Sepang, Sepow!

[Old Guy]

As I watched the first six laps I commented to my wife that Marquez was deliberately holding Rossi up. It was too obvious to deny. When Rossi settled in behind him in fourth, Marquez slowed. When Rossi passed, Marquez passed again immediately and slowed.

So accepting that Rossi shouldn't have done what he did, what do you folks think he should have done?

A. Accept fourth and let Marquez hold him back until the rest of the field caught up?
B. Continue letting Marquez torment him for the rest of the race?
C. Something I haven't thought of.

 

[Top_Speed1]

My DVR recording is now a little less valuable.

 

[danh600]

As I watched the first six laps I commented to my wife that Marquez was deliberately holding Rossi up. It was too obvious to deny. When Rossi settled in behind him in fourth, Marquez slowed. When Rossi passed, Marquez passed again immediately and slowed.

So accepting that Rossi shouldn't have done what he did, what do you folks think he should have done?

A. Accept fourth and let Marquez hold him back until the rest of the field caught up?

B. Continue letting Marquez torment him for the rest of the race?

C. Something I haven't thought of.

C. Wreck the little sh*t, but be less obvious about it.

 

[El Toro]

I suppose this is a whole nuther thread, and maybe there have already been some on this topic ...

But I'd forgotten how folks who don't watch events, for whatever valid reason they may have, get irked when folks who watched the event want to talk about it. This particular subject in this particular week is worthy of discussion, opinion expression, wringing of hands, and general BSing. There are probably more who would like to talk than there are those who want to watch all the MotoGP races at the end of the season.

Honestly though, this week's race was bizarre enough that if you did not watch it live, you might like to watch your time shifted version of it, just to see what folks are talking about.

I suppose the OP could have said "Spoiler Alert" in the title of the thread.

But would anyone who did not want to know what happened at Sepang actually not realize that it would be better not to open a thread called "Sepang Sepow" on the day after the MotoGP race at Sepang?

Just thinking out loud here ....

As for losing by not watching ... I dunno. It may be "the best racing," but it is no longer fair racing. The march toward homologation in order to fill out the grid with 20+ riders, and the silly idea that there are two classes on the same track racing at the same time, one getting in the way of the other about three quarters of the way through the race, just doesn't make any sense to an old guy.

Granted, back in the day's of Surtees or Agostini, most of the teams did not field a very strong bike compared to what these two relatively rich gentlemen could field, so maybe it wasn't fair. But we've taken the idea of fairness to an absurd level.

It's like identifying musicians who are not able to play professionally, but putting them in an orchestra where the professionals play at 120 beats per minute, while those who are not yet ready are allowed to play at 80 beats per minute.

The result is similar to my eye/ear.

 

[Old Guy]

As I watched the first six laps I commented to my wife that Marquez was deliberately holding Rossi up. It was too obvious to deny. When Rossi settled in behind him in fourth, Marquez slowed. When Rossi passed, Marquez passed again immediately and slowed.

So accepting that Rossi shouldn't have done what he did, what do you folks think he should have done?

A. Accept fourth and let Marquez hold him back until the rest of the field caught up?

B. Continue letting Marquez torment him for the rest of the race?

C. Something I haven't thought of.

C. Wreck the little sh*t, but be less obvious about it.

It'd sure be tempting, wouldn't it? No matter how much you know you shouldn't.

I did a bit of endurance racing back a few decades ago where all classes were on the track at the same time. It was nothing unusual for me to catch a slower rider who was on a faster bike in the twisty sections, finally get by him only to see him come back by me on the next long straight. Then I'd get to do it over. He'd sometimes hold me up a couple of seconds a lap for several laps. That was frustrating beyond belief even though there was only a cheap trophy on the line or even just bragging rights for finishing 5th instead of 6th. It's hard to imagine how frustrating it must have been for Rossi having to deal with this punk a** kid during a MotoGP fight for the championship.

 

[russperry]

As I watched the first six laps I commented to my wife that Marquez was deliberately holding Rossi up. It was too obvious to deny. When Rossi settled in behind him in fourth, Marquez slowed. When Rossi passed, Marquez passed again immediately and slowed.

So accepting that Rossi shouldn't have done what he did, what do you folks think he should have done?

A. Accept fourth and let Marquez hold him back until the rest of the field caught up?

B. Continue letting Marquez torment him for the rest of the race?

C. Something I haven't thought of.

C. Wreck the little sh*t, but be less obvious about it.

Be faster and earn the title

 

[danh600]

As I watched the first six laps I commented to my wife that Marquez was deliberately holding Rossi up. It was too obvious to deny. When Rossi settled in behind him in fourth, Marquez slowed. When Rossi passed, Marquez passed again immediately and slowed.

