I don't mean to bash RC but

[Jeff Gilbert]

I have put my finger on what it is about the guy that strikes me the wrong way. A friend of mine told me once (he was a singer in a band) "you know you're good when you can fake sincerity." When I listen to RC talk, that's what he reminds me of.

Thjis isn't a flame!

 

[YoTRacer158]

carmichael needs to be bashed...hes better now but in the past he would practically start crying when he didnt win. dont get me wrong hes a great rider, i just dont like him as a person. hes too cocky and he'll ride dirty if that's what it takes to win. aggressive riding and block passes are one thing, but cutting off someone in a turn, stopping, and looking back at them is just plain bull<edit>...is it a flame yet?

 

[Patman]

I think that is his biggest road block to becoming a crowd pleaser. He has the talent/luck (yes NOT crashing while feet off the pegs is not skill in my book).

 

[Wraith]

Or mabey he is just a average rider like most of us on this board. Except for the fact he leaves it WFO for a little longer, and gets on it WFO a little quicker:)

 

[KawieKX125]

I totally respect him. He has to put up with alot of crap from people and booing at the US open. Not only does he ignore it, he whoops everyone. Luck does not make him win, skill and strength do.

 

[Duneman]

RC is not my fav either but he is a great racer and a good champ, he's no MC, but come on you guys sound like a bunch women!:p:)

 

[XRpredator]

Originally posted by Patman
He has the . . . luck (yes NOT crashing while feet off the pegs is NOT skill in my book).

Not in my book either. That's been my feeling from the beginning, and it's going to catch up with him eventually.

 

[KXKen]

Originally posted by XRpredator

Not in my book either. That's been my feeling from the beginning, and it's going to catch up with him eventually.

I wonder if you guys will still be saying this 3 years from now.

I just don't see the problem with RC that so many other people seem to see. To me he's just a very aggresive rider that's not much for dealing with crowds. I've never heard him insult anybody the way some of the great riders of the past have.

 

[KawieKX125]

Exactly, I have never seen RC get angry at others. Mike brown gives langston the bird, yet we all still seem to like him. I lost alot of respect for the guy after that. RC never even got mad at the crowd at the US Open for booing him. You try that.

 

[chadk01]

RC rides on the edge, this is a fact. It is my understanding that you have to ride on the edge to compete at the pro level. Yes, I do believe there may be times when he has gotten lucky, however, take a look at his resume. If all that came from luck he must spit 4 leaf clovers. Nothing against Pastrana, he is awsome, but maybe he should ask RC to borrow a little of that luck when it comes to not crashing......:think

 

[mbmotorspt]

faking sincerity

Is faking sincerity anything like faking bashing?...."I don't mean to bash RC but.."

Racers are an odd lot. I may not know very much about supercross other than I am an average fan, and I am probably the world's worst dirt bike rider, but to win at any level of motorsports takes a huge amount of personal sacrifice and dedication. Everyone has their faults in the eyes of others. Some traits that appeal to some fans may totally enrage others.

I remember Sammy Swindell (sprint car racer) saying something to the effect that "iif 60% were booing and 40% were cheering....at least I had all of their attention!"

I guess my point is, that if RC was an also-ran, he probably wouldn't have your attention!

MB:D

 

[IDkTm]

To me RC is the greatest that I've ever seen ride. Granted I'm only 20 and my first MX recollections are of Stanton, Bradshaw, and Bayle. etc; but RC is just a step above it seems. RC has rode the way he has for years, hes still going strong. I can only count twice tha the injury bug has bit him, once in Paris where he broke a collarbone and the other was I think in Tampa? in 1999 when he tore the chunk out of his leg with the footpeg. I lose more respect for MC with each race. He was hauling butt at the open and yet still he was making excuses. "I had a bad gate, Larrocco knocked me down", on and on. In all the years I've seen MC race I've never heard him say that whoever beat him was just better. This year when RC pummeled him his thing was well I just wasn't prepared and I was busy with my team. I'd really like it better if he's just say RC was better.

 

[mx547]

Originally posted by Jeff Gilbert
"you know you're good when you can fake sincerity." When I listen to RC talk, that's what he reminds me of.

that's just it. he's not fake and it shows.

 

[Duneman]

some of you guys are starting to make me love RC cause of the way you bag on him, I watched him ride at the USopen and he is ridding as good as ever, like said he is no MC, but he has been beating MC the greatest supercross racer ever, don't get me wrong MC is and will always be my fav. but come on RC and MC right should be mentioned in the same breath. RC is a bad ass rider and the only one that is capable of beating MC. He has not said anything bad about MC and when he rammed MC that one time he pulled over and let MC pass him, his is a good sport. Come on what do you people want out of him? is it just cause his video game sucks? all you RC bashers grow up!:mad:

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

Re: faking sincerity

Originally posted by mbmotorspt
Is faking sincerity anything like faking bashing?...."I don't mean to bash RC but.."

I really don't mean to bash the guy, I just made a connection of how his interviews come across to me. He is very fast on the track no doubt, does he deserve to be where he is? Yes.
Is the the fastest? Probably not.
Is he a smarter rider? Time will tell.
I know he works hard to have gotten where he is and I'm happy for anyone with that much dedication and determination, I applaud his success.

