Latest / B 4EVA Kool "Race A Motorcycle" Podcast / Looking back at MotoGP 2006 season in S6 Ep 03

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Looking back at MotoGP 2006 season in S6 Ep 03 · B 4EVA Kool "Race A Motorcycle" Podcast

1:44
Listening to the Be Forever Cool podcast, My name is Rex 45.
1:48
We are talking about the 2006 Moto GP season, the year Nikki
1:54
Hayden won. A lot of crashes, lot of
1:56
craziness, a lot of chaos. I can't wait to dive in it with
2:00
the fellas and talk more about the season because I've learned
2:03
a lot watching it again. And unfortunately,
2:06
unfortunately, I didn't watch it in real time back in the day,
2:10
but they could be able to catch it and see it.
2:12
Man, it's been a blast. So, but no further ado.
2:15
Let's get this thing moving. Welcome to the show, Smitty.
2:19
How you doing tonight? Let me get that mute off for
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you, man. What's good, man?
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Pretty good man, can't complain too much.
2:27
Got a little injury going on, but I'll be OK for the race
2:29
season so. All right, right.
2:31
I mean, wearing glasses is not an injury, man.
2:33
Nah, it's a foot man boy mash up over here.
2:37
Yo, how that happened, man. Come on, man.
2:40
You mean you know you know it takes a long time to heal up
2:42
after a certain age? No, to be honest, I don't know
2:45
how or when it happened. This has been hurting for the
2:48
past year. You know, just deal with a
2:49
penny. Just walk around with a lid
2:50
thinking it's OK. Then, you know, we get this old
2:52
man pains like, oh, it'll get better in a few weeks and a few
2:56
weeks turn into a few months and never got better.
2:59
So I finally got got it checked out.
3:00
They said, yeah, it's broken. So so for the past year had a
3:03
broken foot. Yes, we're going to send you to
3:07
Missouri to see the doctors, Marquesi, to get this sorted
3:09
out. I need his doctors.
3:12
Yeah, man. Yeah.
3:16
You won't be able to race soon, though.
3:17
You, you know, like, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
3:20
Yeah, no, no doubt we don't want any excuses this year because
3:23
it's going to be a fun year, man, but we're going we're going
3:25
to jump into it. We're going to keep it moving.
3:27
TJ, what's going on, man? Welcome to the show How you
3:29
doing this evening, man? I'm.
3:31
Doing great. How you doing over there?
3:33
See, I like that swagger guy and you got that, that green and red
3:37
that that nice looking good. Man, listen, man, I'm trying
3:41
man, I'm trying to get like Reese, you know what I'm saying?
3:43
I'm trying to get get up that ladder like that guy over there,
3:45
man, because you know what I mean.
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So we trying man, it's 2 thousand 2026.
3:49
So even though we talked about 2016, that's 20 years ago.
3:53
What's the good man? We Patriots won yesterday.
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I mean, you know, you know, I don't want to sit here and say,
3:58
you know, we want to have a parade, but it it seems like we
4:01
might. Maybe we can have some believers
4:04
and a lot more haters too, but we're climbing up the ladder.
4:07
That's it. It was a good game, low scoring,
4:09
but whole, whole field definitely matters, I'm sure so.
4:14
You know that no, that well, we're going to keep it moving.
4:17
Reese, I know he wasn't talking to you and he said haters, you
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know, I mean, I know you're eagles guys.
4:21
I mean, I see some things happening with feathers all over
4:23
the place. What's good, man?
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How you doing? Yeah, we got our, we, we, we
4:28
lost. But you know, it's always next
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year, You know, we still got it, so we ain't worried about it.
4:32
But all good. It's out here in the cold.
4:34
Get ready for 2026. Yeah, you know, as you know from
4:40
attack Yamaha, once you taste that, that that champagne man,
4:43
it just hard to get it out of your system, right?
4:46
Man, it's definitely hard to get out of the system and we want it
4:49
back and we, we want it back this year, man, we definitely
4:52
want the title. So we'll we'll see what see what
4:56
happens. No doubt, No doubt.
5:00
Speaking of titles, it's crazy because you know, Rossi had the
5:04
title for five years in a row, so that has to be a interesting
5:09
feeling to to lose it the way he did in in 2006.
5:12
So fellas, open to the show. You know, lots to talk about as
5:17
as you hear me say, you know, Rossi won the championship in
5:20
the row for five years, 3 Honda 2 at Yamaha.
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And in 2006 we, we got some rookies, we got Danny Pedrosa,
5:30
we got Casey Stoner, you know, which is different.
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We got Melandry who started to come into his own and, and, and
5:38
want to get more. We lost Max Biaggi, which is
5:41
unfortunate. Seth is still there and still
5:43
fighting. I mean, I'll give it to him.
5:45
He was still fighting, man. You know, What do you guys
5:48
remember from the 2006 overall before we kind of dive further
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into some of the rounds and stuff like that to kind of just
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kind of panned out? I mean, obviously the first
5:57
round was pretty crazy with crashes off the bat, but like,
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what do you guys thought? We'll talk.
6:02
We'll start with let's start with Smitty.
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So what stood out with maybe that season was Rossi struggles
6:08
and not actually him per SE, but a bike.
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He had a lot of DNFS couple crashes.
6:13
The bike had a chatter issue for the first half, for the first
6:16
half of the season and and they couldn't figure things out.
6:21
But I don't know what round it was, but they did like they took
6:25
the 2006 engine and put in the in the O5 chassis.
6:30
And then that did kind of smooth things out and the chatter went
6:33
away. But I guess for me, like in my
6:36
mind, like it's a plug and play type thing, but with those bikes
6:39
being so advanced, it wasn't that simple.
6:43
So it caused more issues. So he still had more DNS, but
6:46
it's not from his chat about crashing.
6:47
He had a couple clutch issues. So but yeah, he he struggled,
6:51
crash, got hurt. But that was his worst year, he
6:54
that he ever had luck, luck wise, you know.
6:59
No, no, no doubt I agree with you.
7:00
Rossi struggling on the Yamaha was, was, was real.
7:04
And you know from it's interesting back then from the
7:08
outside, you didn't hear much of the chatter like we hear today
7:11
when we see riders struggle with the manufacturing stuff like
7:15
that, you know, so we definitely people are talking a lot more in
7:18
2026. TJ, what are your thoughts been
7:21
overall on on the championship and and you know you agree with
7:24
what Spitty's saying? Yeah, for sure.
7:28
I definitely agree with Smitty saying Rossi definitely had his
7:31
struggles right off the bat from the first race.
7:36
You know, him getting clicked, I forget by who, but it's that
7:39
just kind of set the tone, you know.
7:41
I mean, obviously he had his moments, but I think Rossi's
7:44
struggle was a standout. Also think the the reasons like
7:48
the competition level is definitely raced.
7:51
So, you know, Nikki Haley was on a charge from 2005 and, you
7:56
know, kind of having his his mind set on what he wants to get
8:01
a championship. And he went right into the 2006
8:04
season. You know, he didn't win too many
8:08
races, but he was definitely on a podium pretty much the whole
8:11
season. So there's there's a there's a
8:14
lot of challenges out there for for Rossi, you know, Petrosa
8:18
getting some victories and you know, Kaparosi went in and the
8:21
Landry and all those challenging more of the past seasons.
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And the championship is actually much closer than it has been.
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So it's definitely more a lot of struggles on Rossi.
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So I agree with Smitty on that. No, no, no doubt.
8:36
You know, Yeah, Rossi finished fourteen, 14th in that race.
8:41
You know, he got some sate juvenile crashed out of that
8:43
race. Capa Rossi one on a Ducati.
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Ducati. I mean, they had their ups and
8:48
downs, but they they look good in 2006.
8:50
Pedroza first race of the season, he's on the podium
8:54
second place. It's pretty huge.
8:55
You know, Nikki Hayden in 3rd place, as you mentioned, 2
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Hondas back on the grid and it's not Rossi.
9:01
You know, Reese, I mean, what are your thoughts on the overall
9:04
season? And you know what Pedroza was
9:06
able to do as a rookie because, I mean, you know, as we were
9:08
saying before we started the cameras rolling, I mean, you
9:12
know, he, he, he is Pedroza was the Pedroza before Mark Marquez.
9:18
I mean, I agree with that. I agree with Smitty, I agree
9:20
with Tji. Mean Rossi had his struggles.
