This article over at Racer X Online is a MUST read. Davey Coombs takes off the gloves and GRILLS AMA Racing's head honcho Steve Whitlock. The questions are blunt; Davey doesn't pull any punches. The problem? Whitelock doesn't have any answers.
Don't get me wrong, I have a ton of respect for Whitelock and just as much empathy for the man; he's got a tough, tough job. But still, that's no excuse for:
- not being able to articulate the MXdN plan
- not knowing where the money goes, in terms of rider fines and penalties
- not knowing the situation between the AMA and the FIM
- not knowing (or admitting to knowing) why Supercross is getting a better TV deal than MX
- not knowing why privateers don't want to use Arenacross to prepare for Supercross
Read the interview. It's an eye-opener.
My final thought on this remarkable interview is a trivial one, but I think it says alot about the leadership out of Ohio. The question is "Should photographers wear collared shirts?" And apparently Steve and the AMA believe that "...you can’t wander around looking like a guy in a T-shirt, because you’re going to be on television."
Bad TV deal notwithstanding, who made the decision that T-shirts are inappropriate apparel? I understand the history behind this decision: the AMA wanted the sport to "look" professional, so it requires team uniforms for all mechanics and other support personnel. But setting a dresscode for the media? Maybe the spectators should be required to wear jackets? The AMA is overstepping its bounds here; they should be focusing on getting sponsors and media coverage, not telling the media what to wear.
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