What a busy, insane, fun, triumphant, and satisfying weekend.

Broadcaster, producer, news reporter, interviewer, host, MC, commentator and- above all else- MotoGP fan.

More pics here.

DSC_0074, originally uploaded by thomasrdotorg.

It was my pleasure and privilege to introduce Casey Stoner to an adoring Federation Square audience. It was fantastic to be offered this opportunity and Adam and I had a bloody ball.

More pics here

Was a pleasure to witness this moment:

Casey, well done. Many said you couldn’t do it- including me.

I have never been so glad to be so wrong.

Last nights race was great- but not for the reasons you’d think. My highlight? The grace, dignity and downright style of a Mr Troy Bayliss. I was all set to hear him give Ducati a blast and he chose the more damaging, cooler opposite path.

Other highlight – Darryl Beattie’s call when the camera showed Checa dusting himself off after yet another off: “DUCATI!!… GET USED TO IT!” classic! This followed Billy Woods’ call on RPM that he was, frankly, actually BUGGERED if her knew what Ducati was thinking. I wonder what Bazza would say? Probally a lot of blue work!

The season is over, and having seen Bayliss so gallent at his press conference I had a think about what the riders might say if they were brutally honest about themselves and their performances:

Biaggi: y’know you might be right, I might be the biggest whiner and choker ever… and thats a record that no one can take. yeah I had the bike, tyres, team and the timing could not have been better, but I guess I’m not good enough. Shit happens

Edwards: Look, I guess I as trying to be funny when I suggested we take forks off a 2000 model superbike and put them on a 2004 RCV. It chattered so much I lost two teeth. I knew they’d taken it too far when i suggested we try the rear shock out of a CX500 and the handlebars from an XR80- and there they were, ready to go on. On the plus side no one blew me up this year.

Checa: I regard MotoGP as a show, and part of that show is crashing as often as possible..

Melandri: Same goes for me.

Xaus: Me too!

Barros: …and for my next trick I will get an F1 drive with no track record, no prospects and no hope!!

Kenny Roberts: I’m actually quite in to MotoGP- from a spectating perspective.

Kurtis Roberts: No, fair enough to say that, this has been the worst year of my life and yes, it’s mostly my dad’s fault.

Hoffman: I can only put Nakano’s success down to the fact he is much better than me and I am way out of my depth.

Ellison/Ui/Fabrizio et al: We’ve had a great year in World Superbikes… err whats that you say?

Nakano: It’s been an interesting year, if you rate a tyre delamination at 200 miles an hour down the main straight as interesting.

Hayden: Some folks mighta said it was foolish to fall offa that there Supermoto bike. But I say it was damn foolish.

Gibernau: Just when you thought I was going ok, I show you the Gibernau of old! Thank you all! please try the fish and tip your waiteresses….

Hopkins: Yes, I’m well pleased to have signed with Suzuki for the next 100 years. A lot of people say “when you’re on a good thing, stick to it”. But I’m not a lot of people…

McWilliams: [no one can compete with what Jezza actually does say]

Rossi: This year has been really tough. Hardest, most difficult year of my life. It’s been quite unbelievable- the pressure, the expectation, the bike, the racing, the competitors.

Actually, just kidding. It was a piece of piss. As always..

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Roll on 2005~!

MotoGP official site

Troy Bayliss- official site

MC News Australia

Bikepoint.com.au