9:22
But then you know, you have Pedroza that was coming in as a
9:24
young kid. You know, as we did say he was
9:27
Mark Marquez before Mark. He was that Mark Marquez.
9:31
I mean, he came in as a young kid hot wearing to go.
9:35
I mean, he had the worst case of pad luck in his career, but he
9:41
was good. And it's this I would have
9:43
wished he would have did a lot better.
9:47
But that season, that season was a good season.
9:49
The 20, the 2006 season, just how everybody came in.
9:53
Nikki was hot coming in, you know, Rossi.
9:57
And I think I think that year, that was the year that Petrosa
10:00
clipped Rossi at one race and it was the issue there.
10:05
I think that was one of the issues one time.
10:07
I think that was the season. Yeah, I believe so.
10:10
Smitty was sorting that out with me the second to last race is
10:13
what he's saying. The took out Rossi.
10:18
But you know, to, for a team to struggle, you know, halfway
10:23
through the season and, and you know, be, you know, in the top
10:25
three towards the end, it's, it's pretty huge.
10:29
It is. It's pretty huge to be up there,
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you know, in the, you know, in the top 10 or even in the top
10:33
five. It is definitely huge to be in
10:35
that that position for a team that is definitely.
10:40
Right, right. Go ahead.
10:41
I'm. Going to chime in and correct
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y'all something some of y'all just said.
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He took out Hayden. Not, not, not Rossi.
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Oh, oh, you're saying to it no. OK, so it was the end patrol we
10:56
got Hayden, but they. Got Hayden in.
10:58
That first round that Elias, Tony Elias made.
11:01
Rossi crash, right? We got hit Pedroza and Pedroza
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to it made Rossi run off or whatever because Rossi was able
11:07
to remount and and one of the few times he couldn't finish in
11:11
a, you know, on the podium after running off of crash and which
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is which is which is which is pretty wild.
11:19
You know, it's interesting to see you guys, you know, back
11:22
then, I think it seems like more the season these days as far as
11:26
the different rounds are more kind of organized through
11:29
distance and stuff. We're back then it seems like
11:31
Moto GP was Criss crossing all over the place because you know,
11:35
they'll they'll be in Spain, then they'll be in Qatar and
11:37
then they'll be in in in at the French Grand Prix, where now
11:41
they kind of just kind of move along around the the, the, the
11:44
the world, You know, what are your thoughts of, you know, them
11:47
racing in Istanbul? I think that was the first year
11:50
that were there in Turkey with huge for them.
11:53
I think Rossi, you know, the struggles can still continue.
11:56
What are your thoughts on, you know, just the schedule and is
11:59
looking back on it now and and just, you know, I think it's
12:02
much better these days. What are your thoughts Smitty?
12:06
I won't say it's better or worse to me.
12:08
It's bad regardless to me all that travelling, the travelling
12:11
the guys do across the country, you know, from Japan to US to
12:15
Europe to I think even yeah, just it's a lot.
12:19
So I mean, but was it worse back then?
12:21
I don't know. I don't, I can't pinpoint all
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the countries and say well they should have did this round 1st
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and that round second. So I don't got my math out right
12:28
now. I'll tell you what's bad.
12:29
I'm not good, so I can't call it that one, you know, Not sure.
12:32
OK, no doubt, no doubt. Did you notice anything like
12:35
that, TJ, with the travelling? Because I, I, I definitely did
12:38
sitting here looking at it and it's just kind of like it's, you
12:41
know, the Spanish Grand Prix, Qatar, Turkey, China, France,
12:45
Italy, Cataluna, Dutch, pretty crazy.
12:48
What are your thoughts? Yeah, I mean, I agree with
12:51
Smitty. Like traveling does suck, but it
12:55
comes apart of the sport, you know So but yeah, I think the
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schedule was definitely a little different.
13:01
I know like going back a few years from 2006, like the first
13:05
race wasn't at Harris and, and now they have different tracks
13:10
like China, Turkey. So like, you know, you're adding
13:14
stuff for it and it's just you, you don't know what is the best
13:17
time. And now we see like, I don't
13:20
know when they changed over at Qatar, but you know, they race
13:24
me in the daytime at this time. So I don't know if they changed
13:29
their schedule with Qatar at a different time of the year and
13:32
switches at night. So like, yeah, the schedule has
13:34
been all over. I think it's a little better now
13:38
how we jump region to regions a little more, you know, it takes
13:42
a little more away from you so you can actually focus on racing
13:45
I guess, but still comes with sports tablet so.
13:49
Right, right. Reece, tell us about it, man.
13:52
You know, you travel with the team and stuff like that.
13:55
Do do you ever say why don't they schedule it this way versus
13:58
what you see on the calendar in a certain year?
14:01
Actually, no. It's actually the way it's
14:03
scheduled and the way it is. The person that does driving and
14:06
drive the truck and do everything, it's a lot better
14:09
the way it is. It actually helps the team.
14:11
So instead of you going from one side of the country to the next
14:14
and back over, it actually for fuel economy, you're actually
14:17
saving in fuel. So if I can go here and keep
14:20
going here, it's just actually making it like a complete clock
14:23
instead of trapping one side back to the other than back.
14:26
It takes a wear and tear. It's a lot of wear and tear on
14:28
your vehicles, a lot of wear and tear on the teams fuel economy,
14:32
everything else. So it does help kind of save
14:35
money into the team's pockets. So that's that's one of the
14:38
biggest issues. I mean, we all know this sport
14:40
is based off of money. And the less money that the team
14:44
has to spend, the better that they can put into their
14:46
machines. We can put in the machines, we
14:47
can pay riders, we can do other things and you know, more stuff
14:50
for fans as well. Yeah, no, I agree with you
14:55
there. I mean, I think you know, you
14:57
know, they practice, I'm sure just in time finances everywhere
15:01
these days. And even what Ducati does with
15:04
with how they deal with parts and shipping and and buying
15:07
bikes and stuff like that. It it it's, you know, bikes
15:10
don't show up until they sold. So it's pretty crazy to see
15:13
where we're at today looking at, you know, the second round
15:16
Qatar, Rossi was able to win that Hayden second Kappa Rossi
15:19
was there, Sete was there, Casey Stoner, Pedroza Melandri.
15:25
You know, I think we in the modern day, we see these guys a
15:29
little bit more consistent. You know, I noticed with, you
15:33
know, obviously these Pedroza a rookie, Stoner a rookie.
15:36
So you'll see a little bit more there and stuff like that, but
15:39
is it just a a natural progression for guys to just
15:42
struggle at certain tracks and other tracks that do well?
15:45
What are your thoughts, Mitty? Yeah, I mean, I think as a racer
15:49
myself, you know, amateur racer, some tracks are having better at
15:53
than than others. So I think for the pros same
15:56
things, you know, for example, we've always heard how Marquez
15:59
does good at those counter clockwise tracks with more left
16:03
hand turns more so than other riders.
16:05
So yeah, I think they have their trash they struggle at and not
16:09
that's all, but yeah, I think so.
16:10
OK, OK. No doubt.
16:12
I hear you there. Listen, TJ, it was that I in,
16:18
in, in in Istanbul round Turkey. Casey Stone is on the podium.
16:22
So he's actually on the podium before Pedroza is.
16:25
I mean, we know what these guys are now, but watching back and
16:28
seeing them, you know, what are your thoughts on like how Casey
16:31
was riding and he was, he was, you know, on the Honda as well,
16:33
not on the fracture team at this point.
16:36
You know what your thoughts there and seeing, you know,
16:38
these young guns just gunning it out.
16:41
Yeah, I mean, it was actually really good to see Casey Stoner,
16:45
you know, what are you at 2nd in Turkey?
16:49
I was disappointed in like the way he finished the season, not
16:53
that well, but definitely it's good to see like the younger
16:56
guys actually get up on the podium or at least finish top
17:00
five. And, you know, it's just you see
17:03
different names out there instead of Valentino Rossi.
17:05
And like, you know, Rossi didn't even get on the podium at that
17:08
point. It's just basically the the
17:10
other guy. So but yeah, definitely Casey
17:14
Stoner was, you know, hearing his name today, you know, like
17:19
trying to think back like, oh, like he must have been a good
17:21
rider. So they had his younger days,
17:25
his start of his career. He seems really good.
