Well, for those who have seen the video, Marc Marquez was very cool after the race yesterday.
The story started on Friday after FP2. I had bumped into Marc, Alex and their dad in the paddock in between FPs; Marc was being mobbed. As I walked by, I just tipped my hat and said great riding Marc- he waved, smiled and turned back to the people he was signing.
Sat after qualifying, I was walking around and taking pictures, until my phone died. Most people had already left. I saw Marquez's team all standing around outside their garage so I walked up. I said hello and one of his mechanics asked if my shirt was "real". I realized he was referring to my Retired, United States Marine Corps shirt... He recognized the emblem. I told him that of course it was real. Marc walked up. Everyone was talking, laughing... I spent about an hour with them. As they left, Marc signed my hat; I said thank you, I appreciate it. He looked at me and said no, thank you. I appreciate you... He pointed to the emblem on my shirt. He said, I appreciate you- for this. They all waved and walked off. I was blown away.
Sunday, I brought one of my Marine shirts to give him, if I got the chance. After the warm up, I ran into the mechanic who had asked me if my shirt was real. I took out my (charged) phone and showed him some pictures from my time in the Corps, including one from my retirement. The mechanic asked if I was a Colonel, I said no, only a Major. He laughed and said, Major, whoa... I told him I had some thing for Marc. After the race, things were pretty crazy, especially after all that had happened with Marquez, Rossi, Dovisioso and Lorenzo... Everyone was being interviewed and mobbed... So, while all that was going on, I went trackside and was walking around the garages as they we packing up. I got some pretty cool pics and I saw the Mechanic again. Only this time, he came up, shook my hand and introduced me to one of his team mates. He introduced me as Major. We talked about ISIS, we talked about Yemen, we talked about religious conflict... None of which were things that I expected to be discussing at a race track with mechanics for one of the best riders on the planet.
I walked away so they could get back to work. The Mechanic grabbed and told me that he had let Marc know I had something for him. He said that Marc would be around late if I wanted to wait. So I did, for about two hours - walking around and chatting with different people. He came out of his trailer and he was in a very good mood, until he got mobbed by security and service workers from the track. It was obvious that he was unhappy about it, so I made my way around the side of the crowd and just waved at him.
He said hello while he was signing stuff for the workers - I told him that he may not remember me... He put his hand up and said of course I remember you, Major. I didn't know what to say; I was floored. I handed him a Marine Corps shirt and told him that he could use it as a blanket or something. He laughed and asked if I wanted a poster or something. I told him that I didn't want to bother him, maybe I could catch him on the way back out... About 5 mins later, his trainer came out looking for me. He said hello Major, this is from Marc. He handed me a Team Repsol Honda shirt, smiled and walked off.
About 10 mins later Marc was leaving and stopped to shake my hand. I asked if he could do me a favor, if he could say hello to a friend's daughter for me. It would mean the world to her... No problem Major, what is her name? He had a little trouble with Abner, so in the video he only says Callie... After the video, he shook my hand and said- "Thank you for your service, Major"... Thank you. Then he left. I was absolutely floored. A long story, slightly less long: I was in Qatar to see the race and the riders... He took the time on two different days to make me feel appreciated- so yeah, I am a fan! MCM
The story started on Friday after FP2. I had bumped into Marc, Alex and their dad in the paddock in between FPs; Marc was being mobbed. As I walked by, I just tipped my hat and said great riding Marc- he waved, smiled and turned back to the people he was signing.
Sat after qualifying, I was walking around and taking pictures, until my phone died. Most people had already left. I saw Marquez's team all standing around outside their garage so I walked up. I said hello and one of his mechanics asked if my shirt was "real". I realized he was referring to my Retired, United States Marine Corps shirt... He recognized the emblem. I told him that of course it was real. Marc walked up. Everyone was talking, laughing... I spent about an hour with them. As they left, Marc signed my hat; I said thank you, I appreciate it. He looked at me and said no, thank you. I appreciate you... He pointed to the emblem on my shirt. He said, I appreciate you- for this. They all waved and walked off. I was blown away.
Sunday, I brought one of my Marine shirts to give him, if I got the chance. After the warm up, I ran into the mechanic who had asked me if my shirt was real. I took out my (charged) phone and showed him some pictures from my time in the Corps, including one from my retirement. The mechanic asked if I was a Colonel, I said no, only a Major. He laughed and said, Major, whoa... I told him I had some thing for Marc. After the race, things were pretty crazy, especially after all that had happened with Marquez, Rossi, Dovisioso and Lorenzo... Everyone was being interviewed and mobbed... So, while all that was going on, I went trackside and was walking around the garages as they we packing up. I got some pretty cool pics and I saw the Mechanic again. Only this time, he came up, shook my hand and introduced me to one of his team mates. He introduced me as Major. We talked about ISIS, we talked about Yemen, we talked about religious conflict... None of which were things that I expected to be discussing at a race track with mechanics for one of the best riders on the planet.
I walked away so they could get back to work. The Mechanic grabbed and told me that he had let Marc know I had something for him. He said that Marc would be around late if I wanted to wait. So I did, for about two hours - walking around and chatting with different people. He came out of his trailer and he was in a very good mood, until he got mobbed by security and service workers from the track. It was obvious that he was unhappy about it, so I made my way around the side of the crowd and just waved at him.
He said hello while he was signing stuff for the workers - I told him that he may not remember me... He put his hand up and said of course I remember you, Major. I didn't know what to say; I was floored. I handed him a Marine Corps shirt and told him that he could use it as a blanket or something. He laughed and asked if I wanted a poster or something. I told him that I didn't want to bother him, maybe I could catch him on the way back out... About 5 mins later, his trainer came out looking for me. He said hello Major, this is from Marc. He handed me a Team Repsol Honda shirt, smiled and walked off.
About 10 mins later Marc was leaving and stopped to shake my hand. I asked if he could do me a favor, if he could say hello to a friend's daughter for me. It would mean the world to her... No problem Major, what is her name? He had a little trouble with Abner, so in the video he only says Callie... After the video, he shook my hand and said- "Thank you for your service, Major"... Thank you. Then he left. I was absolutely floored. A long story, slightly less long: I was in Qatar to see the race and the riders... He took the time on two different days to make me feel appreciated- so yeah, I am a fan! MCM
