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Plenty of time after Indiana national for Elk, sorry Eli
The Shop
Scheduling concerns are very valid, only the individual can speak to these. Financial concerns seem uniquely American. How do other, much smaller nations send teams year after year?
Ah well, the almighty dollar eh?
Side note with the olympics being brought up, I wonder how the dynamic would change if this event was only held every 2 or 4 years.
I want him to go and was disappointed he turned it down but I can also emphasize with his reasoning. Guys like Eli have been racing their whole life week in and week out. When you do that a two or three week break can feel like a year because the breaks are so rare. At his level, I doubt you could even pay him 50k to go race because the off time is so valuable. Yes, the other riders picked have also raced their whole lives. Yes they stepped up and are going and that is to be commended. But Eli should not be slammed for his decision. It's his choice. And we don't have to agree with it. But we can atleast understand it.
Maybe next year he won't feel as burned out. Maybe he will find a way to better relax on the off days. Maybe he won't feel as much pressure on himself next year.
His declining to go this year should have nothing to do with who goes next year. If he's one of the top three and wants to go then you absolutely pick him.
To say you wouldn't pick him because he declined to go the year previous is cutting off your nose to spite your face.
So just looking at it from a business perspective I am amazed more riders don't turn it down.
Could you imagine a fishermen giving his best fish to a high end restaurant for free? No.
NFL players don't play games in the off season and there are plenty of people who would pay to see a pickup game in the off season.
Not a great comparison I know but for a rider like Eli there is no compelling reason to give up your very very tiny off season each year to do the MXDN. Other riders don't mind it and that's great. But if your heart isn't into it it's not really fair to chastised a guy who doesn't want to go and cloak your hate in the American flag. That's just weak by the haters.
Hint: Not as many as these guys.
Watch how many complain about the long season then run off to the European Supercross races for the payday...
I raced from 8 - 22 and made it to the highest level of the sport. There are rarely any "off" days let alone off weeks. You are always preparing, always riding, always testing, always training. Why do you think these guys get burned out? Why do you think Dungey, RV, RC, etc all retired. Here is a hint. It's not because they weren't good enough anymore. It's because they are burned out.
The grind of professional motorcycle racing is so dog eat dog, so time consuming, so sacrificing, there are very few Sports to compare to.
Pit Row
Do you work for free? Its called charity work when you do it for free, not too many charities risk serious injury lining up behind a gate. Lets face it, 75% of the GP riders use this race as leverage to get or renew contracts. Most of those guys arent cracking the top 10 in their series all year and show up to the MXDN and battle for the lead.
I vote to have Roger D removed and have a cast of all non americans from Vital to pick OUR team since they are super concerned buy who we bring or not bring. SMH.
But back on topic, most say it is because the schedule is to tight, and yes the schedule is to tight. But Paul333 has a point when he said: "Watch how many complain about the long season then run off to the European Supercross races for the payday..."
Not only the tight schedule is a reason because if that was the reason we wouldn't see that much of riders go hunt money in Australian and the European supercrosses in the off season. For some is the fact that they aren't getting paid even more important to say no. Risk vs Reward is in this sport very important remember Jason Anderson last MXDN?! Not getting paid but almost ending up in a wheelchair. Also that sponsors are putting them in a bench screw to ride the USGP made a lot of them think and say: "FU, if you make us ride the USGP, then we say no to the for you also very important MXDN. Because we can't say no to you because you're mine sponsor, manufacturer, ... but I can say no to mine federation when they ask if I'm willing to ride."
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