"Why I Left"...JS7 ESPN Interview

peelout
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peelout 5/15/2012 9:13am
5/15/2012 9:13am
that was a good interview, thanks for posting

good to know he will be around for a few more years. the guy is fun to watch on a bike, no doubt.

i really really wish RV2, CR22, and TC41 were healthy... we are going to miss out on something that could be great
edgo897
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edgo897 5/15/2012 9:28am
5/15/2012 9:28am
We may finally have a mature James Stewart. That's what I heard.
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Stooperbike 5/15/2012 9:53am
5/15/2012 9:53am
I am glad I am not the only one that is feeling good for James after reading that interview. It was candid and a good read. I really hope to see alot of good racing this year from him. Good Luck James Stewart.
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bayodome 5/15/2012 10:12am
5/15/2012 10:12am
Excellent interview. Not that I typically rate interviews, but this is the best and most honest interaction I have read regarding a motocross racer in a long time. Direct and poignent questions with clear, truthful responses. Cheers to BJ Smith.

The Shop

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madmaxperformance 5/15/2012 10:22am
5/15/2012 10:22am
madmaxperformance wrote:
The thing I hate about getting older, is that I find that I cheer for every rider now. I hope this is the right move, and...
The thing I hate about getting older, is that I find that I cheer for every rider now. I hope this is the right move, and we get a happy, agressive, and SAFE JS back. I will be rooting for Dungey, but James candid interview here tilts me back to him a bit. I hope he trades a few wins with Dungey, stays safe, and just narrowly loses to Dungey... ha ha... J/K. --May the best man win.
Boarddesign wrote:
I think the same way, I really like Moto and as a BIG fan I have really grown to like all the riders. While I have...
I think the same way, I really like Moto and as a BIG fan I have really grown to like all the riders. While I have a preference to who I would like to see win, I like to see them all get a day of celebration.

I now take my 6yr old to the races and lately I'm showing favoritism to the riders who show some love to the little guys, I've been shocked a few times as to who hangs out with them and who ignores them. At Pala last year Metty (who I never gave much credit) hung out with a pack of kids for a few hours after the race, it was really good of him and the kids loved it. Wilson, Trey and many others made themselves really available also... It's hard to not root for them after seeing the love they show for the fans.
You bet. The guys that are nice to the kids I have to agree... they are huge on my list to. At vegas, I saw some people asking Trey Canard some of the dumest questions.... and he was super polite and just responded with so much patience and kindness, that I became even more of a fan. I was thinking the whole time... "Are these mouth breathers serious??"

Anyways, then.... there is things like the Barcia situation, where he flipped out and acted like a 2 year old. It made me want to slap his spoiled little arse.... but on the flip side, I think he wants to win more than most people. Thats why hes so darn talented. Not to mention, a lot of these guys are kids, with HUGE pressure on them. Ive seen it in Hockey, and motocross is no different.

I wouldnt want thier lives, seriously. I dont know if money would make it all worth it. Pressure pressure pressure, always have be careful not to break contract obligations, everyones expectations around you.

Good luck to James this summer. Stay safe, and ride the wheels off that thing.
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TDeath21 5/15/2012 10:38am
5/15/2012 10:38am
I'm glad he is now on the bike he is most comfortable with. I'm also glad that he has realistic expectations for this outdoor season, unlike a lot of his fans on here.
petrie141
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petrie141 5/15/2012 10:57am
5/15/2012 10:57am
Good interview. Only a few more days until we know how this season starts! Like him or not, the ratings will be up.
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yosmithy 5/15/2012 11:03am
5/15/2012 11:03am
I just feel like I've been cheated on. I mean, why couldn't the SX/MX press corp. report that Stewart was leaving JGR and that he would be racing the outdoors on a different bike?

I have to find this out from and outside source??? wtf???
gt80rider
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gt80rider 5/15/2012 11:23am
5/15/2012 11:23am
yzmatt wrote:
Drama = interest = more fans = more $. Wash, rinse, repeat. In case that's too dumbed down, drama is what fans get to read about...
Drama = interest = more fans = more $. Wash, rinse, repeat.

