Pedrosa heads home early

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SackWack @ Aug 19 2008, 11:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Oh Haga .... boy Your about as sharp as a marble.

Cheers mate.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SackWack @ Aug 19 2008, 03:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Oh Haga .... boy Your about as sharp as a marble.

come on...no need for that, it's all a matter of opinions. Here is my opinion about Nicky Hayden, yeah i like the guy cuz it seems like he go balls out everytime he rides, and his riding style is aggressive which i think is why people like him soo much(his upright stance on the machine). But as far as outright speed goes, i just don't think he has it. A podium finisher....yeah, but a consistent winner.... no. Thats just my opinion, doesn't mean i don't like the guy because i think he is entertaining to watch when he is in a battle... but other than i just don't see him up in the front with the likes of Rossi, Stoner, Lorenzo, Pedrosa.

Keep an eye on Dovizioso though... he is the future of Moto GP, the one guy who can really take it to Rossi.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Teomolca @ Aug 19 2008, 01:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The test was rescheduled to give time Michelin to make some tyres that will actually work, there's no point in running around with useless tyres, today there were just 2 Michelin riders testing cause it's obvious they still are running the same .... Michelin had for the race.

You don't gain any testing knowledge lapping 3 seconds off the pace, it's the most sensible idea to leave it for better moment.

About dedication ... well Dani rode a race in pain suffering to get one ...... point that will most likely wont be useful for nothing, he went to Laguna despite Doctors told him you wontbe able to race, he wanted to try. So IMO his determination to is beyond doubts. What Michelin was doing in this test is WASTING their riders time. No point in testing something you've already seen doesn´t work during the weekend. As usual Dani haters taking a dig at Dani for anything he does ... so sad.

I see your point Teo. Its not that far fetched and I would 'almost' agree with you except that Dani did something that I think was the tell tale sign for leaving early, and that was to announce it before he even started. In other words, it was part of an attempt to protest and express his disgust at the French tire company. This is the part that I disagree with, it smacks of unprofessionalism and lack of commitment (my bias opinion, I'm sure you disagree).

Keep in mind that tires are one of many crucial elements of a package. Its not like if the tires suck there is no work to be done testing other parts, settings and situation. For example, he still has to finish the season with Michelin, and lets suppose in the likely event that Michelin again brings inferior tires to the party, well perhaps testing with these may at least reveal something in set up that they could do different in a future race situation. Perhaps this could pay off in at least a higher finishing order. But by leaving early eliminates any possibility of attaining some knowledge for this type of contingency. (Think about this for a moment).

So expressing his frustration with the tires is ok (as did Colin though he managed to do it in a more professional manner) its just seems to me that his additional pouting by leaving early in frustration took the issue to a place that I think reveals a bit of his character. I realize you are a fan, and I understand why you would defend his decision to leave early. Perhaps the respectable thing to do is to soldier away and present oneself as having a strong work ethic despite the poor performance and let down by Michelin. In this way, people might respect him a bit and say, well look at him, he is still recovering from injury and Michelin let him down, but he is out there putting in laps trying to figure something out. But by leaving early he opened himself for this kind of trash talk.

Seriously, I personally think Dani is part victim of Alberto Puig's lack of decency that has influence him to become arrogant. Dani was a very young and impressionable person with a lot of talent who has been under the constant influence of a preponderant control freak who’s goal is to make a premier class champion with no concern of imparting decent human qualities.

I hate to compare Dani and Nicky, but since they are in the same team, it sometimes begs comparison, and here I think there is something to say for the stark difference between the men behind the riders such as Albert Puig and Earl Hayden. Just a thought.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Haga @ Aug 19 2008, 02:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Likable???

Most MotoGP fans I know hate Nicky because he is probably the most undeserving rider to ever ride for factory Honda. 6 years he has spent at Repsol and he's won 3 races, 2 of which were at his home GP and the other CE gifted him. Nicky won 06 because his title contenders were all having crashes/retirements/injuries/bad luck and he capitalised on that but he only won 2 races that season and in the last part of the season he was less than satisfactory.

Even before Dani came to Repsol Nicky was poor, his debut season was what was to be expected from a debuting rider but 04 was very poor and apart from Laguna, Istanbul and Valencia 05 was also dissapointing. If Nicky does go to Ducati next year he'll fail worse than Marco has done this year and you'll finally realise that he isn't as great as you think.
No comment.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Aug 20 2008, 08:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>No comment.

thanks for not commenting...as if the stoner-rossi comparison is not enough. we don't need to drag an issue that died two years ago.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Haga @ Aug 19 2008, 09:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Likable???

