Don't lose your awareness Rossi..

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Nov 17 2008, 03:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>This statement is true of any rider.

You on a school break and smokin' the weed Tom? Let's just take, "The fact is that when my bike is prepared and I can ride like I want to, no one can beat me." and analyze it: are you really saying that any rider (MotoGP or otherwise) on a well prepared bike is capable of winning almost at will? ........! There are precious few in history who have that sort of talent, smarts and determination - check the "Legends" section on MotoGP.com and drop most of them and there you have the short list of riders who could possibly live up to that statement. Also check the "Legends" thread on this forum for a history lesson from those of us old enough to remember a lot of it.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mick D @ Nov 19 2008, 07:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>You on a school break and smokin' the weed Tom? Let's just take, "The fact is that when my bike is prepared and I can ride like I want to, no one can beat me." and analyze it: are you really saying that any rider (MotoGP or otherwise) on a well prepared bike is capable of winning almost at will? ........! There are precious few in history who have that sort of talent, smarts and determination - check the "Legends" section on MotoGP.com and drop most of them and there you have the short list of riders who could possibly live up to that statement.
I think he means that every rider with a well prepared bike which can be ridden as they wish, has that same belief, and if you don't believe you can win there's no point in being out there. Unfortunately Tom has not taken into account the legion of riders who circulate year by year for the incentives of a fat pay cheque bouyed by an ocean of sponsorship deals, where the motivation to race simply equates as a means to a bountiful retirement plan, having lost that hunger many years ago. We all know who they are. ( Has anyone one told Hopper that at 21 he's too young to have been afflicted by this?)

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arrabbiata1 @ Nov 20 2008, 03:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think he means that every rider with a well prepared bike which can be ridden as they wish, has that same belief, and if you don't believe you can win there's no point in being out there. Unfortunately Tom has not taken into account the legion of riders who circulate year by year for the incentives of a fat pay cheque bouyed by an ocean of sponsorship deals, where the motivation to race simply equates as a means to a bountiful retirement plan, having lost that hunger many years ago. We all know who they are. ( Has anyone one told Hopper that at 21 he's too young to have been afflicted by this?)

Belief in one's self and confidence are a prerequisite to winning but years (too many to count) of observing all forms of sport and competition have led me to conclude there are very few, even at the upper echelons of their particular endeavor, who have the mix of mental toughness, vision, skill and luck necessary to CONSISTENTLY succeed and back up a statement like Rossi's.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arrabbiata1 @ Nov 19 2008, 09:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think he means that every rider with a well prepared bike which can be ridden as they wish, has that same belief, and if you don't believe you can win there's no point in being out there. Unfortunately Tom has not taken into account the legion of riders who circulate year by year for the incentives of a fat pay cheque bouyed by an ocean of sponsorship deals, where the motivation to race simply equates as a means to a bountiful retirement plan, having lost that hunger many years ago. We all know who they are. ( Has anyone one told Hopper that at 21 he's too young to have been afflicted by this?)

Have to go with MD here. Nothing in Tom's words indicated that this was about belief, and even if it was, not even that would be true. Not for me and not for most other racers either. Few actually belive they can beat anyone, end only the elite of the elite can actually back it up by results. This is neither about legions of riders that ride for a big pay check as those making moeny on this as riders are precious few. Most riders pay out of their own pockets or use parents money and do it for the love of the sport and the thrill.

The point is that if I had a well prepared bike and could ride like i want, i'd be unbeatable too. The statement is really quite pointless. The thing that makes Rossi special is that how he wants to ride and how he can actually ride are the same far more often than anyone else. Just wanting to be the best is obviously not enough.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Nov 21 2008, 09:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The point is that if I had a well prepared bike and could ride like i want, i'd be unbeatable too. The statement is really quite pointless. The thing that makes Rossi special is that how he wants to ride and how he can actually ride are the same far more often than anyone else. Just wanting to be the best is obviously not enough.

That's quite obvious not what Rossi ment by "ride like i want". It's often used in racing and points to problems in the setup not enabeling the rider to do what he wants within his capability.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Nov 21 2008, 03:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The point is that if I had a well prepared bike and could ride like i want, i'd be unbeatable too. The statement is really quite pointless. The thing that makes Rossi special is that how he wants to ride and how he can actually ride are the same far more often than anyone else. Just wanting to be the best is obviously not enough.

Tom, are you really that daft and trying to defend your obvious misunderstanding of Rossi's statemant? Have you ever heard Rossi speak? His english is good but the italian grammatical syntaxes are obvious. When he states, "The fact is that when my bike is prepared and I can ride like I want to, no one can beat me." He is stating, "The fact is that when my bike is prepared [well, properly, ideally] and I can ride [it] like I want to, no one can beat me." The dropped words are quite common if english isn't your first language.

Babel, WTFs wrong with that Tom dude?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mick D @ Nov 22 2008, 05:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Tom, are you really that daft and trying to defend your obvious misunderstanding of Rossi's statemant? Have you ever heard Rossi speak? His english is good but the italian grammatical syntaxes are obvious. When he states, "The fact is that when my bike is prepared and I can ride like I want to, no one can beat me." He is stating, "The fact is that when my bike is prepared [well, properly, ideally] and I can ride [it] like I want to, no one can beat me." The dropped words are quite common if english isn't your first language.

Babel, WTFs wrong with that Tom dude?