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November 14, 2009
No JR Motorsports ride for me, either
By DAVID GREEN
This just in, from home offices in North Carolina and Kentucky: My people have not spoken to Dale Jr.'s people -- no phone calls, no text messages, no tweets -- and at this point in time, I have no plans to race at Daytona in February.
That puts me squarely within a group including several million other folks -- including Danica Patrick.
Stop the presses!
Am I the only one who's way past tired of the obsession with Danica (not) coming to NASCAR?
The whole circus reminds me of a time when I worked for a small newspaper, and every time there was a local election, this one fellow would drop by the newsroom and deliver a "news release" stating that he would not run for office this time.I suppose our judgment was wrong when we politely thanked him for letting us know, and then quickly spiked this non-story.
Yes, yes, I know -- Danica is a much hotter property than my example of the non-candidate. And she's so much hotter than I am (in so many ways). And some reporting of contact between Patrick and anybody in the NASCAR world is appropriate.
But, come on. How many times do we need to be told that there's nothing done yet?
Personally, I don't care whether Patrick comes to NASCAR -- part-time, full-time, now or whenever. My opinion is that it would be a huge mistake as far as her career as a racing driver is concerned, although it might surely be financially lucrative.
I believe it would be detrimental to the Indy Racing League, but if the IRL never rises above gimmick-driven popularity and develops some drivers who are stars because of their on-track exploits and in spite of things such as gender and sex appeal, it is doomed to a less-than-stratospheric future, anyway. Danica can help, in fact has helped, the IRL get where it wants to be, but she can do only so much.
She has already had to deal with the "when is she ever gonna win?" questions, and finally got a victory to answer them -- for the time being.
However, one race victory at Motegi did not represent the realization of her perceived potential. She has yet to establish herself as a winner beyond that one race, or even as a consistent contender to become a winner.
When (if) she checks that objective off her to-do list, she and the IRL will be hugely better off for it.
When (if) she decides to come to NASCAR, yes -- it will be news. For awhile, every turn of the wheels of her stock car will be newsworthy, although coverage of each of those turns will probably be over the top.
But until there's something substantial to report, I suggest to the motor sports press -- give it a rest.
Even the more-than-once-a-day Brett Favre stories had more merit than this, and the old "Saturday Night Live" line by Chevy Chase ("This just in -- Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead") was a lot funnier.
If we have to monitor this on a minute-by-minute basis, may I suggest the military formula for "sit reps," or situation reports. We can sum it up in five words from the phonetic alphabet: "Alpha Sierra, Sierra Romeo Sierra."
It means, "All secure, situation remains (the) same."
It's a little less hysterical than, "Nobody is shooting at us! Nobody is shooting at us! Nobody is shooting at us!"
November 14, 2009 | Permalink
Comments
Welcome to the Land Of Hype and Glory...If and when she jumps in a Hendrick..errrr Jr Motor...an HMS...Ummmm SHR stock car the Racing Media will be following each move with bated breath...Me however not so much, In the weekly series we HAD some very excellent drivers...and SOME where women, I never saw Gender it was usually a Car #! And I recall vividly being beat by a women and hearing my "Fan Club" on the cool down lap..."YOU GOT BEAT BY A WOMEN"!...and in post race Interveiws I said "Yeah I got beat by a women, But under that Drivers Suit she's got....the Heart of a Racer!" Which leads me to waht ever happen to "Merit"? It seems that the days of working your way up thru the ranks has long since been forgotten, If you have a "Name" "Big Sponsor" or "Big Checkbook" you'll succeed.
In my opinion I feel she should stay in Open Wheel exclusively OR abandon Open Wheel entirely and FOCUS ONLY ON STOCK Cars there is just too huge of a difference flip flopping from one to another, and not meaning to sound sexist I think Nascar would be too grueling for her. I do cheer for Chrissy Wallace, watching her go ftom the Legends at Lowe's, To running the Weekly series at Hickory, to Now in the Truck Series I wish her the World in luck! Now THATS a Girl who is Determined!...Danica? Not so much.
