<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mr. Shupe @ Mar 10 2008, 02:18 PM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The Cardenas haters need to grow up. That was ONE incident, check that, a
near miss. I hope Roger Hayden doesn't make a crazy mistake, then you would have to hate his guts too.
I agree with you Mr. Shupe. The hater-rant part of my post should be chastised for its offensive language and excessive loathing. I deserve the chastisement for its surplus exclamation. I have a tendency of being too profane when I post sometimes. I apologize for that, surely I have offended many a high-minded reader as yourself . I’ve read your post and know you to be fair all the time and generally agree with everything you say, so I’m not in a hurry to be on the other end of a debate that surely I would be at a disadvantage to prevail.
But consider these quotes of other more well-expressed and self-restrained members regarding this incident:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JohnnyKnockdown @ Sep 16 2007, 02:41 PM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>-Cardenas move into the corkscrew was Guintoliesque. I watched him line that up all the while screaming noooooooooooooooooo!
He could have really hurt someone and screwed up the championship.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Sep 16 2007, 03:12 PM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm not big on governing bodies stepping in to hand out punishments but Cardenas needs at least a mean spirited letter from the AMA
Trying to bite 2 Kawasakis (Rapp and Hayden: for those who missed the race) going into the corkscrew was preposterous. Not only was the move unsuccessful but it cause Rap and Hayden to go off into the dust bin, and there was a smack up right behind the three of them.
I love hard racing, but when you forget to calculate for the confines of the track and you start offroading to get your face in the papers, you need at least a slap on the wrist.
Another young Latin Don Quixote charging the windmill in a quest for unattainable personal glory.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bull Goose @ Sep 18 2007, 06:20 AM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I agree that what Cardenas did was pretty dangerous. ........
Cardenas should have looked for a different spot; when you screw up at the corkscrew, you can screw up really big.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Sep 19 2007, 07:18 AM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>What Cardenas did was way different......Cardenas tried to take 2 bikes that were running nose to tale at the same time heading into the screw and that just isnt a possibility unless they are back markers.When 3 guys are battling for a title and its the last race of the year,its kind of understood that you dont go out and decide the title when your not part of it.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hayden Fan @ Sep 20 2007, 02:33 PM)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Watched the race again, and Cardenas tried to pull the Alex Zanardi pass on Bryan Herta-type pass there, and couldn't do it. But in his case, he nearly broadsided Hayden and pushed Rapp right off the track.
Granted, my hate rant is over the top for sure (most of which should be taken with a grain of salt), I get that, but the incident last year had championship ramifications all over it. I remember you had made a case for Cardenas (or it seemed) for him to replace Barnes (so maybe you have a soft place for him, perhaps you are a fan). But consider this: that
“near miss” could have been the one
deciding factor on the championship (
I would rather skip the essay explaining the significance of a title and the life-long impact such an achievement makes on a life and career; because I consider you a learned and eloquent individual). Racing is racing; nonetheless, not all
“mistakes” are created equal. What Cardenas attempted was not a basic miscalculated hard pass move but rather a bonsai at the
most technical and tricky part of the track. Passing
one rider is hard enough among professional racers. Had he attempted this and screwed up on a non-contender, maybe I might be more inclined to agree with you, but he
attempted to pass two professional racers at the same time! Now that seems rather ill-conceived, and based on the outcome, it was. The only thing that kept it from becoming catastrophic was the
saving maneuver by Rapp (going into the gravel) and Hayden (keeping his composure). It seems to me you are
characterizing his “near miss” and “mistake” much too common and casual.
At what point then can we say a rider is reckless? Are all
impossible moves
deemed “mistakes” when the outcome is
not disastrous? Hell even disastrous moves like Pedrosa crashing of Nicky was called by most as a “simple racing incident”.
So when, if ever, can bad moves be considered generated by irresponsible recklessness and chastise the move accordingly? I’ve learned the
answer to this question is it depends on
for whom one is a fan of. If you recall, Elias was chastised for being “reckless and irresponsible” for that hard pass on Rossi in Turkey last year. Yet Rossi was
NOT taken out and remained with the group for another few laps or so until something gave way (some of course said the tires). So then, are we left only the
realm of relativity and subjectivity—dependant upon mere FANATICISM? If this is the case, and we can not make an
object standard for distinguishing between an
irresponsible, dangerous, FOOLISH/SELF-IMPORTANT rider vs. a “near miss”, “mistake”, “hard racing”, etc. Then
I choose to characterize Cardenas move AND AS A RIDER,
reckless and irresponsible generated by a malicious desire for personal glory at the expense of putting other riders in personal physical danger and a blatant disregard of jeopardizing the outcome of a championship title for others, along with all the accolades and sacrifices that such an achievement entails.
I suppose I could have taken the time to write why I dislike Cardenas more nicely, but I went with the low and easy road of just calling him “slimy amphibian fecal material” (among other things).
(I've gone back to EDIT my post above regarding Cardenas)
