Interesting stuff.
I've got a lot of respect for Julian Ryder, but I thought the comment "Or is it just asking too much of a 31-year old to fend off the sharks forever?" sounded a bit premature.
He makes it sound like Rossi is finished.
Just tellin' it like it is. Rossi had two seasons (2002,2003) like Stoner's 2007 season. Likewise, Rossi had two seasons (2006, 2007) like Casey's 2008 and 2009 seasons when he didn't have exactly the tires or the bike he wanted. Stoner doesn't have the power to change the rules so his ascendancy back to world champion (should it happen again) will probably take a bit longer than Rossi's.
Don't leave Stoner out b/c it's convenient. Rossi vs. Lorenzo is just a profitable subplot for the journos. Does anyone really think that Lorenzo can beat Casey when Casey is at his best? I don't, not yet anyway. That might change, but it's a bit premature to start handing world titles to Lorenzo (although I hope he wins this year).
Only 2002 & 2003? Remember 2008 with 93 Points over 2nd place Stoner? What about 2005 with 147 Points over 2nd place Melandri? And about 2001 with 106 Points over 2nd place Biaggi? You are not 'telling it like it is' Lex.
Only 2002 & 2003? Remember 2008 with 93 Points over 2nd place Stoner? What about 2005 with 147 Points over 2nd place Melandri? And about 2001 with 106 Points over 2nd place Biaggi? You are not 'telling it like it is' Lex.
I wasn't referring to the margin of victory.
I was referring to the fact that Rossi had by far the best bike and tire combination which allowed him to "cruise" to a relatively easy victory in 2003 and 2004. I don't believe that to be the case in 2001 b/c 500cc championships are never a walk in the park (relative to 4-strokes), and I don't consider 2005 to be an easy championship b/c he was up against HRC who were working overtime to develop a Rossi-slaying machine (unfortunately for HRC, it wasn't delivered until late in 2005 when Hayden and Melandri started to take the fight to Rossi).
No poor chap stuff, just read with context.
Sure he had the best bike / package in 03. He had spent several years building it. As for 04 he only won by that margin because sete dfn'ed twice the same as rossi but finished off the podium more. I think it says more about sete than it does about how good the yam was when rossi took it over. In fact both rossi and sete were drawing on 126 pts by brazil and we all know how good the Rc211v was in that year.sete lost ground at Donny and sepang. I suppose your going to tell us the Telifonica Rc211v was not as good as the Repsol 03 bike nowRossi was lucky in that his only real threats were sete and biaggi, neither were consistent enough despite being on the superior bike.
Spin it how you like Lex, you cant ignore the facts.
I meant '02 '03
Im im supposed to believe you ment 02-03
Yes. If you've actually been reading any of my posts you'd have realized that I made a typo.
sounds like Honda pushing real hard and being a major supporter for the 800cc class......but their jockey and pocket bike did not work like their 990 bike did out of the gate.
or it sounds like the same theme that Rossi had the best bike and special tires at Honda....so of course he was winning.
In 2007 Ducati came out with the best bike under the 800cc rules. Everyone expected the Honda and Pedrosa to have the advantage, or Rossi and Yamaha to be more competive than they were. Ducati took everyone by suprise and the other teams played catch up. Yamaha/Rossi came around the quickest and was able to beat the Ducati/Stoner after one season. Ducati and Stoner have not been able to answer the attack since the 2007 season...... Rossi has 40 podiums with 20 wins to Stoner's 33 podiums with 20 wins from 2007 to 2010 Le Mans. It is too bad he can't run consistant like Rossi, he would probably have another title to go with his 07 crown.
Just tellin' it like it is. Rossi had two seasons (2002,2003) like Stoner's 2007 season. Likewise, Rossi had two seasons (2006, 2007) like Casey's 2008 and 2009 seasons when he didn't have exactly the tires or the bike he wanted. Stoner doesn't have the power to change the rules so his ascendancy back to world champion (should it happen again) will probably take a bit longer than Rossi's.
Only 2002 & 2003? Remember 2008 with 93 Points over 2nd place Stoner? What about 2005 with 147 Points over 2nd place Melandri? And about 2001 with 106 Points over 2nd place Biaggi? You are not 'telling it like it is' Lex.
