Pro Ryan Villopoto Announces Retirement
- Thread starter James
- Start date
As for the Euro vs American thing, I am glad to see it is still alive and well. If you think about it the man who was leading the MXGP stopped by America last year. Unlike him, Ryan Villopoto actually won a race. Of course the Euros (Press)had to point out that the track was similar to American tracks. I guess that means they are conceding that no matter what the format that the Euro's can't win on American type of tracks against Americans.
He was actually doing better than any first year team had in memory. Lots of new people and though he had some A class people involved, he didnt have the likes of the others at KTM or even Honda or Suzuki. He was going to do what I expected and that was be a standout on days when things were more in his wheelhouse and be a top 6 most of the other times, and likely 3rd in the end his first year. Since he was deadset on one year you wonder how comitted to riding his hardest all the time he was ever going to be able to muster.
He was actually doing better than any first year team had in memory. Lots of new people and though he had some A class people involved, he didnt have the likes of the others at KTM or even Honda or Suzuki. He was going to do what I expected and that was be a standout on days when things were more in his wheelhouse and be a top 6 most of the other times, and likely 3rd in the end his first year. Since he was deadset on one year you wonder how comitted to riding his hardest all the time he was ever going to be able to muster.
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I think Ryan Villopoto had all that, but he was better mannered. One of my friends grew up with Bob Hannah, one other rode with his father. The one that grew up with him said Bob was the kind of guy that would beat you on an mx bike until you were about to beat the shit out of him and then freely admit that you could do just that, but couldnt beat him on a bike. Then if he had money for a coke on the way home and you didn't he would split it with you so you would come back and get beat again. Come home at 17 and find out both your parents skipped on the rent and left you there to figure things out for yourself before you ever raced and see if you don't kind of get a rocky start and have some anger issues
Well, keeping in mind I didn't know Hannah's pre mx life, I wasn't accusing him of being a dirty rotten scoundrel or a classless dude, by comparison, I thought just the opposite, on the bike he'd whoop your ass to the point of tears, but that was on the bike. That would be tough, speaks volumes that he managed to make it work, of course at one point he wanted more than the yamaha ceo and then pointed out that he couldn't race the bike, big balls paid off for him.I think Ryan Villopoto had all that, but he was better mannered. One of my friends grew up with Bob Hannah, one other rode with his father. The one that grew up with him said Bob was the kind of guy that would beat you on an mx bike until you were about to beat the shit out of him and then freely admit that you could do just that, but couldnt beat him on a bike. Then if he had money for a coke on the way home and you didn't he would split it with you so you would come back and get beat again. Come home at 17 and find out both your parents skipped on the rent and left you there to figure things out for yourself before you ever raced and see if you don't kind of get a rocky start and have some anger issues
the "dirt" from my computer screen didn't look too much better than asphalt.
I have a polaroid of Bob Hannah sitting in my old boxvan with a friend of mine's jacket on (it was pretty cold for a So Cal boy). He had just pissed off a bunch of parents who brought there kids to a riding school Bob agreed to host. He did his best to be nice about telling the parents that they were welcome to stay, but that he didnt personally believe that kids who were 80cc and below sized riders should even be racing. He added that he didn't even know how to ride something that size to begin with. He went on to express that he didnt feel it would have helped him if he had. So he was sitting on the back of my truck, explaining to my 5 year old son how to elevate a little more over stick sized jumps with a bmx bike. Something he felt the other kids there should have been riding.
The point being that he is the kind of guy we all have in us, in our unrestrained persona. He was as sincere as I have ever heard someone be and be villainized. I heard mothers and fathers who took a lot of offense at what he said, thinking he was trying to tell them how to raise their kids, rather than them trying to convince him to give a riding school he hadn't the heart for.
The point being that he is the kind of guy we all have in us, in our unrestrained persona. He was as sincere as I have ever heard someone be and be villainized. I heard mothers and fathers who took a lot of offense at what he said, thinking he was trying to tell them how to raise their kids, rather than them trying to convince him to give a riding school he hadn't the heart for.
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Rv worked hard and deserved everything he earned.
Hannah and Bailey were my heroes growing up. They didn't blow smoke up your ass and told you how it was. Hurricane had a little bit of a temper in him though yet he always took time for the fans. I had some cool Hannah autographs from back in the day.
Hannah and Bailey were my heroes growing up. They didn't blow smoke up your ass and told you how it was. Hurricane had a little bit of a temper in him though yet he always took time for the fans. I had some cool Hannah autographs from back in the day.
