Pedrosa is an idiot

[AshliRider44]

Hehe... Yeah, I guess you're right. Honda sucks, Hayden just got called "Nikki", and we've had a double-penetration reset.

Yup... This it's the Colorado Sportbike Club, alright.

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

There are quite a few scenarios that could have lead to that crash, but if it was a result of Pedrosa trying to prove something or racing to win then I think he's an idiot.

Well, of COURSE Dani was racing to prove something/win. 1st ALWAYS pays better, and makes him look better. Wouldn't you race to win? He's a professional that from what I've seen, rarely crashes. Team orders would have prevented that scenario, plain and simple. Look at Ferrari or Yamaha. Because of the lack of them, Dani was going for it, and I don't blame him at all. It was a racing incident. He's got HIS career advancement to think about, not Nicky's.

P.S. Honduh sucks...

[~Barn~]

And just to offer a quick (legit) reply. Good points McV and Yusuke. There are a ton of externalities that come into play, no-doubt. Politics, self-preservation in the career of roadracer, respect for sponsors, so-on, so-forth...

Now outta control egos aside (re: the parallel to T.O.), I still find it very hard to believe that a competitive rider would somehow be able to flip that switch that puts him in a mode of “I better rethink this?”, and concentrate on those external priorities.
A.) It’s the heat of battle.
B.) Team orders are absent.
And most importantly C.) Competitive nature is what got them to this level in the first place.

You can even throw D.) in there, that they are battling for desirable “finishes”. Both race wise, and season wise.

I think the best example I can give, is Colin Edwards. Yusuke pegged him perfectly as being one of those riders who probably won’t be amongst the elite in the years to come, and who was never a real threat this year. Yet in this race, he was was praised for performing many tasks perfectly. Racing hard, protecting a teammate, and competing for a top-spot. Yet look a couple races back! (I forget which location it was), but Colin and Nicky were fighting tooth and nail for the top step on the box. And on the last turn of the last lap, they collided. Colin crashed himself into 13th, and Nicky (despite dirt tracking it) kept it up and went on to win. One hell of a near miss for a potential champ/points-leader, and… well… the crash of Edwards speaks for itself.

Now granted, they aren’t team members, but it’s an example of a rider who is not in “big picture contention”, fighting it out with the current points leader, for a race win. The crash lost “Manufacturer Championship” points for Yamaha, and it could have very well crashed both riders out. But it’s just lends to my thought of how competitors can’t turn that shit off. It’s their personality; Their makeup.

Anyway… not to beat it into the ground, but D.P’s move was totally gutsy, and definitely not in keeping with the “Preserve The Greater Good” train of thought. In hind-sight, it wasn’t even a smart idea. Not only because of the Honda-Disaster, but for his personal standing in the series. But in the end, I understand why this stuff happens. It doesn’t help matters either, that Nicky threw a I’m-going-to-make-this-stick pass on D.P. on the previous lap either.
Anybody think that move was absolutely necessary?
Anybody think that move maybe reinforced some pre-existing competitiveness?

I just don’t think that what we’re talking about here, crosses these guys minds when they are out there fighting. And I also don’t think "fighting" is over-stating it, either. They are highly driven men, fighting (first and foremost), for a personal cause, and it’s hard to step out of that, at any age. Especially for what amounts to 20some year old kids. The absence of team orders does kind of baffle me, but it is what it is.

And that being said, the only idiots in this situation are the brass at HRC, that didn’t take into consideration the mindset of these young men, and address it for them. I can’t fault Dani for competing, and I can’t fault Nicky for not approaching D.P. himself, pre-race. They’re both amazing talents, and I’m sure amazingly nice guys, but 25 year old kids just don’t think of that stuff. At least may not until it hits home.

[rybo]

but Colin and Nicky were fighting tooth and nail for the top step on the box. And on the last turn of the last lap, they collided. Colin crashed himself into 13th, and Nicky (despite dirt tracking it) kept it up and went on to win. One hell of a near miss for a potential champ/points-leader, and… well… the crash of Edwards speaks for itself.

Even at that, Colin crashed, picked up the bike AND finished in the points. Any way you cut it he's a serious competitor.

Do I think Edwards will be Moto GP world champion? No. That being said, his racing is at a level that justifies him being in the chase.

[McVaaahhh]

Well, of COURSE Dani was racing to prove something/win. 1st ALWAYS pays better, and makes him look better. Wouldn't you race to win? He's a professional that from what I've seen, rarely crashes. Team orders would have prevented that scenario, plain and simple. Look at Ferrari or Yamaha. Because of the lack of them, Dani was going for it, and I don't blame him at all. It was a racing incident. He's got HIS career advancement to think about, not Nicky's.

P.S. Honduh sucks...

Hell yeah he should ride hard and try and win, but my point was more that your career advancement can be halted quite quickly if you're such an ass that nobody wants to work with you.



Take the scenerio that at the last lap Rossi is leading, Pedrosa second and Hayden third. Does Pedrosa let him by? What if it were the last race and letting him by would win Hayden the championship while not letting him by would hand the championship to Rossi? Would team "orders" have changed? Would Pedrosa have just "done the right thing" for the team/Hayden? Shit, who knows.

I've seen a lot of negativity towards Hayden and Honda which leads me to wonder if this thread would have been different if it were Edwards that had taken out Rossi? I would bet that a lot of folks would change their views of what happened and bash the hell out of Edwards.

