We are not the only ones digusted

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Mar 27 2009, 08:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>How can you honestly defend this guy? I understand that the manufacturers haven't been playing ball and it's still early goings and whatnot but this man doesn't give a .... about motorcycle racing. He's proven that time and time again. He has the potential to vastly improve revenues for the sport and grow sponsorship dollars and that does sound great. But he also doesn't seem to have the slightest idea about rider safety. Whether it's a case of he doesn't know any better or doesn't give a ...., I don't know. I do know that a guy who doesn't have the riders' interests first is not someone who should be running this series.

I'm not defending him, much of the criticism is legitimate, but it still has nothing to do with fixing the AMA. The AMA is a house with a cracked foundation, yet everyone is arguing about the color of the shutters. It's a legitimate complaint but it needs to wait about 3 years.

The press release was not detrimental to Dunlop (the AMA decide tire provisions), it was an out and out lie that had no affect on any of the AMA's competitors. If ya'll would just watch Edmondson's address to the AMA Congress you will understand.

It is obvious that his first move is to stabilize the series by utilizing the same strategy seen in Grand Am. He is attempting to attract sponsors to the events, and the corporate entourages they bring. Perhaps it isn't the best strategy, but as you can see from Grand Am, it works. Nobody watches that series yet it is overflowing with corporate sponsorship and world class talent. I'm not pleased that DMG are making the AMA a bit unwatchable, but honestly we can't tell whether is watchable or not b/c the manufacturers pulled the plug on most of the live advertisements.

This garbage press release is something designed to be peddled to the corporate sponsors who couldn't care less about the sport, they just wanna sit in the skybox and schmooze with Jordan. It wasn't designed for us or for the competitors. It was designed to maintain the lie that the AMA will run events rain or shine. Why? Because corporations can't commit to sponsorship if they can't set a time to attend with clients. Thank god the weather held up this weekend.

Edmondson isn't trying to dupe us, he's trying to dupe the marketing stooge who's 1000 miles away in his ivory tower. Unfortunately, he's got the money the AMA needs to rebuild.

Everyone is sitting around complaining that the AMA has lost its soul. DMG never had any soul and no one can expect them to bring any to the AMA. The heart and soul of the organization are the fans, the riders, and the manufacturers. As far as I can tell, most have deserted.

If ya'll wanna do something we should write DMG at list our concerns, our grievances, and our thanks.

Proper incentives are in place though, I'll post them later.

Everyone here talks like they are a NASCAR expert

What happened at the beginning of 08 in WSBK? Everyone was watching the Ducati and deciding if adjustments needed to be made. I am guessing the Buell will be under the same scrutiny.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SackWack @ Mar 27 2009, 02:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Everyone here talks like they are a NASCAR expert
I dont know if im an expert ,but did stay in a Holiday Express one time. No really,I have followed Nascar for over 4 decades and consider myself pretty knowledgable on the sport.What you are seeing is in direct correlation to how Nascar does business. You have rules but punishment is arbitrary and to say the least,vindictive.Look at Tony Stewart,one of the mega stars of Nascar. He had a MAJOR concern with tire safety and was backed 100% by the other drivers when he had finally had enough with .... product and called Goodyear out in public.Nascar called him on the carpet and told him point blank, you dont like it,tough ....,go find somewhere else to race. Thats not a partnership,thats a dictatorship. I belive Nascar is slowly dying on the vine because they went after a new fan and abandoned their real fans and pulled the teeth out of the competitors so their bite wasnt so harsh for the corporate guru's. The new crowd gave them a look and are starting to move on and here in the not to distant future,Nascar will come crawling back to their roots with tales between their legs,begging to be forgiven.Any of that sound familiar with what is happening in bike racing this very instant. Hacking didnt get suspended for cussing Disalvo,the press didnt hear that.Hacking got suspended for off handedly questioning DMG's integrity on the podium. Just like the misinformation on why the SS class didnt race in the rain,they cant tell the truth because in these cases,the truth will kill them.Think about it,if Hacking was suspended for questioning the integrity of the rules,the press would have no choice but to investigate and hard questions would follow.There is still a huge number of so called race fans out there that have no idea the concessions given to Buell.I have visited many boards and read many threads on the Buells victory and besides this board and a couple others,none of them have any idea that DMG has given them weight concession,prototyping of parts thru their own racing division,future production waivers.I want to go on those boards and tell them just how full of .... they really are but that doesnt go over to well being your first post. Come to think of it,im going to join and try to diplomatically explain to these uninformed race fans the error of their ways Nah,just call them the fucktards they are and get banned after one post sounds more fun