In case that's too dumbed down, drama is what fans get to read about when journalists ask real questions instead of giving the riders and team managers vocal hand jobs day after day. People, by nature, like a good soap opera. Even if they don't give 2 shits about moto, they suddenly are exposed to it.....
Bullshit... Want proof? Take a look at the mcgrath years... Our sport blew up then due largely to how affable he was, and how perfect he could ride a bike...
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wawazat 5/15/2012 11:38am
5/15/2012 11:38am
daveoevo wrote:
Why did he decide to race a bike that he new didnt work for him? Its been basicly the same since 2010 and he has riden...
Why did he decide to race a bike that he new didnt work for him? Its been basicly the same since 2010 and he has riden it for three seasons.
TannerMxer wrote:
If you read the interview (and listened to the PulpMx podcast/radio show interview), it was stated that JGR was very, very close to going with Suzuki's...
If you read the interview (and listened to the PulpMx podcast/radio show interview), it was stated that JGR was very, very close to going with Suzuki's after James had already or was close to signing with JGR. Then JGR signed with Yamaha and they claimed they could fix anything on the bike for James. So James was expecting a JGR Suzuki and got a JGR Yamaha.
If James signed a contract with JGR and didn't know what kind of bike they were going with, then he needs his head checked. I work with construction type contracts all day long, and never have we ever signed a contract wothout specifics being mentioned. You can't sign a contract not knowing everything, that's why you sign a contract.

Glad he is on a bike he likes. Hope he doesn't get hurt and screw up 2013 SX season.
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Matthes 5/15/2012 11:44am
5/15/2012 11:44am
yosmithy wrote:
I just feel like I've been cheated on. I mean, why couldn't the SX/MX press corp. report that Stewart was leaving JGR and that he would...
I just feel like I've been cheated on. I mean, why couldn't the SX/MX press corp. report that Stewart was leaving JGR and that he would be racing the outdoors on a different bike?

I have to find this out from and outside source??? wtf???
We were all too busy sucking off the teet of the industry to report on this.

If anyone read or listened to anything I did, we all saw this coming and reported on the reasons why and even when it was going down. But yeah, mx media sucks.
lostboy819 5/15/2012 11:48am
5/15/2012 11:48am Edited Date/Time 5/15/2012 11:49am
wawazat wrote:
If James signed a contract with JGR and didn't know what kind of bike they were going with, then he needs his head checked. I work...
If James signed a contract with JGR and didn't know what kind of bike they were going with, then he needs his head checked. I work with construction type contracts all day long, and never have we ever signed a contract wothout specifics being mentioned. You can't sign a contract not knowing everything, that's why you sign a contract.

Glad he is on a bike he likes. Hope he doesn't get hurt and screw up 2013 SX season.
X10 and if it is true, Stewart needs a new agent and Gibbs aint as smart as they think they are, we didnt know waht we would be riding is pure Bull Shit.
TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 5/15/2012 11:51am
5/15/2012 11:51am
yosmithy wrote:
I just feel like I've been cheated on. I mean, why couldn't the SX/MX press corp. report that Stewart was leaving JGR and that he would...
I just feel like I've been cheated on. I mean, why couldn't the SX/MX press corp. report that Stewart was leaving JGR and that he would be racing the outdoors on a different bike?

I have to find this out from and outside source??? wtf???
Matthes wrote:
We were all too busy sucking off the teet of the industry to report on this. If anyone read or listened to anything I did, we...
We were all too busy sucking off the teet of the industry to report on this.

If anyone read or listened to anything I did, we all saw this coming and reported on the reasons why and even when it was going down. But yeah, mx media sucks.
Actually, certain people from the Timmy-15 Fan-Club had broke-out with some of this news LAST-FALL and...therfore...had "Put the Writing on the Wall".

Geeze, now I'm sticking up for Candians?

Damn.
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yosmithy 5/15/2012 12:20pm
5/15/2012 12:20pm Edited Date/Time 5/15/2012 12:21pm
yosmithy wrote:
I just feel like I've been cheated on. I mean, why couldn't the SX/MX press corp. report that Stewart was leaving JGR and that he would...
I just feel like I've been cheated on. I mean, why couldn't the SX/MX press corp. report that Stewart was leaving JGR and that he would be racing the outdoors on a different bike?

I have to find this out from and outside source??? wtf???
Matthes wrote:
We were all too busy sucking off the teet of the industry to report on this. If anyone read or listened to anything I did, we...
We were all too busy sucking off the teet of the industry to report on this.

