Rossi on 2009

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BarryMachine @ Oct 28 2008, 04:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I think its a bugger of an injury .... its not so much painful as it is "non-structural", ie. the injury prevents ful use of the wrist due to the split in the scaphoid. Folk like Rogi-G on here don't seem to undestand the concept of such an injury ( I think he is more used to "boo boo's which are usually fixed by application of a smiley face bandaid ).

The bone has already split once and was stapled but this treatement has allready failed once .... the idea of a bone graft is pretty drastic and I don't expect it is a fast healing fix, couple that to the thought that I don't think Stoner is the type to allow full and propper healing time ...... it all says I think it'd be very hard to give him 100% chance at all. Indeed I would suggest that full recovery would be only possible if he sat out next season ..... can't see that happening.

But ..... I still think we'll see wins from him where the track is not a high braking force track ..... the fast flowing tracks may be ok.

You forget that these guys get better medical attention than the average human being. The scaphoid is a bad injury because there is little to no blood flow to that region and the healing process takes forever if at all. These guys get the latest and greatest of the medical world I would be surprised if they don't have something to fix this and fix it quickly.

I think that Rossi's worries are definitely Stoner and Pedro. If Honda can work the kinks out of the pneumo then Pedro has a large amount of improvement that can take place. Likewise the GP9 has a pretty major upgrade in the carbon fiber chasis, so they too would have a large amount of improvement to gain. The M1, if you believe Yamaha, only have electronics upgrades and this in turn would only account for little gains?? With Stoner and Pedro capable of making major gains I think Rossi would be quite worried about the developement during the offseason. I don't think that he should rest and he needs to keep pushing Yamaha. Don't let them get cozy just because they won the championship, keep it going.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BarryMachine @ Oct 28 2008, 06:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Folk like Rogi-G on here don't seem to undestand the concept of such an injury ( I think he is more used to "boo boo's which are usually fixed by application of a smiley face bandaid ).


Sorry Rog, it was funny.

I know injuries...and he's a .....

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xx CURVE xx @ Oct 28 2008, 11:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I know injuries...and he's a .....
How many smiley face band-aids did you need?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Oct 28 2008, 11:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>How many smiley face band-aids did you need?

2 cases and a .... load of morphine

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xx CURVE xx @ Oct 28 2008, 12:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>2 cases and a .... load of morphine
Sounds like just the right amount, Curvey.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JPT @ Oct 27 2008, 01:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>As much as I like Nicki he hasn't been as strong as Stoner.

BTW I like your avatar. Jarno was really something.

Yes, Jarno was special. The idol of my teenage years In a way, Stoner in 2007 reminded me of Saarinen a little,--how one may arrive, relatively unknown, and just win every race by a big margin, beating all the big dogs. I say a little, because Jarno was something out of this world--whatever bike you gave him, he would win on it. 2-strokes, 4-strokes., 250 or 500, Yamaha or Benelli... apparently without any effort. He was like Rossi + Stoner, all in one man...

I'm hoping Lorenzo comes good next season, no offence to Stoner & Pedrosa but when they get to the front all they think about is lapping the guy in 2nd

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (J4rn0 @ Oct 29 2008, 07:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Yes, Jarno was special. The idol of my teenage years In a way, Stoner in 2007 reminded me of Saarinen a little,--how one may arrive, relatively unknown, and just win every race by a big margin, beating all the big dogs. I say a little, because Jarno was something out of this world--whatever bike you gave him, he would win on it. 2-strokes, 4-strokes., 250 or 500, Yamaha or Benelli... apparently without any effort. He was like Rossi + Stoner, all in one man...

I actually withdrew a bit from GP ... fandomn after Saarinens death .... it was pretty shocking at the time, and he was a breath of fresh air and seemed like an alien come to earth ....

and yeah I kinda think you are right about Stoner and Saarinen comparo ..... I have had constant reservations about the guy pushing so hard ( even last year ) I think in the back of my mind was Saarinen.

Rossi knows next year will be one of his toughest. There may be too many riders to handle and process in one race. Next year will be the dream senario that Honda wanted to dethrone rossi i.e. 5 to 6 riders threatening to take him down.