17:27
Yeah, no, no doubt. I mean, you know, Reece, what
17:29
are your thoughts, man? I mean, you know, we see Aya
17:31
Guru, we saw Acosta, we see Ferman Alligator, these guys
17:36
that that that have come out. We know we see, I think Qatar is
17:40
another writer that was a rookie that was doing really well.
17:43
You know, we think it's like normal, but it's not really
17:46
normal for these rookies to just come in and and really be
17:49
upfront with the with the with the fast guys.
17:52
It's not normal. I mean, to have one of those
17:56
anomaly rookies that come in, you know, from the from the
17:59
start and just be up there with the fast guys is rare.
18:01
I mean the last person we've seen do that was Marc Marquez.
18:04
I mean they actually step up that plate.
18:08
It's like any other sport. I mean, you, you have those
18:12
talented persons that are going to outshine and stick out from
18:16
anybody. And then you have those guys are
18:18
just they are talented. The talented guys are going to
18:21
be that mid group, that mid pack and then the the stars, the the
18:26
extreme, as we call them aliens or, you know, outshine rookies.
18:30
They're going to be up there in the top five in that top eight
18:33
class. They're going to be up there,
18:36
You know, so I don't think the, I don't think we have any more
18:39
rookies coming up like that right now.
18:43
And, and you know, dude, I'll put this to Smitty and, and TJ,
18:48
what are your thoughts on what Ree says about rookies coming up
18:51
like that? Is it just because there's just
18:53
more training for you guys? So they're all kind of at the
18:56
same level where, you know, back then the training was, it was
19:01
more talent before the training, because with the, I think it was
19:04
more talent and then the training caught up to these
19:06
riders. We're now riders or 8, you know,
19:09
basketball players or all these teams now people, young people,
19:14
they're getting, they can go to all these different programs and
19:17
get that training and maybe not have the real life experience or
19:20
the talent per SE, but they got this training, you know?
19:23
What are your thoughts on those guys then versus now?
19:28
I think the training has helped. I mean, yeah, but tell you what,
19:31
training helps in all sports. I think it's a basketball those
19:34
kids play if coaches, if they hire something like 6-7, eight
19:37
years old, going to AAU, doing travel ball, like kids play like
19:42
the three teams nowadays for like 10 years straight.
19:45
High. School.
19:47
And it's a lot and even in GP these kids are on these on mini
19:51
GPS, ovale's, all that stuff. And I'm not sure how it was back
19:56
then in the, you know, 90s and 80s.
19:58
I think you just maybe roll dirt bikes.
19:59
Probably did flat track. Maybe super bike, that's it.
20:03
But then then offseason training, how these guys doing
20:05
car tracks on mini bikes training non-stop.
20:08
I don't think that, you know, they did it back then.
20:10
So kind of kind of kind of like you said back then it was just
20:15
talent, the best tatted roles, I mean, and talent naturally now
20:20
these guys work hard, have dietitians, all that stuff.
20:22
So yeah, I mean, I think, I think the training and modern
20:25
technology has leveled the gap between the vets and the rookies
20:29
somewhat. So I think it's easier not for
20:31
rookies to come in and do well versus back then.
20:34
But and and it's impressive. It's impressive back then to see
20:39
somebody come in like Marquez come in and as rookie light
20:42
things up, Casey, you know, making podiums, Danny, making
20:46
podiums back then. I think it was hard to do it
20:50
back then than it is now. Oh, for sure, for sure.
20:52
Yeah, I see that, TJ, man, you know, you hear a little bit what
20:55
what Smitty said. You know, what are your thoughts
20:59
on that? Yeah, I think I agree with
21:02
spending to like the training I think is very good for these
21:05
young riders and rookies. But I think like the, you know,
21:10
we're trying to get all these younger teams to get really good
21:14
and they're getting really good too fast.
21:16
So like it's harder to get the older veterans out of the game,
21:21
you know, and at the end of the day, I think it comes down to
21:23
money. So like you want to win your
21:25
championship, so you need your veteran.
21:27
So I think that's the case of point where Zarko is, you know,
21:32
resigned because, you know, he's the older rider that understands
21:35
like even if we would move to where a super bike, you know,
21:38
some of the older riders we think that will probably get
21:41
passed on just still have another season under the belt
21:45
like Petrucci and all those guys.
21:46
So I think at the end of the day, it comes down to money.
21:49
But I think like the talent levels just growing so fast,
21:52
it's hard to like, you know, just throw a rookie in there,
21:55
you know, expect them to to give you, you know, everything like
21:59
find the Marc Marquez, you know, it's very hard on Valentin
22:04
Rossi. Like it's it's it's, you know, a
22:06
hit or miss type deal. So I think it then it comes down
22:10
to the money and trusting if you want to bring in a rookie at the
22:14
right time. Right, right.
22:16
Where I mean, we're kind of seeing it now where, you know, I
22:18
think they're hoping for that for some of these rookies.
22:21
I saw a thing reached the other day where Lorenzo says the
22:25
riders are too friendly today, looking at, you know, some of
22:29
these old races. I mean, outside of juvenile and
22:32
and Rossi and maybe capper Rossi and and Rossi, everybody else
22:37
seemed to kind of get along. So I mean, you know, what are
22:39
you what are your thoughts? Is, is Lorenzo kind of off on
22:42
that? I mean, I know him and Rossi
22:43
didn't get along and him and Marquez, but he's right.
22:46
Like, you know, some other riders.
22:47
They, they, they seem to, you know, like each other.
22:52
I mean, I say he's right and then you know, it's I feel the
22:56
same way when I play sports. You know what I mean?
22:58
Like when I play ball. If you want another team, I
23:01
hated Jazz. I didn't care.
23:03
Like we could be cool, we friends, but you want another
23:06
team. I don't like you.
23:06
I just want to win. I have that competitive nature
23:09
in me. I want to win.
23:10
I'm not going to try to hurt you, but I'm going to try to
23:14
destroy you when the game is over, you know, the season's
23:18
over. And then we can go shake hand.
23:19
We can go, we can go have we can go have lunch after the season's
23:23
over. But yeah, I, I think, you know,
23:25
Lorenzo has a point there. I mean, it's all friendly.
23:27
I want to be friends with these guys.
23:30
And you know, when when I come up on the inside, I don't want
23:33
to, you know, be too, too mean to him.
23:36
I want to give him a little bit of room.
23:37
Ah, damn that you both are fighting for, you know, your
23:40
points and your money. And you know, like Lewis says,
23:42
you know, there's a big point. I mean payout different from
23:45
first to second. Like if you want that money,
23:48
take it like if not, then get off the track.
23:51
And then to another point on, you know, to answer to say
23:58
something about what Spitty and TJ said in which I didn't hear
24:01
nothing of the guys say what the rookies are coming up.
24:04
There's one thing that no one mentioned that's helping these
24:06
rookies come up and that's the electronics.
24:09
And then from back in the day, those young, those old guys
24:12
didn't have no electronics. It was all in this wrist right
24:14
here, every last bit of it. And when we go back to it, we
24:18
going to see who what kid can shine from no electronics or
24:25
minimum electronics now because you had to do it all in your
24:29
wrist. Now the electronics is helping.
24:31
All you can do is just twist and turn and go fast.
24:34
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It feels good though.
24:37
And that's what's helping if you if you don't know is if you
24:40
don't know this and I didn't say it, but that's why I believe
24:45
that coming in this year with top Rack, he's going to be top
24:50
five regardless because he he's blended.
24:55
And when I say that, because a lot of the rookies, like only
24:59
person that has seen somebody like him is a Marquez, but like
25:02
from Jorge to Fabio, all of them guys, they haven't seen nobody
25:06
like him because he blended that line.
25:08
He knows how to use his wrist from his dad being in a stunt
25:10
rider. Now I'm bringing that into the
25:12
race world. So he knows how to play with
25:15
that throttle more than anybody out there.
25:19
OK. All right.
25:20
Yeah, I'm listening, man. I'm looking forward.
25:22
To coming by. Go ahead, go ahead, go ahead.
25:26
TJ. That was it.
25:27
I was just saying top five. You gave him that already.
25:32
If you if. You hear the story is here
25:34
without hearing you would say top five I've.
25:38
Been saying what's? Inside that we do so.
25:41
Huh. There's.
25:42
There's. The top five in old GP writers
25:45
out there, that's what I'm saying, all right.
25:48
When you could come to Coda and you ain't never been on that
25:52
track, ain't never been on that track.
25:54
And on some St. Turns.
25:56
Stock fight. Stock fight.