If anyone read or listened to anything I did, we all saw this coming and reported on the reasons why and even when it was going down. But yeah, mx media sucks.
Oh comon, you're trying to tell me that me, the professional fans of this sport would have noticed and remembered you mentioning this?

Just what do you take us for?
FreshTopEnd
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FreshTopEnd 5/15/2012 12:23pm
5/15/2012 12:23pm
wawazat wrote:
If James signed a contract with JGR and didn't know what kind of bike they were going with, then he needs his head checked. I work...
If James signed a contract with JGR and didn't know what kind of bike they were going with, then he needs his head checked. I work with construction type contracts all day long, and never have we ever signed a contract wothout specifics being mentioned. You can't sign a contract not knowing everything, that's why you sign a contract.

Glad he is on a bike he likes. Hope he doesn't get hurt and screw up 2013 SX season.
lostboy819 wrote:
X10 and if it is true, Stewart needs a new agent and Gibbs aint as smart as they think they are, we didnt know waht we...
X10 and if it is true, Stewart needs a new agent and Gibbs aint as smart as they think they are, we didnt know waht we would be riding is pure Bull Shit.
Stewart also said in the Matthes interview that not getting the Yamaha sorted out for him came up in the negotiations as well.

It's worth repeating a thousand times that it's folly to have opinions or speculate about what someone had to do under a contract without actually seeing the contract. Parties are free to draft whatever they want as long as its not for an illegal purpose or it viloates some overarching law or public policy. For all we know, it's as likely as not the contract had an exit clause or some other contigency provision if things didn't work out. We just don't know anything more, other than that you've just witnessed one of the tidiest, most amicable severances of a contract you might ever see. Any conclusions or speculations you might have about the contract itself ought to be framed with that in mind.
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FreshTopEnd 5/15/2012 12:25pm
5/15/2012 12:25pm
yosmithy wrote:
I just feel like I've been cheated on. I mean, why couldn't the SX/MX press corp. report that Stewart was leaving JGR and that he would...
I just feel like I've been cheated on. I mean, why couldn't the SX/MX press corp. report that Stewart was leaving JGR and that he would be racing the outdoors on a different bike?

I have to find this out from and outside source??? wtf???
Matthes wrote:
We were all too busy sucking off the teet of the industry to report on this. If anyone read or listened to anything I did, we...
We were all too busy sucking off the teet of the industry to report on this.

If anyone read or listened to anything I did, we all saw this coming and reported on the reasons why and even when it was going down. But yeah, mx media sucks.
yosmithy wrote:
Oh comon, you're trying to tell me that me, the professional fans of this sport would have noticed and remembered you mentioning this? Just what do...
Oh comon, you're trying to tell me that me, the professional fans of this sport would have noticed and remembered you mentioning this?

Just what do you take us for?
Or that what Stewart relayed to ESPN was essentially the same thing he earlier told Steve when Steve asked essentially the same questions on the last Pulp show.
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newmann 5/15/2012 12:31pm
5/15/2012 12:31pm
Matthes wrote:
We were all too busy sucking off the teet of the industry to report on this. If anyone read or listened to anything I did, we...
We were all too busy sucking off the teet of the industry to report on this.

If anyone read or listened to anything I did, we all saw this coming and reported on the reasons why and even when it was going down. But yeah, mx media sucks.
yosmithy wrote:
Oh comon, you're trying to tell me that me, the professional fans of this sport would have noticed and remembered you mentioning this? Just what do...
Oh comon, you're trying to tell me that me, the professional fans of this sport would have noticed and remembered you mentioning this?

Just what do you take us for?
FreshTopEnd wrote:
Or that what Stewart relayed to ESPN was essentially the same thing he earlier told Steve when Steve asked essentially the same questions on the last...
Or that what Stewart relayed to ESPN was essentially the same thing he earlier told Steve when Steve asked essentially the same questions on the last Pulp show.
And even worse that no one recognizes yosmithy's sarcasm. Buncha sensitive phucks!Laughing
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Bill_Carroll 5/15/2012 12:48pm
5/15/2012 12:48pm
peelout wrote:
that was a good interview, thanks for posting good to know he will be around for a few more years. the guy is fun to watch...
that was a good interview, thanks for posting

good to know he will be around for a few more years. the guy is fun to watch on a bike, no doubt.

i really really wish RV2, CR22, and TC41 were healthy... we are going to miss out on something that could be great
Really, Really REALLY wish list that could happen:

Dungey
Canard
Villo
Reed
James Stewart
Barcia
Pourcel
Roczen
Cairoli
Millsaps
Weimer
Brayton
Metcalfe
Cunningham
Durham
Rattray
Short
Windham
Baggett
Tomac
Wilson
Alessi
Coppins
Grant
Hahn
Musquin

Now this would be a gate, But i'll take what I get and still like it.