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Mar 27 2009, 10:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>They have THEIR rules package covered,the rules package that everyone hates. They make .... up as it goes and that is not a rules package,thats a dictatorship, JUST LIKE NASCAR. What do you think the Japanese OEM;s would have done back in Sept of last year [before they commited funds to this years series] If DMG had released the rules and all the competition exceptions to the Buell. Since that commitment, and right before Daytona,they snuck in a competition bulletin affective immediatley. Have you even bothered to look at what they gave Buell,its mindboggling. It is now a prototype one off race bike that resembles nothing that the original set of rules stated.The rules are the problem,when we looked at them 6 months ago,we had discussions about how easy it would be to manipulate them in Buells favor and it has happened. The Rules Suck

The rules are not like NASCAR, they are more like Grand Am.

The point of Daytona Sportbike is to have as many factories and bikes as possible. DMG can't give one bike a permanent advantage because they will destroy the series they've paid so much to run. Is it possible DMG gave Buell unfair rules to help them notch a win? Absolutely. Harley probably won't spend a nickle on Buell TV ads until they have a win. Voila! DMG have delivered now give us our money so we can have live coverage!

The rules have drastically cut costs and allowed people who are truly passionate about racing (satellite teams, shop owners, up-and-coming-talent) to have access to the same equipment as everyone else. I know people want some of the stupid little rules to fail, and they want more transparent safety legislation. Great. But if we boot DMG we're going to get the same rules we used to have--only factory bikes are capable of winning and only from 1 factory. I'm done with that.

Lex, i don't want to boot DMG, they have the potential for much good (as I've said before) however, they can make improved changes with a spirit of cooperation rather than dictatorship. Its possible, but so far its been one sided with the fans and riders getting the shaft. Its not necessary. We get it, they want to increase viewership, attract more brands, and entertain, but it can be done while not compromising authentic competition and trampling the racers we tune in to root for. Yes, there is resistance to changes but is it really necessary to use a canon to smite a few mosquitos? I still think we will see some good come out of all this and hopefully they won't turn this into WWF. Fingers crossed.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Mar 27 2009, 04:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Lex, i don't want to boot DMG, they have the potential for much good (as I've said before) however, they can make improved changes with a spirit of cooperation rather than dictatorship. Its possible, but so far its been one sided with the fans and riders getting the shaft. Its not necessary. We get it, they want to increase viewership, attract more brands, and entertain, but it can be done while not compromising authentic competition and trampling the racers we tune in to root for. Yes, there is resistance to changes but is it really necessary to use a canon to smite a few mosquitos? I still think we will see some good come out of all this and hopefully they won't turn this into WWF. Fingers crossed.

DMG have ruled with an iron-fist because most of the AMA is in completely denial.

DMG see the mountain of work that must be done to rehabilitate the sport and they have been flatly rejected every time they hand out homework assignments.

They told the manufacturers that the talent pool was weak and that they were going to ban factory prototype parts. The told the manufacturers that the rider was the key to winning and that they take the equipment savings and go buy some more good talent. Rejected.

DMG told the riders that the AMA has an unprofessional appearance. They asked the riders to plug sponsors, sign autographs, and avoid using profanity. 50% seem to be incapable of accommodating DMG's request.

