If you don't mind I'd like to put a couple of theories forward but from first to last....
Konsinski syndrome....
Quite possibly but not as bad....
Im thinking more like Vemulan syndrome- or, Big fish in a small pond syndrome....
A LOT of talent but left SBK too early & found himself not quite up to par.
Konsinski really did have a huge ego, probably larger than his talent, yet still that was, all boiled down, mainly a case of Big Fish syndrome....
Im sure that this years Honda is a much different bike to the one that was initially designed around Pedrosa.
If this year bike WAS designed solely around Pedrosa, he'd be doing far better than he is right now & more than likely better than the larger stature Stoner or others riding the satellite bikes....
And as for Honda 'having run off another great rider in Stoner....'
My thoughts on his (almost) premature retirement can be attributed to a couple of things, foremost being his arm-pump troubles...
I don't believe the surgery was totally successful in solving it & more likely just extended his career as even this year he has had trouble with it on occasion & can be witnessed 'nursing' his arm between sessions at times & others during warm-up before a race.
Im sure if Honda could, they'd have kept Stoner around for another few years just as Im sure he would've stayed if he felt he could keep performing at the pinnacle of this sport for some time to come.
There's very few who are happy to leave while still on top, right now the only other I can think of was Bayliss when he left WSB.
"Ducati....had better start listening to Rossi"....
They've been listening to him & doing what they can to please him with that thing since he joined!
How long did they ignore both Hayden & Stoner & pursue that Carbon bolt-on chassis & it's lack of flex & weight distribution, yet almost as soon as Rossi joined it was a redesign & then a redesign & another redesign & so on.....
How much more like a Yamaha chassis does it need to become & how far departed from Ducati's well proven trellis frame let alone the Carbon monstrosity (OK, the bold-on design was good in theory) before folks realise it's barely a 'proper' Duke under all that clothing?
(Sorry, Im just sad to see Ducati compromising there...)
Lastly, are you sure it's not JUST about money for Rossi?
OK, so he's a record hunter, but also remember it wasn't so long ago that he was in a fair amount of Tax trouble back in Italy & like ol' Willie Nelson or the Beastie Boys a few years back, he needs to replenish his bank accounts to pay the bills.
Im sure this would be weighing on his mind at times & would most likely influence some of his business decisions at times just as it would you or I....
(In summation- LoL!)
Yes Rossi has a HUGE amount of talent, but he was in a league of his own on machinery far in advance of what else was being fielded at the time & for a good while too.
He's no longer on the best of the best machinery in the paddock & he's now surrounded by talent that, if not his equal, than better than him & he's starting to find he's no longer the biggest fish in the pond.
His opposition are FAR more talented & on much better machinery than what he had to contend with in his earlier years.
IF he can master that Ducati, then it's going to be a long time before someone can topple his reign once more, THAT Im certain of!
As for Spies, in Moto GP he's not a consistent front runner, he's used to being well out in front.
He'sprobably had a look over the fence & seen whats leading in WSB (his old pond) & feels he can do better back there & spat the dummie...
You know the saying, 'The grass is always greener....'
Good on him, at least he's cleared the seat for someone better & more deserving!
P.S. Sorry about the lengthy spiel, I only hope this brings on more chat & debate
