Odds on for the last race??

If things were different and it was Hayden leading by 8 points over Rossi I
suspect the majority would pick Rossi to clinch the championship, in other
words the majority believe Rossi has the talent to beat Hayden and one other
would come between them to make it so. If Rossi was 8 points down and they
interviewed him last week he would say he has a very steep hill to climb, a
very hard challenge but he would never say his back was against the wall or
be defeatist about the situation, he would see it as a final challenge and
use all his energy and talent to do the best he could from the situation.
Hayden on the other hand seems to make it all doom and gloom, "All he has to
do is follow me", I find that attitude apalling, I know he's hurt from the
incident last race but that's the first DNF for him this year, in some
respects it puts the championship points in balance after all most of his
closet challengers have had bad luck this year that has set them back many
points in the championship and yet they are still within a stones throw of
Hayden, who in has been lucky not through skill to have avoided some of the
mishaps his competitors have had.

While it's always unfortunate to be taken out through no fault of your own
life goes on, maybe he should have been less conservative and more
aggressive when he had the opportunity to make up a few points here and
there, a page out of Rossi's book in that respect wouldn't go astray, one
thing you can say of Rossi is he always makes the most of any situation and
salvages what he can, take the last race, a sensible 3rd would have been a
safe bet but he had the courage to go for the win, ok he got 2nd but those 4
points from been 3rd may win him the championship.

The battle isn't over for Hayden, he can beat Rossi and has to hope someone
else comes between them but to give up isn't what a real world champion
would do at this stage, more than ever his real measure is this last race
and it's up to him to make the most of it.

Personally I think Rossi will kick his ass but thats not the point.

Paul

 

Which is more or less the point of the OP. All the Hayden camp have
left now is hope, whereas if the position was reversed (as they would
have been if Hayden had finished 3rd which, I think, was the most he
could have done) Vale's supporters would still have been pretty
confident that he would still prevail.

 

If Rossi was down by 8 points going into the last race, I can guarantee
that he'd say something like "well, is out of our control, all we can
do is try for the win and hope Colin can come in 2nd. Tomorrow we
see." Which is more or less what Nicky said, because he even if he
wins, he has to count on someone else with essentially nothing at stake
riding hard and fast enough to beat Rossi.

Of course, Rossi already has 5 championships, and the 6th one is
clearly less important than the first, so he can afford to be a bit
more blase about it.

I also suspect that had Pedrosa taken Rossi out last weekend instead of
Hayden, he might not be holding a fifteen-minute long press conference
shortly after the race finished.

-jake

 

If Rossi was down by 8 points going into the last race, I can guarantee
that he'd say something like "well, is out of our control, all we can
do is try for the win and hope Colin can come in 2nd. Tomorrow we
see." Which is more or less what Nicky said, because he even if he
wins, he has to count on someone else with essentially nothing at stake
riding hard and fast enough to beat Rossi.

Of course, Rossi already has 5 championships, and the 6th one is
clearly less important than the first, so he can afford to be a bit
more blase about it.

I also suspect that had Pedrosa taken Rossi out last weekend instead of
Hayden, he might not be holding a fifteen-minute long press conference
shortly after the race finished.

-jake

 

<T3 wrote:[DRIBBLE]
< I hope he kicks that fuckin'

LOL well you can dream....The yank is fucked he will NEVER win the
Chapionship, its slipped through his fingers he does not deserve it
anyway, rides around for points, he wont ever beat Pedrosa again either
[could run into him to pay him back though!], his time at hrc is
numbered

Not in this lifetime...

You all seem to forget that Hayden was leading by total 100% LUCK,
Rossi lost at least 75 points by mechanical failure this season, it
should have been well over months ago, he has done the impossible NEVER
been done before [we are use to Rossi doing the un_do_able] came back
from 51 points..Its God like, he is THE GOAT!

Or to put it in simpleton terms, GAME OVER

 

No, Rossi is still pissed off with haonda, remember they did not let
him ride the Yamaha till after the 31st Dec. they also treated him like
shit, said GOLD "WE DONT NEED HIM TO WIN" & "WE WILL DESTROY HIM"
promised him a F1 drive never delivered, have not delived him his
Championship bike, goes on and on....

How could ANYONE respect a company like that?

Besides the final nail will be to beat not match doohans, [although his
win ratio is already a good 15% higher] 5 straight AND win EVERY 990cc
MotoGP Championship ever.

I like Rossi.., done more for the sport than any other rider in
history...

He would not leave Italy alive....

 

Winning his premier class champs on two different makes of bike already
puts him way beyond Doohan. The clincher would be for him to also win
one on a Ducati.

 

<<<<<< "2008" >>>>>>

BUT Rossi has to want to, because Yamaha just keep blowing away any
offer Ducati make

Its the best $20 million per year wage spent by Yamaha [Of which the M1
still is a piece of crap, its level is where Edwards is...] without him
on borad its a middle field runner...

 

There's a big difference here you're not acknowledging...

If Rossi were down by 8 points it would mean he just finished one or
two positions ahead of Nicky on track. He'd have momentum and be
upbeat about his possible chances.

