MX Characters

Polarizing Characters - Our Sport

Posted on July 14, 2022 - at MXLarge

 

There is no doubt, when it comes to riders that are polarizing, you have in motocross, Jett Lawrence and Jeffrey Herlings. In a World where characters are not like in the 1960s and 1970s, where they said what they think, many are now being programmed to not piss anyone off and then we get some pretty average interviews or race comments. 

You really have to search for people who say what they think, using no filter to guard what could bring negative comments from social media or forums. Of course, it isn't hard to get negative comments from these two places, because it seems the World is in a place now where putting people down makes sad people happier.

For me, the louder the person, the more I like them and sportsman like Nick Kyrgios, Max Verstappen, Herlings or Lawrence are personalities that I find interesting. Not so much Lawrence, but Kyrgios, Verstappen and Herlings often say stuff that can come across pretty cocky and at times just outlandish, but I would rather that than somebody who just says the right thing all the time.

Just before a Grand Prix this year, I think the British GP, Herlings placed on his social media that he just bought his 57^th house, or something like that. Now, some found that being arrogant, or showing off, but to me, I just think, throw it out there, if you are proud of yourself, why not.

We all remember the Herlings interview after a battle with Mel Pocock, who was friends with Herlings main rival in 2012 and the Dutchman felt Pocock was blocking his progress. Of course, “The Bullet” has grown up a lot since that 2012 season, but I really like that type of drama between the competitors. I wish we had more of it, but it seems everyone loves each other at the moment.

Herlings comments on wanting to go head-to-head with Eli Tomac on Gypsy Tales a month or so ago was again a great insight into the KTM riders’ attitude and while again some found it not to their liking, I think we need more riders challenging each other.

Riders like Tim Gajser, Romain Febvre or Jorge Prado often say the right thing and don’t give too much away and you have to respect them for that, but it doesn’t really create any drama in the sport. Always polite and correct doesn’t really make headlines and that is the case with a majority of the MXGP and MX2 riders in this current era. Nobody dares to rock the boat between each other and that has been replaced by huges and high fives at the end of a moto.

In America, apart from Lawrence, I also struggle to see anyone who is making outlandish statements or getting our attention. It isn’t Eli Tomac or Chase Sexton, maybe Ken Roczen a little, but he changes from being very correct in his comments, to saying stuff that can be seen as either cocky or arrogant.

Back in the past of course the World of sport had guys like Muhammad Ali, John McEnroe, Diego Maradona, Michael Jordan or Mike Tyson. These people become prominent Worldwide with their often outrageous or cocky attitude to fellow competitors, but we all loved it.

So, while we sit in what hasn’t been the most overwhelming MXGP and MX2 season, we do await the return of Herlings and the growth of Jett Lawrence, because for the time being, these two are the most polarizing riders in our sport and we need them fit and racing.