Friday, May 6, 2011

BROto Salute To Flaggers


I usually don't like to do a Salute at the end of the week, but I figured that since this is the final week of Supercross and I didn't post anything yesterday like a Joe, the readers deserved a little something special. Supercross is coming to an end, and thus a staple piece of Supercross culture comes to an end for another season, as well. Sure, there are flaggers at the Nationals, but it's a whole different ball game. Only in Supercross, a game that has the ability of making a seasoned veteran look like First Time Freddie, do we have the cream of the crop that flagging has produced. Falls are their business, and BROther, business is booming.

It's more like poetry than anything, really. A symphony of yellow swirling and twirling throughout the course to take you back to a more simple time. With a polished form that would rival the Chinamen who opened up the Summer Olympics, the flagger appreciates his craft and designates it his duty to perfect it. And he does. It is the flagger who pumps the life blood throughout the sport. His reason for doing it may be one of many; For fun, needed weed money, or just has an affinity for yellow cloth. No matter what, the flagger is a rock in his post; like a Buckingham palace guard without the funny hat and the obnoxious foreign tourists. Their mastery of the rhythmic motion that is flagging is enough to make an onlooker stand-up and shout once the novice class takes to the track, and watch in envy of an injured rider, who is graced by the ever-present back and forth of the flag that was seemingly fashioned from Mozart's soul.

But many a flagger understands his duty to the racers. Which of us hasn't seen a flagger take a motorcycle to the face in his attempts to rescue that which has just knocked him into another universe of unconsciousness? Another sight is often the "Inspirational Flagger". How is anyone going to cheer on his favorite rider if he does not? Not to mention he is holding a large flag which would do well to coax his anyone to get moving. It's time to wave that wondrous motivational tool and inspire. Why would they slow down? You're waving to them and yelling "Go, Go, Go." Sounds crystal clear to me. We will also often see the "Spectator Flagger". He is here for one reason and one reason only: To watch the race from the ground floor. His duty is to kick back and enjoy the moto; he staked out a spot on the triple for exactly that purpose. Of course, it's much more exciting to watch racers hit the triple than land it. If someone falls, I think that guy over there can take care of that, but who else is going to take care of that beer in his hand? Who I ask you, who? So kick back and enjoy the race, flagger, because this Salute is to you and your relentless colleagues.

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