#did a quick google search and luckily nobody's reported on the podcast casey comments. we're good everyone it's all fine

[batsplat]

let’s talk about casey/vale helmet swap https://www.tumblr.com/charlespecco/667773184404324352/they-got-the-taste-for-it

(link)

we should!! dropped everything when this happened, big big day for the feud lovers amongst us. here are the posts in all their glory:

jacket and cap situation - and possibly even cardboard box situation - changed between photos, raising the exciting possibility that more than one meeting occurred at this venue, perhaps even on separate days. and more documentation of the historic event:

casey's got a helmet with a little turtle on it sitting somewhere in his house... peeking at the helmets and the captions, clearly "pleasure" was very much the word of the moment

during that weekend valentino said this:

while casey said this:

discussed here but there really is something to how valentino always talks about casey's talents and casey always talks about valentino's smarts. also details that are important to me personally, like valentino's (sincere) enjoyment of that rivalry, how casey would have enjoyed to see valentino fighting at the front, the learning from valentino thing, this idea of casey's achievements being validated by racing in his era... yeah that weekend gave me a lot

this is obviously all hugely endearing but deadass the funniest aspect of this whole encounter is that like,,, y'know, casey was talking shit about valentino less than a month after the race weekend where they met. I just don't think there's a purer distillation of their unique, beautiful dynamic for casey to show up, take some smiling photos with valentino, say "the pleasure was all mine", while during the same time span extensively having a go at valentino to the press. complete disconnect as ever, this disciplined dedication to never moving on that is... well, I was about to call it 'unmatched', but I suppose valentino shows he can very much match it when it comes to non-casey rivals. the two supreme grudge holders, bless them. like I need to be very clear here that casey was saying this in the very same month in which these photos were taken:

just so charming to me. "the pleasure was all mine" casey are you sure though. zero compunction at chatting shit about valentino in practically the same breath where he's the-pleasure-was-all-mine-ing him, like this is a crucial aspect of his characterisation. these little details like him having another go at valentino over the towing (a lovely theme of their rivalry, casey in general was on a bit of a one man crusade against towing)... "he was good in the head-to-head battles, but also at catching a tow" - there's no real relationship between these two statements, bit of a non sequitur if we're being honest, which is delightful because it lets you know it's something that still pisses casey off years later. one of those things where you can tell he's been sitting on this for nine years, just like the intense ducati schadenfreude - the years have passed, but the emotions never fade <3. "from then on, I didn't want to be his friend" so you wanted to be his friend before that, casey? is that what you're saying? it's so key to this rivalry that every single element of it was felt so intensely by casey.... whereas valentino is going "can't do this, too many memories" buddy full on having his nostalgic moment because this rivalry has just gone down in his mind as a fondly remembered part of his career he has done zero hand-wringing or reflection about in the intervening nine years. what a fantastic little episode like it really nails their dynamic perfectly in the year of our lord 2021

this is why they're great, right... if you put them in a situation where they just talk face-to-face, they would be fine. yeah, even if you made them get dinner together if the premise of the conversation isn't exploring their respective challenges, emotional revelations and soul-searching. their interpersonal chemistry is decent, casey enjoyed chatting to valentino... always, always it was valentino the character and not valentino the person he has his problems with. you can tell valentino thought casey was all right too - the podcast thingy confirmed my belief that valentino just fundamentally did not vibe with jorge from day one in a way that clearly isn't true of valentino's relationship with the other aliens. valentino took one look at jorge and went 'hm this guy seems annoying', but casey? yeah no he'd happily chat with him, just plays it by ear depending on how the rivalry is going and sometimes enforces a little distance just because. no complicated feelings, no massive emotional investment, no compunctions about any element of how that whole story unfolded. when they meet again, there's no real ill will because,, hey, they just did a bunch of things to each other rivals sometimes do to each other, right? whereas casey - my intrepid little grudge holder and reluctant student of the dark arts of communication - doesn't waste the opportunity to proselytise his version of events to the press shortly after the encounter, a tasteful full week after valentino's final race. whole thing fits in perfectly with my thesis that casey sometimes gets to play the valentino role in this rivalry - and does such a lovely job at it. love them both, love this encounter, love that casey's "the pleasure was all mine" is so blatantly flirting with dishonesty. a meeting of the greats