Personally I could give shit about what bikes they were on. Although I ride a Honda I have no allegiance to Honda. (I've owned two Hondas and two Yamahas, and for cars I've owned 1 Dodge, 1 Ford, 2 Chevy's, and 2 Nissans) I'll buy whatever suits me at the time, as I see no loyalty coming from the manufacturer to me. I don't see a post from Honda Inc. that says McVaaahhh rules and all others suck.

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

Dear CSC,
We just wanted to tell all the members that McVaaahhh rules and all others suck.

Thank you,

Sincerely, Honduh Inc.

Well, I'm not really negative about Nicky, hey, he's a great guy and good racer, but maybe not a GREAT racer. I just said I was underwhelmed by him over the years. It took him how many years to get to the points lead, and that mostly because of misfortune to Rossi and Capirossi. Look what Dani is doing his first year comparatively.

[~Barn~]

Don't you mean Tommy Hayden? Bwahahahhahahahaha...


Sorry.

[Feathered upstart!]

[McVaaahhh]

Dear CSC,
We just wanted to tell all the members that McVaaahhh rules and all others suck.

Thank you,

Sincerely, Honduh Inc.

Fuckin-A right.

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

Don't you mean Tommy Hayden? Bwahahahhahahahaha...


Sorry.

Yeah, like I said, all you friggin' white people look the same to me!

[green_zx7r]

I enjoyed the discussions very much McVaaaahh, RYBO, and Barn. Probably one of the more enjoyable threads (for me at least) on this board in my opinion!

SO, are we or are we not getting together to watch the final race at Valencia? I could provide, but I've got a new born that would make any MotoGP bike sound like a street bike, and TV will be hard to hear.

Anybody have hook ups at sports bars where we can go watch?

[Mel]

I enjoyed the discussions very much McVaaaahh, RYBO, and Barn. Probably one of the more enjoyable threads (for me at least) on this board in my opinion!

SO, are we or are we not getting together to watch the final race at Valencia? I could provide, but I've got a new born that would make any MotoGP bike sound like a street bike, and TV will be hard to hear.

Anybody have hook ups at sports bars where we can go watch?

Come down to Jillians....they will have it playing on a couple TV's at a time there.

[Spiderman]

I'll give Mark a call and see if we can set up something official at Jillians. I'll post up a new thread with the details (assuming it comes together).

[~Barn~]

After Dean's party, I'm thinking I won't even be awake. VCR, here I come!

If I am awake though, then I'm watching this where I lay.

[Feathered upstart!]

Dude, get a DVR!

[green_zx7r]

I'll give Mark a call and see if we can set up something official at Jillians. I'll post up a new thread with the details (assuming it comes together).

Thanks Mel and Bob, I'll plan on being there! Hopefully we can get something official going!

[~Barn~]

Dude, get a DVR!

I dunno man. I dig the technology of DVR's and what they can do, but I love my VCR. It's never let me down. I can record any and everything I want. When the ocassion arises, I can record 1 thing while I watch another, and most importantly, the VHS tapes are portable. (Ask Bob how handy that feature is!)
Heck... that's something DVR's can't even offer in-and-of-themselves.

But yeah... DVRs are dope technology. Until the day where I am somehow limited or inconvenienced by my VHS though, I just don't need one. Certainly not for the $10/month that Comcast quotes on it's site.

[KooLaid]

Well, I'm not really negative about Nicky, hey, he's a great guy and good racer, but maybe not a GREAT racer. I just said I was underwhelmed by him over the years. It took him how many years to get to the points lead, and that mostly because of misfortune to Rossi and Capirossi. Look what Dani is doing his first year comparatively.

regardless of how his "Greatness", how ever someone chooses to define, he made it this far to be in top contention for the championship somehow. As long as he's doesn't bribe his body guard to bust Rossi's knees before Valencia(T. Harding/N. Kerrigan) or have Dani ram his bike into Rossi on the final laps of the race (P. Tracy/Alex tagliani, then Sebastien Bourdais). LoL, I'm sure someone gets the idea, lol. May not be the greatest, but great "enough" to make it this far.

[Spiderman]

and most importantly, the VHS tapes are portable. (Ask Bob how handy that feature is!)

True (and thanks again). We finally got Dish installed (only option at the condo complex we live in) and opted for a DVR - let me tell you, they rock - and the way we have it set up right now, I can record anything from the DVR onto VHS if I need to make it portable.

[McVaaahhh]

I enjoyed the discussions very much McVaaaahh, RYBO, and Barn. Probably one of the more enjoyable threads (for me at least) on this board in my opinion!

SO, are we or are we not getting together to watch the final race at Valencia? I could provide, but I've got a new born that would make any MotoGP bike sound like a street bike, and TV will be hard to hear.

Anybody have hook ups at sports bars where we can go watch?

I'd be down for that, but I will be in Florida for a little vaca.

[N1KSS1KS1x]

So is there anything planed for sunday ?

[~Barn~]

So is there anything planed for sunday ?

I plan on being remarkably hungover.

[Spiderman]

I spoke to Mark over at Jillians, and he said he would try to get us a room to watch the race (can't have it at the bar because they're going to be busy with the NFL big ticket or something). Still waiting to hear back from him. He was supposed to call me Monday. I left him a message Monday evening, but didn't hear back from him Tuesday. I'll try calling again Wednesday. As soon as I know for sure, I'll post something up.