They wrote rules to give the appearance that the AMA would run in the rain. Riders are crying to the media like little lost children. The AMA can't hold a press conference or a meeting to inform the riders it's all an elaborate hoax to attract event sponsors and boost ticket sales. DMG couldn't even afford the insurance premiums for running wet events at most venues. Every race Edmondson is probably down on his knees praying for a dry event so the hoax isn't revealed. Every time it rains they will have a new excuse, you'll see.

Edmondson is an intilligent risk-taking person with the backing of a major racing company. He obviously needs a bit of help when it comes to crafting a finely polished motorcycling product, yet, the man is surrounded by a league full of complete imbeciles. That is the problem with the AMA, and it has been for a long time. I'm really only watching religiously again b/c Edmondson showed up. If I wanna watch a pack of idiots run a motorcycling event, I'll watch MotoGP.

Lex, I think you forgot to include DMG's mandate from Jesus himself in your very impressive list of ......... Yeah, yeah, bla bla bla, DMG have it all wrong and the AMA regulars are a bunch of cavemen running around for years with clueless professional racing. Thank God He sent us Jesus first to save us all from hell, and now DMG to save us all from ourselves.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Mar 27 2009, 08:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>DMG have ruled with an iron-fist because most of the AMA is in completely denial.

DMG see the mountain of work that must be done to rehabilitate the sport and they have been flatly rejected every time they hand out homework assignments.

They told the manufacturers that the talent pool was weak and that they were going to ban factory prototype parts. The told the manufacturers that the rider was the key to winning and that they take the equipment savings and go buy some more good talent. Rejected.

DMG told the riders that the AMA has an unprofessional appearance. They asked the riders to plug sponsors, sign autographs, and avoid using profanity. 50% seem to be incapable of accommodating DMG's request.

They wrote rules to give the appearance that the AMA would run in the rain. Riders are crying to the media like little lost children. The AMA can't hold a press conference or a meeting to inform the riders it's all an elaborate hoax to attract event sponsors and boost ticket sales. DMG couldn't even afford the insurance premiums for running wet events at most venues. Every race Edmondson is probably down on his knees praying for a dry event so the hoax isn't revealed. Every time it rains they will have a new excuse, you'll see.

Edmondson is an intilligent risk-taking person with the backing of a major racing company. He obviously needs a bit of help when it comes to crafting a finely polished motorcycling product, yet, the man is surrounded by a league full of complete imbeciles. That is the problem with the AMA, and it has been for a long time. I'm really only watching religiously again b/c Edmondson showed up. If I wanna watch a pack of idiots run a motorcycling event, I'll watch MotoGP.
Some of what you are saying makes sense concerning racing in the rain. I have attended countless AMA events and on the back of the ticket it says " We race rain or shine", which is complete and utter ......... I went as far as going to the ticket office and asking for a refund at VIR. I show them the ticket that says "we race rain or shine" and all i got was :take it up with the promoter: To see the race,i ended up staying an extra day. I personally have never seen an AMA event run in the rain and i have attended at least 100 events and have been rained on more than i care to think about.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Mar 27 2009, 01:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I know Frost just quoted your entire post, but it bares repeating. Excellent!

BTW, I havent seen you much on the other threads, the ones where I have been trying to extricate the coottenballs from Lex's ears.

Truth to tell . . . tho I roadraced in mid-to-late '80s, I drifted away from it all after too many injuries, and it's only been the last few years that I've gotten hooked on the whole scene (as a spectator now) all over again. So I'm not nearly as well-informed as a lot of you guys. So I tend to talk about what I really know - and keep my "theories" more to myself. Gotta say Jum, I love being in contact with folks who are passionate about the sport. I live in NYC and mostly what you meet are squids on 1100 CC bikes with crazy chrome going fast in straight lines - knowing nothing about the sport. So I relish even the crazy ones on the forum; at least they got's the love for racing. BTW - whatever happened to the really cool lawyer guy from Oz??? I miss his input.
KD

