Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

ment. The first , "Knowing that some of jim's knowledge was gleaned from our magazine. . ." is preposterous. I was a contributing freelance editor to ' Motocross A ction from its very first issues, long before Miller had his name on the masthead, and only stopped writing and photographing for them two years ago because of their publisher's unwillingness to pay within a reasonable amount of time, if at all. To the contrary. much of what MXA has published over the years was gleaned from my knowledge. And to say, ". .. he wasn't actively involved in the sport during its formative years ," is pure Miller crap since the opening paragraphs of my editorial gave a brief history of my long involvement in the sport to qualify my opinions . For an ed itor, he certainly needs to practice reading. Next, Miller b rings up the notion that the onl y reason publications like his and Cycle N ews employ freelancers like myself is that they can't afford to send their own staff people to all the major races. Does this mean a particular publication's integrity is de graded when they have to rely on a free lancer like myself? Miller obviously thinks so, and if that's the case , MXA has been degrading itself for a long time. But Cycle N ews do es not have the editorial staff and the financial re sources to send their own people to the major National races every week across the country. In fact. I'm the only freelancer they have ever contracted to cover National caliber motocross events on a regular basis and I feel th is IS due mainly to the fact that I was a staff editor for Cycle News for two yea rs and can provide them and their readers with the reliable, accurate and authoritive coverage they require. Other publications which obviously feel the same about my journalistic abilit ies include Cycle World, Motorcyclist Magazine, and many other motorcycle publications around the world. I feel Miller should restrict his journalistic ramblings to his own column in MXA where, on a monthly basis , he covers such important and relevant topics as washing Roger DeCoster's truck, and how he almost died in Baja and went to Desert Racer's Heaven. I will concede, though , that Miller does know more about motocross in Peru, Guam. Tahiti , Mexico and Hawaii than anyone else on earth and for this reason alone I do feel he should rightly hold the title of "Mister Know-It-All of Motocross." On closing, every factory rider, team manager and track promoter whom I have come in contact with these past few weeks while covering the Nationals is in total agreement with my editorial and its views on how the AMA is mismanaging motocross in America. It now remains to be seen whether the AMA will try and improve the situation, or if the major factory teams and promoters will take the situation into their own hands before it becomes too late to save the sport. o 00 0') ~ JIM GIANATSIS On the National Motocross circuit, USA Next week: Loudon National road race " 5

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