1. []Casey[]Dani[]Lorenzo[]Andrea[]Hayden[]Elias
   

Team Ducati
Casey - Casey will be the number one threat next year to Rossi.
Nicky - I disagree - he does not need one year to get up to speed with the tyres, Casey didn't, Rossi didn't and Pedrosa needed only a race or two. Nicky will definitely be a top 10 rider and more than likely a top 6. He will podium (3) and win at least one next year.

Repsol Honda
Pedrosa - He will probably win 3 races next year. He will be fast damn near everywhere.
Dovisioso - He will win a race next year and will threaten all of the top riders.

Fiat Yamaha
Lorenzo - he is tough minded, has excellent race craft and won't break under pressure





Tech 3
CEII - next year is his last year, he will be win it or bin it mode. I predict the first crash/injury for him. No wins
Toseland - he will podium.

Onde 2000
Sete - He will fight for mid pack positions. Fast in qualifying - fading in the race


Suzuki (won't be a threat if they haven't fixed their tyre eating chasis)
Capirex - may show up for mugello
Vermulen - may be a threat when wet.

Kawasaki- Does anyone think that the bike will be any better? NO I do not.
Hopper - flashes of potential. (no threat)
Melandri - flashes of potential.(no threat)

Alice Ducati- Development team ala Cenepa
Canepa - will be the upstart surprise of the rookies
Kalio - my pick for Rookie of the year.

Takahashi - ......

My breakdown for next year is - There will be three groups.

1. []The elite of the Elite - Rossi, Stoner, Pedrosa, Lorenzo, Dovi[]The fast veterens who may win 1 or podium-Hayden, CEII, Elias,Vermulen, Capirex[]The back markers - rookies, Sete, Melandri, Hopper

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Duc999 @ Oct 29 2008, 02:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Rossi knows next year will be one of his toughest. There may be too many riders to handle and process in one race. Next year will be the dream senario that Honda wanted to dethrone rossi i.e. 5 to 6 riders threatening to take him down.

1. []Casey[]Dani[]Lorenzo[]Andrea[]Hayden[]Elias
   

Team Ducati
Casey - Casey will be the number one threat next year to Rossi.
Nicky - I disagree - he does not need one year to get up to speed with the tyres, Casey didn't, Rossi didn't and Pedrosa needed only a race or two. Nicky will definitely be a top 10 rider and more than likely a top 6. He will podium (3) and win at least one next year.

Repsol Honda
Pedrosa - He will probably win 3 races next year. He will be fast damn near everywhere.
Dovisioso - He will win a race next year and will threaten all of the top riders.

Fiat Yamaha
Lorenzo - he is tough minded, has excellent race craft and won't break under pressure





Tech 3
CEII - next year is his last year, he will be win it or bin it mode. I predict the first crash/injury for him. No wins
Toseland - he will podium.

Onde 2000
Sete - He will fight for mid pack positions. Fast in qualifying - fading in the race


Suzuki (won't be a threat if they haven't fixed their tyre eating chasis)
Capirex - may show up for mugello
Vermulen - may be a threat when wet.

Kawasaki- Does anyone think that the bike will be any better? NO I do not.
Hopper - flashes of potential. (no threat)
Melandri - flashes of potential.(no threat)

Alice Ducati- Development team ala Cenepa
Canepa - will be the upstart surprise of the rookies
Kalio - my pick for Rookie of the year.

Takahashi - ......

My breakdown for next year is - There will be three groups.

1. []The elite of the Elite - Rossi, Stoner, Pedrosa, Lorenzo, Dovi[]The fast veterens who may win 1 or podium-Hayden, CEII, Elias,Vermulen, Capirex[]The back markers - rookies, Sete, Melandri, Hopper

Excellent post

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Duc999 @ Oct 29 2008, 04:52 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Rossi knows next year will be one of his toughest. There may be too many riders to handle and process in one race. Next year will be the dream senario that Honda wanted to dethrone rossi i.e. 5 to 6 riders threatening to take him down.

