I agree with you, Bryan - I first thought his poor performance could be the fault of the Dunlops, since most of the Dunlop riders were off the pace at first. Then, at the last race Hodgson on Dunlops was right there with Edwards and Bayliss - and well ahead of Ben on a newer Ducati. I came to the same conclusion - that he must have some motivation/mental problems. This is what separates the champions like Bayliss, Edwards and Rossi from the rest - consistency. Under the right circumstances, I really think Ben is the fastest rider out there, with perhaps Nori in the same talent category. I really hope Ben gets it right soon, and I do think he will perform much better in the latter part of the season.
Go Ben