mich lin

Had my own section over on Trialscomp till somebody complained and they took it down. It was a lot of fun! If that's what the majority want, my own blog section on trials central, that's great Andy. That way anyone not wanting to read or respond can simply not go there. Craig could also be part of it! Hey consider what Team Smage has done, a schoolboy rider competing and finishing 7th in the USA Championship this past weekend. Amazing if you ask me! He will kill the competition at the youth nationals, then grow up and win the US championship, spanking Geoff Aaron very soon. Also consider that American fans also used to laugh at the Lampkins before they started winning the world championship. How soon those laughs turned to respect from the American fans. The same thing will happen with Smage and Craig.

Olympics yes! What amazes me is that I've run into American trials people who are against it. Ray Peters being one of them! They fight trials in the mainstream tooth and nail. Why, not sure? I simply don't understand their logic. Couldn't agree more with bringing along our new young tigers. Without proper grooming and progression into the world championship, North American riders don't have a chance of playing in the major leagues of trials, like they once did. Again, there is a large portion of the US trials community including members of the NATC who refuse to provide this progression and grooming. Why, I simply don't understand their logic. They also refuse to defend their positions in public. Overall it's the American women riders who have been slammed down harder than any other group by the US federation. In 1999 they placed third in the world but the AMA/NATC failed to support our women riders when the rules changed. It required a walk-out by the international women riders against the FIM to correct the problem a little. The AMA/NATC sat on the sidelines doing nothing, I know I was there and saw it all come down and supported the women's riders strike. The NATC has put North American women in an impossible position! They have fallen father and farther behind the Europeans and Japanese women every year. I've simply given up on our girls winnning! I figure, get the boys up to speed first, then maybe we can get the girls back on top again later.

Then put him in the world round if he kicks butt!

A TY is a real motorcycle Ringo, not like that fat beast you now ride! As for beating anyone, that's a laugh, I've seen you ride. Sure your tough on the board right now because your snowed in but when the sun comes out in a few weeks, we will never hear from you again. True you can outdrink a Yorkshireman but that only earns you the cool factor at the Scottish Six Days. If you had a set, you would go ride it! Now there you would be cool BUT your not until you do and outdrink the Yorkshiremen while your at it.

I like the idea of mainstream exposure for trials, face it however. America's general public was only interested in bycycle racing when one of our own was beating the world. I think you will find that same thing to be true for trials! Put American trials back on the map with world round contenders, like Lance did for bike racing. Then I bet you will see some mainstream interest in the sport again.

Lance is used to excellence! The American attitude toward performance in trials is geared toward the sportsmen. Not bad just differnt, like comparing the weekend hacker to Tiger Woods! Comparing Lance on a bycycle to most American bike riders is comparing him to the old men in spandex you see riding along a lot of American roads. Comparing USA national riders to Adam Raga is the same! Our local, regional, national or world round trials in the USA are not organized on the same foremat as they organize trials in Europe. Simply an observation! The bikes are similar in the USA, the attitude toward the sport is not.

Andy, so that's your first dose of Southern Culture! It's called Red Neck!

Good point about size, it does matter in trials! Dougie is tall and strong, so is Laia for a lady, In fact she's as big as most men. I also agree about her temperature. Of course gymnasts are small for better rotation but the muscle type is similar to a trials rider, strong and explosive. Endurance athletes are not as strong but can keep on ticking and ticking and ticking. Much like comparing a sprinter vs a long distance runner. Another thing to consider is if he has seen trials only in Europe, he will not regonize the sport in the USA! It's nothing like trials in Europe what so ever. It's almost like comparing World football "soccer" with American football.

Steve, I agree he's perhaps the greatest athlete of our time. We might get some disagreements from Brian Gumbal or Barry Bonds fans though. Reading his biography his biggest handicap before having cancer was his muscle mass, which was a big disadvantage for the tour. Yes it made him a good sprinter but a bad long distance rider because of weight and wind resistence according to his own words in his book. The cancer allowed him to rebuild himself as a leaner endurance athlete from what his book said. Trialsmen are built the opposite of endurance athletes, it's more along the lines of a gymnast's power. So his build is not a good one for trials! So don't entertain the thought that he will jump into trials and beat Adam Raga!

Lance is a true American hero! He beat not only personal adversity but the Europeans at their own game and on their own turf. He is an amazing inspriation to all of us.

