Sorry man, don't agree on Criville -- in 2000 he was no doubt the main rider at Honda, but he didn't perform on the supposedly unbeatable NSR500 and went wrong with setup and development. Of course Honda listened to him first, not to Rossi who was a rookie. Eventually the 2000 bike was fixed by Burgess and Rossi (too) late in the season, when Honda started listening to them in view of Alex' poor results. The choice of Rossi-Burgess by Honda was based on results, -- had Criville performed like a world champ (and he was given the chance), the story would have been different.
J4rn0, I have huge respect for Alex Criville, but despite his determination and resilience, he was on the brink of career oblivion when Repsol rescued the works Honda team following the defection of Rothmans and was to a great extent propelled into the factory ride more through fate and fortune than initially being outright fast. This also coincided with Dorna's appropriation of the series. Credit to Alex, he learned much as Mick's understudy - particularly Doohans reluctance to change the bike, rather find the changes within himself as a rider. I have always resisted the suggestion that it was a title by default, Doohan was trailing KRjnr in the title when he crashed ar Jerez and Criville rose to the challenge. In fact his speed forced errors from Kenny causing a sequence of crashes which were pivotal in the title. However, his unfortunate and perhaps unwanted developmental lead would never have arisen had it not been for Doohan's career ending season.
'In 2000 he was no doubt the main man at Honda'.
But not at Honda's original intention and very much it seems to his own disconcertion. He certainly wasn't installed into that position by design and directive and petroleum money or not, although he started the season first in line for parts, as my previous post acknowledged, the potential shown by Rossi soon reversed this. As I said, the orientation from the off was certainly the new project, the promising newly signed prodigy - Italian sponsor notwithstanding. Criville was never in the script at HRC, it was written with Rossi in mind. Also, as a quiet retiring personality, Criville, never particularly liked recognition. He loathed the punishing promotional schedule which as Champion plagued his 2000 pre-season preparations. In fact it may well have precipitated the mystery virus that also decimated his winter testing programme. He was simply the wrong personality to be saddled with development and he certainly wasn't ever Honda's great white hope as you make it sound. In fact I think they always held it against him beating their man Spaan to the 1989 125 title...(testament again as much to the genius of Cobas as the rider himself).
Eventually the 2000 bike was fixed by Burgess and Rossi (too) late in the season, when Honda started listening to them in view of Alex' poor results.
Astonishing revisionism. It wasn't 'fixed'...there was nothing intrinsically wrong with it - and were that the case, as you well know, HRC would blame the rider as opposed to 'fixing' the machinery. Didn't stop a raft of parts being floated Rossi's direction though, particularly when, as you say, Criville simply didn't achieve the results. No one 'listened' to Criville, that was the point - as much for a want for direction and motivation. Burgess and his team had carte-blanche with Rossi and were free to effect whatever modifications they desired - which is why the parts were forthcoming albeit belatedly. Further it was a machine that had evolved under his stewardship for a decade, and he knew it well. Criville on the other hand requested none, nor did he steer development in any trajectory that would have been detrimental to JB, Rossi et.al. In fact he didn't 'steer' development at all...that's the point. Also, I love the way that you spin the Burgess story. JB went wth his crew who were assigned to the Rossi project. Had Alex looked like a title challenger from the off, JB could have petitioned Honda to move garages, but why would HRC have upset the winning formula? Jeremy has always maintained that it was
his choice to remain with Valentino, (quite ironic really given his eventual dismissal at Vale's behest). Indeed before the results started to come for Valentino and given his crashes early on, there was more incentive from a strategic point of view to keep JB in a yellow shirt as opposed to exchanging it for an orange one. To move him in the event of Criville mounting a title challenge would have jeopardised an initiative that spelt the future for Honda Racing...Criville did not. One could also contend the fact that Criville was all at sea increased the pressure exerted by HRC for JB to move (it did not), as opposed to the other way around. Besides, Jeremy would never have moved without Briggs and Stephens so you appear to be suggesting that had Criville contended the title with KRjn then there would have been a wholesale switch of personnel?? Nonsense.
Then, about the blessed GOAT story -- I never said that Rossi is the GOAT and don't even think such a thing exists, so why bother me with that?
I never suggested that you did, but in holding the opinion that you do, as a Rossi aficionado, do appreciate that you are very much in the minority.
Want to have a forum with only one opinion, silencing all others? Please help yourself to it, have fun.
Not at all - and neither I'm confident does anyone else. I encourage your input (as prone to bias as it occasionally is), which I particularly value and always have and I've consistently told you that. Silencing others? how delightfully ironic...
As Jumkie points out, the input of all members is encouraged irrespective of viewpoint. And, as a miniscule pocket of resistance against the oppressive dictatorial dogma and doctrine associated with the Rossi hagiography, which not only dominates this sport, but shapes it and rewrites it, personally, I find this minority alternative viewpoint quite refreshing. If however, you prefer the official Rossi hype - it's out there...'help yourself to it. Have fun
'.
The only reason that the yellow tinge to this forum has faded is simply because Rossi lost 'his' Championship - his divine right. Had he have mounted the podium at Qatar - God forbid won it, this place would be awash with glory hunters happy to re-inflict their jaundiced take on last season. Have you forgotten last November already? Denial perhaps? The ephemeral fickle nature of these so called 'fans', their adoring largely uncritical narrative and their absence now I suggest is your problem, not mine.
