I lament the days of a bygone era. You're correct MotoChick, this used to be a fantastic place. It was like that TV show Cheers. Pov and Migs were the comic relief. Kropo, the know it all with thin skin. Etc. No but really, it was great, and frankly despite all the banter between people, it was entertaining and normally all in good fun (except for one or two socially inept people like Zoolaws and his multiple personalities).
This used to be a place where you met and made friends of like mind, some becoming lifelong friends. This used to be a place where you could learn a thing or two about racing, the debates made you go out to BJC (wiki) your facts and scour the Earth for interviews, sound bites, and websites about the sport, which in turn made one more knowledgable. The noise of banter was part of the experience of this place, despite so many bemoaning it. Where are they now? That is a good question:
There are several members I keep in touch with, and talk to on a daily basis, but its those other members I wonder about. What became of Andy Roo? Did he finally make peace with his horrific accident that frankly he faced with the courage? Or Pigeon, who I feel I'm not at liberty to discuss, but know that somewhere in the ether, all the friends he met here are thinking of him. On a lighter note, did Drill ever find Jesus or is he still cool with Satan? Real relationships in a virtual world. I can go on, and on, there are so many names that pop up in my memory. Look at the social threads, or the Lounge, or the birthday thread for an idea of what this place was like. Look up threads around the holidays, most of which are on the offseason, yet man came here to wish their virtual friends good wishes. I have an 8x10 picture of Nicky Hayden sitting center stage in my garage that was sent to me half way around the world, Frizzle sent it to me. A picture he took at Phillip Island, developed it and sent it framed to my residence in California. I miss Rising Sun's Top 10, nothing less than brilliant writing that would make any professional comic screen writer envy its magnificence, and all done for a niche of readers who could get the obscure jokes that only a tiny diehard MotoGP fan base might get. And what about Lexicon, did he ever come out of the closet? I'll say Steifel came out of the closet, admitting he thought umbrella girls are ugly has got to be a form of coming out. Most of you don't remember (as if somebody is actually reading this post) but there used to be a member here named AntFan. That is, Anthony West fan. Think about this for a moment, can there be any more an obscure fanclub: membership total: 1. Funny because long after this member left I actually became of fan of West, for his determination to the sport. I still remember arguing with Povol over this, who thought he was stupid for chasing his dreams by selling all his possessions to ride one more year (incidentally West won a race that year). I wonder where the females of the forum are today: Somedamnwriter, Marijke, Bikergirl, Halfpint, Angel, l13eaw, Kez91, Sylvia, and Willski (lumping in the shemales in this list). And what about those socially obscure members like Pinky, and SuperShinya, and BarryMachine? Or those members who were so mature they just didn't belong here like michaelm? I remember once Curve took a dig at Keith Code, and a few days later Keith Code appeared to make a post. I .... you not. I swear there were many a professional rider that lurked on this forum, some I am not at liberty to disclose.
Ah and the debates, banter, and .... talking is what I miss. I remember when all the Casey Stoner fans loved me, until one day I said Stoner had whined about something fairly small. Then I got hate mail by Bunnyip, Mental Anarchist, and a few others from the Stoner Boners (minus the reasonable Stoner fans). Since then I took pleasure in winding these thin skinned lads up.
We also went through some sad moments, like when various riders were killed in WSBK and GP. I sill remember the awful feeling I had when Tomizawa and Marco Simonchelli died, or when Joan Lascorz was paralyzed. Particularly with Simonchelli, as his crash I watched in real time and was so well documented including the aftermath of his funeral covered. I remember the debates it spawned on here and in true MGPF/Powerslide fashion, typical discussions, a full spectrum of opinions.
And what about when Pedrosa was caught cheating on his Yacht Captain exam? Hahaha. I think these were the only times the forum came together. But also during Christmas, New Years and Thanksgiving. People would put aside all their differences and like one particular moment during WW1, the soldiers came out of their trenches to sing Silent Night in solidarity (well at least for a small brief moment).
Where are they now? .... knows.