NUMBER SEVEN ON THE LIST

ÿBy John Basher

ÿ

It’s tough to get a hold of pro riders on the phone. Maybe not as tough as interviewing Tom Cruise over the horn, but it’s still difficult. However, I like it when pro riders call me back (or pick up on the first ring). Hence, this leads to one thing that I like about motocross because it plays a big part in my job.

ÿ

I LIKE WHEN PRO RIDERS CALL ME BACK (IN THE SAME MILLENIUM). Before I got into what I refer to as my job, I went to college, and before that I was a trapper keeper toting high schooler who didn’t know how to talk to girls, was constantly in fear of getting tripped in the hallways, and was never late to class. What does this have to do with pro riders calling me back on the phone? Let me try and tie the two together.

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ I had a general idea of what I wanted to do as a career, which was write stories, and I liked motocross, so why not pair the two loves together? I didn’t really know exactly how to go about getting a job in the motocross industry, a place that was extremely hard to get into. My chances were better at sneaking backstage at a Britney Spears concert and locking lips with the formerly single beauty. My odds were shabby, but I had drive and hope on my side. There were many reasons as to why I kept pushing myself towards motocross, and one of them was so that I could talk to the pro riders. I am not unlike any other motocross fan out there. I think it’s amazing to see Bubba scrub a jump (as long as he doesn’t land on anyone), watch Carmichael drag his bars through the dirt because he’s so low to the ground, and see Windham ride as if there weren’t any bumps on the track. I also think it’s cool to talk to those same guys after a race or during the week and see what they’re up to. I can imagine that you’re the same. For my job I have to hunt down riders for interviews, to confirm rumors, and to arrange photo shoots. It’s no easy task though. Without naming any names, some riders really make me work hard to get a hold of them or actually get them to pick up the phone and call me back. Then there are other riders who like publicity so that they can plug their sponsors, get their thoughts out, and understand that part of their job is to work effectively with the media.

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Who is at the top of my list of pro riders who call me back in a very quick (meaning within a few hours) manner? Depending on his mood, Kevin Windham is most likely to pick up the phone. What I mean when saying “depending on his mood”ÿ is that there are times when I feel like I could call K-Dub at midnight and he’d pick up, then there are a few rare occasions when he won’t answer anyone’s call. I don’t take riders not calling me back to heart; I’m just trying to find some answers to my questions. Other riders who are quick to pick up or call back in a timely fashion are: Davi Millsaps, Joaquim Rodrigues, Sebastien Tortelli, Broc Hepler, Josh Grant, Evan Laughridge, Heath Voss, Doug Henry, Ryan Abrigo, The Alessi Brothers, Mike Brown, and Jesse Casillas. Of course on average for one rider who calls back are four riders who would rather throw their phone in the water than dial me back.

ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ Riders who call me back make my job easier, plus the more I talk to them the easier it is to talk to them again. Like my marketing professor told me in college, “It’s all about relationships.” So to those riders who pick up the phone I salute you, and to those that don’t, trust me I’m pretty persistent. Let’s just say that if I held my breath and stared at my phone waiting for a rider to call me back, I’d be a heavy shade of purple before I’d hear any ringing. I just like the challenge of phone tag (well, one-sided phone tag).