Ben Spies. F%^K YEAH! and maybe some spoilers

[gm2]

I find the Spies "little pond" skepticism a bit amusing.  I don't think Spies is the next coming of Rossi or anything, but this talk about how AMA didn't prepare him for the big leagues . . .  come on.  Wasn't there some guy recently who won a coupla AMA championships, went straight to MotoGP and then won a world championship? 

pretty much what i've been getting at.

granted the american tracks might leave an AMA guy at a slight disadvantage (less so now that we have Miller) but it's not like he was in the intramural league prior to this. 

ben has already proven he can quickly learn a track, quickly figure out how to ride a gp bike, a wsbk, two brands of tires he's never been on, etc.  he may or may not do it this year but to derby's point, i'm sure he's coming to win.

[zooom]

(except in rare circumstances) you race one guy at a time, no matter the size of the grid.  he and mladin weren't going fast 'for the ama'.. they were just going flat out flippin crazy fast.  lap after lap after lap.

except that Matt and Ben were the upfront contenders in EVERY race in AMA SBK against each other and not the rest of the field....was it due to skills, yes, but not wholly and only...their equipment exceeded that of their competition and Yoshimura put what they had to into their machinery to make sure of that...why couldn't the Jordan team of machines keep up with them for example?...I realize that it is just as much a case of comparing factory to privateer and the trickle down effect of parts...but if that were 100% the case, then why would Suzuki have told Micheal Jordan of all people that he couldn't afford to purchase a previous years factory machine?...and that is why Yosh got caught with their pants down and Matt lost the championship at VIR due to equipment DQ.

yes, you race to get past each individual...1 by 1 and occasionally 2 at once...but when you are working to pass individuals whom don't have the same level of equipment, then you have a major disparity and not much of an actual race there now do you?...so my point is, Ben would hustle his ass off against Mladin, but the rest of the field seemingly isn't an equal comparison...and that is why I think he is going to really have his work cut out for him against a whole field of alot closer to equal competitors with machines by privateer developers that come alot closer to rivaling the factory machines....on that level of racing in that series...they are all good riders...World Class...and I am not saying their aren't some world class riders in the AMA....there are...but the opportunities for privateer riders to grow into being World Class riders is slim and bleak in comparo to alot of the other regional championships around the globe...but that is another topic

[COWBOY]

1.  I never said he wasn't fast.
2.  I never said AMA racing didn't "prepare" a rider for WSBK or MGP racing.

What I did say is that what he showed or did in the Minor League that is the AMA doesn't equate to what he will do or does in the Major Leagues of WSBK or MGP if he gets there.  If it were that simple the Spanish midget would have a world title and Stones would be still searching for it...

Overcoming adversity to get past Mladin is not the same thing as overcoming a new ride, manufacturer, tracks PLUS the normal ups and downs of motorcycle racing (injuries, good days, bad days, travel snafus, illness, etc) PLUS battling at least 5-10 riders as fast and as ruthless as Mladin on the grid any given weekend (Haga, Corser, Max N., Max B., Xaus, Checa, Fabrizio, Byrne, Haslam, etc).  That is a lot to tackle no matter who you are and/or how good you are.

I'm excited he's there.  I'm rooting like all hell for him.  I'm just trying to stay grounded and/or realistic with my expectations for his first season on the World stage.

[gm2]

except that Matt and Ben were the upfront contenders in EVERY race in AMA SBK against each other and not the rest of the field....was it due to skills, yes, but not wholly and only...their equipment exceeded that of their competition and Yoshimura put what they had to into their machinery to make sure of that...why couldn't the Jordan team of machines keep up with them for example?...I realize that it is just as much a case of comparing factory to privateer and the trickle down effect of parts...but if that were 100% the case, then why would Suzuki have told Micheal Jordan of all people that he couldn't afford to purchase a previous years factory machine?...and that is why Yosh got caught with their pants down and Matt lost the championship at VIR due to equipment DQ.

yes, you race to get past each individual...1 by 1 and occasionally 2 at once...but when you are working to pass individuals whom don't have the same level of equipment, then you have a major disparity and not much of an actual race there now do you?...so my point is, Ben would hustle his ass off against Mladin, but the rest of the field seemingly isn't an equal comparison...and that is why I think he is going to really have his work cut out for him against a whole field of alot closer to equal competitors with machines by privateer developers that come alot closer to rivaling the factory machines....on that level of racing in that series...they are all good riders...World Class...and I am not saying their aren't some world class riders in the AMA....there are...but the opportunities for privateer riders to grow into being World Class riders is slim and bleak in comparo to alot of the other regional championships around the globe...but that is another topic

jordan wasn't told he couldn't afford things; he was told he couldn't have certain things.  too expensive wasn't the issue.  the stuff just wasn't for sale.

otherwise, i still think you underestimate the difficulty of racing against mladin.  but it's a fun debate.  we'll see...

[gm2]

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Feb/090212a.htm

[Spidey]

new livery

[derby]

look at that texas flag. 

[derby]

in big size if you'd like some wallpaper:  http://www.rideontwo.com/gallery/d/54403-1/AP1_9910.JPG

[SikDuc]

Well......... How many peeps here lost their money?  Don't be scared.  Post up

Go Spies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gm2]

i think it's just one.....

[zooom]

yup...just me and $150....who's mailin me my preperation H?

[Spidey]

That's me.  PM me your address.

[Spidey]

Ok, new bet. . .

I got $50 to RRW on Haga to win more races this season than Ben.  Yeah, I know it's the safer bet.  Any Ben fan wanna take me up on it?

[gm2]

Ok, new bet. . .

I got $50 to RRW on Haga to win more races this season than Ben.  Yeah, I know it's the safer bet.  Any Ben fan wanna take me up on it?

you're on .  i figure that zooom kindly 'gave' the action fund $50 on my behalf; i'll wager against probably giving it back.

[DLSGAP]

I dont bet on anything because i honestly can't afford to lose...

but Ben is fast.... and i'm not just saying that because he's a local boy...

expect good things from him.