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MotoGP
MOTOGP: One Battle Stoner Couldn’t Win
Casey Stoner got pulled into another public spat with Valentino Rossi -- perhaps the only battle in which the retired world champ has little chance of winning.
Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner square off at Laguna Seca in 2008 (Photo: Yamaha Racing)
Casey Stoner may be retired, but the two-time world champ is still quick to trade barbs with nine-time world champ Valentino Rossi. Last week, a recycled interview in Dainese's magazine enticed Stoner to make a Twitter comment that Rossi seemed a lot braver after Stoner walked away from the sport at the top of his game.
All of this is undoubtedly good for the sport, especially in the offseason when things get a bit slow.
So how do you win a war of words with Valentino Rossi? You don’t. The only way to win is not to fight it.
Rossi is the most charismatic man in the sport in decades and has legions of fans. Valentino is a celebrity, not just a motorcycle celebrity. Is he “bigger than the sport?” Sometimes it appears so.
It certainly isn’t true of everyone, but it is safe to say most MotoGP fans at least have a strong admiration for Valentino, even if their ultimate allegiance is to another rider.
So any time someone rips on Rossi (even if they are correct) all it does is make all those hardcore Rossi fans angry and a bunch of others shake their heads.
Rossi is also an expert at leveraging his mojo with the public. All of the other riders should have learned this after the Sete Gibernau “curse” -- and maybe even earlier in his relentless campaign against Max Biaggi.
Riders like Jorge Lorenzo have managed to render unto Caesars what is Caesar’s while going about their business on the track. They deftly avoid problems that come along with any public criticism of Rossi. Is it right they feel the need to do that? No, but that’s the way it is. You have to let the fans figure out for themselves that the guy fighting for seventh is criticizing the man fighting for wins.
Casey didn’t need to defend himself, even with the fairly innocuous comments on Twitter. Stoner’s career record is awesome, especially over the last few years when his performance crushed Rossi’s. Stoner was winning races and a championship while Rossi’s career hit a downturn with injuries and the Jorge Lorenzo buzzsaw at Yamaha even before the Ducati debacle.
2008 and Laguna Seca was a long time ago. Heck, in hindsight, someone battling at the front on the Ducati seems admirable, the crash not withstanding.
It is true Stoner deserved more respect while he was racing. Stoner rode in a style on the ragged edge that should have captivated MotoGP fans. He rode hard and he rode hurt at times like at Indianapolis this year and at his triumph at Phillip Island. He won on the funky-framed Ducati when no one else could. He blew Pedrosa out of the water on the Honda.
But the fans don’t forget stuff like this. That’s just the way it is.
All of this is undoubtedly good for the sport, especially in the offseason when things get a bit slow.
So how do you win a war of words with Valentino Rossi? You don’t. The only way to win is not to fight it.
Rossi is the most charismatic man in the sport in decades and has legions of fans. Valentino is a celebrity, not just a motorcycle celebrity. Is he “bigger than the sport?” Sometimes it appears so.
It certainly isn’t true of everyone, but it is safe to say most MotoGP fans at least have a strong admiration for Valentino, even if their ultimate allegiance is to another rider.
So any time someone rips on Rossi (even if they are correct) all it does is make all those hardcore Rossi fans angry and a bunch of others shake their heads.
Rossi is also an expert at leveraging his mojo with the public. All of the other riders should have learned this after the Sete Gibernau “curse” -- and maybe even earlier in his relentless campaign against Max Biaggi.
Riders like Jorge Lorenzo have managed to render unto Caesars what is Caesar’s while going about their business on the track. They deftly avoid problems that come along with any public criticism of Rossi. Is it right they feel the need to do that? No, but that’s the way it is. You have to let the fans figure out for themselves that the guy fighting for seventh is criticizing the man fighting for wins.
Casey didn’t need to defend himself, even with the fairly innocuous comments on Twitter. Stoner’s career record is awesome, especially over the last few years when his performance crushed Rossi’s. Stoner was winning races and a championship while Rossi’s career hit a downturn with injuries and the Jorge Lorenzo buzzsaw at Yamaha even before the Ducati debacle.
2008 and Laguna Seca was a long time ago. Heck, in hindsight, someone battling at the front on the Ducati seems admirable, the crash not withstanding.
It is true Stoner deserved more respect while he was racing. Stoner rode in a style on the ragged edge that should have captivated MotoGP fans. He rode hard and he rode hurt at times like at Indianapolis this year and at his triumph at Phillip Island. He won on the funky-framed Ducati when no one else could. He blew Pedrosa out of the water on the Honda.
But the fans don’t forget stuff like this. That’s just the way it is.
Grand Prix of The France
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