain Taren.
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He popped up on YouTube the other day.
Seems a far cry from his previous stuff
Is he just a shill now?
I wouldn’t say that but he’s not on the chasing a Kona spot that he was following pre covid