Joined Jan 2011
3K Posts | 152+
The North!
Joined Aug 2007
11K Posts | 3K+
Pomona NY
Why is it that Stoner Detractors refuse to accept his reasons for leaving at face value? Does it have anything to do with the way he repeatedly kicked Rossi's ...? Not to mention the fact he put the nail in the coffin of any hopes for a tenth "Goat" championship. Hmmm...
Some riders stay on fighting long after they're no longer competitive because they are so one dimensional - they can't imagine doing anything else.
Stoner on the other hand - was a more well balanced individual for whom personal happiness outweighed any need to prove himself to his detractors. He'd paid his dues, ridden legendary races, and found on balance - that it would be more gratifying to live a life away from the press and crazy fans and ........ politics - and enjoy a nice normal life with family and friends. He wasn't interested in playing the part of "Legendary Racer". He'd been on the road since he was a little kid. It was time to enjoy the fruits of his labors; to get the payday for which he and his family had sacrificed so much.
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Joined Apr 2015
6K Posts | 5K+
NJ
The mentally weak detractors of Stoner ignore Phillip Island 2009 when it was the only time he was really challenged there from 2007 thru 2012. Rossi did push him hard, but Stoner never relented...lap after lap of metronomic precision. Incredible race...Stoner controlled the gap perfectly for the full race distance. He was gaining at least 3 tenths in turn 3 by carrying the corner speed through there which Rossi couldn't do.
Mental toughness or lack thereof was never an issue on track for Casey. He quit because of the blatantly rigged sporting environment Dorna created so as to facilitate what was once believed by many to be an annual formality with the awarding of that year's championship to Valentino Rossi at season's end. If he were mentally weak as some here are claiming or insinuating, he'd have wound up without any wins or titles. It was his mental toughness on track that led him to success and to not back down from the golden child.
Mental toughness or lack thereof was never an issue on track for Casey. He quit because of the blatantly rigged sporting environment Dorna created so as to facilitate what was once believed by many to be an annual formality with the awarding of that year's championship to Valentino Rossi at season's end. If he were mentally weak as some here are claiming or insinuating, he'd have wound up without any wins or titles. It was his mental toughness on track that led him to success and to not back down from the golden child.
It's a bit early to rule out a 10th title my man. The "golden child" as someone squeaked out, is not looking so bad right now.
Joined Feb 2007
11K Posts | 2K+
Tennessee
To watch the freakish talents on display from engineer to rider. THE END
I'm not refusing to accept them, I'm just speculating. However, it is certainly possible he spun one version of why he left the sport, while another is actually the truth.
Just like it's possible that Rossi does not believe MM was really out to get him last year.
Joined Aug 2007
11K Posts | 3K+
Pomona NY
Well we all love to speculate here, tho speculation based on something resembling actual facts does make for more rewarding discourse.
You said he suffered from an inert personality. That would I expect be inert as say contrasted with the absurdly over the top extrovert rider who has a new helmet design every ten minutes, makes googly eyes and waves to the bike's tail camera at the end of a good race like the host of a children's TV show. Apparently Stoner's incredible riding just wasn't sufficiently stimulating for some. That being the case, those same people probably wouldn't have thought much of Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, Kevin Schwantz etc etc, as they were not known for clowning for the camera or trying to entertain the masses - once they were off the bike.
Agree 100%.
Keshav, I used the wrong word there, I meant to use inner personality, not inert. Although I don't care for Jlo's off the bike demeanor, I would't describe him as inert, lol.
Call me any name you like, but I rather enjoy Rossi's overt nature, possibly because I'm a natural introvert and always wanted to be more outgoing.
And Rossi is not the only rider to wave at the tail cam or other cams. I recall Marc doing this as well. Honestly I just think it makes them seem more human.
I also never criticized Stoner's riding. To the contrary, I'd love to see him make a return next year.
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Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
I guess it depends on what GOAT means, using your criteria, I totally agree. Great post bro.
Stalin is the GOAT of Russia. Putin is good, but he's got nothing on Stalin.
This is how I described my sentiment to Arrabi the other day:
'I have little to no faith in it (MotoGP) as an authentic competition because the power politics are rife (infinitely more sophisticated in the modern era). I understand my lense is particularly intense, however my perspective for GP is that it's much more susceptible to what we experience in the wider socio-economic power politics as pawns in a Game of Thrones, except the game is being played in a dictatorship tax haven island nation--(DORNA).
Frankly my dear friend, I always find it difficult to balance discussions about the proceedings wilst the Yellow Elephant in the room exists. So in essence, I feel there is a futility in discussing the finer points of Mark Maguire's swing on a home run at bat (in reference to the last race).'
....
