Mat a nice guy now?

Whippersnapper · #1 (**permalink**) 07-22-2008, 03:55 AM

What is up with Mat. The commentators talk about giving an 8yr old kid some gloves in the paddock and then in the post race interview he says 'Rossi is awesome and it is hard not to be inspired by him'. He found religion?

Furious Styles · #2 (**permalink**) 07-22-2008, 04:04 AM

How about a resounding hell no?!?!

1up5dn · #3 (**permalink**) 07-22-2008, 06:06 AM

Honestly, I was blown away by his comments regarding Rossi. I never thought I would hear those type of words coming out of that man's mouth. He has even been pretty complimentary of Spies the last couple of years.

Maybe having a kid finally forced him to grow up. He's making it harder for me to be so against him.

Chris....

Furious Styles · #4 (**permalink**) 07-22-2008, 07:44 AM

Well he's been an ass for sooo long that I doubt a few well intentioned words are going endear him to many. He'll have to be as nice for at least half as long as he's been an ass.... that could take longer than the time alotted him on earth.

Superhawk69 · #5 (**permalink**) 07-22-2008, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Furious Styles

Well he's been an ass for sooo long that I doubt a few well intentioned words are going endear him to many. He'll have to be as nice for at least half as long as he's been an ass.... that could take longer than the time alotted him on earth.

This is NOT directed at anyone and I too have not always liked Matt's words, but he is a focused racer that changes when it's go time. There are your nice guys that win too, but some just have a dark side when it's go time. Kenny Roberts Sr. is still a big A>> to most people. Maybe with Spies on the way out, that motivation to rule over someone in racing and the mindgame is not needed as much.

Don't forget that Spies says as well that w/out Matt pushing him mentally and physically, he would not have pushed himself as hard.

Definitely a lot more to like about Matt than hate.

nomo · #6 (**permalink**) 07-22-2008, 03:52 PM

I too was surprised by Mladin's comments about Rossi , but man o' man the latter's performance WAS inspirational : an "aging" superstar on a less powerful bike digs deep and produces a historical ride to beat and embarrass the young champ . WOW . Poor Casey , Rossi was so mean to him . BTW , was Casey a child star on the Canadian kid's show Mr. Dressup ?

Furious Styles · #7 (**permalink**) 07-23-2008, 01:06 PM

Sorry to tell ya partner... Matts an asshole at more than just race time. Its been his persona for about... 12 years. Going back to the first time I met him in 96' or 97' at sears. Going even further back to his time with Cagiva and GP's.

macchiato · #8 (**permalink**) 07-23-2008, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superhawk69

Kenny Roberts Sr. is still a big A>> to most people.

When we met Kenny Sr. he was a sweetheart. Can't speak on Mat though. Maybe its all about how you approach these guys?

RockyMt · #9 (**permalink**) 07-23-2008, 04:36 PM

I've had the pleasure of knowing Kenny for a lotta years, and he can be a lot of things, but above all he's not one to mince words. If you approach him while he's working you can expect to be cut off rather quickly. He says what he means and does what he says, the sport could do with more of his kind. He is a VERY gracious host and will go out of his way to help people who he thinks can benifit from him pulling for 'em. I've seen him fillet people who waste his time at the wrong time, but when you're King Kenny, everyone wants a piece of you.

-Rocky-

AA 996 · #10 (**permalink**) 07-23-2008, 06:15 PM

My cousin and I met The King at Daytona a couple of years ago. He was nice, gracious, and of course profane, which really endeared us to him.

I don't normally get star-struck, but I almost didn't know what to say when I saw King Kenny. He's probably my only childhood hero besides Pierre Karsmakers.

Every time I've talked to Mat he's been very nice, but our conversations always seem to steer toward airplanes. He seems to appreciate talking about something else besides motorcycles all the time. Just my opinion, if he wasn't such a great racer he'd make a heckuva commercial pilot. He approaches flying much like racing - a perfectionist, cool, methodical, and analytical.

duckdawg · #11 (**permalink**) 07-23-2008, 06:44 PM

I met Kenny at Richard's old shop, he came in with Mert Lawell one day to get a mount welded on Mert's bike. I shocked Kenny with the heli arc, he didn't think it was very funny. Next Richard handed me the worst looking cobbled up rusty piece of metal you could imagine, and tells me just to barely tack it onto Mert's bike. He goes and gets Mert, and ask's him "how's that?" Mert never cracked a smile, he just said "ok, if you think it'll work." We all cracked up laughing and let him in that it was just a joke. Things got alot more relaxed after a few beers. Two of the coolest guys you would ever want to meet...

macchiato · #12 (**permalink**) 07-24-2008, 02:54 AM

LOL, that's funny stuff.

Quote:

Originally Posted by duckdawg

I met Kenny at Richard's old shop, he came in with Mert Lawell one day to get a mount welded on Mert's bike. I shocked Kenny with the heli arc, he didn't think it was very funny. Next Richard handed me the worst looking cobbled up rusty piece of metal you could imagine, and tells me just to barely tack it onto Mert's bike. He goes and gets Mert, and ask's him "how's that?" Mert never cracked a smile, he just said "ok, if you think it'll work." We all cracked up laughing and let him in that it was just a joke. Things got alot more relaxed after a few beers. Two of the coolest guys you would ever want to meet...