Hey Hopper, what's with the yellow plates? Cherry Picker! ------------------ "GasTard" In More Ways Than One- PMF Racing John W. Walters #728 Expert Rookie Black SV http://home.mindspring.com/~jwwalters/index.html
Kevin Schwantz comes to mind. Eddie Lawson comes to mind. Wayne Rainey comes to mind. Kenny Roberts (the younger) comes to mind. Colin Edwards comes to mind. Ben Bostrom comes to mind. Thank God they chased the dream instead of listening to the naysayers, who, instead of making things happen and seizing opportunities, seem to use the operating philosophy and response to every racing situation and opportunity of: 1. That'll never work, don't try it. 2. Everything is bad. 3. Repeat. [This message has been edited by John Ulrich (edited 11-30-2001).]
Mike Hale's World Superbike career didn't work out. Brad Wilson, a noted expert on everything and a staunch cynic on the WERA BBS, is predicting failure for Hopkins.
Even IF Hopper doesn't get on with the GP machinery instantly, his contract is reported to be three years and at which time he'll only be 21. I don't think John Ulrich would let Hopper go into a situation where he would be destined for a fall like Hale, Walker, and others who were expected to deliver as soon as they arrived on the scene. Plus the average top level rider usually goes until his early 30's which would give Hopper an additional 9-10 years to make the grade. If in these 10 years it doesn't work out in GPs for Hopper he has a ton of options, much the same as Miguel DuHamel after his grab at the GP ring, and god knows he got no where after he left the Circus. Chandler went home gained 50 pounds and never left the couch after leaving Cagiva? Corser? Chili? Mackensie? I guaran-damn-tee you Hopper will be ready to produce the results when he is called upon to do it.
Hey now! Walker hasn't truly failed. He didn't have a much support or test time. The whole Advance Shell team seemed to be all goofed up from the get go. If he failed at anything, it was chosing to a good team/package to make a run at the GP's with. Now, Hopper and Red Bull...seems to me that team well and truly has it's sh!t together. Hopper will get all the support he needs to make a good impression. All IMHO.
It has to be the right team, the right guys running the team, the right set-up, the right deal, and a lot of thought went into all of that. It is a 3-year deal, and they have a 3-year development plan for the kid. He's now testing in Malaysia and will be on a YZR500 at the first GP of 2002. People say, he should stay in the U.S. and learn stuff. He's gonna learn no matter where he is, why not on the GP circuit? Why shouldn't he learn on the best tracks and the best bikes, in the series with the best riders in the world? What good will it do him to stay here and learn to ride a Superbike at Fontana if his life-long dream has been to race GP, and he can go now and be well-paid to do it? They have McCoy to get results while the kid learns. Every detail has been covered, as in, an RV shows up at each track, stocked with everything he needs, and cleaned and re-stocked before it is delivered to the next track; a guest house to live in, near the race shop, between races; a trainer; etc. etc. He'll be over there with his girlfriend, living the dream. In my opinion it is the best-thought-out GP intro deal in the modern history of the sport. And if it doesn't work out, he has a guaranteed ride with a Championship-winning U.S. team to come home to, at the ripe old age of 21. Which he won't need, because he's gonna do fine. [This message has been edited by John Ulrich (edited 11-30-2001).]
Because if he does fail (which I doubt he will) then Big Bad Brad will be able to say "I told you so!"
This thread reminds me of the one titled "What kind of jobs do you guys have?" where Josh inserted "Motorcycle Racer" and along with responses from others, I wrote "We hate it for ya Josh!" Well on here the same applies....It sucks to be Hopper doesn't it? Of course I am just kidding. I think it's absolutely great for Hopkins, and for Josh, and for any other racer who gets an opportunity like this to pursue his lifelong dream. Anyone out there who predicts failure or is negative about it is probably just jealous that they didn't have the opportunity. No time for that. I say use that energy to support a great rider who may be World Champion someday. Best of Luck to Hopper in his efforts and to all others too. ------------------ O==~~ Mr. Microphone [This message has been edited by MR-MICROPHONE1 (edited 12-03-2001).]
