There seems to be more and more "crumb" on the net about Nicky getting the raw deal from Honda, being the red-headed step-child of the team and so forth. I've been a fan of this guy since he broke in to the AMA way back when and have rooted for him the whole way. I would like to post my response to some of the stupidity that has been floating around then net, a lot of it stemming from Superbikeplanet.com:
1.) "Nicky is almost always mentioned after Pedrosa in HRC press releases showing that Honda doesn't want him to win ....yadda yadda....."
Not true, but the hyper-sensitive "poor me" fans of Mr. Hayden smell a conspiracy. Pedrosa is Spanish, Repsol is Spanish. They want this young American outta the way so their boy can shine. Bull sh!t. It does make sense that our title sponser wants their local boy always brought to the forfront of press releases. If they were both racing in the States sponsered by John Deere, how would you expect the press releases to read? Whats the big deal?

2.) "Nicky is stuck testing all of the new parts will Dani gets to use only the proven stuff"
This has to be the most hillarious arguement ever presented. The rider who gets the new stuff IS normally considered numero uno. Usually it is the riders who don't get the new stuff that are bitching i.e. - Biaggi for his entire career.

Given his performance in his first couple years at Honda it had to be considered lucky they never bumped Mr. Hayden to a Satellite team or worse. There are people at Honda with faith in him and it is paying off at the moment. The fact is that while he is one of my favorite riders he has yet to be able to beat Rossi to the flag straight up at anywhere other than Laguna. He has been remarkably consistent AND lucky to a certain degree. As he says just about every week" 3rd is fine, and the points are good but I just need to get more Dubyas" They will come, despite the "Honda hates him conspiracy".....

i dunno much about the guy but i am rooting for him this year.

i think the all championships will change hands...

AMA: mladin to spies
WSBK: corser to bayliss
motoGP: rossi to hayden

_________________
Bikes Owned:
Gixxer 1000 K6 (stolen)
Gixxer 750 K6

Bikes Wanted:
VMAX
a super kewl cafe racer

I don't think Nicky is going to win the MotoGP championship. I think it'll be Rossi yet again (unfortunately). Look at the points they've both accumulated throughout the season. Rossi would be waaaaaaaay ahead if his bike didn't keep blowing up! That happened...what, 2 or 3 times this season? Maybe 4?

Nicky (imho) just isn't up to par with Rossi (no one is really...)

And I'm sure that Bayliss will win WSBK...Spies will probably win as well...unless he goes off his bike or something and Mladin takes the win...but I doubt that'll happen...

_________________
2000 Kawasaki Ninja EX500R (Sold)
2006 Suzuki SV650S (Stolen 4/08, recovered 12/08, sold 3/09)
2004 Suzuki SV650S (Sold)

Being bikeless SUCKS!!!

It all started with getting punted off the track by Marco Melandri and another DNF due to mechanical. Racing is a case of shoulda, coulda woulda...... Sh!t happens to Rossi, Hayden and all of the others. Rossi had bad luck this year and yes, it happens to other riders as well. It will come down to the wire, but Rossi is the best there ever was. Hayden will have to finish at least right behind him every race to win it.

Which I don't think he can do...

_________________
2000 Kawasaki Ninja EX500R (Sold)
2006 Suzuki SV650S (Stolen 4/08, recovered 12/08, sold 3/09)
2004 Suzuki SV650S (Sold)

Being bikeless SUCKS!!!

i believe in nicky.

for some reason i can't explain... i want to see rossi dethroned.

i don't feel the same way about mladin and corser.

_________________
Bikes Owned:
Gixxer 1000 K6 (stolen)
Gixxer 750 K6

Bikes Wanted:
VMAX
a super kewl cafe racer

I'd like to see him to go down too...I just don't think it'll happen. The man is a machine!

_________________
2000 Kawasaki Ninja EX500R (Sold)
2006 Suzuki SV650S (Stolen 4/08, recovered 12/08, sold 3/09)
2004 Suzuki SV650S (Sold)

Being bikeless SUCKS!!!

There are two ways the season will end;

Rossi will win the championship or Hayden will have it handed to him. Hayden is far from the best rider out there and has proved it by winning home GP's and other GP's where better riders are strangely absent.

The clown sealed the deal for me when after the Aus GP he was saying "I beat him, I beat him" (regarding Rossi and the yellow flag incident). No you didn't. He is the better rider and always will be.

_________________

I hate to say it...but +1

Rossi is easily the best rider out there but with all the problems he's had this season it's still amazing that he's in the title hunt. Just look...3 DNF's, the 2 points from going down on lap 1 turn 1 in the first race...

1 HAYDEN Nicky USA 225 16 20 16 20 11 16 20 25 9 16 25 7 13 11
2 ROSSI Valentino ITA 204 2 25 13 - - 25 25 8 20 25 - 20 25 16
3 MELANDRI Marco ITA 193 11 9 25 9 25 10 - 9 16 20 16 11 7 25
4 PEDROSA Dani SPA 193 20 10 2 25 16 13 - 16 25 13 20 16 16 1
5 CAPIROSSI Loris ITA 180 25 16 10 8 20 20 - 1 7 11 8 25 20 9
6 STONER Casey AUS 119 10 11 20 11 13 - - 13 13 - - 10 8 10

Nicky's had a streak of good luck but luck ends eventually...I do hope he takes home the championship but honestly I don't think he's top dog out there...

I will say this though Mint, pretty much everyone was at Laguna. Rossi's bike blew up on the last lap but he was in 3rd at the time. Nicky owned that race from light to flag.

_________________
2000 Kawasaki Ninja EX500R (Sold)
2006 Suzuki SV650S (Stolen 4/08, recovered 12/08, sold 3/09)
2004 Suzuki SV650S (Sold)

Being bikeless SUCKS!!!

_________________
Bikes Owned:
Gixxer 1000 K6 (stolen)
Gixxer 750 K6

Bikes Wanted:
VMAX
a super kewl cafe racer