Try as they may, this here is what makes or breaks championships. The Rossi fan disparage Stoner because the only time he beat Vale was when he had the "best bike" or "better tires", but fail to see this was the case for Rossi several years running! This is undeniable, I can understand the casual Rossi fan being ignorant to this but I have only one explanation for the ardent followers who do not accept this reality--mindless worship.
You are right, Lex left out the fact that since the 2000s, advantages are in the details of tires, package, and misfortune that decide championships for the top riders. We saw the effects of this in 06/07, as Rossi fans reminded us at every corner. Does this truth apply to 01-05, 08-09? YES.
Let me ask you something V. Had Dorna not moved heaven and earth to get Rossi on Bstones, and Stoner notched the 08 titles, what do you think Rossi fans around the globe would have been bitching about? Yes sir, that is how important tires are to championships, and without a shadow of a doubt, Rossi had the 07 Bridgestone equivalent in the Saturday night special for most of his career while others had the 07 Michelin equivalent that he so much bitched about.
(For those who are new to the sport, Valentino Rossi enjoyed for years special treatment by Michelin over much of the grid. They would actually make him special tires from circuit to circuit to race on Sunday made over night the previous Saturday. Ask yourself, just how level the playing field would that make the race? This happened for years and years, perfecting the art of getting him a race advantage. In 2007, when Michelin tires became perceived as inferior to Bridgestone, he was the only rider to be allowed to switch despite at least two other riders asking for the privilege. It effectively put him on the 'same' tires as Stoner, except for the fact that Bridgestone redesigned their tire to accommodate their new client to the detriment of their previous clients. This is how important tires are in the modern era of GP racing. Rossi's Saturday night special tire is the equivalent of athletes competing with sports enhancing drugs. In most cases, when the public finds out that an athlete had an unfair advantage, they are summarily chastised and thought of as cheaters, so as far as undeserving of their accolades. Except in this case, the ardent fans, insiders, and sports media knew of it, as it was legal while the governing body actually encouraged it. That is until Bridgestone made a better tire. At which time only one rider was allowed to switch, then the subsequent year we eliminated the tire war all together. which of course begs the question, for whom are these single tire suppliers getting their tire designs from?)
You and Lex are talking bollocks. Lex states Rossi has the rules changed to suit himself, Another Lex and jumkie fantasy, not fact just fantasy from the haters who have no proof, just slander. The haters will say rossi had the best bike when he was on the honda then in another thread claim when rossi switched to yam the bike was the best or at least as good as the honda. See the contradiction ? Then they will slag off rossi fans who claim the 07 duc was the best bike and that's why stoner won. They ignore the fact he has not won since. I dunno why i bother with this place sometimes, it's like talking to a brick wall and having to repeat yourself year in year out.
You and Lex are talking bollocks. Lex states Rossi has the rules changed to suit himself, Another Lex and jumkie fantasy, not fact just fantasy from the haters who have no proof, just slander. The haters will say rossi had the best bike when he was on the honda then in another thread claim when rossi switched to yam the bike was the best or at least as good as the honda. See the contradiction ? Then they will slag off rossi fans who claim the 07 duc was the best bike and that's why stoner won. They ignore the fact he has not won since. I dunno why i bother with this place sometimes, it's like talking to a brick wall and having to repeat yourself year in year out.
Don't get frustrated compa. That's what this place is for, so we can repeat ourselves over and over.What slander are you talking about? Did the Sat night special not exist? Was HRC Rossi years not the best? Ok, I'll give you the switch, he won on an inferior bike, but was he not enjoying special Michelins on that lessor Yamaha? True, Stoner has not won since, makes you wonder where the tire cues are coming from, but as you say, that is just speculation on my part. So I'll concede, but not the advantage regarding the Sat night special, that was real. And HRC being the best during Rossi years, that was real too.
You and Lex are talking bollocks. Lex states Rossi has the rules changed to suit himself, Another Lex and jumkie fantasy, not fact just fantasy from the haters who have no proof, just slander. The haters will say rossi had the best bike when he was on the honda then in another thread claim when rossi switched to yam the bike was the best or at least as good as the honda. See the contradiction ? Then they will slag off rossi fans who claim the 07 duc was the best bike and that's why stoner won. They ignore the fact he has not won since. I dunno why i bother with this place sometimes, it's like talking to a brick wall and having to repeat yourself year in year out.