The Play-By-Play: Hansen v. Cunningham

Here we go, the face-off between the face-scrubber and the taker-outer. Once again, people are all over the map talking about Josh Hansen's passing techniques. Let's breakdown what went on out there with Cunningham. The "scrub to your face" thing doesn't seem like much, but if you seriously believe that's the reason that Hanny pulled the trigger in the next turn, then just sit down while the men talk about this, BRO. The guy is riding defensively (broken hand) and trying to win a championship. Listen, I like Kyle Cunningham and from what I've seen of him, he's the fastest rider with the worst luck on the track. But to not expect that move from Hansen is an exercise in negligent thought. It was so obviously going to happen. It doesn't even look like a deliberate take-out, just a block pass. This is the fucking show, dude, you don't leave the door open like that, especially when you pass the guy who's going for the 'ship. The fact of the matter is that these guys are pros, they didn't get to where they are at by passing up opportunities like that. And if your argument is that Cunningham didn't leave the door open, the unfortunate truth is that it's impossible to pass someone if they didn't leave the door open, even if just a smidgen. Watch the tape, the dude didn't charge the turn, he even stood himself up a little bit. And Hansen had that move in his pocket after Jim D. pulled the pass pretty much the same way, though no one went down then. Probably seems like I always side with Hansen, but what the fuck ever. People just need to understand that whenever a rider is put in a position like this, the one who comes out in the red is always going to call it dirty riding, even though the odds are that, given the opportunity, he'd do the same goddamn thing. Hansen comes out with the points and a few more feathers in that cushion over Tickle. Vive la revolution! I don't know what that was for, I just felt it in the moment.