Quantcast

What's up with EC taking out the little guy?

Status
Not open for further replies.
braaaap

braaaap

Chimp
Feb 27, 2007
89
0
Utard
After the latest 4X race in fontucky this weekend...I lost quite a bit of respect for a a true legend of our sport. As a few of you witnessed, EC (Eric Carter) delibrately took out a young (17 year old) rider in the finals. Mitch Ropelatto was the number one qualifier, and in the main, made an agressive move for the lead. In doing so, he inadvertently caused EC to slide out. In retaliation, EC deliberatly took him out. (In doing so, caused the young rider to hit his neck/face on the 2"metal bars along side the track)
I hope that when Eric looks back at this weekend, he realizes that true legends of our sport like Peaty, Graves and Hill make an effort to help up-and-coming riders, show them the ropes, give them advice and respect them like the true talents they have the potential to be.
I understand EC's frustration. I have been taken out in many races. Hell, I am sure most of the people on this forumn have. But to intentionally take out a very talented young up and coming rider like Mitch Ropelatto (who weighs about 100 lbs ringing wet), in pure revenge...over a stupid race like the fontanna series. That's just poor sportsmanship and bad form.:plthumbsdown:

I know I am not the only one who was a bit suprised by this...Several people, who have been racing for years expressed my same thoughts and agree that the actions were completely un-called for.

I would love to hear your thoughts...
 
F

fortenndu

Turbo Monkey
Apr 22, 2008
1,573
0
Boone, NC
I know EC posts here often so I'd be interested to see his side of it all. He helped me and the rest of my team mates out a ton and one of us is the current jr. x DS national champion so he does a good job helping the young guys out.
 
Bicyclist

Bicyclist

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2004
10,152
2
SB
What's to say that Mitch Ropelatto making EC slide out was "inadvertent," but EC "deliberately" took out Mitch?

I wasn't there to watch, just throwing the idea out.
 
Metal Dude

Metal Dude

Turbo Monkey
Apr 7, 2006
1,139
0
Smackdonough, GA
I've been around to see EC race for 10+ years and I have never seen anything
or heard of him doing any dirty racing.
Maybe the kid provoked an aggressive move from EC that turned out a little worse than EC intended?
If there is metal fencing that close to a "race" course I would say that's the promoters responsibility not EC's.
I'm sure he didn't square the guy up and say I'm going to show this guy by running him into a metal fence!
 
braaaap

braaaap

Chimp
Feb 27, 2007
89
0
Utard
I have no doubt that once people see the video clip...people will understand what I am talking about.
I personally don't have the vid, but I know it will come out soon.Lot's of people saw it happen.
Let's make sure everyone understands, I like EC. I rode on the same GT Hyundai team with him way back in the day. I have ton's of respect for his skills and his titles. Hell I even like the guy. I just think he got a bit caught up in the moment, and took out some frustrations. It's too bad he did it in front of his hometown and friends to such a great up and coming rider.

Thats all.
 
D

davetrump

Turbo Monkey
Jul 29, 2003
1,270
0
braaaap said:
I have no doubt that once people see the video clip...people will understand what I am talking about.
I personally don't have the vid, but I know it will come out soon.Lot's of people saw it happen.
Let's make sure everyone understands, I like EC. I rode on the same GT Hyundai team with him way back in the day. I have ton's of respect for his skills and his titles. Hell I even like the guy. I just think he got a bit caught up in the moment, and took out some frustrations. It's too bad he did it in front of his hometown and friends to such a great up and coming rider.

Thats all.
Click to expand...
from jill kintner "Coming into the 3rd turn, Mitch goes for one of those squared up inside moves that takes out 3 guys. EC ran out of the crash on his feet, narrowly escaping a plummet over the turn. They all scramble for bikes, and ec taught mitch a lesson in the very next turn which sent him flying over that berm. Pretty crazy, but these there are repercussions to dumb moves that can hurt people. Ask Lopes about that. EC wont let something like that slide without payback, even if it is a teammate."

looks like the kid earned it by riding like a fool in the first place. anyone who pulls off bonehead take out passes in 4x should be fully prepared to have the favor returned.

who cares if he is "up and coming and young" that means nothing, and certainly does not earn you extra respect that's for sure.

2 sides to every story....
 
R

rb92078

Guest
Well when you move up to the pro ranks (whether your 15 or 30) you better expect to bang elbows. When I moved up to the pro ranks I got literally ran over, cutt off, jumped on, brake checked and all of the above.... Not defending EC or the grom, but if yor willing to get in the gate with the big boys, be willing to stake your claim. NO one ever took it easy on kids like Strait, Saladini (when they were juniors), or a handfull of other youths bangin it out with guys that make EC's agressiveness seem like a warm welcome.

Fontucky or not, this is racing.
 