Ishy, your a legal immigrant, that's why we can't give you a pass! It's nothing but a hard time for you, after all it's not easy being a "legal" alien. We hold you to a much higher standard. You will have to wait in line, fill out all sorts of complicated papers, jump through hoops and prove you have no loyality to Yorkshire trials riders winning the US world round anymore. You are required to now be a fan of Yankee riders only! Otherwise, Who knows what we may have to do to you?

Wow, that was a scare! I thought that maybe I was kicked out of the HOF when I saw the update notice, for being such a pain in the @ss to you guys. Now I'll be able to sleep tonight. Lastly the ATA is doing just fine without me! Ringo and Mr. Bill have everything under control and do a great job. Now if Ringo would just get of his fat wallet and buy a couple thousand acres of mountain riding area in Big Bear, the ATA would be just about perfect.

Dman, it's a proven fact that trials riders are the smartest motorcyclist's in the world, maybe even the smartest motorsprots enthusiasts of all. That gives you guys a huge advantage. It's simply not fair that we have to compete against you guys.

Your right Ishy, the president of Mexico is of Irish decent! He's a Euro-Mexican! If you know your history, Mexico was under the contorl of both France and Spain at one time. So there are a lot of Europeans running around Mexico but of course the general population is from the first immigration that was from Asia. Accross the frozen land bridge of thousands of years ago. So with this first migration in mind before the Europeans came, most people consider Mexican nationals as brown skinned. Their culture is full of Europeans, even their president, who is Irish. So we can't really lump all Mexicans as brown skin, like we cannot consider all Canadians white skinned. Dman, I was the one who pointed out your state having the highest IQs in the nation. It was simply an observation and fact, not a put down. Likewise, you are not guilty of bringing up any Mexican national populations in the US, that was me again. If we really studied the issue, your state might have a bigger population of Euro-Americans than ours. Not a put down again, simply an observation. The last time I checked, Mexican nationals were not over running our trials events or flooding the entries. That was my simple point, our entry remains mostly Euro-Americans. Califorina youth trials is BIG for a couple of reasons. 1) It's a tradition in SoCal 2) Bill Markem going out of his was to provide quality youth events at ATA, NATC and at his own ITS trials events. Our kids have a place to compete, while most US states don't porvide kids trials, they cater to Adults only like the NATC. 3) Our dads and moms are behind the kids, most don't compete themselves like the other parents accross the nation, they minder, trasnport, maintain the kids bikes insted of competing themselves. 4) The club is behind them, my example is the $5000.00 just raised for the team.

Zippy, Mexican is a nationality not a color, just like being an American citizen is a nationality, not a color! There are Americans of Mexican origin, European origin, Asian origin, African origin, South American origin, middle eastern origin. Even Canadian origin if you want to consider the northern border as well as the southern one. There are even Canadians of differnt skin shades, just like there are blond Mexicans, just watch Mexican TV sometime and you will see a ton of them. Everyone in north and south America migrated from somewhere, even those we call native Americans. Few Imigrates today from 3rd world countries like Mexico have the time and money for expensive amatuer sports like NATC trials but hey, everyone is welcome. Also consider that 30% of all prisoners in our jails are also Mexican nationals, plus more Mexican citizens get welfare here than American citizens. I don't see large numbers of Mexican citizens turning up as riders at ATA trials events today. So I doubt that a large population of Mexican citizens living in SoCal will help the Califorina Youth Trials team very much, which is what Dman is so up in arms about.

Zippy, I believe that the Mexican immigrants are more concerned with building a new life and earning a living than winning trials championships that pay nothing. This brings up an important point. What value does the 45 year old NATC national championship have or any other age or class championship in the NATC series? None other than to the individuals contesting that class. They find some personal satisfaction in it, which is enough reward in itself. If they can afford the cost of travel and time. Mexican immigrants live on a more practical level, escaping a corrupt and bankrupt country. Then building a new and better life in America! I don't mind them moving to the USA as long as they don't bring Mexico with them, the very life and place they have come to the USA to escape. I'm upset and offended when they bring Mexico with them! They are forcing that corrupt and bankrupt society on US here in the USA. When they become Americans, they need to learn English, blend into and adopt our culture,then I think it's great. But turning the USA into Mexico, that stinks.

