You have to love the Italians

I believe if I could choose one nationality to have in my family tree, it would be Italian. No, not because I'm built like Tony Soprano, because most of the Italians I have ever met have been fun, life loving people, plus I already talk with my hands.

In my younger, slimmer days I used to ride street bikes and my friend and I would ride down to the Superbike races at Laguna Seca or Sears Point raceway, now called Infineon raceway. In those days the Superbike class was being revolutionized by the Ducati bikes and most of the best Ducatis were owned by a very cool Italian guy named Eraldo Ferracci. If you worked in Superbike, Fast by Ferracci was the team to be on. In a world of corporate sponsors who had tents filled with beer and hamburgers, if you were lucky enough to get an invite, the spread at FBF was like a trip down to North Beach in the City. The smell of pasta, good wine and the sounds of laughing Italians was a sure sign you were closing in on the Farracci camp. I always wished I had pass to that tent.

Today in Moto GP its great to see that the Italians are still providing the fun. This is Valentino Rossi. Valentino won the Italian GP in Mugello this weekend and the face on the left is the top of his helmet, Rossi is on the right. When he tucks his head behind the windscreen going down the straightaways, the his screaming face is all you see on the bike.

When I saw it today as I flipped by, I had to hit the rewind button on my DVR to make sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing.

That is funny.

Any Italian family out there want to adopt a middle aged cowboy? I am almost house trained and I like an occasional glass of vino. Let me know before Columbus Day, I have always wanted to march in the parade.