The latest from Mladin

To me, it makes no difference what the promoter does,” he explained. “My racing these days is not about winning championships, it’s not about anything else; it’s about Mat Mladin being able to go out and have fun as he’s getting toward the end of his career. At the moment, with where the series is headed, and where it is now, we’re racing on bikes that are better suited to getting up on Sunday and going to have a latte and a piece of carrot cake at Starbucks. That’s not something that overly excites me. The fact that these promoters seem to be leaning towards the type of bikes we raced [in American Superbike] at Daytona but 400cc less capacity—a 600—I mean, if that doesn’t retire somebody who calls himself a racer, then I don’t know what would.”

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Mar 28 2009, 04:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>The latest from Mladin

To me, it makes no difference what the promoter does,” he explained. “My racing these days is not about winning championships, it’s not about anything else; it’s about Mat Mladin being able to go out and have fun as he’s getting toward the end of his career. At the moment, with where the series is headed, and where it is now, we’re racing on bikes that are better suited to getting up on Sunday and going to have a latte and a piece of carrot cake at Starbucks. That’s not something that overly excites me. The fact that these promoters seem to be leaning towards the type of bikes we raced [in American Superbike] at Daytona but 400cc less capacity—a 600—I mean, if that doesn’t retire somebody who calls himself a racer, then I don’t know what would.”

At 6'1" and 170lbs Mladin is required to hate on 600s.

BTW isn't this a bit insulting to Zemke, Hayes, Bostrom, etc. etc? I'm not keen on 600s; especially not with the new short stroke mega high revving alien spacecraft they have become.

The original DSB premier class was going to be HP limited but the idea was shot down. I'm super happy the didn't ditch Superbike, but if they had switched the premier class to lower HP bikes, it probably would have doubled the number of venues in play.

Obviously, big guys like Mladin would have been riding a Ducati, Aprilia, or Buell.

Anyone who is scared of an hp limited premier class needs to go watch 600s back before the factories built the engines for use with racing traction control. The old 600s were a bit hulking, but the powerplants actually produced usable power.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Mar 28 2009, 09:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>At 6'1" and 170lbs Mladin is required to hate on 600s.

BTW isn't this a bit insulting to Zemke, Hayes, Bostrom, etc. etc? I'm not keen on 600s; especially not with the new short stroke mega high revving alien spacecraft they have become.

The original DSB premier class was going to be HP limited but the idea was shot down. I'm super happy the didn't ditch Superbike, but if they had switched the premier class to lower HP bikes, it probably would have doubled the number of venues in play.

Obviously, big guys like Mladin would have been riding a Ducati, Aprilia, or Buell.

Anyone who is scared of an hp limited premier class needs to go watch 600s back before the factories built the engines for use with racing traction control. The old 600s were a bit hulking, but the powerplants actually produced usable power.
I dont think its insulting to those guys at all. Everyone of those guys have raced Superbike and used the 600 class as either a stepping stone to Superbike or a fall back when Superbike didnt pan out.Their whole career was about moving to Superbike,not riding 600's. Go back and listen to what everyone of them have said in years gone past.I want to ride Superbike. Im not exactlly sure why you keep fantasizing about dumded down,HP restricted Superbikes and on the other handyou talk about how gratefull you are that Superbike didnt get DMG's axe.At some point,you just cant call them Superbikes any more.We are already at that point and you would like to see them dumbed down even more? This IS NOT Superbike,this is Superstock.

