We're debuting a new column on Soup this week called A Face In The Crowd, where a lucky racing fan gets to write a column on the net's best loved racing site. The first one is written by Ohio's Sean Bice, a long-time fan of the site (and part-time site copywriter and Dean-muse) and full-time Yamaha fanatic.
Reckon you're a writer too?

Now that the AMA roadracing season is over, it's time to reflect on the season ...and toss out a few random thoughts.

* When the AMA riders re-convene at Daytona and turn a wheel in anger, I'm poised to turn a cheek in anger. With the Daytona 200 going to 600cc machinery, all I can do is quote Charlton Heston at the end of Planet of the Apes when he came upon the half-buried Statue of Liberty and exclaimed, "You blew it up!" That's kinda how I feel about next year's D200.

* Speaking of movie trivia, behold Miguel DuHamel. As a life-long Yamaha fan, I've spent most of his career rooting against him, ignoring his victories, and except for his brief GP stint with Yamaha Motor France, cursing the brand of motorcycle he rides for. But, like I did with Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe towards the ends of their careers, I have now become as big a fan of Miguel as there can be. I don't care who he rides for, he is The Man. He's a good guy, he appreciates his fans, and he can still ride like a mutha. Here's hoping Al Ludington puts a "1" on his fairing at the end of next season.

* Remember the story of Samson? Long-haired dude who agrees to cut his hair and, as a result, loses all his strength? Didn't happen to Mat Mladin, now, did it? Rock-star hair or shorn locks, it just doesn't matter in Mat's world. Maybe Samson should have ridden for Yoshimura Suzuki.

* How long does Mike Barnes need to kick the factory guys' overpaid posteriors before somebody puts him on a factory team? My son actually thought the rider's name was Damon Buttmaster, to which I responded, "No, Samuel, that's Damon "Mike Barnes Routinely Kicks His" Buttmaster.

* Whatever became of Tony Meiring? Step it up son. Eye of the tiger. You're turning into Mike Hale even before Mike did. I'm not quite ready to say the same thing about the Bostroms. I'm giving them a Mulligan for 2004.

* Tom Kipp and Jamie James were always the co-winners of my personal "Nicest Guy In The Paddock" award. But, these days, the mantle has been passed to Jason Pridmore. Your my son's hero, Jason. Thanks for being a terrific role model.

* John Haner is another nice guy and excellent rider. Take notice, factories. Don't pull a "Mike Barnes" with him or Geoff May.

* Do you think all these $500 Chinese pocket bikes are going to help produce the next American MotoGP world champion? Not unless they start making $250 Chinese pocket dirt trackers; because if you don't learn to slide, you can't ride. Just ask KR, Lawson, Rainey, Schwantz, Chandler, the Bostroms, the Haydens, and others.

* Speaking of MotoGP, as a devout Yamaha fan, I sure hope Rossi's impending world championship doesn't do to Yamaha what my hero Wayne Rainey's three championships did: a dozen years of Yama-malaise. Wayne won three consecutive championships (and it should have been four) on very mediocre machinery. And, when he got hurt, so did Yamaha's competitiveness. Here we go again. Rossi's on still-mediocre machinery, and after his championships with Yamaha are over, will I have to suffer through another 12 years of horrible results? Not if the Chinese start producing $250 pocket dirt trackers, and we all get our kids sliding around the backyard like Earl did.

* How many of you are convinced that Carlos Checa is, in fact, some kind of Terminator-like creation? He's not human; he's a T1000--liquid metal. He crashes almost daily, and he never gets hurt. I'm pretty convinced that there's a titanium exoskeleton under that Spaniard's leathers.

* Here's hoping that the good works that Christopher Reeve did for neurological research will pay off soon for Wayne Rainey. He's going to walk again, and I sure can't wait to see it. I love you Wayne, with all the affection that one heterosexual man can give to another.

* And, finally, while I'm on the subject of love, memo to Yamaha: Get back into Superbike, boys! It's your 50th birthday. Give me someone to root for in that class besides Miguel DuHamel.