25:58
And and beat sometimes that we haven't even touched.
26:01
You know there's a problem with that.
26:03
Fairpoint I was saying but the backtrack on what on what you
26:09
were saying about guys being too too friendly nowadays in my
26:13
opinion. I could be wrong, but the reason
26:15
why it's like, it's like it's the training they have now, the
26:18
kids, the kids grow up training side by side for the past 20
26:23
years. So they're friends because as
26:25
kids you aren't kids are friends.
26:27
They're friendly, they play around, they race.
26:29
They don't have that like dog in them.
26:30
So they they grow up as friends like, like basketball, same
26:33
thing. The kids are 7 years old on
26:35
these travel teams, AAU and they're buddies now because
26:39
back, you know, you know, back in the 90s we had, we had our
26:42
high school team and that was it.
26:45
So we had no other friends outside of that that you know.
26:48
I mean, I, I had my friends in basketball.
26:51
I mean, I grew up with them all through junior high, high
26:54
school, but we was on the other team.
26:56
I'm looking like, yo, I'm coming to kill you.
26:58
OK. But see, in football, like I
27:00
didn't have that. They were just me and my
27:02
teammates. We didn't have like, like, so
27:04
myself played football, played football, but he had like those
27:07
summer camps, 7 on 7 stuff where you beat all these schools and,
27:11
you know, meet friends, social media, you follow him and he's
27:14
friends with all these kids from like other states.
27:15
Like, why are you his friend? It's like, you know?
27:18
Hey, listen, I dunked on my friends.
27:20
I ain't care if you was under the rim.
27:23
I ain't care. I didn't care.
27:26
I'm like, listen, it's either me or you.
27:29
Right. So the training is a part of why
27:31
these guys are so friendly now versus the only guys weren't
27:34
friends because that because the guys who are our age like Rossi
27:36
and those guys, they have kid friends that erode with that are
27:40
in GPS now I don't think. Yeah, so I.
27:43
Could be. Wrong.
27:44
No, I, I, I just some, there's some ability to what you're
27:46
saying, man, it's definitely different.
27:48
I mean, and you know, whether good or bad, I mean, I think, I
27:52
think if you're a competitor and you know, regardless if you're
27:56
friends with somebody or not, as long as when you step on the
27:58
court, you're like, like Reed says, it's that kill mentality.
28:02
I think that's all that matters. If you're going to not take a, a
28:05
hesi or, or an open shot or shoot on your boy or dunk on
28:09
your boy, that's a whole different, you know what I mean?
28:10
You got to go for it. So, you know, you only cheat
28:12
yourself when you don't, when you're not, you know, going to
28:15
hunt it. So yeah, it's it's very
28:17
different. But let's talk about you know,
28:20
you got Melandres coming up, you got Pedroza, you got Stoner, you
28:24
know, you got guys like Edwards who's struggling, you got you
28:28
know, guy or outside of Capparazi, Some of these older
28:30
guys now are starting to struggling mode the GP, which is
28:34
not we didn't see that from like 2000 and two, 2000 and three
28:38
2004. It was like kind of like a lot
28:40
of natural progression of these riders coming up and and kind of
28:44
staying to the top. Now you got a few guys now in
28:46
the last couple of years that are young guns under 2420 to 24.
28:50
These guys are that are like really stepping on on everyone's
28:53
chest. I mean, I know we're in that, I
28:55
think, and I guess when Quatarara came into Moto GP, we
28:59
started seeing young guys come in again.
29:01
So, you know, what are your thoughts of seeing these young
29:03
guys and just being able to come out and, you know, and dominate
29:06
the way they they've been doing? Start with Smitty.
29:10
Well, to piggyback on what Reece said and because I think about,
29:15
but it made a great point. It's like it's a taking a bike.
29:18
Bikes now are just easy to ride. Well, easier to ride than the
29:21
world back in 2006. So it makes sense why he said
29:24
what he said. And I think back then to be a
29:27
rookie and and be good, you had to be nice.
29:30
Now you can lean on the, you know, the bike electronics, you
29:34
know, So I get it, It makes sense what what he said.
29:38
OK, OK. What what's your thoughts,
29:40
thoughts going going from then, you know, from now to then?
29:45
Like I said with with these young guns, I mean, Melandry was
29:48
nice. I mean these guys were crazy
29:49
back then, man. It's pretty dope to see.
29:53
Yeah, I mean, like seeing these the younger guys now being, you
29:57
know, the older guys, like the young guys now see him just
30:01
putting the pressure on though the guys getting my GP like, you
30:05
know, BR GS out of it. Like Colin Edwards struggled the
30:11
craziest race I thought of this year.
30:13
Not to like throw it off topic with with I think Colin Edwards
30:16
crashed out of first place at Athens, I think.
30:20
And and to me that was just like, I don't know, obviously,
30:25
like, you know, like, I don't know if that's just that that
30:28
was him just being older, but you know, it's just like those
30:32
things can't happen. And I'm sure a younger call
30:34
never just wouldn't let that happen.
30:36
So but no, it's it's just it's just interesting.
30:41
Like it felt like he had just that pressure because Nikki
30:44
Hayden was on his ass and it's just and and and he got to win.
30:52
But you know, it's just, I just feel like, you know, just
30:54
getting that pressure and it's just just put the struggle still
30:57
because it's getting older, but. Right.
31:00
But yeah, no, that was listen, man, I I was, I thought Edward
31:04
was going to win that or was I didn't think that was going to.
31:07
I don't remember seeing that race when I watched it before at
31:09
the end. And so to see I was like, I was
31:11
still like, Oh shit, what just happened?
31:14
And and way, you know, that there's no good way to fall off
31:19
a bike, but you know, that's not the way you want to.
31:22
It's like, you know, the the last corner.
31:25
That's not like, you know, pitting early because you think
31:28
you won the race or like, you know, Alicia Spa girl, thinking
31:32
it was a lapse sooner or something like that.
31:35
You know, and and like we're talking before the cameras
31:37
rolling Reese. I mean, he had no choice but to
31:39
stay on the gas. So it's it's just one of those
31:42
things, right? I mean, because if he if he
31:44
tried to control it, he would have lost the race either way.
31:47
And at least he would have. And that bike hit that wall and
31:50
and and I mean, I move on side and asking, you know, watching
31:54
the race and flipped up and he still put that got back on that
31:57
bike and rode. But yeah, man.
31:58
What are your thoughts on, you know, what TJ is saying about
32:02
Edwards and that crash? Because, I mean, it's, it was a
32:05
nice race to watch between them boys.
32:07
It was a nice race and that was one hell of a crash.
32:09
You know what I'm saying? That was one hell of a crash.
32:12
I mean we, as you said before the cameras roll, we always how
32:17
it was a great comeback for Marquez with the the injury.
32:20
But these boys back in the day where they will come back the
32:23
next day on crutches and broke limbs and surgeries done 2 days
32:29
and or the day, the next day and like God, no, I'm going to still
32:32
race. I could do my push ups and I'm
32:34
I'm going to race. Yeah.
32:35
It's just like. Hey, Stoner, one of the races,
32:39
they said they ruled him out. They were mad.
32:41
They were like, this doctor's not on our side.
32:44
He won't let them race. Yeah, like, you know, Lorenzo
32:48
breaking a collarbone and going to get surgery.
32:51
I'm like, man, this stuff, what are y'all doing?
32:52
Like I'm going home, I'm taking my ball, I'm going home.
32:55
I'm a rest. But that hit it.
32:59
Yeah, I got to say that year Melandry gets the the the the
33:02
trophy for riding. Not I don't even say wounded.
33:05
He's still in war because it's like, I mean, I don't like is it
33:11
just the mentality? Is it like a contract thing?
33:14
I mean they got they owe the bookies like.
33:19
I I think it's just, you know, like, you know, for us back in
33:22
the day, you know, it's like the same thing with sports.
33:24
It's just the love of the sports.
33:25
It's the love of the game. You just wanted to go, you know,
33:27
my mother always used to say, like if I got hurt, it was, I
33:30
never understood it, but she always used to say like, either
33:33
you're hurt or you're injured. I'm like, that makes absolutely
33:36
no sense. But it's she she was like, well,
33:39
if you're hurt, you know, you can go back in.
33:42
If you're injured, you know, then you sit out, but don't
33:46
think you're going to go home and sit and play video games a
33:48
day and not go to school because you're still going to school and
33:50
read books. I'm like, Nah, Nah, I'm just
33:51
hurt. I'm going back in.