Interesting take on the Youth Nationals Dman! Pressure, it builds diamonds out of coal. The single thing lacking to create another Bernie, Jesse Owens, Mark Spits, Peekaboo Street, Jorden or Tiger Woods in USA Trials. True, not everyone will be in the Superbowl, Worldcup or Olympics but somebody has to rise to the top. While others drop by the wayside and watch while thinking I played in the game with that person of TV. It's really how life works, we can't shelter our kids from the real world forever. We simply must prepare them the best we can for the hard knocks coming, and dealing with pressure is perhaps the most important lifeskill needed to survive today. If they cannot survive the youth nationals how will they get through a really tough spot in life? Steve again you and I are on the same page, you were Champion of Canada and me the USA so we have that common background and life experince. We also share the belief that North American trials needs growth and needs to impact the world championship again. Two views of sport and life, Dman's, then us. That's OK, it natural. Sport and life takes all kinds.

Dman, not to be combative but 75% of the students in the LA school district are Mexican and have no interest in trials at all. Never will! Also it's a fact that the people in your state have the highest IQ and SAT scores in the nation. Armed with this information, you guys should really give us poor dumbed down Califorina riders a handicap headstart. Now Texas, we won't Mess with that! My only comment is without the Mizels, you guys would have no kid trials riders at all. They are a one couple producing trials team machine. You guys in Texas had better hope they don't move to Arizona or OK. The other Texas kids are on Yamaha powered Blue colored Frenchie bikes! I worry that being on a French Poodle bike will damage their selfesteem, we have been talking about doing an intervention with some of these kids at this years youth national, before it's too late.

I could use the same argument for the Trial De Nations! Nations like Australia only have a few million in population total. Yet they give Team USA a run for their money! It's hard work not luck or population that makes Califorina youth trials a success. Here we come again, catch us if you can!

I'd like to point out the fantastic support that Southern Califorina Trials riders and clubs have given to our Youth Trials Team. Over $5000.00 dollars have been donated and raised to get Team Califorina out to the Youth nationals for 06. To date, this young team has won all 3 Trial De State national team titles! Beating every other state team in the nation. They have also won more individual age group national titles than any other team. Southern Califorina has put more effort into youth trials than anybody in the nation! Not only have the kids worked very hard but the parents and fellow club riders have been totally behind these amazing kids. A speical mention must also be given to Bill Markem and the ITS for creating kid rider specific events early on. This effort towards the childern has created an ever growing number of avid trials riding youngsters in Southern Califorina, that are now tearnig their way through the adult classes in regular competition. All these kids need to impact the world is support from the rest of the nation and our national federation. Open a 125cc national championship to them and they will attack the 125cc world championship as a team and beat the world.

Zippy, thanks for those random thoughts! My random thought on your comments is everything always must work for the greater good. Consider Moto-Cross where Americans are the best riders in the world. Local MX prepares riders for regional events, regional events for MX nationals and Supercross. That's how we kicked everyone's @ss at the MX De Nations time and again. Each step in MX prepares the riders for the next! This progression allows everyone to find their level, test the next and drop back if they need to. Yet it provides that clear path to the top of the game, where fame and fortune await. American trials cannot do that! In contrast, our US Trials nationals now fail to prepare our best trials riders for the Trials De Nations or World Championship, they fall short. We now have the horrible international results we see today in trials, simply because we lack these simple stepping stones! It would be very simple for the national federation "the NATC" to bring back these stepping stones we had during Bernie's day. A simple plan was presented to them at the last NATC meeting, it provided harder sections for the best 5 riders only. Increased the size of the field in the pro class bringing up the pressure and provided the correct stepping stones to the World Championship.All the while maintaining the great sportsmen competition that the NATC is famous for. In my opinion where the NATC has dropped the ball and now painted themselves into a corner is depending only on the sportsmen riders for their survival. They have had to dig deeper and deeper into the lower level sportmen class clubmen riders to fill thier national field. Creating a situation where 17 different age classes are needed to keep the entry up near 100 riders. Instead of investing in BOTH the sportsmen age groups AND the next generation of Superstars, they have put all their eggs in the one sportsmen rider basket. Which is now failing them! Of course this was all Dr. Wagner's plan for years, depend on the sportsmen, not the superstars for federation survival. He has picked an excellent time to leave the NATC, a critical time where his overall plan has crashed and burned. Leaving our national federation in a pickle. The only clear way out of this situation is adopting the comprimise plan proposed to the NATC last session. It allows all the current sportmen competition, yet reconnects the NATC with the outside world. Allowing another American team of riders to contest the world championship and win again. To sponsor anyone or try to contest the world championship without proper domestic steppping stone in the NATC system. Would simply be a waist of energy in my opinion. The last area of success and failure of the NATC is this! They have created a system of nationals that produce the very best senior riders on the planet. Yet they fail to leverage this amazing fact. Why dosnt' the NATC step outside it's bubble and challege the rest of the world to a Senior Trials De Nation? I'd say an event where one rider must be in their 40s, one rider in their 50s and one rider in their 60s. I think that the NATC/AMA team would kick the rear of any in the world. This idea however does not deserve any support however, unless our young future superstars get the support they deserve from the NATC/AMA. It would look really foolish of the NATC to step out and challenge the world, if our proper TDN team can't do the same.

