GPR -A wrote: ↑04 Nov 2018, 16:32
So the old man couldn't hold it together when the champ came behind, while the champ himself displayed his trade mark "cat quick save"! Yamaha would have been delighted for back to back wins and a great resurgence story, but the old man couldn't join the party.
Sad, but true...
Rossi would've been real keen to win, both to emulate his team mate's effort from last week,
& gain a victory on the same track where he'd ( accidentally) fatally struck his buddy, Marco Simoncelli.
Rossi had a golden opportunity too, with a holeshot from the front row, & established a commanding lead,
but once M.M. started his relentless application of 'the crush' - the old man found he could not match
M.M,'s 'cat quick' reaction speed - & went down trying to stay ahead, in a situation M.M. - can handle.
Back in the day, Rossi would've likely 'duked it out' with M.M. in a 'dicing' contest, where his repertoire
of tricks could be brought to bear, but we missed out on that, & the race became a 'slam dunk' due to
Rossi's 'unforced error', instead... it was an anti-climax, & a bit of a pity really.
I find it kind of sad, in a way.. Rossi, if he'd won - could've retired gracefully with a victory to his credit,
but IMO, he is poignantly showing what 'faded glory' really looks like, & why ego is no substitute for ability.
