WARNING: UNPOPULAR OPINION ALERT

Is it amazing and impressive that a 41-year-old rider can finish on the MotoGP podium in blazing heat? Absolutely! I am not worthy of being the piece of dead cowskin that Rossi pulls away from his nether regions as he leaves the box before every single race.

That said... never count him out? This is usually stated as "Never bet against Rossi!" I see it written all the time by lazy motorcycle writers and I have to wonder. What, exactly, would I be unwise to bet against?

Would I be foolish to bet against him winning another title? I'll take that bet as many times as I can get it.

Would I be foolish to bet against him winning another race? I suppose under extraordinary circumstances he could win a race, but if that happened, I'd still end the year with a dozen winning bets and one loser. I'll take that ROI any day.

Would I be foolish to bet against him getting on the podium? So far, I'd be breaking even on that bet. And that's after two races at a track that favors Yamahas and where three top riders were injured and two frontrunners dropped out due to mechanical failures. I'm confident that if I bet that Rossi wouldn't make the podium in each race, I'd end the season with far more winners than losers, too.

Look, Rossi may well be the GOAT, and I am actually sorry that he went to Ducati and ruined his chance to top Agostini's numbers. I don't begrudge him being out there and hope he continues racing as long as he still enjoys it and can.

But he's just not a factor competitively any more, not in the big picture.

I warned you it'd be unpopular.

On Rossi:
I'd argue the point, but then you could ask me if I put Vale on my fantasy team. Uh, no. And I wouldn't take any of those bets either.

I think he's still a MotoGP class rider. I think he could still beat a decent chunk of that grid on equal machinery. i think it's possible that he's the fourth best Yamaha rider right now, but he can still mix it up with them -- sometimes. Maybe that puts us pretty close to the same place.

He said he got some changes to the bike last week that he asked for all last year. Jarvis backed him up on that. It'll be interesting to see if it makes a difference the rest of the season.

Other quick comments:

1.  on spoiler threads. First one in, kick it off.  viffergyrl.

2.  Seriously, did anyone see this coming from Quartararo in the lower classes? I wondered why they hired him last year. So, uh, I guess we can take my opinion of talent with a shaker of salt.

3.  Crutchlow and Rins: More evidence of that those alien lizard people exist and masquerade as humans. Anyone heard any buzz on where Cal is going next year?

As much as I love Rossi, I think the days of him being a regular podium contender in a dry race are mostly over unless people are out due to injury, crashes, or mechanicals. I expect we'll see him on the box again someday, but he won't figure into the sharp end much any more. As one of the commentators said, it appears this season will be a changing of the guard.

LOL. Well I was being diplomatic.  I would be absolutely thrilled to be last on the grid because I would be *that* good.

I wasn't picking on you, viffergyrl, and sorry if it came across that way. We're just slinging around informal banter here. It bugs me more when so-called professional writers fall back on "never bet against Rossi" when they're supposed to be providing insight.

And you're totally right, too. I've proven I can't lap within 20 seconds of the back of the grid, which is why I wrote that my skills rank me a bit lower than the unluckiest part of dead cow on Rossi's leathers.

But I do feel qualified to comment on what other professional writers are saying.

On Rossi:
I'd argue the point, but then you could ask me if I put Vale on my fantasy team. Uh, no. And I wouldn't take any of those bets either.

I think he's still a MotoGP class rider. I think he could still beat a decent chunk of that grid on equal machinery. i think it's possible that he's the fourth best Yamaha rider right now, but he can still mix it up with them -- sometimes. Maybe that puts us pretty close to the same place.

Yeah, I think we're in pretty much the same place.

I think they call that 'racing'.

"That's why we line up on Sunday." -- Nicky Hayden

'cause you never know what might happen, even if you think you do.

Which is also why those of us who aren't good enough to line up on Sunday watch.