Pit Row

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lostboy819 5/15/2012 1:10pm
5/15/2012 1:10pm
wawazat wrote:
If James signed a contract with JGR and didn't know what kind of bike they were going with, then he needs his head checked. I work...
If James signed a contract with JGR and didn't know what kind of bike they were going with, then he needs his head checked. I work with construction type contracts all day long, and never have we ever signed a contract wothout specifics being mentioned. You can't sign a contract not knowing everything, that's why you sign a contract.

Glad he is on a bike he likes. Hope he doesn't get hurt and screw up 2013 SX season.
lostboy819 wrote:
X10 and if it is true, Stewart needs a new agent and Gibbs aint as smart as they think they are, we didnt know waht we...
X10 and if it is true, Stewart needs a new agent and Gibbs aint as smart as they think they are, we didnt know waht we would be riding is pure Bull Shit.
FreshTopEnd wrote:
Stewart also said in the Matthes interview that not getting the Yamaha sorted out for him came up in the negotiations as well. It's worth repeating...
Stewart also said in the Matthes interview that not getting the Yamaha sorted out for him came up in the negotiations as well.

It's worth repeating a thousand times that it's folly to have opinions or speculate about what someone had to do under a contract without actually seeing the contract. Parties are free to draft whatever they want as long as its not for an illegal purpose or it viloates some overarching law or public policy. For all we know, it's as likely as not the contract had an exit clause or some other contigency provision if things didn't work out. We just don't know anything more, other than that you've just witnessed one of the tidiest, most amicable severances of a contract you might ever see. Any conclusions or speculations you might have about the contract itself ought to be framed with that in mind.
So you are saying James signed JGR thinking they would be on Suzuki and Gibbs sold James on the fact that they would be on Suzuki ?........................Nah dont think so.
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wawazat 5/15/2012 4:44pm
5/15/2012 4:44pm
Why the hell can't one mx reporter ask James the simple question of "Did you know you would be riding a Yamaha before you signed the contract with JGR?"

If he knew and signed anyway thinking they would work it out,that's one thing. If he signed not know which bike he would ride, then yeah, he needs some better people looking out for him.

I'm not a lawyer, but I'll play one on Vital. The biggest thing a riders contract I think would be injury clauses, then would come what bike the rider will be racing?

I'm just happy James is on a bike he likes and we as fans get to see to him F some tracks up. Hope he doesn't punk out after the first few rounds if they don't go as planned.
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yam261 5/15/2012 4:50pm
5/15/2012 4:50pm
Bill_Carroll wrote:
Ah yes, No more excuses........now. I remember when Bob Hannah had a POS Yam and still stuck it out. never quit because of lack of performance...
Ah yes, No more excuses........now.

I remember when Bob Hannah had a POS Yam and still stuck it out. never quit because of lack of performance. Whats the problem going to be when he doesn't start winning by mid summer? Oh that's right, injury's do happen even when they don't.

Good luck JS
Um Bob Hannah did quit. You must have forgotten the Yz 125 that got left on the stand at the last national in 1982 because Bob never showed up to race it. He went to team Honda the next year. This coming from a life long Hannah fan.
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Drfletcher 5/15/2012 5:21pm
5/15/2012 5:21pm
James is just using it as an excuse. Once again he could dominate the heat races but when it came down to race in the main, he would have a bad start or crash. Its all between his ears.
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bullpen58 5/15/2012 6:41pm
5/15/2012 6:41pm
I didn't see js struggle in the outdoors on the new yamaha once!
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Bill_Carroll 5/15/2012 7:14pm
5/15/2012 7:14pm
Bill_Carroll wrote:
Ah yes, No more excuses........now. I remember when Bob Hannah had a POS Yam and still stuck it out. never quit because of lack of performance...
Ah yes, No more excuses........now.

