Racism in supercross: Malcolm

level
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1/30/2018 8:37am
Ok so let me just say I hate when people cry racism with things but it does exist.

The reason I am bringing this up is because of Malcolm. It absolutely bothers me and confuses me that a guy coming off a championship cannot get a good 450 ride ? What does that say about our sport that when you win a championship you can’t even get a ride ?

Is it race related? Is it Stewart related? Do they not want the Stewart family or big James around the pits? Was it a money thing even though I am surprised if that’s the case they couldn’t find a middle ground.

I am very bothered by the lack of details surrounding this whole thing. We don’t really have an answer on why he doesn’t have a nice factory ride because I don’t know who would be more deserving. He won a freaking championship and the guy absolutely shreds on a bike. Just baffles me.

So what are you guys thoughts on this whole thing ?
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1/30/2018 8:41am
Why would that be racism? James never had trouble finding a ride....
yz133rider
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1/30/2018 8:41am
He sat out the god damn outdoors. His previous outdoors outting involved this weird case of severe dehydration where he basically struggled and missed most of the races.

He won a regional title once. He won all of 2 or 3 races in the class. He went pro about a decade ago.

He hasnt done as much as you want to believe.

Him not getting a ride has to do with questionable fitness, questionable motivation, and subpar/nonexistant outdoors results.

His indoors results werent exactly dominant to make up for nearly zero outdoors results.

Its not racism. Shit him being black and being james brother helps him massively. Look how many followers he has which is exposure for sponsors which equals $$$ which is leverage for a ride.

early
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1/30/2018 8:44am
Oh brother...
huck
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1/30/2018 8:45am
I think other things come into play...

1. His work ethic
2. His unwillingness to ride outdoors
3. His baggage/entourage
4. His entitlement

He seems to be doing great on the bike he's on now. Hopefully it keeps up for him!

The Shop

1/30/2018 8:47am
If I was a sponsor I would want Malcom on my team due to character and diversity that he brings to the sport. I don't believe him not being able to pickup a ride is about racism at all. In fact, in today's world I think teams would be more inclined to hire a stewart over a caucasian. I think the issue has been pretty obvious and it's related to their training program. People feel they don't put in enough effort into training to be in tip top shape. There has been countless threads on this topic of ever since James started showed up at A1 looking really out of shape.
Mini Elsinore
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1/30/2018 8:49am
"Hey, I don't want to play the race card----but let me play the race card, right here." Okee dokee. Whistling
Shawn142
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1/30/2018 8:49am Edited Date/Time 1/30/2018 8:51am
From what little I've heard he was suppose to be on a Geico 450 the year following his championship but Honda completely revamped their bike and had very limited factory parts after investing so much in KRoc. That deal fell apart from there when a factory bike was no longer an option. After that he went his own route and never really got results. He was even offered fill-in rides but respected his deal with Ride365. This year he turned down at least one ride with MotoConcepts in the off-season. It's not lack of interest, it's very strange decision making from the Stewart camp in general.
TXDirt
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1/30/2018 8:50am
The one thing about sports, it doesn't matter your race. If you can produce and get results you will get paid.

His brother James seemed to do just fine.

Malcolm won a single regional sx lites title. Good for him but so have a lot of others. He took off outdoors when he should have been racing.

Look at Jeremy Martin. He is a two time back to back 250 Outdoor Champion. Even he couldn't find a 450 ride when he wanted.

Sports are results driven and Malcolm just doesn't have the results he needs to get a 450 ride. Plain and simple.
Brent
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1/30/2018 8:51am
Probably has something to do with him not racing outdoors last year, and a potential sponsors dread of having to deal with James Sr.
Bridges have been burned, I don’t think this has anything to do with skin color...
ML512
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1/30/2018 8:51am Edited Date/Time 1/30/2018 8:53am
level wrote:
Ok so let me just say I hate when people cry racism with things but it does exist. The reason I am bringing this up is...
Ok so let me just say I hate when people cry racism with things but it does exist.

The reason I am bringing this up is because of Malcolm. It absolutely bothers me and confuses me that a guy coming off a championship cannot get a good 450 ride ? What does that say about our sport that when you win a championship you can’t even get a ride ?

Is it race related? Is it Stewart related? Do they not want the Stewart family or big James around the pits? Was it a money thing even though I am surprised if that’s the case they couldn’t find a middle ground.

