Going for the W: Andrew Short
Wednesday, February 29, 2012 | 11:45 AM
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PrintBy Moser
Today is February 29, a day that doesn’t roll around very often. In fact, a leap year is just as rare on the supply-and-demand chain as a presidential election and the Olympics. To honor this year’s leap year, we’re celebrating the 29 the best way we know how—with a salute to AMA #29, Andrew Short.We asked Short’s biggest fan, a man known mostly by the name of Moser, to pen this week’s edition of Going for the W on Shorty.
Supercross.com Honda's Andrew Short is a familiar face at the races and has been on the scene for a while now. No longer considered a rookie of the 450 class nor an old man -- I would argue he's in his prime. Experience can't be bought. Trainers and riding coaches attempt to teach what it takes, but knowing what works for yourself is priceless. Shorty is universally known in the industry as a nice guy, or the nicest guy. He is well spoken, has a personality, sense of humor, is great with fans and sponsors, well grounded, a riding style smooth as silk, and he's easy on the eyes.
But the question remains can a nice guy win?
Short is still looking for that elusive first career SX class win.
Photo: Simon Cudby
We’re all familiar with the phrase that was apparently coined by baseball manager Leo Durocher in 1939: "Take a look at them. They're all nice guys, but they'll finish last. Nice guys. Finish last."
Well Shorty has certainly not finished last through-out his career and by all accounts he's had a lot of success in a sport that is very unpredictable with extreme highs and lows. Shorty's resume is full of wins in the 125cc/250F Lites class in both supercross and motocross, and he came just short of winning a SX Lites title. His 450F big bike class finishes have proven Shorty to be one of the most consistent riders on the circuit finishing in the top three overall in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship series four years in a row. Not only was he chosen to ride for the MXDN team in 2010 but the team also won on home soil for the red white and blue, an honor very few riders get the chance to experience. One win that elludes the nice guy of the sport is a supercross class win.
There is no doubt that Going for the W is at the top of Short's to do list. Although Shorty is known as the nice guy while on the race track some of this competitors may not agree with the nice guy persona. The nickname "smiley faced assassin" is used on occasion to describe both his aggressive riding style and nice guy image. How nice of a guy is Andrew Short? Do any of us really know? Is it all an act at the races? To enlighten all of us about how nice Shorty is on a day to day basis away from the cameras, press and fans of the races who better to ask then a person no man can make happy all of the time, his wife, Mrs. Jacki Short.
Short has looked more comfortable in 2012 after switching back to the Honda.
Photo: Simon Cudby
Racer X: Mr. Short is considered a nice guy of the sport, do you agree with that statement or is it all smoke and mirrors?
Jacki Short: Andrew is a nice guy. What you see is what you get!
What’s the last nice thing Mr. Short did for you?
One of the more recent times that Andrew had to go back to California to test, he got me flowers delivered!
Do you feel Mr. Short is too nice on the track, too aggressive, or just right?
I think Andrew is just right on the track. He would never race anyone harder than they race him.
In today’s supercross/motocross racing is there enough rubbing or has everyone gotten a little soft?
I think all the riders respect each other for the most part, that’s why you don’t see too much rubbing. Rubbing is racing, and sure makes it more exciting!
Is Mr. Short a lover or a fighter?
Andrew is a lover, I'm the fighter!
The saying goes behind every nice man is a nicer woman, but for the record who is nicer Mr. or Mrs. Short
Andrew, not me!
Thanks for your time Jacki, and unless Andrew did a superb job of disguising his voice while performing this interview I think we can lay to rest the question of is Shorty truly a nice guy.
Short has been sidelined with a shoulder injury after a first turn crash in San Diego.
Photo: Simon Cudby
What will it take to get the ellusive win in supercross? Moving back to a Honda 450 seems to agree with Short and he looks more comfortable this year than he did riding the KTM 350 last year. The intensity of Supercross.com manager Larry Brooks one of the most successful team managers ever and team owner Jeremy McGrath the most successful supercross rider of all time in your corner certainly can't hurt. Getting run over by Weston Peick in the first turn at San Diego can and does hurt though, and after Short had built some momentum at the beginning of the season, having come back from injury last summer a current shoulder injury will be a small setback for now.
There are so many integral components that all have to be in sync to get a win; speed, fitness, bike setup, confidence, color coordinated gear, and luck. Short may have been raised in Colorado but he now resides in Texas and this isn't his first rodeo, there is no doubt he will continue to be the nice guy in the sport and continue chase after the W.
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I think his time to win one may have passed. He's improved, but the front runners have picked it up also. And there's more winning-pace guys than there was a few years ago.
I have feeling RC wouldn't say he's a nice guy. I've never heard him say a good thing about him in any of the telecasts. It's weird because he's so positive about almost everyone else.
