Edited Date/Time
10/31/2021 7:26pm
While many of these weren't exactly secret, still, which one caught your attention or made you scratch your head the most?
{poll:1483}
Our staff chimed in with their picks:
ML: I can't say any of them actually surprised me as each team had their reasons for signing each guy, and they make sense when you put it all out there. But in the moment, Anderson to Kawasaki definitely caught me off guard. Not to put it like it was Anderson's only option, but it's kind of like it was a default pick for each party? Kawasaki was losing Tomac to Yamaha and Anderson was leaving Husky. There wasn't a lot of factory options opening up for Jason and he has a great relationship with Dave Gowland from Monster, so that is kind of a no brainer. And for Kawasaki, who was available in the moment that has race and championship winning experience on a 450? Only Jason fit that bill. Kawasaki is pushing their guys to be based in California this year, maybe Jason was over the Florida thing? There's a lot of reason I can put on paper why it makes sense.
Even though Anderson was leaving the only team he's ever raced for professionally, it's also not exactly the same environment it once was with Hewitt's departure. I've heard rumors and comments about the corporate side above the team possibly not being happy with the relationship and it seems to have gotten more corporate over there. But in turn, Kawasaki can be a fairly strict and corporate team to be involved in. I guess what I'm getting at is from a business standpoint it makes sense but maybe on a personal level I question how well they'll mesh when we get racing. Ultimately, only time will tell. I love seeing all these big off-season moves because it leaves so many question marks entering the new season and lots of storylines to follow.
Ping: Anderson to Kawi was the biggest head-scratcher for me. He spent his entire career with that team and he seems like the type of guy who likes to keep the same people around him. Plus, he goes there knowing AC is the golden child. Maybe that makes him more comfortable, feeling like the pressure is on Adam more than him? Either way, it seemed like an odd move.
Klinger: Malcolm to Rockstar Husqvarna is surprising for a few reasons, but before I get into that, I have to say that I'm a Malcolm Stewart fan. I like that he seems like a real dude, is quick to smile and joke around and has life outside of moto. Also, I think it's cool that he isn't super skinny since I identify as a 'chonky' rider myself. Lastly, the dude shows insane blasts of speed, can levitate over the whoops, and isn't afraid to ride a wide bike.
Yet what's a bit unorthodox about this move is, we haven't seen many riders go from factory rides, to support teams, to full privateer, back to factory rides in their careers. I mean, it's cool to see, I'm happy for him and wish him the best of luck, but I thought Rockstar would maybe pick an up-and-comer rather than Malcolm who has never won a single race in the 450 class. Again, I'm a fan, I just don't see him as a championship contender. At this point in his career I would have thought he'd be on a support team again and sort of be a fan favorite, but not a main factory rider. Fingers crossed he proves me wrong. It would be so rad if he took the 2022 Supercross championship.
Resnick: "Definitely Aaron Plessinger to KTM. Although, his mullet describes the situation perfectly. KTM is the "Business in the front", while Aaron himself is the "Party in the back". But, can the business and party get along that well when the pressures of racing are applied?
Eli was a suprise to, but given the last couple years, getting to the end of his career, and the drama behind the scenes, it wasn't as shocking.
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-Deegan and a Monster team was preordained. No way he rides for anyone/any thing else and then given that Star has the hot hand, it makes total sense.
-Mookie makes sense as Husky seems to be a brand about solid results and having a good and clean time doing it. That's Dean and Mookie. They will sell bikes to guys with money who just flat out "like" those guys. I think that move was all about image.
-AP was the the biggest surprise for me. Dude can ride and there are lots of comparisons between the path to KTM for Cooper and AP. However, I think Cooper was built to take the grind, where I feel like AP will wilt..NOW, that said, we only know what AP shows us. For him the stash, mullet, and "AP persona" may be all show and inside his heart is Rocky Balboa...For me, that is the biggest question mark of these signings...
The bear in the background is classic.
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