33:55
So, you know, I think it was just the love of the sport and
33:58
the love of the game. You know, that's it.
34:00
I think that's what it was back then.
34:01
Now they now people just they love it.
34:04
But I don't, I don't think they have the love for it.
34:07
I think the only person that actually have the passion for it
34:09
is Marquez. OK, OK.
34:12
I think he's the only one out of the group because there was a
34:16
like a little video clip on him and he was saying like he showed
34:19
the scar and he said, you know what?
34:20
This is just I didn't do this just to heal.
34:24
I did this to win. I said Jesus Christ.
34:28
It was a maniac man now, but. It's out there.
34:32
It's. Old school mentality, you know,
34:34
that's all back in the days players played hurt and they
34:38
played injured. Now it's like, look, I got a
34:40
little, you know, sprained wrist.
34:42
I got to sit out. I mean, and I I kind of get it,
34:45
you know, like back then it was it was about look, I got a race.
34:48
That's my job and I my job, my job, my job line every race.
34:53
Now the players are all sports. Basketball you got load
34:56
management. Football players take so many
34:59
plays off. You know you got 2 running backs
35:02
doing the whole game but not I mean and back then you had one
35:05
running back the whole game. So I get it.
35:07
It's just time change. You know, players think more
35:10
about the health and CTE and getting injured.
35:13
Everybody's soft now. But let me let.
35:17
Me just stay soft. Stay soft, stay soft.
35:19
No, let's, let's, let's back up a little bit.
35:21
They may be soft, but that's a lot of pain you have to endure.
35:25
I, you know, I'm, I'm no professional racer, but I, I, I
35:29
just located my hand ligament damage as you know, a headless
35:32
screw in my wrist and, and went out and, and, and raised, you
35:36
know, like 8 months later and I couldn't even get my glove off
35:40
after doing a practice session. Like that's a lot of pain to
35:44
tolerate. I mean, you know, we talk about
35:46
these people that do what you think about these, you know,
35:48
these ultra marathoners and stuff like that can deal with a
35:51
lot of pain. It's, it's, it's a whole
35:54
different, that's genetics, right?
35:56
Because not everybody can tolerate that, that threshold of
35:59
pain that some of these people are going through when they're
36:01
putting themselves through something for the love of it.
36:04
Not even like I'm trying to escape, you know, war.
36:08
I mean, I played with a fracture.
36:09
I played with a fractured ribs. I still got, if I went down the
36:12
list of injuries that I've had, Jesus Christ, you be like, how
36:16
the hell are you still walking? I'm like from concussions,
36:19
dislocated fingers, cracked ribs, dislocated shoulders,
36:22
fractured over by eye sockets. I mean over the eye socket.
36:26
I don't even know. I was knocked out on the ground
36:28
and went down to the training room.
36:29
I was like, yo, just what you got to do, get me back in and
36:32
wore some glasses and went back still with a black eye.
36:36
Right, right. OK.
36:37
And and. Is.
36:39
That just adrenaline or is it, you know, I mean, I, I, you
36:42
know, I, I can only speak for myself.
36:44
At some point you, you a flip switch where you just kind of
36:47
say I'm I'm in it 100, right? And and then you just kind of
36:51
just associate everything to the fact that you're in it, right?
36:54
I mean, I was in it, but it's like I just knew I wanted to win
36:58
and I was like, I wanted to win. We were playing a rival school
37:01
and I was just like, yo, and I know my team needed me and I
37:04
just like yo, I got to be out there.
37:06
I have to be out there. Yeah, I mean, I, I agree.
37:11
I mean, I agree. It's just like you put yourself
37:13
in a position that commit to a season no matter what happens.
37:18
Obviously they get really hurt. I mean, then things change, but
37:21
like, you know, you got to have that mentality, like I come here
37:26
to win. So like I can't settle for being
37:28
soft, you know, like you got to fight through that adversity.
37:32
And that's why it's just crazy to see like how Rossi was and
37:36
how, how Marc Marquez is now and their mentality, even when they
37:40
get hurt and just come back and just the, the, the willpower
37:44
that they have just to overcome, even if they crash again, like,
37:49
no, like I'm not, I'm not satisfied that the season's not
37:52
over. And then that's when that's the
37:53
chance to to rest and decompose, you know, right.
37:57
And. And, and, and the crazy part is
38:00
that they come back and they do better than other writers who in
38:04
theory are healthier. It's not just they come back.
38:08
But think about it. You got to think about it, did
38:10
you? As a writer, as a as an athlete
38:12
or anything you want to do Some these kids don't think about it
38:16
all the time and energy or money that your parents put up or the
38:20
energy that your parents do or the energy that you do the
38:23
sacrifices that you do for practice and training and
38:25
everything. Why are you doing it?
38:27
If you want to sit out and just say, I'm, I got a little, a
38:30
little injury, but you know, you can go through it pain wise, go
38:34
through it. Just deal with it like you
38:36
putting all that time and energy sacrifice in for nothing just to
38:39
sit out because you got a little sore.
38:41
Damn, man, you got to suck that one up.
38:44
I tell my daughter all the time, I'm like, hey, you fell.
38:47
I'm like what you do. She's like, oh, we get back up.
38:50
That's it. Keep going.
38:53
I can say that that the prize for winning after being hurt is
38:57
so much rewarding then you know just to win because the the the
39:01
amount of after you put through to get into what you want.
39:06
Yeah, I won't know because I ain't going to race yet, so I
39:12
don't know what. That feels like man.
39:14
No way. When you when you get it, you go
39:16
cry. Hey, listen man, how how how
39:20
many years has it been I. Feel like, what's your name man?
39:24
Like Taka Nakagami. I I was just telling some, hey,
39:32
I went, I went four years before when I switched from a twin to
39:35
an inline 4 and then had a crash in between that and some other
39:38
stuff. It took me 4 years before I
39:39
could get on the podium so. I'm like taka man, just happy to
39:42
be out there racing man. No, I mean look.
39:45
I, I think, I think that's, that's part of it though, right?
39:48
To be happy to be out there, but also not giving up, right?
39:52
Because, you know, I, I think if you walk away from something
39:57
before you get over the mountain, you're, it's kind of
39:59
always going to be sitting on your shoulder, right?
40:02
Yeah, I know, I know. So you got, you ain't got no
40:05
choice but to keep going. So and, and, and when it does
40:09
happen, it's, it's, it's going to be one of the sweetest things
40:11
ever because you, you know what you like for me, you know, I
40:14
remember after every race, it was the same thing.
40:17
You know, the first hour is just thinking of all the bad things I
40:19
did at the track, you know what I mean?
40:21
And then halfway through I start to realize, OK, well, this was
40:24
better and that was better and this was better.
40:27
And I and I was, you know, like I sound similarly as I was like,
40:29
you know, when I first started in one year, I was like 10
40:31
seconds behind these guys. And by the end of the season, I
40:35
was able to beat those guys. But I didn't know that until
40:38
just, you know, talking myself back on the ledge after sitting
40:41
here saying, man, I'm never going to get this.
40:42
I'm not going to get this what, you know, but you, just you,
40:45
you, you got to keep that, that motivation no matter what.
40:48
I mean, that's what kind of gets you over.
40:50
So you kind of have to drink your own Kool-aid in a sense.
40:53
Yeah, right. You know what I mean?
40:56
So it it, but it is it does take a special group of people to,
41:00
you know, I mean, Rossi had money at these level.
41:03
These guys are having money, so they don't necessarily have to
41:05
do it for the money. It's not like they're about to
41:07
get evicted or anything like that.
41:08
It's just literally just on the strength of us trying to just
41:13
it's it's it's a weird place to get to.
41:16
You know, I think if you have you get there when you're
41:18
younger, it's one thing, but like for me, getting there older
41:21
to not give up to regardless if it's raining or something break
41:25
or whatever the case may if you got to stay up all night to
41:27
rebuild. It's like all these things you
41:29
have to kind of learn, learn before you can really say, I'm
41:32
going to go do it. Maybe maybe if a few people
41:34
might just say I'm not going to give up.
41:36
But really you have to kind of go through that.
41:37
What are you? What are your thoughts on that?
41:39
Just going through the adversity and building up to get on the
41:41
other side. No, TJ, yeah.
