a question for teo

teo if spain had a motogp champ to go along with alonzo in f1, and the fans were given a choice to be able to follow only one, would more follow motogp or f1? this question could apply to all actually. in your countries, if given a choice, would more pick 2 wheel or four? with or without rider/driver personalities to follow?

id say gp as i think they are more of a bike country than cars but the sports are soooooooooooooo different.
there must b more in gp than f1, spanish i mean, but wots teo gunna say

Here in the states it has to be four wheels. Ricky Carmichael is America's biggest two wheeled star and he is nothing compared to Tony Stewart. If we had an F1 champ and MotoGP champ the F1 driver would have the larger following, F1 is starting to get national TV coverage.

I'm proud to say that Mick Doohan is our most popular world motorsport champion. Then again, we haven't had many and Doohan was unstoppable.
That said, By far the most popular motorsport here is the domestic touring car championship. And even that only has one race that's really popular.

even with what happened in the F1 race with the tyre fiasco ooost? i thought that would have serious put the crowds off over there

I think in terms of numbers F1 would draw more attention. Bike fans here are numerous but in terms of popularity it has toppled. In the best years eg. 1999, when Crivillé and Alzamora were 500cc and 125cc champs respectively TV audience toppled at around 4 to 5 million, and that's as good as it gets, F1 last year reached 7 or 8 million at times, something only football (soccer) can achieve in this country.

The difference I think is the loyalty of the fans, even in the bad times bike fans still watch the races and attend the races, while in F1 if Alonso crashes out, people just change channel. F1 is quite new to most Spaniards cause there was nothing remarkable before Alonso, so I guess although it's very popular, it's not stablished.

Although I guess Alonso may change this situation if he keeps beating the crap out of Schumi and Co.

There's also a political issue, most Spanish riders are Catalan (Sete, Pedrosa, Checa, Elías ...), there's a confrontation now in Spain between the Catalans and the rest of Spain and it affects everything including sport. For example many more people followed Fonsi Nieto (from Madrid) in his fight for the 250cc title in 2003 than next year's sweep by Pedrosa.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (teomolca @ Feb 8 2006, 09:08 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>There's also a political issue, most Spanish riders are Catalan (Sete, Pedrosa, Checa, Elías ...), there's a confrontation now in Spain between the Catalans and the rest of Spain and it affects everything including sport.

What's the dispute about? I presume Alonso isn't Catalan?

Well, some of the Catalans want indepence, and those are now in power (in the Catalan regional government in coalition with the Socialists which are simple majority and need them to control the central government).
So they keep asking the Central gov for more things (more money, more investment for them, etc ..) and the rest of us are sick of them, we don't like these guys trying to tear up our country and end up like Yugoslavia. And although these Independentists commies are minority (even in Catalonia) the hatred has extended to all Catalans in general.

Wow, didnt know that sort stuff still happened in western Europe. Is it a very serious situation?

It's not like we are going to start a civil war, but it doesn't have an easy solution either.

I was completely unaware of that issue Teo, thanks for bringing it up I found it quite interesting and plan on doing a little reading on the subject. My apologies for being the introverted American.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Best Man @ Feb 7 2006, 04:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>even with what happened in the F1 race with the tyre fiasco ooost? i thought that would have serious put the crowds off over there
People were/are very upset about the tire mess but I think most have or will forgive and forget. Michelin has offered to reimburse the vast majority of ticket holders which makes it all better for me anyways. They fessed up to their mistakes and made ammends. Even with all of that, Americans are car lovers at heart. With the introduction of Scott Speed to the series I think F1 will begin to grow in the US and should rumblings of Ford reentering the series or General Motors beginning it will begin to rival NASCAR. Americans love their American made cars and drivers and that is why NASCAR is so popular, American drivers winning in American cars.

Despite what you lot may think I'm not as big of a homer as I come off. I will cheer for Scott Speed in F1, mostly for his sponsorship (and a little bit because of his nationality), but I am a JB and Honda F1 follower forever. Troy Bayliss in WSB, Jorge Lorenzo in 250, Mikka Kallio in 125, Josh Brookes in WSS. Sorry for the rant, I just don't want you all thinking I'm a homer.

Ooost, mate we know your talking about ya country and not yourself. Its ok. Besides, even if you were a homer, you wouldnt be the first blindly Patriotic person on this Forum.
You yanks gotta stick up for your homeland brother, cuz let me tell you, no-one else in the world will.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (richo @ Feb 7 2006, 08:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>You yanks gotta stick up for your homeland brother, cuz let me tell you, no-one else in the world will.
I won't get into politics but there are a lot of times when the rest of the world has good reason to let us take a verbal shallacking.

in sport u should support ur country fullstop like when england go into the world cup CUMMMM ONNNN ENGLAND, but u know wot? halfthe time they aint got a flippin chance and u know it, i know loads of me mates who keep saying england r gunna win the world cup and they have bin saying that for 20 years, wake up and smell the coffee.

To quote Team America...

"America!.... .... YEA!!!!"

Go Yanks! I'll root for my Americans even if they are not going to win a championship. For example I rooted for Bostrom last year on WSBK even knowing he wasn't going to close to a race win.

Some fav riders of mine aren't American though. Haga for WSBK, and now Barros. (I rooted for him in MotoGP). I love deep brakers and Haga's style is undeniably amazing!!

Land of the free and the home of the braaaaaaaave!!
(.... YEA!!)

That's the way XB, support ya country!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ooost @ Feb 8 2006, 03:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I won't get into politics but there are a lot of times when the rest of the world has good reason to let us take a verbal shallacking.

The states does cop a lot of abuse in this part of the world, Ooost, mainly due to the fact that the media only ever reports bad stuff. I used to belive it thinking "What a hell hole, how could you be proud of a place like that??" But I had a freind who went over there last year and he's completely changed my opinion. I heard some great things about your country.
Like cheap fuel, cheap bikes, general freindliness and hospitality (big surprise), $3000 Corvettes (You'd be lucky to get a wrecked corvette with Left Hand Drive for $10000 here), good food, and generous speed limits.
I'd really like to go there someday.

plenty of killings as well, mad as fuc. are those americans when they reach pubitty hey ooost

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rossi 46 winner @ Feb 8 2006, 08:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>plenty of killings as well, mad as fuc. are those americans when they reach pubitty hey ooost
Huh?

See that's the image the media potrays to the world about you guys, Ooost.
You have a couple of school shootings so the rest of the world is lead to belive being all American High School students are homicidal maniacs.
You gotta learn to read between the lines, winner. The Media makes its money by blowing stuff outta proportion.

I rencently had a chat with some foreigners at the bar a few days ago and I asked them about the image Americans have on the outside world. She said something along the lines of "You all are violent with your guns and you have be careful of getting robbed all the time.

That is a bad stereotype. In the movies people see cities like New York, Los Angeles, Detroit and all they ever show are the mafia or hoods where violence is exxagerated. I'm not going to say we do not have violence in those cities but it is way blown out of proportion. And it is not like that in every city of America. Then again, its not all dullsville like in Napoleon Dynamite, I think the only gun you see there is when a cow gets shot.

I'm not going to lie, there is a gun in my household for "protection" but I haven't seen it once since I moved to the states in the last 13 years.