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Las Vegas Enduro-x


v-mar
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This post is not so much about David Knight who I know is an astonishing rider, and who I suspect and hope is not the jerk he recently appeared to be. Nor is it about the less than mature comments by his fan base. It's instead about the whole issue of "team orders" which has long bothered me.

By now everyone knows that Knight embarassed himself by acting like a petulant child when he lost the Endurocross final. But I found myself more bothered by Knight's resulting excuses, which reignited a pet peeve of mine: why do most motorsports associations openly condone "team tactics"? Knight has openly stated that his anger was directed at KTM for them allowing -- horror of all horrors -- another rider to compete against him. Didn't the fans pay to see the riders compete? Isn't that why it's called competition? I know that it would be nearly impossible to effectively police and thus fully preclude the existence of team orders, but team orders calling for one rider to purposely lose to another seems to me to be unsportmanlike, and an overt rip off of spectator money. It would be like having the Eagles and Cowboys owned by the same owner in the NFL, and saying that purposely having the Cowboys lose to the Eagles in order for the Eagles win a particularly important game would be OK. It's not. If I had paid the money to go to Las Vegas to watch the Endurocross, I would have been livid to watch Blazusiak dutifully follow Knight around so Knight could win, a la team orders. I believe team orders are disgustingly unsportmanslike and an affront to the fans. When I go to a motorcycle event, I want to watch to see who is the most skillful rider. If I wanted to watch something scripted that was still called a sport, I would go watch professional wrestling. For me to hear Knight imply that his massive temper tantrum was justified because KTM screwed up by not telling Blazusiak that he was supposed to lose to Knight infuriates me. I believe that formula 1 implemented a ban on team orders because a few years back Ruebens Barrichello (sp?) was told to let Michael Schumacher pass him, and did so by purposely slowing to almost a stop in the last corner to demonstrate the unfair and unsportsmanlike nature of "team orders". And couldn't the case be made that it's illegal? I'm presuming that since the final was held in Las Vegas, there was betting on the outcome and official odds established by the Casinos. How could odds be established for riders if the results are partially pre-established? Doesn't the state gaming commission prosecute people who purposely alter the outcome of sporting events in that state? Anyway, I hope that the next time they compete again, Blazusiak outrides Knights again, and if he was told to let Knight win, he does so in the same fashion that Barrichello did. Or better yet, if our overall sport isn't respectful enough to their fans to outlaw blantant team orders which produce untruthful results, I hope that the roles are reversed next year. Here's to hoping that Taddy takes the lead in next year's Endurocross series, and that KTM instructs Knight to not dare actually compete with him. But more importantly, here's to hoping that our sport adopts formula 1's stance on team orders and outlaws them. If not, truth in advertising seems to dictate that advertising for future events should have footnotes indicating who is truly competing vs. those who won't be allowed to win the event. Just my two cents worth....

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Whinning in the forum won't do any good. Instead, take action to communicate your displeasure to those who can appropriatly award such behavior.

Not true DGShannon. The fact you took the time to respond in this forum to put a template letter up could result in a dozen people copying and pasting it to the promoter, the AMA, KTM etc. Maybe these people would also like to tell the promoters what would happen if they get rid of the trials bikes in the main event part of the program.

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So he spat the dummy and threw the toys out of the pram, probably regretting it now.

I have seen top trials riders do similar moves, and didn't see anyone on here calling for their license.

Not that any of you will of done anything stupid in your lives, but do you think whining to his bosses will do anyone any good.

His reaction at the end of the race was over the top, but I think some reactions on here are too.

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I just think it is a bit petty really, sending letters and all that. He was just p****d because he got a proper butt kicking! He knew exactly what he was doing! Shame on him for showing off!

I do agree with Craig, as the finals need to be "run what u brung" and "best rider wins", tough ta ta's!

Grow up and get with it if you are gonna do this type of competition! You have to remember the fact that it is all about promoters making money, not about the riders, they could care less! :(

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Too bad that's the end of seeing the trials bikes get a chance to ride with the big bikes. Our boys clearly can run with the "big boys." Bill and I were at dinner with some of the Sherco people and we heard the trials bikes will be separated out next year. So there is supposed to be a trials bike class and a big bike class. I know some of our riders plan to ride the big bikes to stay in the main class next year. Sounds like a bunch of MX whinning BS to me. If it is the case, maybe they should ban them from being able to use TRIALS tires too. But in my opinion, keep the bikes together. If trials bikes are so much better, maybe they should ride a trials bike then. :(

This was my first endurocross experience, and it was awesome. More than I can explain. Many people there had the same amazing experience. But what made it so amazing for the crowd was seeing all kinds of bikes out there, all in one place, all competing for the same title. Where else can you say that? What other event? None now.

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Wow, An amazing amount of time and thought is going into Knight's behavior. Although his behavior was clearly inappropriate, it made NEWS. We're all talking and I assume many others are as well. Actually it's all very very good for the sport. I'll bet KTM slapped his wrist and said not to do that again. Just the fact that the promoters are in a place that we can actually have two separate classes being considered- how cool is that? Personally I hope they have a championship class that combines all bikes, with separate classes for those who choose to ride that way. As the sport grows, new options will open up. We are trying to do a local enduro-x series in MI, and we are simply begging for bikes and riders....time will tell!

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Bike launching great stuff! (not)..... like stray bullets what if it had hit some other poor bu99er?

It goes to show that you don't need to have 'owt upstairs to be really good on a bike.....proper caveman stuff.

Did he have a club with a spike on the end too?

Appalling behaviour...if he had a brain that incident would be something that he would regret for ever!

:D:D

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