The only person who could win a PR battle with Valentino Rossi is a nun with a broken leg. Rossi's worldwide popularity--bordering on Beatle-style mania--makes it virtually impossible for anyone to arm themselves against him.

No matter what your opinion is of Rossi's riding last Sunday at the USGP--and his Alex Zanardi-style move on Casey Stoner in the Corkscrew--one thing that can't be debated is that Rossi can, just like most riders, can amp up and down the unsafe riding tactics verbiage if he comes out badly in a stuff and grab move.

Witness Rossi's statements last year wen he was locked out of a podium position by the hard-riding Toni Elias at the Turkish Grand Prix

"I'm also quite unhappy with Elias today because I think he was quite dangerous - more than once he passed me on the inside and then altered his line. This is not a correct way to race," Rossi said last April. (link to post-race quotes).