I remember when Bob Hannah had a POS Yam and still stuck it out. never quit because of lack of performance. Whats the problem going to be when he doesn't start winning by mid summer? Oh that's right, injury's do happen even when they don't.

Good luck JS
yam261 wrote:
Um Bob Hannah did quit. You must have forgotten the Yz 125 that got left on the stand at the last national in 1982 because Bob...
Um Bob Hannah did quit. You must have forgotten the Yz 125 that got left on the stand at the last national in 1982 because Bob never showed up to race it. He went to team Honda the next year. This coming from a life long Hannah fan.
I was referring to the lump he was riding against Marty Smith in the 70's not when he was forced to make room for Kieth Bowen and went to Honda in the 80's
project racer 5/15/2012 7:36pm
5/15/2012 7:36pm
Bill_Carroll wrote:
I was referring to the lump he was riding against Marty Smith in the 70's not when he was forced to make room for Kieth Bowen...
I was referring to the lump he was riding against Marty Smith in the 70's not when he was forced to make room for Kieth Bowen and went to Honda in the 80's
Hannah put the Marty Smith show on the trailer in the 70's. That 76 OW 27 sure was a turd. Right up there with the the OW 40 that reeled of 22 straight moto wins in '78. What piles of shit those were.
lostboy819 5/15/2012 9:27pm
5/15/2012 9:27pm Edited Date/Time 5/15/2012 9:28pm
Bill_Carroll wrote:
I was referring to the lump he was riding against Marty Smith in the 70's not when he was forced to make room for Kieth Bowen...
I was referring to the lump he was riding against Marty Smith in the 70's not when he was forced to make room for Kieth Bowen and went to Honda in the 80's
project racer wrote:
Hannah put the Marty Smith show on the trailer in the 70's. That 76 OW 27 sure was a turd. Right up there with the the...
Hannah put the Marty Smith show on the trailer in the 70's. That 76 OW 27 sure was a turd. Right up there with the the OW 40 that reeled of 22 straight moto wins in '78. What piles of shit those were.
The heap was against Howerton in 80 81 not against Smith on the 125 in the 70s Project racer is right. If anything Marty Smith was riding a heap because it kept breaking in 76
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FreshTopEnd 5/15/2012 10:10pm
5/15/2012 10:10pm
lostboy819 wrote:
X10 and if it is true, Stewart needs a new agent and Gibbs aint as smart as they think they are, we didnt know waht we...
X10 and if it is true, Stewart needs a new agent and Gibbs aint as smart as they think they are, we didnt know waht we would be riding is pure Bull Shit.
FreshTopEnd wrote:
Stewart also said in the Matthes interview that not getting the Yamaha sorted out for him came up in the negotiations as well. It's worth repeating...
Stewart also said in the Matthes interview that not getting the Yamaha sorted out for him came up in the negotiations as well.

It's worth repeating a thousand times that it's folly to have opinions or speculate about what someone had to do under a contract without actually seeing the contract. Parties are free to draft whatever they want as long as its not for an illegal purpose or it viloates some overarching law or public policy. For all we know, it's as likely as not the contract had an exit clause or some other contigency provision if things didn't work out. We just don't know anything more, other than that you've just witnessed one of the tidiest, most amicable severances of a contract you might ever see. Any conclusions or speculations you might have about the contract itself ought to be framed with that in mind.
lostboy819 wrote:
So you are saying James signed JGR thinking they would be on Suzuki and Gibbs sold James on the fact that they would be on Suzuki...
So you are saying James signed JGR thinking they would be on Suzuki and Gibbs sold James on the fact that they would be on Suzuki ?........................Nah dont think so.
No, that's not even close to what I said. What Stewart said was they discussed whether they could get the Yamaha to work for him and what to do about it before they entered the contract. While we're speculating, it's possible there were provisions that dealt with what would happen if they didn't get the bike to work. People do plan for continent exit strategies when they form contracts. As long as we're making up stuff about what the parties' obligations and rights were, might as well take every possibility into account when you try to figure out how the two parties unwound this relationship so neatly.

I have no idea where you came up with your conclusion.
lastonetoknow 5/15/2012 10:44pm
5/15/2012 10:44pm
Sounds to me like it was more of a forced result from James, as in let me go or I'll just stay here collecting checks. Or as he put it, riding around in 20th spot. Put yourself in Gibbs shoes, they had to release him whether they wanted to or not.

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