JUST COMPETITIVE RAMBLINGS WITH LITTLE MOTOSPEAK

[Larry Perkins]

Just felt like writing something about a thing that happened last night.  It is non-motorcycle but relates.  Excuse the ramblings and skip on by if it bores.

Jordan, my gal's youngest son, is a freshman in High School.  He lost a footbal game last night.  Probably never a fun thing to lose but these young men from 7th grade to now, almost three seasons had never lost a game.  Twenty-one times they marched onto the football field and twenty-one times they left victorious.  They had pulled out some nailbiters before, too.  

I don't believe they ever doubted they would win even when they trailed by 4 points with under a minute to go.  Their confidence carried them to a score which gave them a 3 point lead with 36 seconds left.  The ensuing kick-off was run back for a touchdown and souls were sucked away.  What do you tell a crying 15 year-old boy that would not be caught dead normally showing tears?
Nothing.  Because at that moment as an athlete and competitor I knew at that there were no words to take away the sting.  This morning we talked about it and I told him this story.

One season racing BMX I went to 12 Nationals and won 12 straight.  I dominated the class and winning began to be of little doubt and no big deal.  I went into the US Gold Cup very confident.  Even though I won a World Championship and a National Championship in BMX I had never won a Gold Cup Final.  When I saw our class list I knew the next best guy was a piece of cake.  He wasn't a jumper and there was a double coming out of turn one that I could sail with ease.  In the first moto I blew them all pulling a holeshot, railing the outside of the first turn and sailing the double.  When I lined up for the Main I really did not worry that I pulled the outside gate.  I wanted to rail the outside in the first turn anyway.  I wasn't really worried when I slipped a pedal coming out of the gate because I knew I could go by on the double.  As I approached the first turn I saw it setting up well then the other contender who was just a bit in front floated to the outside and I had to change my line and lost momentum.  I couldn't jump the double and was in 2nd.  Then I just couldn't find a way around my ace was gone.  I finished second and left BMX without ever getting a Gold Cup victory.  I was without a doubt the fastest of the class it just wasn't my day.

I told Jordan that sometimes in life we do all the right things and give our best and perhaps are the best but that moment, that day, it does not always reward us.  The great sting of that moment whether it is a football game, a bicycle race, or the job I want, is there because it makes the moments in life when we are successful all the sweeter and appreciated.

That is what I told Jordan and that is the ramblings I wanted to write somewhere.  So the next time the ride goes not so good or the 20 billion hours of rebuild does not get a spark remember it is that moment that will make the good ride day and the sound of a two stroke motor revving after twenty years all the better.  Yeah!

Thanks to those that hung to the end.

[Dennis Jones]

Thanks for the story Larry. That's just what I needed after 2 bad crashes at the Dickson 2 day AHRMA trial followed by one ill shifting and one ill running bike at casey this past weekend.

Dennis Jones

[Mick Milakovic]

Losing develops far more charcter than winning.  Specially when athletes are involved in individual sports like motocross.  Here's another story:  My son's undefeated 10 year-old baseball team lost the championship game to a team they had beaten earlier in the year.  Most of the kids on the team were climbing the fence, yelling at the umpire, and blaming everyone but themselves.  Kevin, on the other hand, was depressed, but calm.  Kevin had grown up around wrestling since he could crawl.  He had experienced many defeats, and those defeats were mostly his fault.  I can't say that his wrestling experiences were the determining factor in that behavior, but I tend to believe that individual sports teach one a lesson of responsibility.

Mick Milakovic
Delphi, IN
765-268-2570

[generalbay]

Larry - Good story. Didn't find it boring at all. There was a lot of wisdom in what you wrote. Feel free to share your thoughts any time. Thanks. D Duvall

[Lew Mayer]

Larry,
Also thought it was good story. You have a good parenting head on your shoulders. Even if your son doesn't get the message right away, he will in the future. Good luck with them, Parenting is the toughest job I've ever had.

Lewis A Mayer

[firstturn]

lARRY,
  Great lesson/experience to share with us.  I always thought winning was everything, but I always leave out the part of all my failures that went along with that Winning Attitude.  When I see people wanting to give up I try to help, because I have been there.  
Thanks Larry

Ron Carbaugh