Alan, Days of our Lives and Dalles are TV shows, You took us there first! At least Troy had a manly message! Also A.B. I'm very greatful to all the hard working folks who make this sport great. Without the organizers, observers and national federations we have nothing but practice. We also have to give greater credit to the top riders like Raga, Cabby, Lampkin, Fugigas and the rest of the WCT field, lastly let's don't forget the amazing Laia Sanz! These youngsters sacrafice so much to be World Contenders, sure lots of people contribute a lot to the sport, through advocation but these youngsters sacrafice their youth to the sport. Which can never be recovered! One day they wake up in adulthood no longer able to score world championship points, with no factory ride, no job, no education other than trials and traveling. Then they must make the best of the rest of their lives somehow and become productive members of society while their peers and former schoolmates have already established themselves through college and in business. They must then start at square one, years behind the rest of their generation. Remember, without the superstars, we have no show at a World Championship trial, indoors or outdoors! They take all the physical risks, train insanely hard and work under tremendous pressures. Nobody works as hard or as long as the riders or sacrifices or risks as much as they do for trials.

Hope your reading the other treds, Brian!

2200 spectators at a Japanese national is the topic on another trialscentral tred right now! That's a good spectator turnout for a trials national don't you think? Will some of those people buy a motorcycle? You bet they will! Yes it's true that there are very few trials riders in the USA today, under 2000 is a very good estimate. At one time one manufactuer sold that many trials machines in the USA each year, now I doubt that all the brands sell that many combined. Somehow the well was poisoned. I'm simply pointing the finger at the NATC and nobody has come up with a good defence for them yet. Keep trying though! Trials was once an extreme sport, the US federation has taken our sport and changed the US championship from that extreme sport foremat, to add old men in spandex so clubmen can ride the US national championship. Who would want to watch a bunch of old men riding on a supercross track? Nobody of course, that's why old men are not included at our Supercross events. If they did, the numbers of spectators would disappear really fast, the sport would dry up and blow away, just like US trials has! So again I point the finger at the NATC for the destruciton of US bike sales and rider participation. On the subject of ACU "English federation" support, they at least provide a proper foundation, which is an international standard class structure for youngsters to grow into the world chammpionship. It has worked well and British riders, who consistantly beat the world. That's all I'm asking for in the USA! Our kids first introduction to world standards is usally the TDN, where they are always beaten so badly they never emotionaly recover. Without our youngsters being on 125cc machines and age classes on standard with the rest of the world, they get hopelessly left behind at an early age and never recover. Now Bingo, glad to see I can still wind you up! Of course I had a plan and still do, plan B in now in progress. The US youngsters and future American world champions are worth fighting for! Our US federation MUST be forced to provide a proper class sturcture as the ACU does for the youth. Which includes 125cc machines and youth nationals with age groups similar to the Spanish and British federations. Unless they do this, they hold full responsibility for poor US rider performance. The old men's national classes must also be segrigated from the US championship so that the Extreme sport packaging can be returned to US nationals championship trials.

This debate cannot be resolved! What's important is that clarity is more important that agreement. We simply understand that the NATC's actions are the reason that US riders will not be compeditive at the American World round this year. They simply refuse to comply with world standards! In fact they actually prefer American riders not to be competing at a world level. It makes US nationals open to clubmen level riders! We also realize that when Americans do fight their way into world competition again, it is without the help of the US federation! It will be by the individual effort of a few loyal and nationalistic Americans like the Smages and others who support them. So when you see the US riders Spanked and Wipped at the Trials Training Center's World Round, thank the NATC for that humiliation! Then watch brave team Patrick Smage, an independent team that excels without US national federation support. Also watch Wiggy and the Spanish riders Smage will have to compete against in the future, that have support from their national federation. The NATC is clearly derelict in their duties as the US representative to the Federation of International motorcyclists. It's also their responsibility to nuture and develope young riders for future world competition! Which is just as important as the 17 age group championships they now put 100% of their effort into. Remember clarity is more important than agreement! There is a huge values gap here.