Metal Dude

Metal Dude

Turbo Monkey
Apr 7, 2006
1,139
0
Smackdonough, GA
Yeah, it was always interesting to see EC and Lopes go at it! But, def. equal respect from the races I watched.
The one who had the edge on the start usually dictated action by just slowly moving over to take position into the first turn. Just like Moto!
Never saw either of these two professionals pull any t-bone moves with each other.
I suppose that respect comes from years of racing and some newbie isn't going to get that respect until it is mutual.

Let's see the VID!
 
D

dropmachine

Turbo Monkey
Sep 7, 2001
2,922
10
Your face.
Yep, Kitners account makes a lot more sense. Every time I've read something by EC, or happened to meet him at an event, the guy just reeks of class and being a standup guy. He doesn't seem the type to flip out and t-bone somebody for no reason whatsoever, especially something as trivial as a race. Its not like the guy has anything left to prove....
 
Abstrakt51

Abstrakt51

Monkey
Oct 11, 2006
981
1
OC
Quoted from STR:


"I know that there is going to be lines drawn on what went down tonight on the 4x track,

I know that a lot of fans might be disgusted by what they saw and what went down...

I also know that a ton of people came up to me post race and said it was one of the best things they had seen as far as teaching a new pro to have respect for fellow racers,

I wont try to convince people that what i did was right if they didn't like it and i also don't apologize for what went down, if it happened again i would do the same thing

.....no matter what it will get discussed so before it gets all crazy here is what went down.

Mitch and i have discussed it post race/podium we didn't agree on everything but it all was discussed, and i think left on the course, which is where i was taught to leave conflict like that.

the action that went down was like this....

Mitch was forced into a line by Blake that was impossible to pull off in the 3rd turn....he had a choice to either check up with his brakes and tuck in...

just like Blake did, or go for the hero move...

he choose hero move and cleaned us both out, some will say thats racing and for the most part they are correct, its 4x and you get crashed, but there is a difference between racing hard and getting crashed and riding way over your head and crashing yourself and other riders.

i learned a lot of hard lessons my first year as a pro racing BMX from the direct result of riding over my head and trying to pull impossible moves and cleaning riders and myself out....i got cleaned out more times by guys who would then wait for me at the line to tell me that it was for something stupid i had done to them in that race ora previous moto.

the way i grew up racing thats how you learned.

i think Mitch has a big potential, and could be a World Cup player if he wants it....but he will have a short career in the pro class if he continues to try moves like that....he will get a bad rap and the pro class has a way of self regulating itself.

i don't expect everyone to agree, but thats how it went down.

E.C."

http://www.socaltrailriders.org/forum/trail-talk/33280-race-reports-photos-2009-fontana-national.html
 
R

rb92078

Guest
Well said. I didn't even need to be there to tell what happened. Whats funny is that this happens to someone in some form at almost every professional 4X race. The fact that the kid would even debate this with EC is quite funny. The WOrld Cup pro class eats up attitudes like that all day long...



Abstrakt51 said:
Quoted from STR:


"I know that there is going to be lines drawn on what went down tonight on the 4x track,

I know that a lot of fans might be disgusted by what they saw and what went down...

I also know that a ton of people came up to me post race and said it was one of the best things they had seen as far as teaching a new pro to have respect for fellow racers,

I wont try to convince people that what i did was right if they didn't like it and i also don't apologize for what went down, if it happened again i would do the same thing

.....no matter what it will get discussed so before it gets all crazy here is what went down.

Mitch and i have discussed it post race/podium we didn't agree on everything but it all was discussed, and i think left on the course, which is where i was taught to leave conflict like that.

the action that went down was like this....

Mitch was forced into a line by Blake that was impossible to pull off in the 3rd turn....he had a choice to either check up with his brakes and tuck in...

just like Blake did, or go for the hero move...

he choose hero move and cleaned us both out, some will say thats racing and for the most part they are correct, its 4x and you get crashed, but there is a difference between racing hard and getting crashed and riding way over your head and crashing yourself and other riders.

i learned a lot of hard lessons my first year as a pro racing BMX from the direct result of riding over my head and trying to pull impossible moves and cleaning riders and myself out....i got cleaned out more times by guys who would then wait for me at the line to tell me that it was for something stupid i had done to them in that race ora previous moto.

the way i grew up racing thats how you learned.

i think Mitch has a big potential, and could be a World Cup player if he wants it....but he will have a short career in the pro class if he continues to try moves like that....he will get a bad rap and the pro class has a way of self regulating itself.

i don't expect everyone to agree, but thats how it went down.

E.C."

http://www.socaltrailriders.org/forum/trail-talk/33280-race-reports-photos-2009-fontana-national.html
Click to expand...
 
DirtyMike

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
All I will add, is Carter, Like most Pros, are totally different animals on and off the coarse. They also are good about leaving it on the coarse. They are usually the nicest people off coarse, but on coarse its all business.
 
braaaap

braaaap

Chimp
Feb 27, 2007
89
0
Utard
Come on...Does anyone have the video? I want everyone to see what went down!
If E.C. already has quotes trying to defend his actions, this shows something. (I am not the only person who is asking about it). From what I understand...There was quite a mob at the bottom of the race saying that what went down was wrong. I agree, it's not smart for Mitch to take out the entire class on a dumb move, and I am sure it's something he will learn from. But for EC to intentionally T-Bone him with the intention of harm...that's wrong.

