Posts
4659
Joined
9/22/2008
Location
Arlen, TX, USA
Edited Date/Time
1/26/2012 6:44pm
First off, hats off to an incredible ride when 95% of the professional racers in the history of the sport would have just rode back to the pits after that crash. I'm also very very glad he was able to walk away from that one. I was really worried, and I didn't even think he would get back on the motorcycle after it happened.
Getting down to the point, I'm a graduate psychology student (who is typing out some thoughts instead of studying for my mid-term at the moment). I just wanted to discuss/type about James Stewart's ego. First off, he has an incredible ego/psyche to reach the level of dominance he has; but I also believe it is responsible for the type of wrecks we saw tonight.
James has gone his entire life dominating races from the amateur ranks, all the way up into the pros, where he would win 125cc mains by twenty seconds effortlessly, and even a few outdoor motos by one whole minute! When someone has that kind of dominance throughout their entire life, they don't get much practice being pressured, and they also develop an ego that perceives itself far superior than the competition (and rightfully so). Even in his last full season racing (2009) he was a notch above the competition, including Reed, and he knew it (chad probably knew it too)! Any athlete of any sport with a history like James' would likely develop the same way: internalizing a core belief that it is far superior than the competition. So no harm in that.
The problem is that when the ego feels threatened or challenged by a rival, whether it be one rider, or five, the ego wants to reassert its dominance as the alpha male (hypothetically, if the 2011competition this year is running the 2009 pace of Stewart, his ego could be motivating him to push his limits even further!). I think tonight was supposed to be one of those "statement" type of races we witnessed at A2. He didn't just want to win by a second or two tonight, he wanted to destroy the competition both mentally and physically. Case in point, he had a pretty good lead on RV2 when he went down, yet he came out of that corner before the wreck like he was in second place behind Ricky Carmichael, circa 2006.
The whole reason I'm posting this topic, is because what James Stewart does the second half of the supercross season is going to be very very interesting. Surely at some point (now is a good time) he needs let some air pressure out of the ego and start riding smart. James still has a shot at the title, but if he lets his ego get in the way and make the decisions - which I believe is causing him to push his limits even further - I predict his win or crash attitude to racing will return and either one of two outcomes will ensue. I pray to God that it won't be more crashes like we saw tonight. I don't know if I did a decent job putting this into words, especially with it being a bit abstract.
Anyways,
Hats off to RV2 on a great ride, and hats off to James, as well.
p.s.
for those who didn't read the whole thing, it was not an attack on James Stewart. Just one person's analysis of a champion's ego.
Getting down to the point, I'm a graduate psychology student (who is typing out some thoughts instead of studying for my mid-term at the moment). I just wanted to discuss/type about James Stewart's ego. First off, he has an incredible ego/psyche to reach the level of dominance he has; but I also believe it is responsible for the type of wrecks we saw tonight.
James has gone his entire life dominating races from the amateur ranks, all the way up into the pros, where he would win 125cc mains by twenty seconds effortlessly, and even a few outdoor motos by one whole minute! When someone has that kind of dominance throughout their entire life, they don't get much practice being pressured, and they also develop an ego that perceives itself far superior than the competition (and rightfully so). Even in his last full season racing (2009) he was a notch above the competition, including Reed, and he knew it (chad probably knew it too)! Any athlete of any sport with a history like James' would likely develop the same way: internalizing a core belief that it is far superior than the competition. So no harm in that.
The problem is that when the ego feels threatened or challenged by a rival, whether it be one rider, or five, the ego wants to reassert its dominance as the alpha male (hypothetically, if the 2011competition this year is running the 2009 pace of Stewart, his ego could be motivating him to push his limits even further!). I think tonight was supposed to be one of those "statement" type of races we witnessed at A2. He didn't just want to win by a second or two tonight, he wanted to destroy the competition both mentally and physically. Case in point, he had a pretty good lead on RV2 when he went down, yet he came out of that corner before the wreck like he was in second place behind Ricky Carmichael, circa 2006.
The whole reason I'm posting this topic, is because what James Stewart does the second half of the supercross season is going to be very very interesting. Surely at some point (now is a good time) he needs let some air pressure out of the ego and start riding smart. James still has a shot at the title, but if he lets his ego get in the way and make the decisions - which I believe is causing him to push his limits even further - I predict his win or crash attitude to racing will return and either one of two outcomes will ensue. I pray to God that it won't be more crashes like we saw tonight. I don't know if I did a decent job putting this into words, especially with it being a bit abstract.
Anyways,
Hats off to RV2 on a great ride, and hats off to James, as well.
p.s.
for those who didn't read the whole thing, it was not an attack on James Stewart. Just one person's analysis of a champion's ego.
I'd love to hear (cough) your psychoanalysis of RV's "ego", and how he thinks he's the smartest person to ever through a leg over a dirt bike.
he rides to the max /on the edge ,and is soo high in the process, he fights w/ himself to mellow out.
i can still do it , i can still do it,ya ya ya!(but i dont need to go this fast, but it feels soo goood)
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The very thing that makes him so unbelievable to watch on a bike is the same thing that may cost him.
Actually winning may be a different story, but the same mindset (less all the drugs and mental instability) holds true for Stewart.
look at Alessi it would have to be the biggest shock to his ego being so dominant in amateurs esp over villopoto then getting beaten when it matters by him... It's prob what he's dealing with now mmmmaybe haha
And now that I think about it... every year comiing into A1 hear about Stewart maturing and his "win or crash" ways being over; then low and behold he shows us nothing's changed and he's the same fasted rider/crasher ever.
And how about the rumors of Larry Brooks getting fired by Stewart? I'd imagine that would cause egos to flair as well, which may have contributed to the "statement race" mentality.
I think he needs a fork that actually moves.
than again, a racer is programed to go as fast as his abilities will allow, and in this sport corner speed is everything, and he has it...unfortunately it was so much coming out of that one corner aftr he did that quad, he needed to throttle back so his front wheel would catch the lip of the next triple. Some times I think he is too fast for his own good...I mean 1:15!! 2 seconds a lap faster is an eternity in this sport...
I think the uncredible heart and talent that enables him to do that is also what gets him in trouble unfortunately. Our greatest blessings are also our greatest curses, and vice versa.
Just one man's opinion,...but as per vital, thats an open invitation for the Bubba haters to attack and call him and me an idiot etc...
Pit Row
So, maybe you should analyze the big picture. or at least try and think a bit before you post such stupidity.
And for what its worth, I raced Pro for 10 years.
It was not much different than getting cross-rutted, like so many guys did tonight.
I will agree however that in OTHER cases his bike has not looked right. That front fork is very stiff, but is that the bike, mechanic's or team's fault? He's ALWAYS ran his front end stiff. That's just the way he likes it. He's got a bunch of experts at his disposal to get his bike setup right... if it was really THAT bad to him, I'm sure they'd be all over it trying different settings.
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