Nicky is down 8 points by virtue of being punted off the track
needlessly and scoring zero points in a race where the bike felt
better than it has in some time and Rossi admitted his "rhythm wasn't
impressive". It's a far more demoralizing way to reach that -8 point
mark. That and the fact those statements you quote were given
immediately after the race. What is his frame of mind now?

 

I honestly think Hayden could have beaten Rossi. He had a hard
tire and had the pace in practice to hang with Rossi. He would
have at least been in the mix for the win and anything could have
happened. I think it would have been possible for KRJR, Rossi,
or Elias to have won and if Dani and Nicky had still been in the race
they would have been there are maybe even in front of those three.

 

I agree, Rossi wasn't looking that impressive and if Haydens bike was
running sweet he could have got the win, so Hayden can beat Rossi, or at
least it certainly appears so.

Paul

 

Why is criticism required? Rossi never admitted to giving in, all he
implied was he had enough confidence in Haydens ability to capitalise on a
huge points advantage for him (Hayden) to take the championship and from
Rossi's POV if he (Rossi) had a lead of that magnatude he would never let it
slip, so he failed to see how Hayden would let him claw back 56 points in 6
races, so his attitude was to win as much as he can and enjoy racing, the
fact he actually managed to consistantly get enough points off Hayden to
realise the championship was again a reality is to his credit. The PI
incident is unfortunate but even if we deduct 10 points from Rossi he is 2
points down, if he wins by more than 3 points then that issue is imaterial.
I think to dwell on Hayden's clutch issues is not relavent, Rossi's bike was
not at it's best in the season beginning but that is how it is, racing is a
team sport for everyone, if your bike isn't right you don't win on the day.
I think we can balance out the back luck and misfortune that has bestowed
all the riders this year, for sure Hayden has has bike woes and been punted
off, Rossi tyre failures, engine failures and a punting off, Melandri,
Capirossi and Gibs the same, you take your chances when you get them go for
max points sometimes with risk but ultimately those 3 points or whatever you
get from taking a chance in one race may decide the championship ultimately,
it's my opinion Rossi has taken those chances, Hayden has been more
cautious.

Paul

 

Yeah, I always feel that Doohan should have switched teams as Rossi did just
to prove himself, he (Doohan) was even quoted saying "The Yamaha is actually
a better bike than the Honda" or words to that effect but maybe that was
just to belittle his competitors, I think if he had switched he would have
still won too, real pity he never tried.

Paul

 

<<Hayden had kicked his ass across the Monterey peninsula?

Pffft 1 race in 5 years

Your on drugs my boy

Face it Hayden is out of his depth, a points rider and does NOT deserve
to win the Championship.

For mine Roberts [another points rider] is a better rider than him

Frankly, anybody who rides the hrc bike and cannot win should be
sacked, Max style, its easily the best and most complete bike in the
field.

Frankly if Hayden wins on the weekend he can thank luck he did not
*beat* Rossi, Rossi [well his bike] failed him and lost him the
Championship.

Unlike doohan, Rossi had the balls to swap onto a useless bike and
forces it to win, if he was still with hrc the Championship would have
been over months ago......

This was the first time i have seen Rossi ride very careful. Elias was
riding well over his limit and over the edge, Rossi did not want to be
taken out like Hayden was [and more proof that the M1 still needs
another 20HP+], when will Yamaha give Rossi a decent bike?

K202

 

So you're saying - yet again - that Rossi's rivals are all useless

The race-winning "useless bike", which a large paycheck attached after
he'd tried to stay with Honda. Some "balls". So how come Rossi didn't
go ride for Suzuki if he wanted a real challenge?

Rossi got beaten by Elias fair and square in a scrap. Stop crying about
it.

 

Utter bullshit. I REALLY hope he wins, just to piss you off. He's been
smart and fast. Yes, he's been lucky (up till the Pedrosa Punt), but
that's part of the game. Rossi has had some great luck through the
years too.

Strange, I haven't heard you blathering about how fantastic DP is
lately. Maybe if he hadn't melted like the Wicked Witch in the rain...
maybe if he hadn't torpedoed his team mate..

Ah, yes! The mighty asscars, benchracer extraordinaire! Step right up
folks, ask ANY question you like. He knows ALL!!!
Seriously, dude, you are just blowing smoke. Once Yamaha fixed the
chatter, they have had one of the best, if not the best handling bike on
the grid. Furthermore, I don't see the Hondas blowing him away on the
straits. I don' think Vale has anything to complain about.

Already working on an excuse, eh?

You are SOOO full of shit!

Did you actually watch the freaking race? Rossi got several good looks
at the Tony the Maniac, and still chose to pass him halfway around the
last lap. Full creadit to Vale for being a racer and going for it! Too
bad (for all the fanbois like you) that he got BEAT fair and square.
Quit with the moaning and excuses!

BTW, Tony did NOT crash, he did NOT take anyone out. By definition, he
was NOT 'over the edge.' He had the race of a season/lifetime(?) and
was a simply better rider than Rossi. Deal with it.

 

so, when Rossi ends up ahead, its a straight win, but when Anyone
else does, it's usually only because of some excuse. Well, your
"statistics" sure add up to your conclusion, but not that surprising
since the conclusion came first.

Bruce

 

Thanks for proving my point.

Bruce