Hayden's 06 Championship and Estoril + Pedro

[Jester]

So, I was bored last night and rewatched the final five races of the 06' season.  Hayden was terrible with closing out that championship.  He pretty much backed his way into that title, so I'm going to reconfirm that Rossi's tough mechanical year and Capriex' injuries handed him the title rather than him putting his stamp on it.

Also I have a different view on Estoril after watching the race again.  Hayden passed Pedrosa up the inside early in the race and came into contact with him after almost losing the front of his bike, so I think Dani's torpedo move was return karma after Hayden almost pulled the reverse move a few laps before the incident.

Also, what happened to Pedro?  He would actually repass people and slide the heck out of that bike to hold position during his rookie year.  Pedro seems to have had more fight back then.  I think he was a better fighter and more difficult to deal with than he is now.

That is all.

[derby]

So, I was bored last night and rewatched the final five races of the 06' season.  Hayden was terrible with closing out that championship.  He pretty much backed his way into that title, so I'm going to reconfirm that Rossi's tough mechanical year and Capriex' injuries handed him the title rather than him putting his stamp on it.

you're forgetting that hrc was using nicky to test all their development parts (clutch of death, anyone?).

Also I have a different view on Estoril after watching the race again.  Hayden passed Pedrosa up the inside early in the race and came into contact with him after almost losing the front of his bike, so I think Dani's torpedo move was return karma after Hayden almost pulled the reverse move a few laps before the incident.

you may call it karma, but you just flat don't take out your teammate.

[gm2]

you're forgetting that hrc was using nicky to test all their development parts (clutch of death, anyone?).

what, clutches in the center of the engine don't work?  really?  let's just give it to the american to be sure.

[Jester]

Oops, my brain forgot about Nicky being a test mule.  I'll give him some slack then, but I still think Pedro was a better fighter back then.

[gm2]

but I still think Pedro was a better fighter back then.

it was his first year; rookie moxy.  plus, he was on the The Bike.  the bike that even in satellite form, won races.  the bike that HRC thought they could give to anyone and they'd win. 

also the bike that nicky got 10 podiums on that year.  i agree that valentino lost the title moreso than nicky won it, but you can't argue that nicky put himself in the position to pick up valentino's mess.  10 is a lot of podiums.

[gm2]

(clutch of death, anyone?)

- But I was hoping to meet a girl on the Australian trip!

 - No!  African war zone; ship of death!

[EvilSteve]

Nicky didn't win that title, Rossi/Capirossi (thanks to Gibernau in Capirossi's case) lost it IMO.

[derby]

thanks to Gibernau in Capirossi's case

that was capirossi's karmic payback for harada in '98.

[EvilSteve]

Yeah, maybe, I was thinking more along the lines of Gibernau being useless.

As for the Pedro take down, it's not cool. I don't care what happened on a prior lap.