Another Viewpoint Archives
Debbi Willis, Daw613@bigfoot.com
Open Season
The media appears to have declared open season on anyone this year.
Beginning with the trash from Massachusetts about the Petty family to this
week with a wine columnist who's nose is out of joint because Dale Earnhardt
wouldn't co-operate with him for an interview. Speculation had it that Dale
was concerned about his "image" yet the interviews were scheduled during
critical times that are the drivers job: qualifying. Forgive me for wanting
to laugh out loud here, but a wine columnist learns a little known fact about
one of the best known racers in Winston Cup and fails to secure the interview
in advance but persists anyway and when he fails completely, writes a
demeaning column about someone he didn't even talk to! How ludicrous! Not
only that, it's been open season all week since Jeremy Mayfield successfully
preyed on Dale at Pocono. You'd think it was really big news the way the
media has played up the "dose of his own medicine" move! I always thought
imitation was the highest compliment!
Open Season. Trends are being set this year and ugly ones at that.
Columnists like the wine columnist and the Massachusetts columnist (one
probably doesn't know much about racing and the latter professes to hate the
sport) are name dropping their way to fame. One uses all the quotes he
could find in a variety of accounts to shine a bad light on Dale Earnhardt
because he didn't get an interview about wine while the other deeply
disrespects the Petty family during a tragic time of their lives. Guess
that's one way to be noticed. Now consider the logistics the week after
Pocono: Pocono was run a day late, shortening up an already long week from
one side of the country to the other, AND plans Dale had with his
daughter, Taylor. Road courses aren't a strong suit for Dale so it's a focus
issue to keep the race to the championship in good order. AND, the drivers
all get to cross the country back to Florida for Daytona immediately, which
runs a day earlier on Saturday rather than the usual Sunday. Grueling
schedule. I've always wondered why the western races weren't scheduled
closer together for geographical accomodation. Priorities must be set and a
wine interview certainly wouldn't be on my list either. Then to read the
column that DID print, does this person ever think Dale will give him an
interview now?
Every driver has their own style. Many have preceded Dale Earnhardt and many
will follow. Not many will exceed his records, although, over time anything
is possible these days. For a columnist to proclaim (as this wine columnist
did) Dale to be an 'evil, insensitive bully' and that 'despite his
greatness, Earnhardt isn't well-liked' is absurd. Obviously, the columnist
didn't see the 1998 Daytona 500 receiving line waiting for Dale as he
headed to victory circle or hear the onboard radio inquiries throughout the
pits when Dale had the mysterious sleep problem in a race, or experience the
concern throughout all the teams for his welfare after any number of horrific
crashes. Preposterous statements show sheer ignorance. Dale Earnhardt is the
last of the old guard racers on the track. He cut his teeth with the likes
of David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, the Allisons, Richard Petty, Buddy Baker,
and many more who roughed him up and taught him the fine finesse he shows on
the track today. Many a rookie coming into the sport has declared Dale to be
their favorite driver, and then proceeded to learn all they can following
him! Many a veteran fears him in their rear view mirror (THUS the
Intimidator nickname) but many more will admit to becoming better drivers
around him for being challenged by him. So, Jeremy Mayfield proves to be a
gutsy, astute student of Earnhardt and the media opens season. I would wager
Mayfield will be highly unpopular should he use that move on anyone else in
the future and I don't doubt he will if it means winning and gaining towards
a championship. Jeremy is hungry and obviously determined. Of course, he
could be like Earnhardt's teammate and reserve those moves only for Dale.
Everyone is looking for an angle. The media, Nascar, the drivers, owners,
sponsors all want some special piece of the big pie to call their own. Not
everyone is seeing the big picture though. Sure, Nascar is big, actually
it's downright huge! I've said it's the number one sport in the country. I
beleive that. Wrestling is the number one "show" in the country and the ball
sports would like to think they are number one, but their seasons are half of
Nascar's and they are fast becoming as much a show as wrestling is already!