This sport has dawned a new era over the past few years in the market place of entertainment, yes I consider the sport entertainment. When you net a place at the top I believe in order for lasting success you have to define skills in self marketability. I think this is a weak point for the young RC and I'd like to see him improve. When he speaks he comes across to me as someone whom has no clue how to respond other than to promote his sponsors. I guess that's okay since they are a big part of how he got where he is. He kind of reminds me of talking to someone that won't look me in the eye. That's the best I can explain.:confused:

KXKen
To me he's just a very aggressive rider that's not much for dealing with crowds. I've never heard him insult anybody ..."

Maybe you summed it up best, I just couldn't find the words.not much for dealing with crowds

 

[MARK IT]

He was a good up and coming rider & champ with Kaw, and now he on a honda and he's smart for taking there money but a honda's a honda any
way you look at it.

 

[YoTRacer158]

but he has been beating MC the greatest supercross racer ever

the greatest supercross racer of all time? probably. the greatest supercross racer, period? i dont think so. if he wants to have a chance at another supercross championship he needs to start racing nationals. he cant expect to win just because he's "the great jeremy mcgrath". if he wants to keep up with carmichael in a 20-30 min supercross race, he needs to be able to keep up with carmichael in a 45 min moto. hes just as bad as carmichael when it comes to interviews. he whines about everything whether he wins or not but at least he has the decency to to give another rider credit for riding better than him, rather than just saying he wasnt riding his best, or the lappers got in the way, and all the other excuses carmichael uses. as much as i hate to say it, mcgrath is a has-been. he'll lose the championship just like he did last year, and he'll probably retire before he loses his title as "the king" any further. i dont like riders who dominate, never have and never will. of course they're good riders, and i applaud them for that, but they get cocky and become better than everyone else, including the fans. i waited in line for several hours last year at the anaheim sx to get mcgraths autograph, and when i got there, he didnt even look up at me. just signed the picture, and pushed it to a man standing next to him who handed it to me. i had another poster i wanted to get signed instead of the one he had and as i said "jeremy could you sign this one instead?" he chuckled as he shook his head and i was pushed along by the man who handed me the picture. yet this is how a lot of people choose their favorite riders...they choose them by how well they finished in the previous years standings. personally my favorite rider is doug henry and has been ever since he came back after the broken back. Another rider i look up to is Doug Dubach. he and his wife personally took time from their schedule to help me with my senior project for school, in which i wrote about becoming a professional racer. i had to interview someone of the profession i was writing about and spend a day with the person, and they were more than happy to help. i think the people who deserve to win races need to start winning them: windham, larocco, lusk, ferry; the great riders who are being overshadowed by a fast rider.

 

[LaRider20]

If Windom (sp.?) rode a little more on the edge, and a little more aggressive, he would be Ricky.:p j/k
Kevin rides much to.........pretty? to be compared to Ricky.:D

 

[KXKen]

Re: Re: faking sincerity

Originally posted by Jeff Gilbert

Maybe you summed it up best, I just couldn't find the words.not much for dealing with crowds

I don't think that you can expect somebody to be something that they are not. I don't really view this (inabliity to deal with crowds) as a weekness like other people do. Maybe to the people that want to make money it is. Is RC a TP? Hell no Travis is a natural at dealing with crowds RC is not. Does this make RC bad for some reason? I don't think so. I can't remember RC saying a bad thing about another rider.

Before RC all the older guys where complaining that we didn't have aggresive riders like we did in the 70s. Now we have one and they're complaining about the way he deals with crowds? I think they're fogetting about some of the things those aggresive riders of the 70s said about some of the guys they where racing with. To me there seems to be a BIG TIME double standard going on.

I just don't get the RC bashing.

 

[bwalker]

He has the . . . luck (yes NOT crashing while feet off the pegs is NOT skill in my book).

Did people not say the same thing about Hannah?

 

[super rat]

If you are really, really, really fast you might luck in to a national moto win, I doubt it but who knows it could happen. To say that luck has anything to do with RC's dominance is foolish. The only people I hear talking about luck are losers, winners make their own luck.

 

[Wraith]

And Honda buys luck:)

 

[XRpredator]

Originally posted by bwalker
Did people not say the same thing about Hannah?

D'OH! :confused:

But the fact of the matter is, he is Bob Hannah!

Maybe 20 years down the road, if Ricky doesn't auger in, we'll be saying the same things.

Remember Magoo?:think

 

[IBWFO]

Money buys "Championships" not Luck. Yankees come to mind!
Like the previous guy said you might get 1 win from luck but not an SX/MX Championship.
Looks like Villemein (sp) is the King of Bercy AGAIN! He not only won both nights, but came from behind and passed MC to win, convincingly.

 

[94ruck]

Another factor to consider is this: moto/supercross is a very young person sport. Not many 15 year old potentials(James Stewart) are signed to drive NASCAR as soon as they turn 16.
I here many parents tell their sponsors to give us free stuff, my kids fast(any local fast kid). It is all about that kid all of their career and it takes a strong person to step up and mature ( Mcgrath,Emig, Johnson,Ward,etc.)and not all of our sports stars are able to do this. Some are dealing with pressures and extreme responsibilities before there maturity has peaked. Some make it and some don't(Bradshaw). Some of the ones that do still never get to the point where they can communicate(Laracco). Some of have different heroes and we need to keep in perspective that these people still put their riding pants on 1 leg at a time(except maybe Metzger and crew!)
:p