More Mladin


“In the end, I don’t want to be part of a freak show,” Mat explained in the same phone conversation. “I want to be part of racing. And that’s a personal thing. Maybe one day they can get 100,000 people sitting in the stands to watch…. let’s call it NASBIKE, and NBC or whoever’s going to air it on national television and motorbike riders might be making $20 million a year, like they do in NASCAR—a lot of those guys make good money. If that’s why you race, that’s fine. Racing’s a challenge to me, and I like to try and better myself and push myself harder to be able to race up-and-coming kids the likes of Ben Spies. I get great personal satisfaction out of that. NASCAR and motorcycle racing are two very different things, and their audience is very different. It doesn’t do anything for me on a personal level to think that motorcycle races will be like that some day. From my standpoint, it does nothing for me to think that I’ll be under the paint for two hours, drafting people in a big circle. And if they want to keep motorcycle racing close, that’s what they’ve got to do. In the end, they can talk about motorcycle capacity, they can talk about power, they can talk about all the rest of it, but in the end, how often do you ever see any more than a couple of people at the front of a Supersport race anywhere around the world? Very rarely. If a racetrack has corners that go left and right, you’re never going to keep ten motorcycle racers together on the same pace without very severely handicapping somebody after he’s won the race the week before. And I don’t want to be part of that.”

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (povol @ Mar 28 2009, 08:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I dont think its insulting to those guys at all. Everyone of those guys have raced Superbike and used the 600 class as either a stepping stone to Superbike or a fall back when Superbike didnt pan out.Their whole career was about moving to Superbike,not riding 600's. Go back and listen to what everyone of them have said in years gone past.I want to ride Superbike. Im not exactlly sure why you keep fantasizing about dumded down,HP restricted Superbikes and on the other handyou talk about how gratefull you are that Superbike didnt get DMG's axe.At some point,you just cant call them Superbikes any more.We are already at that point and you would like to see them dumbed down even more? This IS NOT Superbike,this is Superstock.

If they had ditched liter bikes, American talent would have been FORCED to go elsewhere so that's why I'm happy they didn't ditch it. American Superbike gives riders a place to go after 600s. Plus, I do enjoy watching liter bikes.

It's not Superstock, it's AMA superbike with no nitrogen gas forks, no titanium or carbon fiber pieces, and no special tires. It's not perfect but it's better than allowing the manufacturers to run costs up for little or no gain to the series. They are racing production bikes, you can incorporate as many prototype parts as you want, but it's still not a GP bike. May as well keep it cheap.

What is most important in motorcycle racing? The rider. Why were the AMA allowing manufacturers to spend millions on exotic race parts while the most exotic race part (the rider) was going overseas in search of higher pay?

The rules are annoying, but they put emphasis back where it belongs. Good riders have more purse money to win, and when the manufacturers return, they will have manufacturers with large race budgets and very little to spend it on. Best of all though, riders will have the ability to use their fame to get into the sport on the ownership side.

What more can you ask for? You race for mountains of cash, win championships, then come back home (or stay at home if you never left) and use your name to make money while developing a new generation of talent.

If I was an American racer and I had talent, I would never leave the AMA. I'd just hire a good crew, use my name to gather sponsorship money, and then go racing. Why go over seas when you can knock down a mill every year and you have complete autonomy. You can decide who sponsors you, what color you want your bike, what number you wanna reserve from the AMA.

For god's sake get a good crew chief and split the profits with him. Find some good looking blonde girl, get married, have a few kids, buy a nice spread, and enjoy the rapidly-shortening life you thought would last forever when you were in your 20s.

And they lived happily ever after.

Show me a "world-class" racing sport where they actually give opportunities to the people who they used to make themselves look good.

crickets

As far as I can tell, world-class sports try to keep these people away at all costs. Just look at the giant moat and the barbed wire fence around the MotoGP club.

Reading Mladin's comments, I can't help but wonder how he justified staying in the States all those years and not going to "challenge himself" in the World stage.

Anyway, I get what he is saying, but DMG have their minds made up about where they want to take AMA racing. We may be seeing the last of Mladin. Get your looks in people. Love him or hate him, he has been the best with little exception in the US.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumkie @ Mar 29 2009, 06:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Reading Mladin's comments, I can't help but wonder how he justified staying in the States all those years and not going to "challenge himself" in the World stage.