Please no offenses intended here, I'm a football fan too, but the exorbitant
salaries and prima donna behaviors really lessen the interests of the ball
sports for me. The best angles in racing though are rooted in solid
respectful, positive journalism and media representation. Ever notice how
long some of the commentators and columnists have been around? No names
needed, but everyone knows when one is speaking or writing, it's worthy of
listening to or reading. Trash media and tabloid journalism have no place in
Nascar. Cheapening the sport with pot shots at it's best known athletes
won't do anyone any good, but keeping the "big picture" in mind will.
Every driver's style has it's virtues and it's downfalls. Hypocrisy and
double-standards are still the same when applied to Earnhardt or the
multitude of other drivers who've employed the very same move everyone
complains about. Interestingly, RPM tonite did a special "Forgive, but never
forget" show following Pocono. Of the ten choices they showed exhibiting the
bump and run move on a variety of tracks, Dale was only involved in 3
(Wilkesboro '89, Martinsville '87 and Bristol '99) and only one was his
fault. Considering the same stats over those ten choices, Ricky Rudd was
also involved in 3 races, and guilty of 2 of the incidents which also
resulted in harsh words or fighting. At least Dale isn't one to throw
punches! By the same token, Dale isn't one to whine OR apologize. Of course,
after Bristol last year, Nascar's remaining races were filled to capacity,
single-"movedly" accomplished by Dale Earnhardt. Certainly this didn't hurt
the drivers or the tracks and it proved the fans want to see that kind of
racing intensity, especially on short tracks where it belongs. Spit shine
and polish only goes so far and the yearning sets in for the real thing:
hard-driving, all out bumper to bumper, on your feet racing! One never needs
to see the race to know Dale is in or taking the lead.
Styles and angles aside though, like it or not, there's a lesson to learn
from Dale Earnhardt. I beleive it was Buddy Baker who said "Live by the
sword, die by the sword" when Dale received Jeremy's bump. He's right. But
isn't it better to have lived than to have simply existed or made it through
the next moment? Isn't it better to try, or even fail trying than to simply
settle for "whatever"? And as always, no complaining, a good sportsman smile
and admittance to being "beat" and Dale moves on to the next week, as focused
as ever before. Earnhardt is keeping his eyes on his goal and paying no
attention to the obstacles in the way (like media, other drivers, or anyone
else's opinions). Jeremy may have his 15 minutes of fame, but Dale Earnhardt
has eternity in the history of Nascar. And closing the "open season" on poor
media tactics would serve all very well.
Another Viewpoint Home
Open Season
The media appears to have declared open season on anyone this year. Beginning with the trash from Massachusetts about the Petty family to this week with a wine columnist who's nose is out of joint because Dale Earnhardt wouldn't co-operate with him for an interview. Speculation had it that Dale was concerned about his "image" yet the interviews were scheduled during critical times that are the drivers job: qualifying. Forgive me for wanting to laugh out loud here, but a wine columnist learns a little known fact about one of the best known racers in Winston Cup and fails to secure the interview in advance but persists anyway and when he fails completely, writes a demeaning column about someone he didn't even talk to! How ludicrous! Not only that, it's been open season all week since Jeremy Mayfield successfully preyed on Dale at Pocono. You'd think it was really big news the way the media has played up the "dose of his own medicine" move! I always thought imitation was the highest compliment!
Open Season. Trends are being set this year and ugly ones at that. Columnists like the wine columnist and the Massachusetts columnist (one probably doesn't know much about racing and the latter professes to hate the sport) are name dropping their way to fame. One uses all the quotes he could find in a variety of accounts to shine a bad light on Dale Earnhardt because he didn't get an interview about wine while the other deeply disrespects the Petty family during a tragic time of their lives. Guess that's one way to be noticed. Now consider the logistics the week after Pocono: Pocono was run a day late, shortening up an already long week from one side of the country to the other, AND plans Dale had with his daughter, Taylor. Road courses aren't a strong suit for Dale so it's a focus issue to keep the race to the championship in good order. AND, the drivers all get to cross the country back to Florida for Daytona immediately, which runs a day earlier on Saturday rather than the usual Sunday. Grueling schedule. I've always wondered why the western races weren't scheduled closer together for geographical accomodation. Priorities must be set and a wine interview certainly wouldn't be on my list either. Then to read the column that DID print, does this person ever think Dale will give him an interview now?
Every driver has their own style. Many have preceded Dale Earnhardt and many will follow. Not many will exceed his records, although, over time anything is possible these days. For a columnist to proclaim (as this wine columnist did) Dale to be an 'evil, insensitive bully' and that 'despite his greatness, Earnhardt isn't well-liked' is absurd. Obviously, the columnist didn't see the 1998 Daytona 500 receiving line waiting for Dale as he headed to victory circle or hear the onboard radio inquiries throughout the pits when Dale had the mysterious sleep problem in a race, or experience the concern throughout all the teams for his welfare after any number of horrific crashes. Preposterous statements show sheer ignorance. Dale Earnhardt is the last of the old guard racers on the track. He cut his teeth with the likes of David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, the Allisons, Richard Petty, Buddy Baker, and many more who roughed him up and taught him the fine finesse he shows on the track today. Many a rookie coming into the sport has declared Dale to be their favorite driver, and then proceeded to learn all they can following him! Many a veteran fears him in their rear view mirror (THUS the Intimidator nickname) but many more will admit to becoming better drivers around him for being challenged by him. So, Jeremy Mayfield proves to be a gutsy, astute student of Earnhardt and the media opens season. I would wager Mayfield will be highly unpopular should he use that move on anyone else in the future and I don't doubt he will if it means winning and gaining towards a championship. Jeremy is hungry and obviously determined. Of course, he could be like Earnhardt's teammate and reserve those moves only for Dale.
Everyone is looking for an angle. The media, Nascar, the drivers, owners, sponsors all want some special piece of the big pie to call their own. Not everyone is seeing the big picture though. Sure, Nascar is big, actually it's downright huge! I've said it's the number one sport in the country. I beleive that. Wrestling is the number one "show" in the country and the ball sports would like to think they are number one, but their seasons are half of Nascar's and they are fast becoming as much a show as wrestling is already! Please no offenses intended here, I'm a football fan too, but the exorbitant salaries and prima donna behaviors really lessen the interests of the ball sports for me. The best angles in racing though are rooted in solid respectful, positive journalism and media representation. Ever notice how long some of the commentators and columnists have been around? No names needed, but everyone knows when one is speaking or writing, it's worthy of listening to or reading. Trash media and tabloid journalism have no place in Nascar. Cheapening the sport with pot shots at it's best known athletes won't do anyone any good, but keeping the "big picture" in mind will.
Every driver's style has it's virtues and it's downfalls. Hypocrisy and double-standards are still the same when applied to Earnhardt or the multitude of other drivers who've employed the very same move everyone complains about. Interestingly, RPM tonite did a special "Forgive, but never forget" show following Pocono. Of the ten choices they showed exhibiting the bump and run move on a variety of tracks, Dale was only involved in 3 (Wilkesboro '89, Martinsville '87 and Bristol '99) and only one was his fault. Considering the same stats over those ten choices, Ricky Rudd was also involved in 3 races, and guilty of 2 of the incidents which also resulted in harsh words or fighting. At least Dale isn't one to throw punches! By the same token, Dale isn't one to whine OR apologize. Of course, after Bristol last year, Nascar's remaining races were filled to capacity, single-"movedly" accomplished by Dale Earnhardt. Certainly this didn't hurt the drivers or the tracks and it proved the fans want to see that kind of racing intensity, especially on short tracks where it belongs. Spit shine and polish only goes so far and the yearning sets in for the real thing: hard-driving, all out bumper to bumper, on your feet racing! One never needs to see the race to know Dale is in or taking the lead.
Styles and angles aside though, like it or not, there's a lesson to learn from Dale Earnhardt. I beleive it was Buddy Baker who said "Live by the sword, die by the sword" when Dale received Jeremy's bump. He's right. But isn't it better to have lived than to have simply existed or made it through the next moment? Isn't it better to try, or even fail trying than to simply settle for "whatever"? And as always, no complaining, a good sportsman smile and admittance to being "beat" and Dale moves on to the next week, as focused as ever before. Earnhardt is keeping his eyes on his goal and paying no attention to the obstacles in the way (like media, other drivers, or anyone else's opinions). Jeremy may have his 15 minutes of fame, but Dale Earnhardt has eternity in the history of Nascar. And closing the "open season" on poor media tactics would serve all very well.
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