2014 Silly Season?...maybe spoilers

[Uncle Mofo]

I want to see him slap someone in the paddock again..

http://gpxtra.com/2013/04/26/max-biaggis-wildcard-return/

[gm2]

I want to see him slap someone in the paddock again..

http://gpxtra.com/2013/04/26/max-biaggis-wildcard-return/

"Biaggi has the same charisma as Valentino Rossi,"

LOL. 

[Triple J]

"Biaggi has the same charisma as Valentino Rossi,"

LOL. 

If you change "devotion" to "hatred" in the definition, then this might indeed be a true statement! 

[zooom]

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/May/13051035.htm

Crutchlow on the market?!?!?!?!

[duccarlos]

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2013/May/13051035.htm

Crutchlow on the market?!?!?!?!

If we're going to go with wild speculation:

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/817/16135/Motorcycle-Article/Single-Track-Mind--Where-to-Ducati-.aspx

[duccarlos]

If we want to talk about Cal, he has proven that he should move to a factory bike. Yamaha will not get rid of either Lorenzo or Rossi. Honda might drop Pedrosa and Audi will have no issues dropping Nicky or Dovi. If he wants to be competitive, he will need to start praying that Pedrosa crashes at some point during the year.

[MadDuck]

As much as I like Nicky & Dovi it would be awesome to have Cal & Casey running truly competitive Ducati machinery.  Maybe have Nicky & Dovi on the second string? 

[Uncle Mofo]

What about Spies, ready to can him yet?

[Triple J]

Cal & Casey? Casey isn't coming back...especially to Ducati.

I think Nicky & Dovi both deserve competitive bikes, as they've both been riding their asses off this year on that turd of a bike.

Cal of course deserves a factory ride. Where though. Hayden's seat is probably the only option, which sucks because of what I said above.

[zooom]

If we're going to go with wild speculation:

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/817/16135/Motorcycle-Article/Single-Track-Mind--Where-to-Ducati-.aspx

from that article there was this bit....

...Ducati now starts to run out of options. The first, and most obvious, choice is Cal Crutchlow. I have always tipped Cal as a seriously class act and he is now proving to be the fastest of the satellite riders race after race. He is also crawling up the wall with frustration riding machines which, while good, are not the best....

with that said...I think the Satelite Yammy seems to be better than the GP13 by a longshot...so even if the Duc only makes minor inroads..it would still be the same level of frustration for Cal...

the bit about Casey is laughable...while not completely worth tossing out like the baby with the bathwater...just would take a lot for that to be an even remote possibility IMHO....

[triangleforge]

the bit about Casey is laughable...while not completely worth tossing out like the baby with the bathwater...just would take a lot for that to be an even remote possibility IMHO....

You mean, like a change of ownership and a house-cleaning at Ducati Corse to boot the people whom he thinks did him wrong? Lots and LOTS of money? The chance to beat Rossi on the bike (before & after) his crew chief said would take "ten minutes"* to fix and then he & Rossi declared unrideable? The realization that his skillset on a motorcycle doesn't transfer over immediately to four wheels, and that those guys are REALLY fast? Lots more money?

I'd say it's unlikely, but hardly laughable the way things are playing out.

*I don't remember the precise number Burgess put on it, but I think it's safe to say he underestimated by just a tad.

[Triple J]

Interesting article...which I didn't read before my last comment. Cal and Casey would indeed be a good team, and they'd probablt get along well I'd guess. I'd still be kind of surprised if he came back to Ducati, but maybe the change in management at Ducati could convice him...and the $$.

I'd still be bummed for Nicky too, but I really like him so I'm admittedly biased. Wouldn't feel so bad for Dovi, as he had a killer factory bike, and didn't do much with it (unlike Nicky). The point about neither ever winning a championship, regardless of the bike, is hard to argue with.

...and this part is funny  

And if he does return, what will happen? The answer, as I and Audi both know, is utterly and completely predictable.
Casey will turn up at the first test and complain about the weather, his state of health, the color of the water in the cooler. He will then hold his head in his hands and look utterly miserable and on the point of wishing to end it all. Five minutes later, and without any familiarization, he will have put the Ducati on pole position

[Spidey]

Seriously, the GP13 is not going to catch up to Honda and Yamaha.  Cal would take a Duc ride because he wants a factory ride.  Stoner?  He's like Barry Sanders. We're going to be talking about him til he's 50, but I'm not holding my breath for the Big Return.

In my perfect silly season, everyone (Hayden, Spies) would get a Honda along with Rossi.  And I don't even like Honda. 
In fact, it feels like we're going back to 2003 'cept that it won't be all Hondas on the grid b/c the rules don't allow it.  The Yamaha has become somewhat of a Lorenzo-only weapon, tuned just for him.  It's used to be more of a generalist sorta bike under Rossi b/c of Rossi's style.  Now it's more specialized (which seems to the new way to design bikes).  In contrast, the Hondas are easier to understand and ride on the limit.  Get 'em into the corner, get 'em turned and stood up.  They can be be ridden faster by more people in more places.

But Cal & Casey on a competitive Duc?  Not gonna happen.  Unless it does, of course.   

[Raux]

think about this..
GP14 gets built in secret with Stoner as consultant.
Audi says to Stoner "You will be the #1 paid rider as you are the best and we want you to make this bike the best"

Stoner says, "sure, and I want Cal as my teammate, with Pedrosa and Spies on the satellite, but factory spec, bikes"

[Spidey]

That's as likely as me nailin'  Stoner's wife.  I can think about it all I want, but it's not gonna happen.