Gaz , I posted the thread because I just see all the negativity on here which is specifically aimed at VR , often for no good reason. People try to negate his achievements by say he only got them because of favouritism and nothing to do with being talented, which he and all of them are. Yes he has had tantrums and indulged in unnecessary mind games. In that he is no different to many other sports people, footballers in particular, high talent high money, high ego and highly strung.
I should add at this point that I follow Moto GP first and foremost, without Rossi (riding) it will move on and stay successful.
I suppose I wanted people to realise that, just as it's not cool to jump on the 'bopper' bandwagon, it's equally as uncool to constantly gripe and moan at one rider WHOEVER it is!
All good and no foul has occurred
I follow MotoGP for the bikes, and the skills shown and have less time for the personalities involved (being the public shows) than I have time for my mother in law to whom neither I or my wife have spoken for 9 years ..........
You won't find me disparaging what VR has achieved as irrespective of whether he did or did not get a leg up, he still has to be consistent enough to score more points across a season than all other riders for that year ........ simple. He has to be both consistent and fast enough which even were he to have advantages (not suggesting either way), means he still has a job that has to be done and 7 times in the top class he has done so.
What I do not go for is the fact that he has been placed onto a pedestal by the organisers of the sport and as such is seemingly untouchable with criticism amongst the internet followers (and if you review my comments over years, you will see that I suggest that anyone with the power of teh pedestal who did not use it, is frankly a fool).
As for refusing to debate, it was more about keeping this to the original topic, which is doomed to failure anyway so...
1 Rossi did deserve his return to Yamaha, he won FOUR championships for them so that was always going to be a consideration!
But past .......... Hayden won a championship for HRC but that did not guarantee his longevity with HRC
Plus, Yamaha (the racing team) were said to not have wanted him back as the split was somewhat acrimonious but the Marketing team who hold the purse strings got their way (and based on timings, Carmello's comments were to say the list, coincidental)
But that said, you do not lose the innate skills he has so I fully understand why he returned to Yamaha, I may not agree with it and may have suspicions about some aspects, but do not blame him for taking the chance
2 In his time at Ducati he was usually the first one to the line!
One could well argue that this is how it should have been as he was (sorry Jums) a significantly better rider than his team mates and those riding the other Ducati, plus Ducati had made him a priority and thus, anything less just added to the failure
4 I can't remember the other points of debate, I'll have to go back and read them again!
No joking here but don't bother as most have likely been done to death and will only extend that which seems to upset or cause the anxiety - that being accusations of favouritism/rigging.
But I will again say this for you to hopefully show where I stand.
I have reasons for not liking the public persona of Rossi (experience of friends who officiate) but I also do not blame him for using any power that he has (real or perceived) to better himself in the sport and I do mean better himself as ALL of these guys are there for themselves first, second and thirdly. I do not dismiss that which he has done in the past to SNS, Turbo'd bikes or whatever but I do take umbrage that all of those riders who have challenged him have been questioned by media and fans .
My issue is that he has been allowed, nay encouraged to become the higher deity of the sport and has been provided with a high pedestal from which to preach to his disciples, but again, were any rider to be given the opportunity they would be foolish not to accept it.
The issue is that all of the eggs are now in the one basket, and that basket is to precious and worth to much to the organisers to allow some of those eggs to spill.
But, between Green light and chequer, if he rides well and fairly then I will give credit, but after the chequer I would much rather hear another song by damn Adele than hear the publicity drivel that will be spewed forth by near ALL who are interviewed (I do enjoy the non political correctness of some)
I actually suspect that our views are closer than may be realised with regards to the 'hatred', but as Mike has said, this place is but a very small part of the internet and whilst it may currently seem to be hating on VR , it is also a place with some excellent experience and knowledge of teh sport and participants, present and past