Rossi in terms of domination of a sport is certainly the GOAT for the reason being he is the exclusive figure. But it's partly do to the modern sophistication of business. 60 years ago you could walk in a rob a bank. Now the banks are robbing the masses at alarming pace (not just customer fees, but billion dollar tax payer bailouts). And they're doing it legally thanks to their sophisticated lobbying of law makers, laws disguised as consumer protections! That's because the system is 'rigged' in their favor. JP Morgan Chase, the GOAT Finance?
In the 80's a group of executive bankers sat around a table in Texas to brainstorm how they could gain more customers. Out of that meeting they came up with the plan to offer "free checking accounts", something they had previously charged. It proliferate and banks gained customers by the millions. Were banks in the giving mood? No. Because part of that meeting they schemed to increase hidden fees, particularly NSFs checks. It was a watershed moment. Profits skyrocketed, yet they were "giving" their checking accounts out for "free". This is the world we live in, this is an example of the type of executive power meetings from 40-50 years ago, it's become more sophisticated. Who thinks these types of meets are rare in executive board meeting? Why oh why do people think Dorna and the sport, headed by a tiny group of executives with almost absolute control, operate in a bubble of authenticity and integrity?
We see it play out in front of our faces, and yet nobody is really looking around the room incredulously with the look, "did you just see that?" Wait wait, something isn't right. Oh that, no its your imagination, it's all legal you see. Oh oh, ok, then that's OK then.
We don't for a moment think there are meetings like the one by those Texas bankers in MotoGP? We saw the sport go from a Michelin tier sysyem defacto supplier to a Bridgestone one wilst at the time it was surrounded by a similar intensity of power political drama as we saw at the end of last season. Nobody looked around and thought, that's weird, Stoner dominated 07 and now seems to spend more time in the gravel year after year, oh but hey, Rossi is winning-- squirrel! If you saw the post race press conference of Jerez, it was laughable how everyone intuitively expressed a sense of an overwhelmingly uncharacteristic race proceeding; but nobody connecting dots! If Rossi/Dorna got into the real estate business as part of buying a #46 hat, specializing in beach front property in Kansas, his sales would be through the roof.
jum, your theory would be more powerful if Rossi in fact took the crown last year. Just hear me out for a sec. If what you say is true, why didn't these secret meetings result in Lorenzo getting a bunch of tires that would have him "in the gravel", or spinning tires? Then, their brilliant scheme would come to fruition and their Golden Boy would have waked with his 10th title. So, I'm not saying at all that it's inconceivable they would try to fix the series in favor of Rossi. But if they did, wouldn't it have made more sense for him to actually win the title?
Joined Feb 2007
11K Posts | 2K+
Tennessee
They cant simply run it like a Russian election, even the dumbest of fans would sniff that out and that would be the end. What they do is make subtle changes that sway things in favor of who they want to win but its still up to the chosen one to deliver. Why do you think there is a blind draw of tires even with a one tire system. People know that without it, there would be a special set made for whomever it was that would make them the most money by winning. Why do you think Carmelo said " I am calm, Valentino will be on a competitive bike in 2013" before negotiations had even begun for the following year.In his position, he should never ever be involved with rider contracts, but there he was, brokering deals to get Rossi tires in 2008, and back on the Yamaha in 2013 Why, every time Stoner appeared to be taking control of the sport were there MAJOR changes that killed his chances. This .... isnt coincidental.Its all about money, and Rossi makes them money. The other riders begrudgingly go along with it because it makes them money as well. Before Rossi came along, 5-10-15 million dollar contracts simply didnt exist, the other riders do owe him that.
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
Again, I'm not saying your theory is inconceivable, but it would seemingly be very easy for them to sneak Rossi a set of SNS tires over the course of a few extra races last year, which would have seen the anointed king win the title, thus making them even more money.
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
Rossi threatened to QUIT the sport in 2007 if he didn’t get the Bridgestone. That's close to a decade ago. God I wish Bridgestone hadn't caved to Dorna's mafia style pressure. Imagine, the last 9 years without a yellow ....... in the paddock?
Content Warning: Look ....... (.)(.)
Joined Oct 2006
25K Posts | 4K+
Your Mom's House
The 2007 championship is one of the greatest achievements in GP history. And it also happens to be one most overwhelmingly misunderstood and disparaged. In this way it's very similar to 2006.
That was apparently a tactic Rossi was using, right? I would argue that is way different than Stoner not being strong enough mentally to remain in the sport.
And if Rossi hadn't been in the sport for the last 9 years, you'd have lower rider pay as someone mentioned, and you'd be lucky to be able to find motogp on some sorry ... mico-network, at 4am, squeezed in between informercials and MASH reruns.
Joined Jul 2015
812 Posts | 336+
Hurricane, WV
I am still not sure why you would consider it the greatest achievements. Just because he a ...... year before?
Different strokes and all I guess..
Joined Jul 2015
812 Posts | 336+
Hurricane, WV