Anyway, I get what he is saying, but DMG have their minds made up about where they want to take AMA racing. We may be seeing the last of Mladin. Get your looks in people. Love him or hate him, he has been the best with little exception in the US.
He clearly feels he is employed by suzuki and not dmg .

I really know very little about mladin, but would have to agree the comments do seem somewhat self-serving.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Mar 28 2009, 11:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>What is most important in motorcycle racing? The rider. Why were the AMA allowing manufacturers to spend millions on exotic race parts while the most exotic race part (the rider) was going overseas in search of higher pay?
Lex we all know riders don't leave the states for the money. Riders left the states to go racing on the world stage, to progress to the next level. In fact, compare salaries between WSBK and AMA Superbike and you'll find that the AMA guys make more money. IIRC I read an article last year that said only Bayliss was making the kind of money like Mladin and Spies were. How can you say that riders go overseas for higher pay when you criticize Hodgson for coming here and "collecting a paycheck"?

You talk about how great the lifestyle would be to sit in the states, collect a couple million a season and just forget about the world stage, I don't know man, I don't think there are many riders out there who would agree with that sentiment. At least not many guys in their early to mid 20s. My impression of AMA Superbike and BSB was that you used it as a means to grow, win a couple championships and you move to the world stage. But honestly, if it were me, I'd be moving to BSB. I think povol said it, at a certain point you can't call them Superbikes anymore. Everyone in this thread knows what's happening to the series, I would imagine the professionals in the racing world do too. It's an embarrassment frankly, and I wouldn't want to be apart of it. Especially if the 600s become the premier class. Regardless, I'd go to a series that has some proven talent and uses a proven formula. Like I said, if it were me, I'd be off to BSB.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Austin @ Mar 29 2009, 08:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Lex we all know riders don't leave the states for the money. Riders left the states to go racing on the world stage, to progress to the next level. In fact, compare salaries between WSBK and AMA Superbike and you'll find that the AMA guys make more money. IIRC I read an article last year that said only Bayliss was making the kind of money like Mladin and Spies were. How can you say that riders go overseas for higher pay when you criticize Hodgson for coming here and "collecting a paycheck"?

You talk about how great the lifestyle would be to sit in the states, collect a couple million a season and just forget about the world stage, I don't know man, I don't think there are many riders out there who would agree with that sentiment. At least not many guys in their early to mid 20s. My impression of AMA Superbike and BSB was that you used it as a means to grow, win a couple championships and you move to the world stage. But honestly, if it were me, I'd be moving to BSB. I think povol said it, at a certain point you can't call them Superbikes anymore. Everyone in this thread knows what's happening to the series, I would imagine the professionals in the racing world do too. It's an embarrassment frankly, and I wouldn't want to be apart of it. Especially if the 600s become the premier class. Regardless, I'd go to a series that has some proven talent and uses a proven formula. Like I said, if it were me, I'd be off to BSB.

I was criticizing Hodgson for embarrassing race promoters, sleighting DMG, and injuring himself while pretending to be a Red Bull X Fighter. The little dream scenario I typed didn't involve collecting money while you're laid up in the hospital.

I'm happy he's on riding retirement. He's living in California enjoying the good life. More power to him, but why is he marginalizing the income earning potential of his employer and the racing series he participates in?

Riders do often go overseas for higher pay. Their salary drops because the factory racing teams have a monopoly on competitive equipment so they don't have to pay a huge premium for new talent, but successful riders do not take a pay cut to go overseas. Spies is probably an exception, but more often than not team management make up the difference by introducing new talent to sponsors that bring global advertising money. Furthermore, as long as they don't leave the factory that made them successful, they usually collect a fat paycheck from the North American company they used to race for.

Spies' salary might be less, but you can see his total pay rising with each passing minute.

Furthermore, if racers only go to different series to push themselves, why is the greatest of all time wanting to leave the world's highest form of 2 wheeled competition?