I am very bothered by the lack of details surrounding this whole thing. We don’t really have an answer on why he doesn’t have a nice factory ride because I don’t know who would be more deserving. He won a freaking championship and the guy absolutely shreds on a bike. Just baffles me.

So what are you guys thoughts on this whole thing ?
Actually, it's been covered many times and I remember writing up a few long responses when this was all brought up. At the time he won his 250 title he was on a Supercross-only contract with GEICO and unlike some of the previous riders on that team, there wasn't a 450 option written into his deal. The following year was an all-new machine that came out extremely late and there wasn't much in the way of extra parts laying around. According to the team, they let him now fairly early on that it wasn't an option. I was also told they had asked him to ride outdoors that year, especially after they lost two riders to injury in the first two rounds.

When you went down the list of available 450 rides, they were all pretty much locked up come the time he won his title. And wether his camp wants to believe it or not, most team staff I've conversed with listed his outdoor results or lack of interest in that series as a concern for hiring him. He did get the short straw with the points rule being changed the following year, he was forced to go 450 when GEICO woulda hired him to defend the following year had he been allowed another 250 season.

A few teams mentioned things about him and his brother trying to get stuff going together in a few different instances..and they've pushed off deals. MotoConcepts went after him and was turned away due to a program they were trying to put together. According to a few teams, the family was reaching out around Monster Cup/Straight Rhythm this year as their potential deal had fallen through and Malcolm was in need of a ride.

And to put it bluntly, not a lot of teams are excited to work with Big James...

As for Malcolm himself, he's very well liked and I'm stoked that JGR is trying to get him a ride for the rest of the year. Hopefully this opportunity works out and Malcolm puts himself in the right position to be full-time the following year and for years to come as well.
GPrider
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1/30/2018 8:57am
the topic is so lame, uh, never mind that he puts in almost zero extra effort to get a ride. At least publicly. To say "racism" is a slap in the face to those who are truly held back in life from actual real racism. And, it shows true obliviousness on your part for not seeing what the other 99% percent see, its his own fault!
mmcmx
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1/30/2018 8:59am
If race has any impact in Malcolm's career, it's positive, for obious, comercial reasons.
omalley
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1/30/2018 9:01am
"Hey, I don't want to play the race card----but let me play the race card, right here." Okee dokee. Whistling
Exactly.
DoubleA
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1/30/2018 9:01am
Shawn142 wrote:
From what little I've heard he was suppose to be on a Geico 450 the year following his championship but Honda completely revamped their bike and...
From what little I've heard he was suppose to be on a Geico 450 the year following his championship but Honda completely revamped their bike and had very limited factory parts after investing so much in KRoc. That deal fell apart from there when a factory bike was no longer an option. After that he went his own route and never really got results. He was even offered fill-in rides but respected his deal with Ride365. This year he turned down at least one ride with MotoConcepts in the off-season. It's not lack of interest, it's very strange decision making from the Stewart camp in general.
The limited parts bit is because of a natural disaster happening over at Honda Factory at the time of production of the parts for the bikes am pretty sure and like you said Honda had invested so much into Kenny he was the priority. But I am happy he is back and maybe he can make something of this ride at JGR.
jeffro503
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1/30/2018 9:06am
Michael , or anyone.......I know it's way early to ask this , but if he gets some better results ( or even stays about where he is at ) , do you think JGR or someone else will want him for the outdoors? I hope like hell he decides to do them , as he's missed the past 3 years. If he misses outdoors again this year.....it'll be 4 years , no outdoors.
early
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1/30/2018 9:16am
jeffro503 wrote:
Michael , or anyone.......I know it's way early to ask this , but if he gets some better results ( or even stays about where he...
Michael , or anyone.......I know it's way early to ask this , but if he gets some better results ( or even stays about where he is at ) , do you think JGR or someone else will want him for the outdoors? I hope like hell he decides to do them , as he's missed the past 3 years. If he misses outdoors again this year.....it'll be 4 years , no outdoors.
I bet many teams would have him as a fill-in, but for a top team to just add another rider seems unlikely (hats off to JGR). He couldnt fill in for last years SX because of his Ride 365 deal. Not sure if anyone approached him for last years outdoors. JT has maybe mentioned in a roundabout way that RM KTM talked to him but Malcolm is locked into with Se7en so it will never work out with them.
system
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1/30/2018 9:18am
Wasn't he in talks with RMATV/WPS (aka Fly Racing)/KTM this off-season but couldn't do it because of his ownership in Seven? I think Seven and Big James have a lot more to do with his troubles than his skin color. At least, I hope that's the case.
andyman
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1/30/2018 9:18am
The year when he skipped outdoors with Geigo, Bogles Geigo 450 was sitting many rounds on the pits because Bogle was hurt. Geigo had also many injuries in 250’s and Mookie could have really helpped them get exposure on Bogles 450 and 250’s also. His race gives him rides, so does his last name. He needs to be in a team that looks after his training like Geigo did, he was fit back then.
Juice_Mann
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1/30/2018 9:21am
While I don't agree with him not landing a factory ride, it had nothing to do with race at all. I think two of the big factors for him not getting a ride were not wanting to race the Nats and his lack of fitness in comparison to his competition. You bringing up race as a factor is pure stupidity.
motoxxx599
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1/30/2018 9:21am
I dont think race is a factor here. I think his family has a lot to do with it along with his lack of interest in outdoors. If he was a few places better last year in supercross, like 4th - 7th place guy on average, I think he would have found his way onto a team. There wasn't last year or this year room for a 10th place guy... those rides were locked up. I think the opportunity he has now is awesome and I hope he capitalizes on it and continues to improve.
bball35
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1/30/2018 9:24am
It is not racism that has caused the problems. It is Big James being a pain to deal with. With James teams would put up with it. With a 7-12th place guy things are a little different. On Pulp last week Malcolm made it seemed he had some options but gear deals and other little things just couldn't make it work.
SKlein
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1/30/2018 9:26am
As ML stated, it's been about as well covered as it could have been, you just didn't take the time to look for the answers that have been given.
Tuna
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1/30/2018 9:26am
Send this shit to the Dumbgeon.
kkawboy14
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1/30/2018 9:33am
level wrote:
Ok so let me just say I hate when people cry racism with things but it does exist. The reason I am bringing this up is...
Ok so let me just say I hate when people cry racism with things but it does exist.

