Michael Schumacher tribute thread

We, the public minions, are a hard lot to please. We love to build up our heroes, we want them to be perfect in every way, and we leap at the chance to tear them apart. I'm glad that it was mentioned how Michael is the all-time lap leader, thus the dearth of overtaking. Go back to the early 90s and you can see plenty of footage of him dicing with that era's greats. I've been critical of Michael at times, but I like to think it was at times when he deserved it. And think about this: when was the last time you can remember Michael complaining about being mis-treated?

Top-tier athletes, while impressive as they are, are still a dime a dozen. For every F1 driver there are many, many more capable of filling the bill. But Michael Schumacher is a member of that rarest club of transcendent competitors--Jordan, Woods, Pele, etal.--and whether you love him, hate him, or just can't decide, we should all feel grateful that we'll be able to tell our kids and grandkids that we saw greatness with our own eyes.

Enjoy your retirement, Michael. You've deserved it. And thanks for all the memories!

 

+1

 

I was fortunate enough to see The Man when I attended the inaugural USGP at Indy in 2000. At that point in his career he was clearly superior to the rest of the field, but it wasn't until I watched him during Friday practice that I fully understood his genius.

During the afternoon session on Friday, my buddy and I sat at the end of the pit straight/braking zone for turn 1. As each and every car approached the corner (Hakkinen included), they would start braking at the 100 meter mark, lap after lap. The only exception to this was Michael who braked at 80 meters. When he did it the first time we looked at each other and thought it was an anomaly, or that we heard his car wrong. But he did every lap of that session as we sat there. As someone who road-raced competitively many moons ago, I can say that a 20% shorter braking distance is HUGE. In the modern era of carbon brakes and relative parity amongst cars, it is something that I still struggle to comprehend six years later.

 

Dang i missed that part... anyone have it?

 

I can recall a couple years ago I use to keep a picture of MS sitting in his Ferrari and facing straight into the picture. I always thought about the immense focus and determination a racer must go through during that moment before the pedal is to the floor. I always turned to it when I was facing hard challenges.

Michael gave it 100% when he was at the bottom and 100% when he was on top.

The last race to me was a perfect ending and really showed who Michael really is. If Alono's car gave out and Massa gave way to let Michael to his 8th WDC, it would have just been another win and championship. Howver, try to imagine the type of character needed to have a blown out engine, a broken fuel pump and a flat tire during a final championship deciding race and still push as hard and strong as Michael did. To me, the pass on Fisi on the final laps of the race was more meaningful than the 8th WDC. He began the race trying to overtake Fisi and ended up in last. In the end, he came back and passed him.

 

In the words of Mike Hawthorne 1958 Wold Champion for Ferrari:

"Why did you retire sounds much better than why don't you retire"

In my mind Jackie Stewart was the last person to retire on top. World Champion or not, Michael Schumacher finished his carreer within a breath of the championship, in demand, and on top of his game. Almost all drivers are forced into retirement for a number of reasons (no competitive drive's available, past thier best, unmotivated, etc.) Schumacher avoided all these pitfalls and is retiring with a great deal of class and grace.

I will miss watching his doing of the impossible however I take even greater pleasure in knowing that he left the sport healthy, happy, and at the top.

 

I have been watching sports for 50 years and have seen 3 athletes that are, in my mind, easily the best that there has ever been at what they did. They are (in order of earliest retirement):

1. Sandy
2. Wayne
3. Michael (and I don't mean Jordan!)

Say no more!

 

Nice tribute:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWWg9GLvNCc&mode=related&search=

 

Ron,

I have it Tivo'd Haven't watched it yet. If you can explain to me how to record to DVD or VCR from Tivo I can make you a copy.

Send me a PM.

Simon

 

Thanks Mike, it's been great!

 

Gracie Mille Michael. I wish you and your family all the best.

 

" macker " what my 2 year old triplets call schumacher will be missed dearly !!!!

 

"Overthe" is his first name ;-)