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Not going to talk about this too much. Maybe you are not aware of it, and that is ok, and if this bores you, I am sorry. However, I would like to straighten some things out said by Steve Matthes on the racerhead column on racerxonline this weekend.
I have taken shots at Steve for speaking negatively about the MXGP series and the SMX event. To which Steve took a bit of exception to. That’s ok, calling the SMX a shit event, and saying it should be in the toilet is pretty stupid, but that is what he said. This event is far from a bad event. It is going to be huge, and everyone in Europe is looking forward to it. It is now the biggest indoor event in Europe and will be like that for decades to come. Shit it isn’t.
Secondly, Steve mentioned that I will be in Las Vegas next week and he invited me for lunch and to do a podcast on MX and stuff. I accepted at first, but then decided I was in Vegas for down time, to have fun and anyone who knows me, knows I don’t like work.
After accepting Steve’s offer I sent him an e-mail and mentioned I decided I didn’t want to do it, but if he wanted to meet for a meal, and do a 15-minute podcast/interview with me downtown, I would be open for that. I never backed out of anything, just didn’t want to travel 20 minutes to Steve’s house for a podcast. I will be on holiday time and want to enjoy it without the feeling I have to also work. Of course I will be working as my website needs to have content on it every single day, for you the reader.
Steve also mentioned his column on www.mxvice.com was pulled because Youthstream didn’t like it. I find this very unlikely, as the column was more an attack on me, and not Youthstream, and am pretty sure it was pulled because mxvice didn’t want a column on their website, talking about another euro website. I think it was only up for an hour, and pretty sure Youthstream are not checking out all the euro websites for content that often. They really don’t control the media in Europe like Steve thinks.
Of course I wouldn’t know if this is true or not (that YS asked it to be pulled), and I have contacted James Burfield, the owner of mxvice to ask if this was in fact the case, but James hasn’t been back in contact with me yet about it. I will be following this up though, to find out if Steve is just making this stuff up, or being ill informed.
Steve mentioned that I haven’t been to an AMA National, well I have visited about 10 in my short time on this earth, loved every single one of them. My first in 1986 at Hollister Hills, then several at places like Budds Creek, Unadilla, and Glen Helen, but in 2004 I bought www.mxlarge.com and to be honest it’s a euro website and I don’t have to travel to AMA races anymore, as the press service from that series is very good, and I get a lot of good content from people I have deals with in America.
I do talk to people in the American industry and ask them about the series, and I watch the highlights package, so I know how it looks, just like most of us do in sporting events we don’t attend, but love to watch.
I have been to America maybe 30 times in my life and still love going (in fact in Charlotte right now). Not sure where I am negative about that series, because I am NOT. Saying the MXGP series is the best in the world might be seen as negative to the AMA series?
Anyway, I haven’t heard back from Steve since I declined his offer for visiting his house, and invited him out for dinner in Vegas (long before his column came out on racerhead), so the fact he said I declined an interview, is not true. I did send him another e-mail after reading his racerhead column, to wish him a good weekend and look forward to seeing him in Glen Helen in a week’s time.
Now onto the racing this weekend for what should be the biggest and most exciting motocross race in America this year.
I don’t mind the banter backwards and forward between Steve and myself, us Aussies have pretty thick skin, and can take it. Hope you, my reader, don’t mind it every now and then. Maybe small man syndrome, but I even like the attention.
As mentioned by me before, Steve isn’t a bad bloke and I like his work on most occasions, so no hard feeling from my side at all.
These kind of back and forth open letters doesn't do anything for anyone. Except that it's on a certain level comedy.
But i guess that these two like to have an public conflict instead of actually concentrating on the 2 awesome GPs that we're going to witness.
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Yes, there is business, but it doesn't have to be toxic. And if you're not in the business and not making it fun, because moto is purest when fun, bummer.
Alas, people sometimes aren't.
Hey, have a great day; up before dawn stoking the smoker, which now has an 18 pound brisket coming up in temp, got a mug of Joe and the iPad with the sun rising. Have a terrific holiday and enjoy all the fuel being burned this weekend between the go, f1 and motogp. Plus college ball.
The last line explains it all.
Although, writing and talking does take a lot more training and is more dangerous than MX.
He really does deserve a break.
Incorrect. See what you say below:
"They just want you to be aware that their World Championship is just as good."
That's the sound of you whipping yours out and swinging it around. Let us be "ignorant". [Most of us have said many times that the MXGPs are great with very talented riders, but let's just ignore that inconvenient truth.] Why must be aware of your "fact"?
It still doesn't answer my question of why your greatest come overseas to dedicate their careers to our inferior regional series. But whatever. We each choose to believe ours is bigger - they're both mammoth. Let's leave it at that, and let's enjoy two and four strokes while we're at it. Why all this "this OR that" instead of "this AND that"?
Never mind that there are a million different factors to consider, beyond which has faster riders-that could make one series better than the other (media exposure, purse money, entry fees, facilities, track amenities, depth of talent, amateur scene, etc ect.)...
And then are we talking better from the fan perspective, or from the rider perspective, or from the media perspective, or the promoter perspective?
At the end of the day it's a matter of opinion...
I like both series...I follow both of them. With the injuries in AMA this year, the GP's are deeper (though I'd put my money on Roczen for the fastest rider in the world at the moment...just my opinion)...so MXGP is deeper, but AMA has the fastest rider.
Anyway...I don't see how a fan of Moto could bash either series? (Unless they are baiting.)
What a great day!
Ribs on about noon, eats'in 5 ish
Also, The GP's have 2 or the 3 bggest moto rockstars racing in their series. And if they want they could claim Kroc since he is really on of them.
Pit Row
As a friend at Alpinestars said to me earlier this year... They pay Ei Tomac and Justin Barcia quite a bit more than Romain Febvre or Jeffrey Herlings, because ET and JB are worth more for them when it comes to marketing world wide. Especially with gear, they barely sell it in the US but they use US riders in world wide marketing because they value them more.
TV is arguable on where you live. Today, there's a GP in the US and I can't watch it on TV until tomorrow evening. Yes, I could pay for it (and I do, because I'm a Moto fan), but I can watch Supercross and motocross live without the extra charge.
Before I get bashed on a US vs GP thing... This point was towards rider's star level worldwide, based off their followings and worth for companies to market... Not the quality of riders themselves, as Febvre and Gasjer are outstanding talents, and could easily come over here and be contenders imo.
However, my problem with Geoff is that he comes off as so overly-biased and negative, and he likes to spread rumors about Americans going to Europe. I still have two years left in school before I get my B.A. in journalism, and I feel pretty confident that I am already a better journalist than Geoff is.
What area are you looking at covering?
Also, Ben Townley came over in 2006 after finishing third in the 2005 MX1 title aboard a KTM 450SX-F.
Riders such as Christophe Pourcel, Ken Roczen, Marvin Musquin, and Tyla Rattray turned down MX1 rides (as MX2 champions, not prospects) to come here.
And I think you're doing well, ML! School really nails down some of the fine points of writing that one might never think about otherwise, but you provide solid, unbiased information in a fairly eloquent manner, and that's all I really ask for when reading moto news.
Have you ever checked what the purse money is for the AMA series? It is not that great. It is all hoarded by the factory riders. And it really isn't shit. It is beer and chip money for those guys. The privateer is a whore to the promoter and does not get much of that purse money. 20-40th gets his entry fee back. Wow!!!! So this purse money argument is bullshit.
Star Power: They have Herlings, AC , Gajser, Febvre Those 4 match the AMA's best 4 kid.
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