Reaping What You Have Sown The phrase "reap what you sow" is often used as an admonishment, a cautionary utterance warning the young and foolish to pay heed to actions that will (or are) haunt them long after the actual deed has been done. However, as with so much in life, even this simple phrase has another side that can be as bright and enriching as its counterpart is darkly foreboding. As the 2012 season continues to progress, a bizarre crop has begun to reach maturity t

The Supporting Cast It is easy to get lost in the personality of the MotoGP elite. It really should be all about the racing - it is certainly what attracted racers and fans alike to the support - and the fastest racers are at the front. However, with so many on and off track shenanigans that have been building for years coming to a near climax this year, it is hard not to take stock of where some of the things affecting the strongest riders in the world are. Silly Season:

Having your cake and eating some pie too. There was an air of anticipation over the Jerez track as the light went out. After a qualifying period that saw weather play havoc with the riders, both local heroes rocketed from the first row to establish early dominance. Lap. Lorenzo becomes embroiled in a fierce battle with Pedrosa for the lead, joined by the strong charging satellite Yamahas. Reigning champion Casey Stoner drops to the tail end of the lead pack as factory r

The Smoke and the Fire Jorge Lorenzo has begun to take charge of the 2012 championship with a commanding run to victory in France, but that's not the news. Ducati finished ahead of most of the factory bikes for the first time since Stoner's departure, but that's not the news either. There's been probably the first attack on humans in the coming zombie apocalypse and that's merely a murmur on the wire. All thanks to the really big news of the season: Casey Stoner will offici

The season opener at Qatar saw few surprises, but there were some. For one, after a typically blistering start serial Fast-Man Casey Stoner fell back into the clutches of a hard charging Lorenzo who blew past him with seeming ease and never looked back. Pedrosa, after a seemingly dismal qualifying, tried to give chase but fell short of the mark. A number of theories were put forth concerning the reversal of fortune, but the word from the horse's mouth lay the blame on arm pum

Views from the top The saying goes that there are six million stories in the naked city, and several personalities on the grid this weekend would vie to put theirs on the tips of everyone's tongue. But the biggest one this weekend is Casey Stoner who, in his last outing, managed to jab the final piece of a matching set. With his hard fought victory over a very determined Jorge Lorenzo Stoner has now earned top honors at every track on the GP calendar. Better yet for him, th

Of Lights and Laughter: A clown wears many faces when the curtain is drawn. The typical clown wears a large, static smile - a grin expressing merriment of epic proportions. There is also the melancholy frown of the sad clown, the tragic juxtaposition of the opposing symbols of merriment and melancholy. Yet the clown can wear other faces. The smile of the circus clown can be stretched grotesquely into the realm of mania, popularized by the Joker character who prowled the fic

Motegi has been ground zero for controversy throughout the GP season. Following twin catastrophies that befell Japan such a short time ago rumors of circuit boycotts and calendar changes abounded. The circuit was only recently confirmed to be remaining on the schedule. As it stands, the grid will be "full" despite previous setbacks. Also notable is that Motegi represents the 2nd track this season to have undergone resurfacing recently. Considering both the issues experienced

The Med-com Showdown: jux·ta·po·si·tion:  /ˌdʒʌkstəpəˈzɪʃən/ [juhk-stuh-puh-zish-uhn] –noun 1. an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast. Med-com: A situational comedy based on the medical arts. Often characterized by "over-the-top" characterizations of the protagonists and/or medical storyline. The room, made of rough-hewn stone and masonry, is eerily quiet as the small group huddles close to each other.

It's hard to say that a rider with Valentino Rossi's pedigree has given up; yet a certain despondency has certainly set in over the 2011 season. The Indianapolis GP saw Ducati with possibly its worse showing as a brand since it entered premiere competition, with virtually every bike on the grid having to return to the pits for some issue. Rossi's bike was plagued with teething issues around the new gearbox being developed, the issue sending him wide on several occassions and