The reason I am bringing this up is because of Malcolm. It absolutely bothers me and confuses me that a guy coming off a championship cannot get a good 450 ride ? What does that say about our sport that when you win a championship you can’t even get a ride ?

Is it race related? Is it Stewart related? Do they not want the Stewart family or big James around the pits? Was it a money thing even though I am surprised if that’s the case they couldn’t find a middle ground.

I am very bothered by the lack of details surrounding this whole thing. We don’t really have an answer on why he doesn’t have a nice factory ride because I don’t know who would be more deserving. He won a freaking championship and the guy absolutely shreds on a bike. Just baffles me.

So what are you guys thoughts on this whole thing ?
D) none of the above!

In fact I would think race would help not hurt. Also if you were a black, Indian, chinese chic that could make the top 10, they would beat a path to your door.

Bottom line was, there weren’t any rides in the value range he was looking for.
akillerwombat
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1/30/2018 9:33am Edited Date/Time 1/30/2018 9:38am
Of course there is racism in this sport – it's in every aspect of life.

Did it have anything to do with Malcom not getting a ride? No.
Jmicmoto13
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1/30/2018 9:38am
The only race that matters here are the ones he didn’t participate in. End of story.
Rhody
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1/30/2018 9:38am
I think his whoops speed would make any team manager become color blind real quick. He never paid his dues coming up, he was always James little kid brother fooling around in the background. When he finally decided to race, the speed was there but he never showed that he stopped being the "little kid brother fooling around'. He is so damn good on the bike, I hope that does a Barcia, gets his head screwed on straight, and realizes the potential.

Disclaimer: I have ZERO inside knowledge, this is just how Malcolm comes off to me as a casual follower of the sport from a million miles away.
newmann
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1/31/2018 10:13am
mmcmx wrote:
If race has any impact in Malcolm's career, it's positive, for obious, comercial reasons.
Yep, the guy is pretty much a sponsors dream. Unfortunately he may not be a team managers dream. Always smiling, great personality, hauls ass on a bike, has better style than TFMOTP.....maybe just add in some serious nose to the grindstone training and race prep on his end? But what do I know, I don't hang out with them. I was always wanting to see Malcolm make the move to the 450's motivated and on a good team. Untapped potential from my view.
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2/2/2018 5:21pm Edited Date/Time 2/2/2018 5:40pm
What a shocker. Come back and find my post in the dumbgeon even though there was nothing dumb about it. This site is turning liberal and big brother. Fucking ridiculous

Also I never said it was about race but not ruling it out either hence the topic.

To me it’s hard to believe he doesn’t have a ride and a good ride.

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