MotoGP Laguna (there will be spoilers, so be smart before clicking)

[jswledhed]

I wonder if he's as thrilled as his doctors that the summer break is finally here.

[SP3]

IROC

What does the International Race of Chumps have to do with all of this?

[Grampa]

 

[SP3]

 ...................  ......................  .................  ........................ 

[Grampa]

I'm still at work.  when I get home

[ZLTFUL]

OK..I am the biggest Rossi Fanboy on the planet. In fact, if given half a chance, I think I would even turn gay for him.
That being said, the BIGGEST letdown of the entire race for me was when Casey ran off the track. Up to that point it was far and away the bst front pack racing of the season. Speed, great skill, and youthful zeal vs. determination, experience, and maturity.

I personally saw nothing dirty in any of the passing. I saw a couple of riders who really wanted to win a race battling it out. Why does everyone have to overanalyze everything? Frankly, had Casey not gone off tack and dropped the bike, I would have been happy with either rider winning simply because that was some great racing. But let's face it...Casey started to get a bit edgy. The laps were dwindling down and they were reaching a point where every time he got around Vale, Vale would charge right back to challenge him. And when he tried to use the speed advantage, Rossi kept putting himself in Casey's way.

When did MotoGP racing become a sport where "Oh...you want to pass me? Here...let me open up a nice clean line for you so that you can get in front of me." That needs to happen when it's a front runner overtaking a backmarker but when it's in a battle for the lead, why in god's name should they do anything short of fighting tooth and nail to get around the other guy? I didn't see anyone intentionally try to push the other guy off the track or put another rider on the tarmac.

So, long story short, there's no crying in MotoGP racing! Man up, dust off your pair and lets race. It's racing. Not a make the beast with two backsing tuesday afternoon day time drama show.

[Grampa]

Danika, Casey
Casey, Danika



cat fight!   or as GW would say "SIDE BY SIDE!"




 

[gm2]

THEY WEAR LEATHER SUITS!  AND HELMETS!  YES, THAT IS A HELMET!  AND LEATHER SUITS!

[Grampa]

AND THE CLUTCH LEVER IS ON THE LEFT!!!!!!!

[sh]

broke his (third) ankle.  i think that's been the only update.

and he's expected to race at brno.   

[Jester]

The point I was making is that there's a significant double standard in place.  And I'm not accusing anyone on this board.  Anyone else on the grid does something reckless, people raise hell about it.  Rossi does something reckless and its written off as a racing incident or he's praised for his superior skill.

Really it all comes down to showmanship and the want to perform for fans.  The reason everyone loves Rossi so much is that, 1) he is one of the top talents, but also 2) he is always candid, smiling, and performs for the people that come to watch races.  Stoner and Pedro are simply boring and lack the qualities that rockstars, popular sports stars, etc carry with them.  Stoner can ride, Pedrosa can ride, but neither will ever be a darling of the crowd, and therefore its much more difficult to get a lot of people to cheer them on.  I promise you, we'd much rather see a healthy Lorenzo on the podium in the next few years.  He's the same basic personality that Rossi is and he enjoys performing.

Its like when the San Antonio Spurs win the NBA championship.  The ratings are awful and no one enjoys crediting them with success.  They are defensive, boring, not flamboyant enough, and just slug there way to wins.  It works, but its more difficult to enjoy that style of play.

[sh]

first ...  ... then ... ... then ...

[arai_speed]

THEY WEAR LEATHER SUITS!  AND HELMETS!  YES, THAT IS A HELMET!  AND LEATHER SUITS!

This made me spill my drink!!!  

Great timing....  

[ROBsS4R]

 



It looks to me that both rossi and Stoner made some mistakes. One was just more lucky than the other. That corkscrew could have been really nasty.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=h4vKQUvYBXI

[sh]

Are there more photos?  This makes it look like Rossi has everything under control, but I distinctly remember him sliding down into the curb (which saved him) before sliding back onto the track.

I just have to say again ... IT WAS AWESOME!!!!  I would have ended up under Stoner's front tire.