So accepting that Rossi shouldn't have done what he did, what do you folks think he should have done?

A. Accept fourth and let Marquez hold him back until the rest of the field caught up?

B. Continue letting Marquez torment him for the rest of the race?

C. Something I haven't thought of.

C. Wreck the little sh*t, but be less obvious about it.

Be faster and earn the title

Do both what you said and what I said!!!! Win-Win.

 

[Old Guy]

As I watched the first six laps I commented to my wife that Marquez was deliberately holding Rossi up. It was too obvious to deny. When Rossi settled in behind him in fourth, Marquez slowed. When Rossi passed, Marquez passed again immediately and slowed.

So accepting that Rossi shouldn't have done what he did, what do you folks think he should have done?

A. Accept fourth and let Marquez hold him back until the rest of the field caught up?

B. Continue letting Marquez torment him for the rest of the race?

C. Something I haven't thought of.

C. Wreck the little sh*t, but be less obvious about it.

Be faster and earn the title

Well, that's certainly an obvious answer. Go faster. But, then, Marquez seemed like the rider that could go faster on that day. Why didn't he?

 

[El Toro]

As much as I dislike Lorenzo, Lorenzo is honestly the guy who deserves to win based on the on track performance. But his anger over Rossi's behavior is phony, and he does not make me feel sympathy toward his cause. He actually lobbied for Rossi to be disqualified based on the interactions with Marquez, and that genuinely seems disingenuous.

Lorenzo has won more races. Lorenzo has led more laps. Lorenzo would probably win without Marquez's harassment of Rossi. It is almost as though Rossi has entered one of the lower level's of Dante's Hell.

In Valencia, I'd like to see Marquez take the pole. I'd like to see Lorenzo in second on the grid. And I'd like to see them take each other out in the first corner so that wherever Rossi finishes, he gets the championship.

Espeleta would be so distressed that he might miss the King's request for a handshake among Subjects at the end of the race.

 

[Spud]

As I watched the first six laps I commented to my wife that Marquez was deliberately holding Rossi up. It was too obvious to deny. When Rossi settled in behind him in fourth, Marquez slowed. When Rossi passed, Marquez passed again immediately and slowed.

So accepting that Rossi shouldn't have done what he did, what do you folks think he should have done?

A. Accept fourth and let Marquez hold him back until the rest of the field caught up?

B. Continue letting Marquez torment him for the rest of the race?

C. Something I haven't thought of.

C. Wreck the little sh*t, but be less obvious about it.

Be faster and earn the title

Well, that's certainly an obvious answer. Go faster. But, then, Marquez seemed like the rider that could go faster on that day. Why didn't he?

The "be faster and earn the title" comment oversimplifies things. If you ride a MotoGP bike 10/10th's, which all of those guys can do, you can put in some very fast laps--and have your tires gone halfway through the race. VR's riding for points at the end, MM is out of the points b/c he's the Bubba Stewart of MotoGP, so early in the race he starts screwing with VR b/c he doesn't care about tire management. A couple of those slice up the inside moves were right on the edge, and set up so he knew they wouldn't stick. I wish VR would have kept his cool, but the result wasn't surprising.

 

[900gc]

As I watched the first six laps I commented to my wife that Marquez was deliberately holding Rossi up. It was too obvious to deny. When Rossi settled in behind him in fourth, Marquez slowed. When Rossi passed, Marquez passed again immediately and slowed.

So accepting that Rossi shouldn't have done what he did, what do you folks think he should have done?

A. Accept fourth and let Marquez hold him back until the rest of the field caught up?

B. Continue letting Marquez torment him for the rest of the race?

C. Something I haven't thought of.

C. Wreck the little sh*t, but be less obvious about it.

Be faster and earn the title

Well, that's certainly an obvious answer. Go faster. But, then, Marquez seemed like the rider that could go faster on that day. Why didn't he?

The "be faster and earn the title" comment oversimplifies things. If you ride a MotoGP bike 10/10th's, which all of those guys can do, you can put in some very fast laps--and have your tires gone halfway through the race. VR's riding for points at the end, MM is out of the points b/c he's the Bubba Stewart of MotoGP, so early in the race he starts screwing with VR b/c he doesn't care about tire management. A couple of those slice up the inside moves were right on the edge, and set up so he knew they wouldn't stick. I wish VR would have kept his cool, but the result wasn't surprising.

Let's not forget that Rossi has some skeletons in his closet over the many years too. He's been one of the best (if not THE best) at playing mind games and using, ahem... 'riding tactics' to best his rivals. What's that line from a Nat King Cole song?...'all in the wonderful game..'