41:47
Yeah, I mean, I mean, you definitely have to like I can
41:51
provide it to work. Like you got to get up and go to
41:53
work and get these bills then to get things paid because you
41:56
ain't going to give you what? So like you have to fight
41:59
through adversity. It only makes you a stronger
42:01
person. It only gets you better.
42:03
It keeps you over competition. So like, and it disciplines you.
42:09
So like, you know, it's you, you got to fight through that
42:12
adversity and and it puts you on yourself on a pedestal.
42:15
So it's like if I fought this hard and I ended up 10th place
42:19
this whole year, then like, let me try this again.
42:23
I'm going to try harder. And then if you you see results,
42:26
you know, you know that you're yourself is getting better and
42:30
you know you can fight through the adversity.
42:32
So it's very important to fight through adversity.
42:36
No, I, I completely agree. So I Smitty, you're not going to
42:38
give up, right? You're going to keep fighting
42:40
this year. Until my body says no.
42:43
Yeah, I'm. Keep trying.
42:45
Yeah, you got to get a good. Start.
42:47
Get a good start. Till you break that foot again,
42:49
you're. A broken foot.
42:50
So we'll see how this foot goes, you know?
42:52
But but you so you can blame this whole season on your broken
42:54
foot that you didn't know you had.
42:56
See I guess. But but your recovery, you
42:59
should be coming back stronger. So now you should be moving up
43:02
some places. Look, I am working my cares, but
43:04
I'll try my best. Well, you got the injuries.
43:12
I wish you ain't got no choice but to come back.
43:14
You ain't got no choice but to try your best.
43:16
Listen, I'm old man. I'm not Wolverine.
43:18
Listen, when I was younger and I got hurt, I would heal the next
43:21
day like freak Wolverine, not like old man Logan.
43:23
My powers don't work no more, you know?
43:24
So I don't know, man. It took 12 months for that foot
43:28
right there, so. Yeah, so they'll see.
43:33
Nah, I mean, that's, that's, that's part of it, man.
43:35
I mean, the recovery, yeah, the rehab is, is, is such a crazy
43:39
thing. But let's talk about the 2006
43:42
season some more. You know, their second year at
43:45
Laguna Seca or back at Laguna Seca.
43:48
I mean, the US boys look really nice in 2006.
43:52
Yeah. Hayden got E look he from turn 1
43:59
he led the entire race again because he because in O5 like
44:03
Hayden, he did the same same thing from the first start of
44:06
the race. He won the whole race wasn't
44:08
close O 6 same exact thing. But oddly enough, that same
44:12
race, Rossi had a bad engine because then you go back back
44:15
five O 1 to say so because he had a lot of bad luck that year.
44:19
You know Rossi did. Oh, no doubt, no doubt.
44:22
That's definitely the first year.
44:24
Yeah. I thought, I thought it was
44:25
another Suzuki rider that was in first place for a little bit in
44:29
that Laguna race before Hayden took over.
44:33
Was behind him, I want to say but.
44:36
Not it was. Not the other guy, did not John
44:41
Hopkins teammate. Yeah, I gotta.
44:45
Go check that quickly. I think it's a it's a couple
44:47
laps to, to get in first place. But once he did, he was he was
44:52
out of there. And I think that also goes to
44:54
what we were just saying, like, I don't know the amount of
44:57
pressure that was on his shoulders to win a race again in
45:00
Laguna because it, you know, this is the USA, all American.
45:05
Like you guys are not going to win here.
45:07
Just kind of how Italians feel and Magellan.
45:10
But there's just so many Italian riders now or so many Spaniards
45:13
and so many French to to have someone else come in to Laguna
45:17
Seca and win this not American. So Nikki was like, that's not
45:21
happening. Yeah.
45:24
Yeah, took off and and and handled that.
45:30
What are your thoughts on the Americans in 2006?
45:34
And and it wasn't just Laguna, you know, because even, you
45:38
know, Kenny Roberts had a couple of pole positions as well on
45:43
that, on that that special Honda bike with the Kenny Roberts, I
45:48
guess everything else senior pretty wild.
45:51
What are your thoughts? I mean, I agree with TJI mean
45:54
it's a lot of pressure coming in as an American on world on a
45:59
world stage and you're coming into our home territory.
46:02
I mean it's just like, you know, Lewis says, I mean that that's
46:06
you go to your home, you know, country.
46:09
It's like you had that extra boost behind you just because of
46:12
the fans, the pressure, you know, like that's just an extra
46:16
10 horsepower right there. And that right there is let
46:19
alone is going to push you to the top and to the forward.
46:22
And you came in to the, you know, that round from last year
46:26
already winning. So now there's more added
46:28
pressure on it to you to show show the world plus these guys
46:33
out here that it wasn't a fluke for me winning.
46:35
This is my own turf. I'm not going to let you beat me
46:37
on my own turf because, you know, just like any other,
46:40
they're not going to let you beat them on their home turf.
46:42
So. No, no doubt.
46:45
What are your thoughts, TJ? Yeah, no, I'm getting like, you
46:51
can't, you can't come and beat me on my home turf.
46:53
So it's it's kind of funny like when we watch races where, you
46:58
know, another nationality wins there and you're going to hear
47:02
the national anthem. And it's not like, you know, you
47:07
know, that Italian like Pekko always went in.
47:10
It's like A at Majello or something like that.
47:12
So like, you know, the fans got your back and they want to see
47:16
you win, especially like Portamaro and Miguel, even
47:20
though we he knew he wasn't going to win.
47:23
Like the fans were supporting him to try to give him the extra
47:26
10 horse pound like Reese was saying.
47:27
But yeah, you know the home track really nice.
47:34
I I agree, Smitty, what are your, what are your thoughts on
47:38
the US and you know what they were able to do in 2006?
47:43
So that's cool seeing them in that, you know, Laguna, Sega,
47:46
you know, I like it. Like I said, him and Kenny, I
47:49
think Kenny Kenny got second place that race right or third
47:51
down, though, But it was a two US thousand.
47:54
No Edwards. I forgot what it was, but it's
47:57
always good seeing the hometown riders win, you know?
48:00
I I agree. No, it it definitely is.
48:02
I'm trying to see was it it was on it?
48:05
No, it was on Pedroza Melandry. Yeah, Robertson's 4th.
48:10
And I think Edwards had some issues.
48:12
He fell back and stuff like that.
48:14
But let's talk about like the tires and stuff like that.
48:16
Them dudes had like chunks of tires missing out of races.
48:19
The way they were beaten on on on those bikes.
48:22
I mean, is that the the lack of electronics back then and, and
48:25
the wrist just getting a little bit too heavy.
48:28
I mean, you know, Bridgestone has special bridge stones.
48:30
They were like, it's like they, they were like Colombians
48:33
bringing in drugs, you know, in the night people for folks with
48:35
tires, man, you know, different manufacturers coming in, in the
48:38
day. Did the, you know, we, we see
48:42
where the tire manufacturers are today.
48:45
Do you think if they had a half the, the setups they had as far
48:48
as tire component or what that compound or what they can do
48:50
today, them those 2006 bikes would have been even faster.
48:54
And like I said, well, you know, again, the chunks of of, of, of
48:57
rubber coming out those tires. Yes the bikes should be faster
49:01
because so I want to say it was the the race in Bruno that year.
49:07
Prior to that I said he had Chad issues Rossi with the front end
49:11
and they changed the chassis to the old one but he still had it
49:14
limited but not as bad. Michelin made a new tire mid
49:18
season. Nothing really helped.
49:20
Rossi maybe, I don't know, but they put it on the Bruno and the
49:23
bikes moved out instantly at that point.
49:26
But then also later on, Hayden had grip issues like in the
49:29
rear. He was slipping on like a lot of
49:31
corner exit. So I think the ties today are
49:34
way better. And I think now we got to push
49:36
the front a whole lot more and come out hard on on the rear.
49:40
So yeah, I'm pretty sure the guys were faster back then on
49:43
the tires of today, you know, off it's better.
49:46
Right, right. Reese, what are your thoughts?
49:48
I mean, you know, you see that stuff in the Motor America.
49:52
I mean, he imagined guys still going.
49:54
I said it was 1 Raceway. Rossi pulled in because he
49:56
thought it was a rear tire, but it was a front, but they
49:59
replaced the rear. He went back out and it was
50:01
still there and it was like like 50 mil of the rubber was like,
50:04
you know, gone in the front tire.