Marketing fluff can't keep these guys interested, the series must allow the rider's to self-actualize. Rossi wants to leave GP because he is bored, the competitive landscape sucks, he has little invested in the sport, and he has little control over what is happening to him.

Imagine if Rossi was a team owner in the AMA. He could win every race by .1 seconds. He could handicap his own bike with ballast and hold a press conference to let everyone know. He could ride a different brand every year. He could wear as much yellow as he wants. He could have a new helmet every round.

HE COULD HIRE UCCIO TO RIDE THE SECOND BIKE!

Living a life of creativity, competition, and autonomy vs. chasing a commercialized dream that you've convinced yourself you want to live. You tell me which offers self-actualization.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Mar 29 2009, 02:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I was criticizing Hodgson for embarrassing race promoters, sleighting DMG, and injuring himself while pretending to be a Red Bull X Fighter. The little dream scenario I typed didn't involve collecting money while you're laid up in the hospital.
I think you're being a little harsh on the guy. Maybe I don't have all the details, wasn't he just riding MX to train? That's a relatively common way to train, it's not as if he was out with Pastrana. If he was doing stuff like that, then I could fully understand your frustration. Additionally, I can understand him calling out the DMG. He didn't sign up for this and it's because of the DMG that he lost his full on factory ride. Honda can say all they want but you know it's a case of them taking their toys and going home because DMG said they were going to play a new game. You can blast Honda all you want, that's fine, but if you were Hodgson who would you be upset with? The team that signed you to a multimillion dollar contract or the group that nudged your employer out the door?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Mar 29 2009, 02:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Riders do often go overseas for higher pay. Their salary drops because the factory racing teams have a monopoly on competitive equipment so they don't have to pay a huge premium for new talent, but successful riders do not take a pay cut to go overseas. Spies is probably an exception, but more often than not team management make up the difference by introducing new talent to sponsors that bring global advertising money. Furthermore, as long as they don't leave the factory that made them successful, they usually collect a fat paycheck from the North American company they used to race for.

Spies' salary might be less, but you can see his total pay rising with each passing minute.
I think if you take away the money coming in from the North American representatives, the salaries of American riders riding in world championships is likely smaller than the salaries they could earn in the states. But like you said, sponsorship dollars are larger on the world stage so I'll concede the pay point.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mylexicon @ Mar 29 2009, 02:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Furthermore, if racers only go to different series to push themselves, why is the greatest of all time wanting to leave the world's highest form of 2 wheeled competition?

Marketing fluff can't keep these guys interested, the series must allow the rider's to self-actualize. Rossi wants to leave GP because he is bored, the competitive landscape sucks, he has little invested in the sport, and he has little control over what is happening to him.

Imagine if Rossi was a team owner in the AMA. He could win every race by .1 seconds. He could handicap his own bike with ballast and hold a press conference to let everyone know. He could ride a different brand every year. He could wear as much yellow as he wants. He could have a new helmet every round.

HE COULD HIRE UCCIO TO RIDE THE SECOND BIKE!

Living a life of creativity, competition, and autonomy vs. chasing a commercialized dream that you've convinced yourself you want to live. You tell me which offers self-actualization.
You've got the Rossi bit dead on, he's bored and there isn't much wiggle room in MotoGP for him to work with. Sure, he could come to the states and ride a different bike every round if he wanted to and he could ride yellow everything. But do you really think DMG would want him holding press conferences talking about how he is adding ballast to his bike and deliberately slowing himself down so he can actually have a scrap? I wouldn't think so. RE and the folks at DMG have made it quite obvious this season that no one is bigger than the series, do you really think Rossi would accept coming to the states only to be a corporate mouthpiece? I doubt it.

The whole Rossi bit is quite far fetched but I understand you using it as an example. And I understand your reasoning for having hope in DMG, lowering barriers to entry can only be a good thing for the series. However, if you get all these new entrants into the series and treat them like ...., do you think they're going to stick around? They have some good ideas, I'll give them that, but the way they are going about implementing these ideas has been all sorts of wrong.