I'm not saying I disagree, but from these 5-6 riders there must be one (most probably stoner) that shines. If these 5-6 riders are there allways fighting for the win that would be the best possible senario for Rossi. His ability to adapt, set up and make that extra effort in the race, including his ability to make passes would enable him to edge away from the rest over the long run of many races.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Babelfish @ Oct 29 2008, 11:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm not saying I disagree, but from these 5-6 riders there must be one (most probably stoner) that shines. If these 5-6 riders are there allways fighting for the win that would be the best possible senario for Rossi. His ability to adapt, set up and make that extra effort in the race, including his ability to make passes would enable him to edge away from the rest over the long run of many races.

An interesting comment from Dani on the podium at Valencia was about how quickly Casey can get a set up. The Ducati team in their third year (2009) with Casey will be honing this particular strength and that team is looking like the mighty JB and crew at Yamaha for technical prowess.

I think Vale must look at these guys and see that they erode one of his "traditional" advantages (the crew).

Stoner's hand is a real worry. Without him the championship is over the day the season starts.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Andy Roo @ Oct 29 2008, 09:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>An interesting comment from Dani on the podium at Valencia was about how quickly Casey can get a set up. The Ducati team in their third year (2009) with Casey will be honing this particular strength and that team is looking like the mighty JB and crew at Yamaha for technical prowess.

I think Vale must look at these guys and see that they erode one of his "traditional" advantages (the crew).

True, he is strong in that department, but to me he also looks a bit sloppy. Instead of tuning the bike and continue testing he lay down a few fast laps, go into the pit and let the rest sweat out trying to catch him. This season it looks like that's exactly what they (Rossi) did and come race day and he is so surpriced that the pace isn't good enough. Works fine when none get that much time for setup like at Valencia, doesn't work that good when the weather is more stable.
Btw I do take his injuries into account because his practice pattern hasn't really changed with the injury.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Babelfish @ Oct 30 2008, 08:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Btw I do take his injuries into account because his practice pattern hasn't really changed with the injury.

I'd dispute that ....... even his qualification and warm up runs were very limited post Brno.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BarryMachine @ Oct 30 2008, 05:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'd dispute that ....... even his qualification and warm up runs were very limited post Brno.
Whilst I agree with this, his habits this year prior to brno were still different than last year when he mostly did a lot of laps on his race set-up including near race simulations. This year's bike has looked close to unrideable at times; perhaps it has been at or close to the end of any development potential and he has just concentrated on finding ways of riding around the flaws.

I don't think lack of pace was his problem at laguna seca or brno anyway, but rather a bloke called valentino.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (an4rew @ Oct 28 2008, 11:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I'm hoping Lorenzo comes good next season, no offence to Stoner & Pedrosa but when they get to the front all they think about is lapping the guy in 2nd

What do you think will be different about Lorenzo? Throughout his 250 career he loved to dominate races, win from pole and rub everyones nose in it. He isn't a rider who'll hang around and scrap for fun, Rossi was the last of that bread.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Oct 30 2008, 03:35 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>What do you think will be different about Lorenzo? Throughout his 250 career he loved to dominate races, win from pole and rub everyones nose in it. He isn't a rider who'll hang around and scrap for fun, Rossi was the last of that bread.

‘Was’? Rossi IS the ‘Last of that Bread’, he loves a ‘Great Battle’ and set it clear as no other Rider does this days… Applies it on the Bike, confirms it in interviews off the Bike. Because all other Riders mainly do not want a Battle or even like it what so ever. This makes another reason why ‘The Show’ is going down the drain!

Not that I would like injuries, but the main ideologies used to be ‘The Last of the Late Breakers’, ‘Your Teammate is Your First Opponent to Beat’, ‘A Beast Separates the Boys from the Men’, and so on. Now it is either; ‘Love and Roses at the Team’, ‘Hate and Pointy Noses’, ‘Stealing and Not Sharing Data’, ‘The Only Way to Win is to Take Off From Start’, etc.

Where are the Great Challengers looking for a Scrap?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Tom @ Oct 30 2008, 09:35 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>What do you think will be different about Lorenzo? Throughout his 250 career he loved to dominate races, win from pole and rub everyones nose in it. He isn't a rider who'll hang around and scrap for fun, Rossi was the last of that bread.

I think that riding a Yamaha is harder to gap a Ducati or Honda... Rossi has sometimes been able to do it but hes the master