So the 2012 motocross season has wrapped up, the Lites
providing all the excitement while the 450 class fizzled to an end, again! Anytime the title is secured before the
season ends race fans like me are disappointed.
As a student of the sport I am much less focused on any individual rider
and more interested in a good race and close competition. Motocross has evolved and the skill of the
riders elevated by advanced technology coupled with track design have made motocross racing
more cerebral. Ricky Carmichael says
that lap times are so close that racing has become a business of track position;
a profound observation on the competitive parity that exists in the sport.
If this is the way it is then the TV viewer deserves more from the networks than watching
the same guys run up front every week.
So let’s take a quick look back on the 2012 Motocross season.
The Lites have been the class to watch ever since
Carmichael left the sport. James Stewart
does keep the 450 class interesting because you never know if he’ll finish and his
wipeouts are usually quite spectacular and his aggressive riding style is
always “fun” to watch. Villapoto, Canard and
Reed, and the fierce competition between them, were missed this year. Without these guys, Dungey was an easy
pick for the title. Sure, you have to be
in it to win it and he deserves all the respect of a champion but the guy needs
some real competition. Mike Alessi in my
opinion was the most improved this season.
On an inferior bike he proved he still has the talent to make a
run. Sometimes long-winded but I felt he was genuine on every interview. Veterans like Short, Millsaps and Grant have some “splaining” to do.
It’s like Big Bad Bill is Sweet William Now. I didn’t see
the kind of competitive spirit we’re used to from these guys. I like these riders but if they can't rise up they'll certainly disappear into obscurity. Too bad we don't have someone like Jason Lawrence to stir up the 450 class, maybe Barcia shows us some gutsy maneuvering when he moves up to the big bikes.
In the Lites class the Honda boys were on fire this year
and Pro Circuit’s Blake Baggett finally finished as he strategically defended an
early points lead. Dean Wilson would
have made a good showing I’m convinced, moving up may be a mistake but it should be interesting to see if he can make a statement at
Anaheim. KTM showed up every week and
gave those guys a race. With an improved motorcycle and world class riders, KTM will continue to be a contender. Some rookies
showed flashes of brilliance; let’s hope they can make an impact in the seasons
to come. In the Lites class, for now, it’s Geico Honda’s
world and Pro Circuit just lives in it.
Without question the Honda riders made the greatest impact this year.
I was surprised to see Barcia drop off towards the end of
the motos. I like Justin but he didn't seem to dominate like I thought he would. He made some noise on the 450 before, lets hope he can reignite that spark.
Tomac on the other hand was racing like a rider possessed. He carried that eye of the tiger all the way
to the finish line like he had something to prove-he is going to be hard to beat next year. Baggett kept us on the edge of our seat with
his come from behind victories; now that’s racing. If he keeps riding like that, he'll be a lock for the title next year-place your bets. Roczen and Musquin will have their day;
unfortunately it won’t happen until the aforementioned move up to the 450 class. Dean Wilson moving up should bring some added excitement to the Supercross class this season. Martin Davalos riding for Pro Circuit-they'll miss Wilson. I hear Christophe Pourcel wants to come back and may be riding with his good ole buddy Dean Wilson on the Jeff Ward Racing team-look owe't!
The riders are great but my biggest criticism about the current state of Motocross is the commentary. I’ve been watching the races on TV for quite some time and the network broadcasting crew leave a lot to be desired. I think it's critical to have a racers
perspective and we’re lucky to have Jeff Emig and from time to time Ricky
Carmichael providing additional color to the commentary. For a lot of us who’ve never raced, they add
a lot of insight which makes watching that much more interesting. The broadcast crew’s knowledge of the sport
is spot on so kudos to them on this point.
What our current broadcasting crew needs is unbridled enthusiasm. There are two audiences at the races, those
lucky enough to attend live and the TV audience. Jason Weygandt and Jeff Emig have proven
ineffective at delivering the race experience to their TV audience. You may ask if it’s possible to convey the
kind of excitement from the field on to the TV viewer and I would answer with
an emphatic yes.
In 2008 SpeedTV broadcast the 2007 season of the Canadian
Motocross Championships (CMRC) with Marc Travers handling the play-by-play,
Brian Koster and Ryan Gauld adding color commentary. This team made you feel like you were track side
and their quick wit added an element of humor fitting for such a sport. Brilliant exchanges came fast and furious and
kept the viewer engaged throughout the race.
They were masters of race pace on the microphones and the track side
comments by Ryan Gauld as speeding bikes passed was a fantastic compliment. They also made it a point to highlight the
battles behind the leaders, reminded us that there are 40 guys laying it all on the line for even just a little recognition.
Jason and Jeff here in the states could be caught at moments nursing
dead air during the race-if they aren’t
fired up then either Motocross is losing its mojo or we have the wrong guys
behind the mics. Their primary focus on
the leaders also made it hard to tell one race from the next. Jason’s noble, yet misguided attempt at
Motocross prose felt a bit awkward for a dirt sport. And finally, the podium interviews are so
predictable race after race we rarely learn anything new and the winners mind
as well memorize their responses. It’s
not their fault; they’re only answering the questions being asked. Interviewing takes skill and the crew needs to learn how to lead their subject.
Supercross next! The racing should be fantastic and Ralph Sheheen will be an improvement although they can all learn a little something from their Canadian counterparts. Stay tuned to The Roost'r for more news and commentary....