@mx Bob, Whats the deal with that? Did Shorty take him out at some time or something? Then again, Bubba landed on RC and RC still stays possitive on him. Go figure.
We already have a "nice guy" and his name is RD5.
What happened to you have to prove yourself and you are only as good as your last race.
Short falls in line with all the other mid packers.
Kevin Windham is the only one that gets a pass, because he has proved it.
Josh Hansen, whom I don't care for, has been proving it this year.
Kinda tired of these guys getting press time for their mid pack performances. I'm sure others are more deserving, but these mid pack sponsors want their guys in the news, can't blame them.
He has not won yet so don't see it heppening now.The odd's ar VERY high that it won't happen. Nice guy for sure though.
A few years ago, Windham and Dungey could have taken each other out (high odds again) and he might have managed a win, but now it would take the earth opening up and swallowing the lead guys.
You'd have to back and look at film to see if there was an incident between RC and Short, unless someone here remembers something. It could be that Short gets good starts and fades, something RC might find totally unacceptable for someone with his level of support. If I hear him talk poorly of Alessi, that would help confirm this theory.
Short could very well be the next Windham...Being the next guy that everybody loves if he stays in the game as long....He can run with the best of them, just never seems to win......
RC is the GOAT for sure, but some of the things that come out of his mouth during the broadcast makes me scratch my head..hahaha..... If I didnt know it was RC and just listened to him talk on the broadcasts alone, you would sometimes wonder if he made it out of the novice class...haha
*please note (for the guys who take these comments too serious)... I am just giving the GOAT a hard time....Hey, he is better than Bates!!!
Shorty may not actually get a SX win but it will be interesting to see if his "all too familiar" Honda ride can get his MX mojo back. I'll be cheering him on at Lakewwod !
March 29th- Leap day... Moser is going to need a lot of bag balm today.
AGMAN - You don't think people who are finishing like 6th or 7th deserve to be praised? Well unless you JW, JB, DM,JH, KW or anyone that is even racing in the professional ranks, I don't think you have any room to talk. I don't care if Shorty will never get a win, although this article is called Going for the W it wasn't really about Short going for the W.
I get it penguin, they have to have moto-fillers.
"we’re celebrating the 29 the best way we know how—with a salute to AMA #29, Andrew Short". Moto-fillers? I think its great to give all racers some recognition for all the hard work and effort. With Agman's attitude, he still doesn't get it and never will.
"he's easy on the eyes" "is he a lover or a fighter?"
downright creepy...........
Can you say restraining order??
I was really bummed when AS left KTM and bad mouthed them. Said he would be on a bike could get a holeshot. I havent seen AS get a holeshot this year but I did see the KTM get a holeshot and two W's in the SX class.
Might be karma going out to Mr Nice Guy
I heard that the TV crews don't want shorty to get any podiums because it's really difficult to balance out all the light emitted by his eyebrows.
@ride111mph--The reason Short left KTM and said what he did was KTM insisted he ride the 350, and he felt he wa on an underpowered bike. Do you blame him?? He never said the bike was bad, just couldnt get the holeshot with it. Dungey has gotten holeshots this year, ON THE 450!!! Decoster said he wanted Short back but he got a better deal to ride were he is now on the Honda. Decoster said in himself in his interview with Motocross Action, he said Short was handicapped on the 350..
Yeah I don't get it
Cole Seely comes in and leads for 7 laps.
Maybe he and Short will line up this week - Honda vs Honda
Should make for good racing
if ya'll remember, shorty had a win in his sites 2 or 3 years ago, was reeling in mishaps for the win, then crashed out...was in tears of anger as much as pain, he wanted it so badly
if ya'll remember, shorty had a win in his sites 2 or 3 years ago, was reeling in mishaps for the win, then crashed out...was in tears of anger as much as pain, he wanted it so badly
if ya'll remember, shorty had a win in his sites 2 or 3 years ago, was reeling in mishaps for the win, then crashed out...was in tears of anger as much as pain, he wanted it so badly
dang tablet...sorry for the triple post....and milsaps was auto-corrected to mishaps
if ya'll remember, shorty had a win in his sites 2 or 3 years ago, was reeling in mishaps for the win, then crashed out...was in tears of anger as much as pain, he wanted it so badly
hell of an echo in here
@SpottedMarley,I like your comments,it lightens things up a bit.
Thanks VISTAJIM, I try to keep it light :)
People tend to get a little too serious and forget that we're all talking to each other about a sport that we all love the same. I also believe that if you smile or have a chuckle right before you write your comment, that comment will tend to be more positive. We need more of that
Very True Statement. We all love this sport. They are all very talented individuals especially if they have made the pro ranks!!! They deserve and risk it all every week