At first, hearing Mladins sound bites a few years back, I thought he was an @ss. But lately, I think he is one of the only guys worth listening to in AMA Superbike. With the exception of his injury filled season last year, he destroyed all the competition time and again, on older machinery. Now he, and the rest of the Suzuki gang, are on the best (still 2 years old) equipment, of course they're going to start winning again.
All these other primadonnas that seem nice in front of the camera, can't help but kick at and flip off privateers for having the audacity of riding on THEIR racetrack. It's odd they come accross as the nice guys, but Mladin is in the wrong because he tends to lead.
As far as GP racing goes, Mladin made a statement about not being on the Suzuki GP effort, something like: Hopkins... what did this kid ever win? (paraphrasing)(aside from the fact that Hopper won Formula Xtreme in 2001, and the Aprilia Cup in 1999).
Give me Colin Edwards, and Matt Mladin, rough around the edges, but decisive racers on the track. (Everyone loves Carl Foggarty don't they?!?!)
What will their excuses be next year when Yamaha and Honda decide 1000cc is the way to go, and they still have to race to win?