What is it...

[ducpainter]

about a racer that makes you like or dislike them?

With all this talk about Rossi being cocky, and the awesomeness of the Ben I'm curious.

I'll start.

Rossi is my favorite because he seems to always be having fun, or makes me feel that regardless of the result.

Mladin is my least favorite because he makes racing seem like a mundane business transaction.

[Rufus120]

I just switch around depending on who has the hottest umbrella girls that week.  [moto]


Boobies 

[tufty]

Stoner=whiney be-artch, also he is irritated by all that pesky fan business, you know the people who pay his salary.

Ben=He's growing on me, but I used to think he was arrogant and stuck up.

Colin=I like, but sometimes I wish he'd keep his mouth shut... the sport already has Mladin!

Fabrizio=I like'cos he brings some colour to the field and he seems genuine. Haga the same reason.

[gm2]

fwiw, ben is shy.. that often comes across as arrogant.

[herm]

i like rossi because he is such a clown. an extremely capable racer, and a clown

[Cider]

I think I hold grudges, since watching sports is more fun when there's a villain.  I started disliking Tony Elias after he took out Rossi in the first race of 2006.  Now, every time he makes a close pass, I think he's an out-of-control maniac (which probably isn't fair, but it's fun to yell at the TV).

Sofuoglu because my WSS villain when he tried to hit Hayes on the front straight in Portugal.  I don't have a WSBK villain at the moment, but Fabrizio has been auditioning for the part.

[El Matador]

fwiw, ben is shy.. that often comes across as arrogant.

It's also hard to talk when you're dragging half a million mouths on your penis.

I like Haga the best right now. I love the way he fights.

Tied up there is Lorenzo, his win or crash attitude is admirable. He reminds me of a young Haga. He is also admits his mistakes, and seldom pregnant doges about his team or machine.

I secretly like Spies, but I won't permit myself to admit it until after next season. I root for Haga and guiltily root for Spies as well. I love his humility and bluntness. I don't find him arrogant at all, not like Rossi at least.

[superjohn]

I don't actually dislike any racer, but I tend to support the guys that are out there having fun. I like Ben Bostrom and Rossi for that reason. The only thing that really puts me off is when a racer does something unbelievably stupid (Pedrosa on Hayden for example) or comes across like they deserve to win through something other than hard work and team dedication.

[gm2]

Tied up there is Lorenzo, his win or crash attitude is admirable. He reminds me of a young Haga. He is also admits his mistakes, and seldom pregnant doges about his team or machine.

what's ironic is that jorge has attracted so many new fans.. to his very deliberate credit.  that guy gave 'cocky blowhard' new meaning in his 250 years.  he was a world class punk.

[derby]

what's ironic is that jorge has attracted so many new fans.. to his very deliberate credit.  that guy gave 'cocky blowhard' new meaning in his 250 years.  he was a world class punk.

understatement.

[ducpainter]

what's ironic is that jorge has attracted so many new fans.. to his very deliberate credit.  that guy gave 'cocky blowhard' new meaning in his 250 years.  he was a world class punk.

I think he still is.

[OT]

With no first hand experience, it's difficult to form an objective opinion.  Basing it on what I see/read on TV/YouTube/Mags.....

  Rossi -- He's unshakeably confident in his ability, and his record speaks for itself.  He's aggressive but doesn't appear to intentionally ride dangerously - seems that he's quite aware that he, too, could be badly hurt if he rides too stupidly.  Charming and glib, he's come across professionally in all the interviews I've seen.  Doesn't talk trash more than is necessary.

Spies -- Also supremely confident with the record to back it up.  However, I think he has shown that he can be (a bit too) aggressive, bordering on unsafe, at times.  As he gets older I would think he'll reign that in.  Needs to get away from his mom.

Stoner -- Too much, too soon, and not emotionally or socially prepared or equipped to properly handle the past success or the recent failure.  Gollum-in-training.  Might benefit from a few years in the Marine Corps.

Hayden -- A real trooper, very talented rider, and team player who maximized his opportunities to win the championship a few years ago.  Seems to have the respect of his fellow riders.  Maturely dealt with all the drama at Honda and Ducati....needs to take a "killer instinct" refresher course from Rossi.

Pedrosa -- Quick starter, slow finisher.  If they hung 30 pounds/14 kilos of lead on his bike to get the total weight up near everyone else's, he'd be finishing behind Hayden every race.  Might have been (mentally and linguistically) handicapped into some bad attitude and flawed decision-making from all the stroking he received coming up to the big bikes.  Seems to have figured out that he's no longer the big fish in the (little) pond...there's hope for him as a human being.  Improving his English (or whatever is the lingua franca amongst the riders) should help him fit in much better.

Lorenzo -- still seems dazed from the whipping Rossi's been putting on him.  May be suffering from the same XXXXL-helmet disease that Stoner contracted.  His rumored demands from Ducati/Yamaha suggest he's little more than a modern grab-all-I-can celebrity, which won't be good when he's coming back down the ladder.  Of all the top riders, he's the likeliest to hurt someone on the track.  Also would benefit from a stint in the Corps.

Loris, Melandri, Colin, Haga, Dennis Hopper, and Peter Fonda 

[fastwin]

It's also hard to talk when you're dragging half a million mouths on your penis.

OK, WTF does that mean??

Besides, Rossi is a God living amongst us. All the others pale in comparison. End of story.

[BastrdHK]

Haga is one of the most respectable guys on any grid, thats why I admire him, his style, and his demeanor on/off the track.

I am not sold on Ben b/c I don't want him to be "that good".  This will all change when he hits GP....I'll start pulling hard.

I hated Rossi when I first started watching GP in '07, but he consistently amazed me, then won my admiration.  He truly is the best rider we may ever see!

I think Stoner is wickedly good, but if any of this recent nonsense turns out to be anything other than a life threatening illness, I won't be able to trust him again.

Put 'em on a Duc and I'll give them the benefit of a doubt

[El Matador]

OK, WTF does that mean??

To some people, every thing he does is perfect. He can do no wrong. Yes, he is an amazing rider. Yes, he has the potential to be the best ever. But he is not there yet. And I find it hilarious when people sycophantically turn every thing he does into a display his greatness.