50:07
I mean, I agree with many of me. They had the tires that the
50:11
tires and the electronics that we have today back then, they
50:14
will go a hell of a lot faster. I mean a hell of a lot.
50:17
So I mean, you get, you know, I see tires all the time working
50:22
in in the pit and I'm dealing with them all the time.
50:25
I mean, there's a different set of elements.
50:29
You have track condition, weather condition that's going
50:31
to help on tires. Then you have the tires
50:33
themselves that the tires spin on the rim, you know, too much
50:39
grip, less grip. And I think those guys back
50:43
then, it was just hard as heck on the wrist and the throttle,
50:48
just trying to get as much power and as much grip on with the
50:51
bikes as possible, you know, And then trying to get it to back in
50:56
the trying to get it in there, trying to do everything they can
50:59
just to push. And they would push the front
51:01
end hard as they can. So yeah, back then they're going
51:04
to lose a lot of chunks of tires.
51:05
I mean, the chunks of tires, we lose a little bit of chunks of
51:09
tires I see coming in. And then the material that the
51:12
tires are made of weren't as as great as what we have nowadays
51:15
neither. Right, right, right.
51:18
Before we go into like, you know, the fans still, you know,
51:21
running on the track and stuff like that and all the all the
51:24
crazy burnouts and stuff like that, you know, the overall
51:31
championship. I mean, you know, you had three
51:33
guys that could have won the championship, but it could have
51:35
been even more than that that could have won the championship.
51:37
It was one of the first championship again, the right.
51:39
This is the first one that Rossi loses after, you know, winning
51:43
five in a row and stuff like that.
51:46
You know, would you would you want to see Rossi win another
51:50
championship? The way it played out?
51:52
Was it like, you know, really entertaining for you guys?
51:54
Because it's very entertaining for me to see and to see these
51:58
other guys. You know, not to say, you know,
52:01
I, I think we've heard, you know, people saying they get
52:03
sick and tired of Ducati winning.
52:05
Were people getting sick and tired of Rossi winning?
52:07
I don't think so. From a fan perspective, The the
52:10
the fans are they're crazy, but you know what I mean.
52:12
What are you guys thoughts on on on, on, You know how it played
52:17
out and you know, obviously Rossi not winning.
52:21
But Nah, to me, it played out great because that somebody
52:23
who's American, American won couldn't get any better, you
52:27
know, for Hayden. I've been a fan of Hayden since
52:29
like 2000 issues back in riding in the States for Aryan Honda,
52:34
then American Honda, then GP. So I've been a fan of Hayden
52:37
since what, a while? So I'm glad that he won what
52:42
Diane was for me, a very up and down because like I said, Hayden
52:46
was consistent, but not the best rider that year.
52:50
And then in the last well, the next to last race when his team
52:53
went made and crashed, I'm like, damn, it's over with because all
52:56
because, because going into the last race, all well, all he had
53:01
to do is finish 7th. Rossing man, that's easy work.
53:05
Finish 7th, don't crash, you're the champ.
53:08
But somehow I don't know how he crashed.
53:10
He took the front on his own and gave him, you know, the
53:14
championship. So it's a good year.
53:16
You know, I, I enjoy that year like a whole lot, you know?
53:19
I agree. I mean, remember, we're here for
53:20
everyone. But it was, you know, like, you
53:22
know, watching it consecutively and you get sucked in like any
53:25
TV drama or anything else, you know, and obviously, you know,
53:28
we know how it played out. But when you're in a moment,
53:31
it's it's pretty wild to see. Yeah, it was.
53:33
Yeah, I was mad. Danny. yo-yo, Danny's idiot,
53:37
man, you know, Hated Danny for a while for that shit.
53:39
And that's your teammate, man. Slow down, buddy.
53:43
Listen. It happened, man.
53:47
It happened. I was going to say so did Nikki.
53:51
He definitely showed his emotions when he when he went
53:55
down on on that on that incident.
53:58
Like like Danny, you don't know what's at stake.
54:01
Like are you crazy? Like you trying to I bought me
54:03
right now, like just give me the points.
54:07
But yeah, like since I'm an American that like I would
54:11
definitely will be room for Nikki Hayden.
54:13
But before that, like Rossi was the Man 5 championships.
54:17
Like at that time, you know, everybody wants to dominate.
54:21
So I would love to see if Rossi won another one.
54:23
But then you're like, oh, who's this guy coming up?
54:26
Nikki hated. So it's just like, you know, you
54:28
want to see Rossi win. But then again, like a youngster
54:32
like Nikki Hayden and being American, I think that is a much
54:36
better way for me to see Nikki, Nikki, Brandon over Rossi.
54:40
I think that's a good way. But it was good to see that
54:43
Rossi was definitely trying to come back after the way he
54:47
started the season. Like it was just showing just
54:50
how dominant he is because he had it in the back.
54:53
Like he he did it to himself. Yamaha struggled in the
54:59
beginning, but they, they, I, I, I think for, you know, you see
55:02
any sports team that struggled half a season and figure it out
55:07
to lose it the way they did have to been like, you know, not even
55:11
just bitter, right, Because it's kind of like you're, you're
55:15
doing everything and, and whatever the reason was, you
55:18
know, so I mean, you know. Rossi's come back plenty rounds
55:24
this year off the grid, like under 5, like I think 7th on the
55:30
grid, 12th on the grid and got on the podium.
55:33
So like for him to only have to finish 7th and he was, you know,
55:39
didn't have a problem with the bike, you know, it's just crazy
55:42
how there's unfortunate, I think that he was just so far back
55:47
that he just felt like he just had to go and get that push and
55:50
it just happened way too early. Right.
55:53
And you know, it's, it's, it's, you know, it's the Kobe Bryant
55:57
thing or the Michael Jordan thing, right?
55:59
You're going to hit 98% of them shots, but you're going, you're
56:02
going to go home once or twice. You're going to know what that
56:09
feel like. And, and, and you know, it it.
56:12
I think the only other person besides doing would be, you
56:15
know, Jonathan Ray would be, you know, be able to say, hey, you
56:18
know, I won five, six in a row and then lost, you know what I
56:22
mean? So what are your thoughts before
56:23
we get into the, the, the other stuff?
56:25
But you know, just how the season turned out that you, you
56:28
know, wait until, you know, going to the last round, because
56:31
Rossi was winning, you know, 4 rounds before that left and
56:34
stuff like that. Where this one it was down to
56:36
the last race. And you know, he, you know, it's
56:39
like the the the kicker for for the Ravens day last week.
56:44
You know, just. I mean, I agree with TJ and
56:51
everybody. I mean, for as an American, you
56:53
want to see your own, you know, your own guy win, you know,
56:56
especially in the world stage, you definitely want to see it.
56:58
I mean, it would have been nice to see Rossi get another one
57:00
under his belt and and have that 10th championship that he could
57:04
have earned for. I mean, yeah, because Rossi is
57:07
the the GOAT. He is the one that, you know,
57:09
made the series what it is. You know, I always love seeing
57:12
Rossi in his wacky championship celebrations, you know, so I was
57:17
looking forward to seeing another 10 or whatever.
57:20
But yeah, it was nice to see Nikki get that and take the win.
57:23
I mean, you know, you have a bonehead moment.
57:26
And Rossi had one of those and he went down on his own.
57:30
I mean that's sucks to suck, but that's racing.
57:34
No, yeah, it is and it was a really good racing overall.
57:37
You know I can't say it was anything that was given they had
57:40
to show up and earn it all and and the way it turned out.
57:44
So let's talk about some of the shenanigans before we get out of
57:47
here One I mean, are we going to bring back what how you know,
57:50
the the the celebration like back in the day, could we could
57:53
we hose down the champagne girls?
57:55
I mean they. Need to man I missed that.
57:57
They need to like I hate boring, like like a loaf.
58:04
Don't go to football. Like I love when TO was out
58:07
there celebrating doing all that dumb stuff and Randy Moss and
58:11
Chad Ocho Cinco was doing stuff like and then now now they get
58:15
fined for it and I love penalties.
58:16
It's dumb like to go ahead and do burnouts and wheelies and put
58:22
on a costume, do some. I love seeing that stuff.
58:25
You know what I'm saying? Shows are most shows of
58:26
personality, but they don't do it the way did it, you know, so
58:32
part for the sport. The burnouts back then was
58:34
definitely dope. Yeah, do a pit lane burnout, you
58:37
know, I'm saying the fans rushing on on the track.
