Mark my word Nation stands!
By TMX Archives on 10th Sep 09
JD stands on his political soapbox and pontificates on Mark Eastwood's sacking as Britain's MXdN manager... IT should be easy shouldn't it?
All we need is three riders, someone to ensure they know they are in the team, let's call him/ her the manager, and Team Britain is off to the Motocross des Nations in Italy on October 4. It is after all the single most important MX event in the calendar for the vast majority of people. Tens of thousands of fans from all round the world get to paint their faces, wrap themselves in their national flags and drink beer in sufficient quantities to get them all teary-eyed as their countrymen take the chequered flag, whether they finish first or last. Mega.
But trust us to make a horlicks of it.
First of all, team manager Mark Eastwood made what no-one can deny was a controversial team selection. Not a single rider included who is currently riding MX1/ MX2 GPs - and (one and the same really) no Scots in his line-up. Personally, I didn't and still don't actually have much of a problem with that - like everyone else in the country I know how my personal team would line-up - but then, I'm not the team manager. End of. I do fully sympathise with Mark on this one, just as everyone can edit T+MX better than I can (I'm not denying it!) we can of course, all pick a better team for the Nations than can Mark. Ce'st la vie.
So, while the original team selection made for a cracking story in last week's paper - one that certainly got the MX fans talking, especially regarding the What about a Scottish team? debate, it's Mark's job to pick the team, so regardless of what you or I think, that's that. And the ACU was 100 per cent behind Mark, they said so in their press release. So, a lively start to the build-up to the Nations with lots to discuss and no doubt a twist and turn or two along the way. Let's see what happens...
...and what happened was that the ink was barely dry on last week's copy of T+MX when there's another ACU press release, the short version of the contents being that Mark Eastwood has been sacked! He is an ex Team Manager. He is no more.
Why? Why? Why? was our first question - as we posted the release immediately on the T+mx website (www.tmxnews. co.uk) - surely not over team selection?
Nope, read on into the press release and you will see that Mark has been released from his position for comments made in a recent magazine article. To whit (and I have read the said article, so I do at least know what was said) he has been sacked for criticising the FIM and Youthstream and their current version of World Championship motocross.
Now, I may well be wrong but the last time I looked, speaking your mind wasn't a hanging offence, nor even a sacking one. True, given Mark's position (Team Manager) it might not have been the best time to speak out but even so I defend his right to do exactly that.
It is not as if what Mark was saying hasn't been said before. If you follow the on-line MX forums you will know that, and I guess this must have surprised some people, not everyone thinks that the Youthstream version of World MX Championships is perfect.
And predictably the forums erupted last week, many comments clearly coming from fans who hadn't even either read the press release or the magazine article that caused the furore! Not the strongest point from which to conduct a valid argument I'm sure you'll agree but even so, it is blindingly obvious that not only did they defend Mark's right to voice his opinions - by far and away the vast majority agreed with what he said! This was followed by a host of up-yours' knee-jerk reactions ranging from the whole team should withdraw in sympathy with Mark to all Brits should boycott the MX des Nations.
Britain is still just about a free country' so everyone do what they feel is the best course of action. Don't let me stop you tearing up those Nations tickets although bear in mind that you have already paid for them so this option is a bit of an empty protest.
Personally, I feel that it is a sad day when you get sacked for speaking youir mind and like many others I think that the ACU could have shown Mark more support instead of taking the political line.
Whatever, the 2009 MX des Nations will of course go ahead, with a British team headed-up by a new manager and I wish them the very best of luck.
I do have a sneaky feeling though that Mark Eastwood's forthright views and the subsequent repercussions won't be allowed to be just swept under the corporate carpet and forgotten...