It's one thing to teach the kid some respect, It's another to intentionally harm him.

I guess what I am saying is...EC holds precident and respect amongst us pros. I have no doubt that if he went to Mitch after the race and said...Dude, that move you tried was stupid. I disrupted the entire race and you had no business trying to pull it. Don't do it again....Mitch would have taken note. But for him to get all "8th grade" on him and intentionally t-bone him directly into the fence is another.
 
D

dropmachine

Turbo Monkey
Sep 7, 2001
2,922
10
Your face.
braaaap said:
Come on...Does anyone have the video? I want everyone to see what went down!
If E.C. already has quotes trying to defend his actions, this shows something. (I am not the only person who is asking about it). From what I understand...There was quite a mob at the bottom of the race saying that what went down was wrong. I agree, it's not smart for Mitch to take out the entire class on a dumb move, and I am sure it's something he will learn from. But for EC to intentionally T-Bone him with the intention of harm...that's wrong.

It's one thing to teach the kid some respect, It's another to intentionally harm him.

I guess what I am saying is...EC holds precident and respect amongst us pros. I have no doubt that if he went to Mitch after the race and said...Dude, that move you tried was stupid. I disrupted the entire race and you had no business trying to pull it. Don't do it again....Mitch would have taken note. But for him to get all "8th grade" on him and intentionally t-bone him directly into the fence is another.
Click to expand...
Sorry dood, but thats just BS on all fronts.

First, i owuld bet that EC meant to take him out, and any injury that resulted was purely unintentional. If the guy fell in a way that unexpected, then EC can hardly be blamed for gravity, can he?

Second, a win will speak louder then any "stern talking to" after the race. If that guy won, thats all he'd remember, guaranteed.

Not saying EC is a saint, or that in this incident hes 100% right, but your comments make it seem real sinister, which I have a really hard time beleiving.

Show me a pic of EC goin Madmax with knives duct taped to his bike, and I'll beleive it. :)
 
cableguy

cableguy

Monkey
Jun 23, 2007
463
1
Southern California
I saw the 1st part when Mitch took out Carter and the other guy Saturday. Looked like EC (was 2nd) had a chance to catch up before Mitch got in there and screwed things up. Missed the last 1/3 because I was near the top. It is a steep course, especially the top 1/2. Sounds like EC gave the kid a lesson. By the way, EC was there with his kid, and friendly toward everyone there. Gave bunch of riders advice too.
 
braaaap

braaaap

Chimp
Feb 27, 2007
89
0
Utard
Whatever guys,
Look, I am not speaking for Mitch. The kid is tough and....I am sure he could care less about the whole ordeal. I am sure he is just stoked to be racing with the big guys. Don't interpret what I am saying as Mitch's point of view.

I am only speaking for myself...I thought it was a petty thing to do. EC is bigger than the actions he took. That's all I am saying.

This seems to be getting blown way out of proportion...Relax people.
 
Metal Dude

Metal Dude

Turbo Monkey
Apr 7, 2006
1,139
0
Smackdonough, GA
Yeah, at first you didn't explain it that Mitch took out Carter and other racers.
I would like to see it before I can justify the retaliation but,
None of the pro's I have raced in the past discuss crap like this if it can first be handled on the course and in the same manner it was predicated!
Mitch will know next time what to do and that is all...

Of course it is getting all out of hand this is Ride Monkey!
 
DirtyMike

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
For the record, i am not taking either side, I am taking racing's side...... Its racing, taking each other out in 4x is just one of many ways to win.

Remember 90% chance to crash, 90% change to win in 4x
 
stoney

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,770
7,503
Colorado
Having been around since the late '90's, I've seen dozens of riders get taken out. I've seen EC get laid out, I've seen him lay people out. In most cases, pushing a hard line leads to crashes, however when the option is to push a hard line and take out another rider vs. scrub speed and attack in another corner, most pro riders will take scrub speed. It's a small world, and if you lay out enough people hard enough, other riders will stop reigning themselves in when racing you.
As eC stated, it's self-policing. The kid will learn when to back down and when to hold a line. It's not a "respect for elders" thing; it's an "I've got to be healthy to race next weekend" thing. Know when it's worth it to hold push vs take it....
 
Jeremy R

Jeremy R

<b>x</b>
Nov 15, 2001
9,699
1,056
behind you with a snap pop
The leader of the Dead Presidents sides with EC:

Bodhi: It's basic dog psychology, if you scare them and get them peeing down their leg, they submit. But if you project weakness, that promotes violence, and that's how people get hurt
 
J

JeffD

Monkey
Mar 23, 2002
990
0
Macon, GA
Did he pedal full speed through the infield, do a fly by through the first aid tent and tag the guy head on in the last turn, sending him flying into spectators pitting behind the last turn?

No?

Then it ain't dirty.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom