kelloggs5TLfan
Team Owner
Posted on Sun, Dec. 17
This just in: NASCAR's
stars are not perfect
ThatsRacin.com Opinion
By DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/16256384.htm
CHRISTOPHER A. RECORD / The Charlotte Observer
Brian Clay (right) was first in line to get an autograph from Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the 2006 Stocks for Tots event in Mooresville, N.C. Behind Earnhardt Jr. is one of his representatives, J.R. Rhodes.It’s part of my job to provide you with breaking news, so here goes. The Charlotte Observer has learned that race car drivers are not perfect.
Item one: Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson breaks his left wrist “horsing around” at a charity golf event in Florida.
For some reason, Johnson felt the need to get on – instead of the tradition in – a golf cart. Then, he fell off.
If he were from the South and not California, you’d suspect the stunt might have been preceded with a “Hey, y’all! Watch this!”
No, after hearing about that MENSA is not going to be rushing Johnson an application.
But if you’ve been to more than, say, one charity golf tournament in your life would what Johnson did rank in the top 20 of the dumbest things you’ve seen?
Not mine.
At first it was said that Johnson fell “out” of the golf cart, but a reporter got a different story. Johnson’s people then had to amend their first statement, proving once more that your mother was right when she told you it’s much easier to tell the truth than it is to try to keep a lie straight.
Anyway, I have to agree with at least some of what Carl Edwards said in an interview this week on Performance Racing Network’s “Garage Pass.”
“I tried to get Jimmie to go motorcycle riding with me about three weeks into the Chase,” Edwards said. “Jimmie said, ‘Carl, I’m focused on winning this championship, I’m not taking any risks.’ I thought that said a lot about Jimmie’s focus.
“...To me, if the dude wants to go ride around on golf carts...on top of them or underneath them or skiing on a rope behind them…it’s his off season. ...Name a person in that garage area who hasn’t goofed around on a golf cart and I’ll give you $100.”
OK, Mark Martin. Carl, you can send that $100 to your favorite charity in my name. But that doesn’t change his point.
Fans gripe that race car drivers aren’t “colorful” these days. It may just be that they’re smarter than some of their predecessors, or less willing to risk doing something that might keep them from collecting their paychecks. But when one does do something wacky, like attempt to surf a golf cart, let’s not act like he’s committed treason.
Item two: Dale Earnhardt Jr. leaves Stocks for Tots in Mooresville Tuesday night before every fan wanting his autograph is satisfied.
Earnhardt Jr. did come to the event, which raises money for the Stop Child Abuse Now network and other charities that help abused children. He signed for just over 200 fans in about an hour and a quarter before leaving for another commitment.
The problem is that about 350 wristbands were distributed for Earnhardt Jr.’s room. So not everybody who thought they’d be getting to meet Earnhardt Jr. actually did.
Some of them who didn’t told me I should write about how the sport’s most popular driver disappointed a lot of people. I thought the real point was that he came in the first place. Not every driver did.
I understand the frustrations. But Stocks for Tots organizers said clearly in pre-event publicity that not all drivers were committed to staying for the full scheduled two hours.
Certainly, a better job could have been done of matching the number of wristbands to the time alloted to sign. It’s bad if around 150 people went home feeling misled.
This is why some athletes don’t sign autographs at all. Earnhardt Jr. could have been there until 2 a.m. and people would have still been in line. Athletes know if they sign for 2,000 people and then leave, the 2,001st person will believe that he’s the biggest jerk in the world. So they don’t sign at all, and that’s wrong.
Again, it’s a bad deal that some people left unhappy. Stocks for Tots is a great event and it would be terrible if their disappointment leads to people not attending and supporting its great causes. Things could have been handled better.
But Earnhardt Jr. was there and that means he did more than he had to do
This just in: NASCAR's
stars are not perfect
ThatsRacin.com Opinion
By DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer
http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/16256384.htm
CHRISTOPHER A. RECORD / The Charlotte Observer
Brian Clay (right) was first in line to get an autograph from Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the 2006 Stocks for Tots event in Mooresville, N.C. Behind Earnhardt Jr. is one of his representatives, J.R. Rhodes.It’s part of my job to provide you with breaking news, so here goes. The Charlotte Observer has learned that race car drivers are not perfect.
Item one: Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson breaks his left wrist “horsing around” at a charity golf event in Florida.
For some reason, Johnson felt the need to get on – instead of the tradition in – a golf cart. Then, he fell off.
If he were from the South and not California, you’d suspect the stunt might have been preceded with a “Hey, y’all! Watch this!”
No, after hearing about that MENSA is not going to be rushing Johnson an application.
But if you’ve been to more than, say, one charity golf tournament in your life would what Johnson did rank in the top 20 of the dumbest things you’ve seen?
Not mine.
At first it was said that Johnson fell “out” of the golf cart, but a reporter got a different story. Johnson’s people then had to amend their first statement, proving once more that your mother was right when she told you it’s much easier to tell the truth than it is to try to keep a lie straight.
Anyway, I have to agree with at least some of what Carl Edwards said in an interview this week on Performance Racing Network’s “Garage Pass.”
“I tried to get Jimmie to go motorcycle riding with me about three weeks into the Chase,” Edwards said. “Jimmie said, ‘Carl, I’m focused on winning this championship, I’m not taking any risks.’ I thought that said a lot about Jimmie’s focus.
“...To me, if the dude wants to go ride around on golf carts...on top of them or underneath them or skiing on a rope behind them…it’s his off season. ...Name a person in that garage area who hasn’t goofed around on a golf cart and I’ll give you $100.”
OK, Mark Martin. Carl, you can send that $100 to your favorite charity in my name. But that doesn’t change his point.
Fans gripe that race car drivers aren’t “colorful” these days. It may just be that they’re smarter than some of their predecessors, or less willing to risk doing something that might keep them from collecting their paychecks. But when one does do something wacky, like attempt to surf a golf cart, let’s not act like he’s committed treason.
Item two: Dale Earnhardt Jr. leaves Stocks for Tots in Mooresville Tuesday night before every fan wanting his autograph is satisfied.
Earnhardt Jr. did come to the event, which raises money for the Stop Child Abuse Now network and other charities that help abused children. He signed for just over 200 fans in about an hour and a quarter before leaving for another commitment.
The problem is that about 350 wristbands were distributed for Earnhardt Jr.’s room. So not everybody who thought they’d be getting to meet Earnhardt Jr. actually did.
Some of them who didn’t told me I should write about how the sport’s most popular driver disappointed a lot of people. I thought the real point was that he came in the first place. Not every driver did.
I understand the frustrations. But Stocks for Tots organizers said clearly in pre-event publicity that not all drivers were committed to staying for the full scheduled two hours.
Certainly, a better job could have been done of matching the number of wristbands to the time alloted to sign. It’s bad if around 150 people went home feeling misled.
This is why some athletes don’t sign autographs at all. Earnhardt Jr. could have been there until 2 a.m. and people would have still been in line. Athletes know if they sign for 2,000 people and then leave, the 2,001st person will believe that he’s the biggest jerk in the world. So they don’t sign at all, and that’s wrong.
Again, it’s a bad deal that some people left unhappy. Stocks for Tots is a great event and it would be terrible if their disappointment leads to people not attending and supporting its great causes. Things could have been handled better.
But Earnhardt Jr. was there and that means he did more than he had to do
