Dear Ping,
I just read over the coverage of Anaheim 3 and the Breast Cancer Awareness night. I think it’s really cool that the industry was trying to help out but I was perplexed by some of the cheerleading. One of the treatments for breast cancer is a boobectomy, so slogans like “I love boobies” and “save the ta-tas” seem a little callous. I know that everyone was just trying to help out and it helps to preserve your manhood when you’re forced to wear pink. Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but think that it sends the message that we’re trying to save the breasts instead of the women attached to them. Or am I just a whiny, gay liberal?
Mark
Dear Mark,
Let me see if I have this straight… The phrase ‘Save the ta-tas’ is callous and insensitive but calling a mastectomy a “Boobectomy” is cool? I’m not bashing you here; I’m just trying to find out where you’re coming from. I believe that many of us have been taking ourselves way too seriously in recent years. Maybe things were a little off-balance thirty or more years ago but the advocates of political correctness have forced us into a classic over-correction that has us spinning circles and flying off the road altogether. I’m sick of handling everyone and every issue with kid gloves. If you want to march to the beat of your own drum, feel free. Just don’t be pissed when I hit you with a rock and then make a joke about what a dork the bandleader is. Breast cancer is absolutely a serious issue. And if selling a bunch of pink “I Love Boobies” tee shirts raises funds to help the cause, then what’s the problem? Mark, I can’t say for sure if you are a whiney, gay liberal… but you sure sound like one on this.
PING
Dear Mr. Ping,
Hey, Ping, how's it going? I'm writing in to you because a few years back, I wrote you a question in your "ASK PING" column about what I should do with my schoolwork. I told you that I wasn't doing very well in school (getting like D's and F's) in most of my classes and you gave me very good advice. Now I'm going to Community College and looking to either transfer to UCSD or UCLA for a Business Major and after that get my MBA. When I wrote to you I was going through a very hard time and needed some guidance and that's what you gave me. I was trying to look for the exact article but since there are so many of them I couldn't find it. So I apologize. So what's my point to all of this? In the Racer X magazine May 2010: Volume 13. Number: 5. on page 43 you're wearing a shirt of you saying "Ask Me About Honda Contingency." And I think it's pretty sick. Is that shirt for sale? That way I can represent the person that helped me get to where I am today.
Thank you for you time, response, and most importantly your guidance with my life. You are a true professional. Much regards to your new family and your new Team Managing position with Honda/Troy Lee Designs Racing Team.
Kevin Butala
Dear Kevin,
I’m glad you got things turned around; you should be proud of yourself. I love it when I see someone take some initiative and do something with his or her life. Plus, this shows that I actually give good advice once in a while rather than just ranting and raving about some insignificant topic until I feel cleansed. Sadly, you aren’t aware of what that shirt is all about. I jumped the gun and made a comment about Honda not having any contingency posted on their website the night before Anaheim 1. The point was that Honda riders in AMA Supercross were not going to make any contingency money and that would make it difficult to make a living and blah, blah, blah. Well, I didn’t know that Honda had a plan in the works and they planned to announce it on Saturday, the day of the first round. Needless to say, the Honda brass were not impressed and we had to issue a formal apology and reassure everyone that I was an ass and had no idea what I was talking about. DC took it upon himself to have Troy print up some shirts highlighting my gaffe and the photo you see above is Troy and some of the Honda staff getting a laugh at my expense. So, in short, that shirt is not for sale. It is buried in my closet, a constant reminder of the shame from that day. You know what, I could use the money… make me an offer.
PING
Hey Ping,
The women racing in the WMA series are hauling ass these days - is there any chance that we will see them race in the AMA Supercross series sometime in the near future?
Keep up the good work and good luck when the west coast series resumes.
Peace out,
Lyle Okada
Dear Lyle,
There are definitely some fast girls these days. In fact, if you aren’t an absolute top-level B rider at an amateur national than the best WMA riders would clown you at your own local track all day long. We’ve just hired Tarah Gieger recently and I’ve been working with her a little bit. I think she’ll surprise people just like Wil [Hahn] and Cole [Seely] have this year. Still, despite the speed these girls have I don’t think we’ll see them racing supercross in the near future, other than at the Summer X Games. At least I hope that’s the case. And it isn’t because I don’t like women’s racing either. Honestly, I really hate to see women riders get hurt and in supercross it isn’t a matter of if… it’s when and how bad. If you crash on a motocross track you have a decent chance of rolling out of it like a kung fu fighter and getting up injury free. But if you eject on a triple or through a big rhythm or drop your wheel in a set of whoops it is going to be game ovaries. And that just isn’t cool. For now, let’s just enjoy the WMA racing outdoors, mmmkay?
PING
Got a question for Ping? E-mail him at ping@racerxonline.com.