Posted by: Fan #5 | Nov 14, 2009 7:59:49 PM
We spend week after week hearing about the decline in popularity of NASCAR and then when something like this comes along and people are talking about it, we say enough already please stop. If her coming or not coming shines a light on this sport, more power to it.
Should she stick with one form of racing or another? Did we tell AJ or Mario to stay away from stock cars? Not that I am comparing her with those guys, but all I'm saying is they managed to do pretty well in both series. And besides, it is her career and if she winds up falling flat on her face it will be because of her decision. Remember Sarah Fischer? Before Danica she was the IRL darling and voted most popular driver by the fans. Then she decided to give all that up to try NASCAR and now she is just IRL field filler. So maybe it is not such a bad idea for Danica to keep a presence in both series.
Hell I've already bought a Danica hat an tshirt just in case................
Posted by: Peter | Nov 15, 2009 7:33:30 AM
Next..
Posted by: Larry | Nov 15, 2009 9:42:38 AM
#5: Racing isn't the only thing where merit and a positive work ethic are disregarded these days. In our present culture, image is valued over substance. Which leads me to...
Peter: Substantive news is one thing. This mindless microcoverage of it is what I'm criticizing. When something happens, report it. Until then, when there's nothing to report, don't try to make something up. In my opinion, this kind of unrestrained slavering over non-news is what has contributed, as much as anything else, to NASCAR's decline in popularity. At least, that's what I think; you're entitled to your opinion, and I respect that.
Larry: Say again?
Posted by: David Green | Nov 15, 2009 11:55:46 AM
#5, the days when merit was the big factor are gone and, to quote The Boss, they ain't coming back. To get a good ride in Cup, you need to bring the money with you, and Patrick can do that. Ain't fair, but there it is.
And as for Chrissy Wallace, she's bringing money and her name with her.
Posted by: Doug in CA | Nov 15, 2009 12:37:33 PM
Doug, Yes she does bring her name and some Money maybe I'm too imbedded in the grassroots part seeing her work and earn her respect thru the ranks, and no disrespect to Danica, BUT prove something before being a "Media Darling"
Posted by: Fan #5 | Nov 15, 2009 1:35:58 PM
#5, that's a really good point for discussion. First, you have to realize that Patrick didn't walk into an IRL read out of high school. I have to assume that she has worked very hard at obscure tracks to get to where she is. I think of folks who win shows like American Idol - my immediate reaction is that they haven't paid their dues, but they have, playing bar gigs night after night in total obscurity.
Second, can you really blame her for marketing herself? Would it be better if she appeared only in racing magazines dressed in sweats? Naw, it's about the money, and she is a terrific self-promoter. More power to her. She has proved more in her sport that Anna Kournikova ever did in hers!
Posted by: Doug in CA | Nov 15, 2009 3:04:43 PM
I remeber when Jeff Gordon came into NASCAR and all you heard was he he didn't "pay his dues". The most lame statement towards a racecar driver in history.
Unless you are Paul Menard.
Posted by: 68 camaro ss | Nov 15, 2009 10:32:25 PM
Good debate over dues-paying. I agree with Doug that Danica has done so, whether all of us recognize that or not. Ditto Doug's remarks about Patrick's willingness to utilize her assets and the legitimacy of her status in her sport versus Anna K.
But even if Patrick were the reigning Indy 500 winner and IRL champ, the fact is that as far as I know, nobody has ever established with an ounce of validity or independent confirmation she was going to abandon the IRL as a full- or part-time vocation. So what's with the non-stories?
I see where Jenna Fryer felt compelled to add her voice to the clamor, writing from Phoenix that "Rick Hendrick says he has no deal to bring IndyCar superstar Danica Patrick to NASCAR." This is news because...? Who in the Sam Hill ever reported with any credibility that Hendrick and Patrick HAD a deal in the first place?