58:42
Get hurt, get run over. No one got hurt, man.
58:47
You know, it, it's one of those things like I, you know, I, I
58:50
would say this like with the carnivals back in the day, like
58:53
to be in that moment or like dream weekend or some of these
58:55
things like when they first start and how the the chaos of
58:58
it all, how crazy and cool it is where now it's like all
59:01
controlled and stuff like that. But to see fans just run out
59:05
while bikes are still going by and some of these lose some of
59:08
these guys who lost, you know, they upset, they're not even
59:10
happy and you're running out on on the track, you know, while
59:14
they passing you and stuff like that.
59:16
So man like. Just fun man, I get it.
59:18
From a safety standpoint, but that was cool to see it and it,
59:22
you know, I don't know if these kids today can run out on a
59:24
track and be safe like how people did back in the day, but
59:27
it was cool to see. Oh.
59:29
The cool dog? Yeah.
59:30
Why? Not they need to put some like
59:33
burn burnout pits like what like if you want to do a burnout, do
59:36
it here, like make it in cool spots where you can just pull up
59:39
and just burn out and just pull off.
59:41
So I need they they should bring that back.
59:44
We get fans running out on the track like.
59:46
You know, trying to make much. I was just trying to make more
59:49
work for me to do when let the bike come back to the like yo
59:52
now I got to do all this shit. Right.
1:00:13
Come on, that's dangerous now because they're still full of
1:00:15
gas at that point. You.
1:00:19
Know what I'm saying? Yeah, yeah, now, now they.
1:00:23
Get. On the track again, man, I want
1:00:25
to see you that again, you know. They do that out loud and.
1:00:29
I'll do that shit. They bring the flag.
1:00:32
They do it at Daytona. Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, that,
1:00:37
that's so they, some of that stuff should come back is what
1:00:39
you're saying. Hologram something.
1:00:42
Yes, bring it back. Although although although
1:00:47
someone in Moto GP crashed a bike and it landed in the the
1:00:52
thing where the guy was waiting the flag.
1:00:54
So I don't know, maybe, maybe he shouldn't.
1:00:56
Be that Costa and the and the, I think.
1:00:59
So. I mean, you know, that's that's,
1:01:02
you know, you just got to make them higher, that's all.
1:01:05
But that that was pretty cool to see.
1:01:08
I mean, it is. And I mean, I've seen some
1:01:11
people, you know, complaining that the new owners of Moto GPS
1:01:14
kind of making it more like Formula One.
1:01:16
And, you know, I haven't been to a Formula One race, so I don't
1:01:19
know what it's like watching Formula One from the television.
1:01:22
It looks really good, but you know, seeing where Moto GP is,
1:01:26
seeing where all the sports are, seeing some of the things that
1:01:29
we know we, we, we used to get away with, but now we can't get
1:01:33
away with anymore. Is it, is it, are we at, are we
1:01:38
at a point where there's no return?
1:01:39
I mean, like I said, there's, there's, there's going to be no,
1:01:42
you know, we can't, you know, the burnouts.
1:01:44
I mean, you know, from an engineering perspective, these,
1:01:46
you know, the tie, the tie guys want to see the tie after the
1:01:49
race. So they can, you know, do what
1:01:51
they need to do and get their day there and stuff like that.
1:01:53
You know, you got to clean the bike and all that.
1:01:56
Is it, is it, is it just just the way we are today And we're
1:01:59
just not going to see that or unless the, you know, the rider
1:02:02
is the owner of the team. Now what it is, we're at an age
1:02:05
where safety and lawsuits are #1 priority now, simple as that.
1:02:11
I mean, because I get it. Like, imagine some rider doing a
1:02:13
burnout in pit lane and it kicks up a rock and hits him a fan in
1:02:18
the eye. That's a lawsuit.
1:02:19
Honestly, it is. So I, I get it, you know, But I
1:02:23
still want to see it, you know? Then don't run your ass out
1:02:26
there on the in the pit dish that your ass is dead right
1:02:28
you're. Right behind the bike.
1:02:34
I get it, you know, safety and lawsuits and everything.
1:02:36
I mean, same thing. Football, everybody's CTE,
1:02:39
concussion. So now it's like no hits to the
1:02:41
head. And I get it, Those guys are
1:02:43
paying those older guys money still because they've been hurt.
1:02:47
So now they're trying to avoid paying the guys paying now like
1:02:50
10 years from now. I, you know, but I don't want to
1:02:53
pay your bills 10 years from now.
1:02:54
So I'm getting safety first. Got you, Got you so.
1:03:01
I know. Hi, guys.
1:03:04
But I think that's it. Did I miss anything?
1:03:06
I mean, you know, there's a lot in 2000 and seven, 2006.
1:03:10
I'm looking forward to 2007. I will say I didn't, you know,
1:03:15
looking at Ducati, Ducati didn't really struggle yet, right?
1:03:18
I mean, this is like their fourth year in Moto GP and they
1:03:21
still winning races even though they struggled a little bit last
1:03:24
year in 2005. You know, Capparossi in 2006
1:03:28
really looks really good on a Ducati.
1:03:30
I mean, you know it, that's still pretty impressive for a
1:03:33
new manufacturer to come into a sport where, you know, other
1:03:36
people have struggled. You know you can't.
1:03:38
We can't leave Reese without you talking about Ducati, man.
1:03:40
Come on. I.
1:03:42
Don't care about Ducati. I ain't going to talk about
1:03:45
Ducati. I hate Reg.
1:03:46
I hate red. But one thing we didn't touch
1:03:52
on, one thing happened happened that was pretty special that
1:03:55
year was Tony Elias beat Rossi, but like 0.1 of a second, that
1:04:00
was that was his first win and that was the smallest margin of
1:04:05
victory ever in a race at that. Point I didn't we didn't talk
1:04:09
about Elias. Elias was nice.
1:04:10
I mean granted he crashed out early on and took some people.
1:04:13
Out. Guys first win guys.
1:04:17
Yeah, yeah, it, it, it's pretty wild to see, you know, these,
1:04:20
these, you know, like these, all these guys in Moto GP, you know,
1:04:25
when they're young. I mean, I, I've, you know,
1:04:27
Melandri and some of these guys, I've seen more in, in World
1:04:29
Super Bike later when I got into the sport.
1:04:31
But it was some nice guy, nice riders.
1:04:34
I I mean, I don't know what happened, why they transitioned
1:04:37
out. I can't believe it was just
1:04:38
skill because some of these guys went on and won world titles in
1:04:41
in World Super Bike, right? Yeah.
1:04:46
So is it just like you think it's just business and more or
1:04:49
less you know, because? No, you just got to make way for
1:04:53
the new young up and coming guys coming in.
1:04:56
Everything the young guys were doing, they were doing something
1:05:00
different. The machines were changing and
1:05:02
they were doing something different.
1:05:04
What the old guys were doing. They took that and just upped
1:05:07
it. I mean, you got to look.
1:05:08
What was it back? I can't remember what year and I
1:05:12
think it was Kenny. I know it was Kenny Roberts, but
1:05:15
I don't know if it was seen. I think it was Senior.
1:05:17
He came in, everybody was just kind of going around the corner.
1:05:21
He came in with the knee down and got faster than everybody.
1:05:25
So it's just something they take every time and every year the
1:05:29
new guys and they just transition to something
1:05:31
different and get faster. I mean, look at now what Jorge
1:05:34
Martin came in with shoulder down.
1:05:37
Right, right. Yeah.
1:05:39
And, and you know, 2006, like it's a little bit in 2005, Rossi
1:05:42
was starting to dangle the leg a little bit or just to have it
1:05:45
out. He wasn't dangling yet.
1:05:46
He was just starting to have it out in some turns, some tracks,
1:05:50
not all the time and stuff like that.
1:05:51
So it's so interesting to see like that starting to happen,
1:05:55
especially when we shut it out. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
1:05:57
It's pretty wild. So yeah, that's where we're at.
1:06:01
That's why that's why they left and went to World, Super, Bike
1:06:04
said. We can't keep up with these
1:06:05
guys. We can't keep up with the young
1:06:07
guys, man. Yeah, that's that's that's
1:06:10
always the way. My name is Rex 45.
1:06:12
It's the Be Forever Cool podcast.
1:06:14
We got Smitty from Smithshot Racing, TJ with two wheels and
1:06:18
coffee, Reese from Attack Yamaha.
1:06:20
Peace, Peace.