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#15 Villopoto (266 points)
#45 Stewart (71 points)
Good work. How weird would that be?
The Shop
why?
what made it so good?
Why should it be "gone back to"?
what difference does it make what number they run outside of #1?
is there any possitive to the old number system vs the positive to permanent numbers?
ill throw you the first one.... old number system, you didnt have an identifiable number for a rider, no branding. you got a t-shirt 1 year with a 7 on it, the next year it might have a 12 on it, the next year a 4. Now, you know the 14 is KW. You know the 22 is CR. The 4 is RC. So what is wrong with that?
old number system plus, you had clear evidence to rank a rider by number for the next year, but to be honest it really wasnt representative if true "speed/ranking". Its just where the point wound up based on not getting hurt ot getting hurt. So why was it so good? Because it was earned? How was it earned if 3 guys blowing your doors off got hurt and you went from a 21 to an 18? I know, I know, thats part of the sport. Just saying the earned part is suspect in a true sense.
so ... why?
From a rider perspective, I bet they like the current system - far more friendly for branding and merchandising.
There is so much to be said for a numbering system where just by looking at the riders number, you can tell how good he did last year. They are almost completely meaningless now.
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If ur there to race you earn what you get .If ur not there for whatever reason you dont EARN the position in points......
I have been around this sport for 30 years since I was 12 and I could still tell you alot of riders #'s way back to early 80's even though they changed yearly..........why ??? Because I cared too learn there new #'s each year.......
For the casual fan if they really wanted to know 3'S THEY WOULD LEARN THEM TOO !!!!!!!
That team managers and scouts ignore rider results and think "Well, he didn't do too well this year but he's got a number 2 so he must be good, let's re-sign him"????
Look at a guy like Wey or Chisholm. Those guys are likely looking at being privateers next year. You can't tell me it wouldn't help their cause if they were able to run the #8 or #9 that they would earn under the old system.
If you're talking amateur racing I can see the point - there is some bragging right associated with a lower number.
I do like nationals on Saturday though.
Pit Row
For the sake of the riders I really hope the number that's stuck on the side of their bike in any given year is not influential in their chances of new or upgraded riding contracts. Or maybe MX team managers really are that dumb?
to say a number gets someone a ride? you're realllllly reaching there. Because I know for a fact a riders number means dick-all to a team manager and can prove it. Add to that there have been MULTIPLE examples of a rider having a bad year, getting a huge number and getting an A+ factory deal. the RIDER is whats important and any manager looks at what they can do and looks at what has happened to determine who he wants.
Earned, it should be earned. A permanent number is earned. they just dont hand them out willy nilly.
Well casual fans would learn them too! So lets look at this for a minute. Here is Joe Casual fan. He has some buddies that ride, he doesnt, but when the MX or SX comes close, he goes and likes it. He buys a mag every now and then, he watches when he can on tv. He has an interest in the sport, but its casual. Now which is more helpful to him, and guys like him, to build interest in the sport or in better terms, to easily recognize a rider? A number that showed how things went last year? Or a number that is associated with a rider, that year to year when they race, he can see 22 and knows its chad reed, sees a 14 and knows its KW, see 12 and knows its DV. Which means more to that guy? he doesnt give a fuck-all that last year went well for a guy and now hes number 10 instead of 31, all he wants to know and cares about is who won the race in front of him! Why? because hes there.
Little Johnny and Sally go with mom and dad to the races, dad rides, mom likes being a pit milf. Both the little ones love watching the bikes and someday little johnny wants to be just like RV! He has RV pajamas, posters, a little toy bike with RV's number.... what number? His permanent number, which without, would make it tougher to market those pj's, posters (not so much) and toy bikes. He sees #2 omg there is my hero! dad can we please go get his autograph!?! and next year, when hes watching the races and sees the #2... he knows its his hero.
its called rider branding and marketing. its giving the riders that EARNED it a permanent number to build a franchise on and branch out to earn. A rider has a very small window of employment. You see one go 15 years its a long time. 20 is almost unheard of. So they have to do all they can do before they hit 30~35, so what do they do with a beat up body for the next 45 to 50 years at least? Branding and marketing. and it makes sense.
You don't think that Wey or Chisholm would realize a marketing benefit if they were able to run top-10 numbers next year?
Ok...
Rider SX... Nats...Total
1. Ryan Dungey.............363....368.....731
2. Andrew Short............150....273.....423
3. Trey Canard..............103.....302....405
4. Kevin Windham.........293.....58.......351
5. Davi Millsaps.............268....76.......344
6. Justin Brayton............238....103.....341
7. Christophe Pourcel....0......340......340
8. Tommy Hahn.............186....150.....336
9. Nick Wey................... 197....139......336
10. Kyle Chisholm.........177....158.....335
11. Dean Wilson..............0......294.....294
12. Tyla Rattray................0......286....286
13. Chad Reed...............73.....204.....277
14. Ryan Villopoto..........266....0.......266
15. Brett Metcalfe............0......257......257
I like the new system too guys. And I understand why they do it. But I also remember how cool it was each year to see the new numbers on the gear and bikes.
1. Canard - #3 because he cameoed in a few 450SX races;
2. Pourcel - #7 despite the fact that he will likely win two titles;
3. Metcalfe - #15 because he gets 0 for 250SX, yet is third in the 450MX points.
4. Reed and RV #13 and #14 even though they could beat most of the people above them while standing on their heads.
Besides the numbers on the bikes are earned numbers... a single digit is a national champion, a low double digit (say 50 or less) is usually a top 10 guy. A higher double digit number is a regular top 20 guy, triple digits are usually privateers.
Before you get all bent out of shape I know there are exceptions to what I just said, european riders, and wierd permanent numbers etc... But I think the current format allows for guys to brand themselves and still earn numbers.. Every year some of the top guys trade down for lower numbers, for example Tommy Hahn did great last year in the nats and now gets to run #10. If you want to check out the old system check out MXA for a breakdown.
Just my $.02
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