It's not only the motor sports microcosm, but the media industry at large that is becoming more and more like "Seinfeld" -- it's about nothing. The media, however, don't get the joke.
Posted by: David Green | Nov 16, 2009 7:33:33 AM
David,
next.. as in next topic.
Last reports were even her IndyCar contract was not a done deal. As you said, a story about nothing.
Posted by: Larry | Nov 16, 2009 9:14:16 AM
This reminds me of something that happened years ago when I worked in Bloomington, Ind., and IU was looking for a football coach. Before anybody out there says it, that could be just about any/every year but in this case it was after the 1964 season. The sports editor (my boss) and the managing editor and I were talking and Y.A. Tittle's name came up. He was in the news because he had just retired, and the M.E. jokingly said, "I wonder if he'd be interested." We then decided to have a little fun (this being a smaller newspaper where we could have a little fun -- we later had a football prediction panel with a made-up name underneath a mug shot of a gorilla) and we called up Y.A. and asked him. He said he was flattered to be thought of, but of course he had never really considered getting into coaching anywhere, let alone a Big Ten school. Did we run the story? Of course we did, and under a big headline! Stuffy journalism professors probably question that, but we were having fun and frankly I'd do it again today.
But this is a key point: That was our one shot. We never came back to ask Otto Graham if he was interested in IU, or Bill Wade. That would have gotten old quick.
I think the "fun" has long gone out of the Danica story, if there ever was any. No news today? Who cares? Write something any way. That seems to be the approach.
That's kind of the way the news business is these days. The guys running the news business today want a story even if there isn't any to be had. Many years later, when I was working in Arkansas and the Razorbacks were considering their move to the SEC, our executive editor (not sports) wanted something in the paper every DAY about the prospective move. Naturally, for most days, there were NOT any developments, so we virtually had to come up with a made-up story on many days. It drove one of my colleagues nuts.
With Danica, an editor can do the same thing. He can ask a writer to speculate on how Danica would do if she moved to NASCAR, or speculate on what would happen to the IRL if she jumps, or speculate on whether she will try to work the Indianapolis 500 into her schedule, or speculate on how she will react to "rubbin' is racin' " at Martinsville, and the list goes on.
It's all speculation (a two-dollar word for BS) but still filling some news exec's need to have something on Danica, because the news exec knows that the average reader out there (not the real race fan but the fringe) will read anything about Danica, and he wants to draw in readers/viewers.
I agree that this even goes beyond the Brett Favre coverage, way beyond actually. Maybe next time Jenna Fryer can actually do a little more research than asking one owner if he has talked to Danica. Maybe if she had talked to a bunch of owners who all said they weren't in a deal with Danica that might be a story. Of course, now she can have a story a day for as many days as there are owners with this approach. Who's next? Michael Waltrip?
Posted by: Paul B. | Nov 16, 2009 3:11:43 PM
Well done Paul B.,
And on a totally related note, Michelle Wie has won a ladies golf tournament! It is the time of year to be Thankful.
This just in.. Brad Keselowski has been made aware that his driving style needs an attitude adjustment. Not that WHO signs your paycheck has "anything" to do with it.
Posted by: Larry | Nov 16, 2009 6:44:18 PM
Paul B.: You covered it all, pal. It's a tabloid mentality. It's just one small step above the "Weekly World News" fiction-driven philosophy. There's just enough of a grain of truth (somebody asked Rick Hendrick a question; he answered, "No") to prevent it from being complete fabrication.
Larry: I think young Master Brad is in the crosshairs as I contemplate my next post. Coming to a TR.com blog near you!
Posted by: David Green | Nov 18, 2009 9:26:09 AM
Rick Hendrick when asked if he plans on signing Danica: "I'm not even sure if she wants to do this or not."
Rick Hendrick when asked if he plans on signing Dale Jr: "There is no room at the inn."
Posted by: Peter | Nov 18, 2009 12:16:06 PM
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