Most MotoGP fans I know hate Nicky because he is probably the most undeserving rider to ever ride for factory Honda. 6 years he has spent at Repsol and he's won 3 races, 2 of which were at his home GP and the other CE gifted him. Nicky won 06 because his title contenders were all having crashes/retirements/injuries/bad luck and he capitalised on that but he only won 2 races that season and in the last part of the season he was less than satisfactory.

Even before Dani came to Repsol Nicky was poor, his debut season was what was to be expected from a debuting rider but 04 was very poor and apart from Laguna, Istanbul and Valencia 05 was also dissapointing. If Nicky does go to Ducati next year he'll fail worse than Marco has done this year and you'll finally realise that he isn't as great as you think.
Dude your out of your mind. He won the championship, More than I can say for most of the GP grid. He is a good rider and hopefully gets the Duc ride to prove people that doubt that he is worth it.

You only have to go to a GP to see how popular Nicky is. He can't get on Rossi's level (nobody can) but besides that hes about the most popular rider out there

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (somedamnwriter @ Aug 20 2008, 01:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>thanks for not commenting...as if the stoner-rossi comparison is not enough. we don't need to drag an issue that died two years ago.

I apologise for bringing it up, i'm just very passionate about my own opinions and expressing them.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Haga @ Aug 20 2008, 02:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I apologise for bringing it up, i'm just very passionate about my own opinions and expressing them.
thats fine, just dont make the mistake of thinking your feelings are a cross section of motogp fan beliefs.!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>Most MotoGP fans I know hate Nicky because he is probably the most undeserving rider to ever ride for factory Honda.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ Aug 20 2008, 03:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>thats fine, just dont make the mistake of thinking your feelings are a cross section of motogp fan beliefs.!

Trust me mate, i've got a few mates know are very knowledgable on the sport and they despise Nicky more than me. I have defended Nicky for years but i'm not defending him anymore.

A balanced view of Hayden would put him within the top 5 every race he entered healthy and on comparable equipment to his competition. What more can you expect of any rider in this series? It is rare. Ducati will be the home Nicky has never had at Honda but always worked for. I think even he will be surprised at the difference. I hope for him he lands that ride because he needs it as much as it needs him.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Haga @ Aug 20 2008, 09:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Trust me mate, i've got a few mates know are very knowledgable on the sport and they despise Nicky more than me. I have defended Nicky for years but i'm not defending him anymore.

Sounds like a small group to me, I know many on this forum pull for somone else but respect Hayden and have over the last few years at least acknowledged to some degree the questionable treatment he's recieved from HRC since coming to MotoGP.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Haga @ Aug 20 2008, 03:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Trust me mate, i've got a few mates know are very knowledgable on the sport and they despise Nicky more than me. I have defended Nicky for years but i'm not defending him anymore.
that may be so but there are far more peeps here than you have friend's who probably have far more knowledge of the sport than you and your mates who dont hate and despise nicky, so you and your mate are in the minority.

are you on a fishing expo by any chance ?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gsfan @ Aug 20 2008, 03:36 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>A balanced view of Hayden would put him within the top 5 every race he entered healthy and on comparable equipment to his competition. What more can you expect of any rider in this series? It is rare. Ducati will be the home Nicky has never had at Honda but always worked for. I think even he will be surprised at the difference. I hope for him he lands that ride because he needs it as much as it needs him.
how did you work that one out ? you cant say "what if's" is a "balanced view ".

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (roger-m @ Aug 20 2008, 06:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>that may be so but there are far more peeps here than you have friend's who probably have far more knowledge of the sport than you and your mates who dont hate and despise nicky, so you and your mate are in the minority.

are you on a fishing expo by any chance ?

Haha no mate. One of my mates is a gym partner who has followed MotoGP for about 30 years and Superbike since it started in the late 80's. They are very, very knowledgable in the sport, and I think they could equal the knowledge of most of you guys.

Anyways, its pretty clear that my opinions are not shared so i'll zip it.

Knowledgable people don't necessarily have unbiased opinions, and not everyone has to like Hayden.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Aug 20 2008, 11:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Knowledgable people don't necessarily have unbiased opinions
Really? Are we talking about humans? Tell me one.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Aug 20 2008, 07:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Really? Are we talking about humans? Tell me one.

Nah i'm talking about all those highly educated Salmon