 

[Auburn]

As much as I dislike Lorenzo, Lorenzo is honestly the guy who deserves to win based on the on track performance. But his anger over Rossi's behavior is phony, and he does not make me feel sympathy toward his cause. He actually lobbied for Rossi to be disqualified based on the interactions with Marquez, and that genuinely seems disingenuous.

snip...

This is why if Lorenzo for some reason should crash or have a DNF and lose the title, then Karma will be served. He has had to depend upon many others because he has had several of his own mistakes/crashes. Granted he has won more races than Rossi this year, but I think his true charachter has shown through this in spades.

 

[Spud]

And last ... this is why Stoner left.
Stoner was/is an honest broker who is more comfortable with honest racing, and unhappy when the Spectacle is the focus.

He was wise to get out when he did. I miss Stoner. He was far and away my favorite rider of all time. No one else before or since has EVER made a Ducati perform like Casey did. Any very talented rider can perform well on the factory prepped Honda or Yamaha. Stoner rode a sow's ear and turned it into a silk purse.

I miss Stoner too. I always looked forward to the coverage of his wife stressing out in the paddock during the races..... Although getting stuck with the same umbrella girl every week may have been a little bit of a short straw deal lol......

 

[steveoreno]

I suppose this is a whole nuther thread, and maybe there have already been some on this topic ...
But I'd forgotten how folks who don't watch events, for whatever valid reason they may have, get irked when folks who watched the event want to talk about it. This particular subject in this particular week is worthy of discussion, opinion expression, wringing of hands, and general BSing. There are probably more who would like to talk than there are those who want to watch all the MotoGP races at the end of the season.

Honestly though, this week's race was bizarre enough that if you did not watch it live, you might like to watch your time shifted version of it, just to see what folks are talking about.

I suppose the OP could have said "Spoiler Alert" in the title of the thread.

But would anyone who did not want to know what happened at Sepang actually not realize that it would be better not to open a thread called "Sepang Sepow" on the day after the MotoGP race at Sepang?

Just thinking out loud here ....

As for losing by not watching ... I dunno. It may be "the best racing," but it is no longer fair racing. The march toward homologation in order to fill out the grid with 20+ riders, and the silly idea that there are two classes on the same track racing at the same time, one getting in the way of the other about three quarters of the way through the race, just doesn't make any sense to an old guy.

Granted, back in the day's of Surtees or Agostini, most of the teams did not field a very strong bike compared to what these two relatively rich gentlemen could field, so maybe it wasn't fair. But we've taken the idea of fairness to an absurd level.

It's like identifying musicians who are not able to play professionally, but putting them in an orchestra where the professionals play at 120 beats per minute, while those who are not yet ready are allowed to play at 80 beats per minute.

The result is similar to my eye/ear.

Joe, Most of the folks here, ok lots of them follow MotoGP and I had already watched my dvr recording but not before Facebook spoiled it for me first thing in the am. Sorry if I spoiled it for any of you but the media was already doing it because it's news.

 

[Pterodactyl]

If a person does not want to know the result of a sports event, then that person should not look in places where the information might be displayed. It is that person's responsibility to avoid the info, it is not everyone else's responsibility to avoid discussing it. It is unreasonable to visit this site and click on a thread that indicates it is about MotoGP and then be miffed when the results of a race are disclosed.

 

[PhilJet09]

Here's a tip...watch your dvr before participating in social media, especially going on a motorcycle forum. You know, just in case something big happened during the race that people want to talk about.

I find it incredibly funny when folks whine about "spoilers". How long are we supposed to wait to talk about this stuff anyway? Silly crybabies.

Edit - damn, the dactyl beat me to it.

 

[El Toro]

My post was along the same line, i.e., that it should be fine to discuss something like this on the day after the event. I agree with the opinion that, if you don't want to know, then don't look. Sorry it wasn't clear.

Also, there is a different poster who goes by El Toro Joe. That's not me. It is my fault that our names are similar. When I chose my name, I was new, and since El Toro had not been claimed, the software let me claim it. Later, within a day or two, El Toro Joe noted that I'd stolen his name ... sigh...

That was a surprisingly long time ago.

 

[Bugnatr]

Spanish Mafia is behind it all.

Sneaky *******s eh?

 

[MadRussian]

Good article:

https://motomatters.com/analysis/2015/10/27/2015_sepang_motogp_round_up_heroes_who_h.html

 

[El Toro]

Good article:

https://motomatters.com/analysis/2015/10/27/2015_sepang_motogp_round_up_heroes_who_h.html

I agree. Very long, but well thought out.

It gave me a better appreciation of Dani's calm demeanor. Dani has certainly been through a lot.

I don't think he will ever be the champion in premier class though, and it may just be that he accepts fate too willingly.