Racing can be a lot of fun. Unless, someone has a car that dominates the race so much that everyone else is “racing for 2nd place”. Such was the case at TMS yesterday as 200,000 fans watched in amazement as Gregg Biffle said good-bye to the field and won the 500-mile race easily.
I attended this race, and had a great time. I challenge anyone who is not familiar with racing to attend one race with an open mind. If, after attending the event, the rolling thunder and spectacle of it all is not enough to convince you that racing has something, then be on your way. But, I took this challenge about 11 years ago, and have since been convinced that I would always attend a Nextel Cup Race when given the chance. In fact, next on my agenda will be November, right back at TMS.
Being a Jeff Gordon Fan, it was a tough day for my rooting interests, but I did take particular delight that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. did not have that great a day either. I really have no beef with Dale, Jr., but rather his fans (not all of them, I am sure) who appear to be as hate-filled and arrogant as any group of fans I have come across since my last trip to Philadelphia. Why does cheering for a sports team/individual have to be grounds for a fight with some people? Where is the love? Oh well.
Jimmie Johnson continues to pile points …
Links:
Chris Young with encouraging start in Rangers win…After two weeks of the season, the AL West Standings look like this:
Angels 6-6
A’s 6-6
Mariners 6-6
Rangers 6-7
The Rangers have scored the most runs in the AL West with 63. They also have allowed the most, with 75, while the second most runs allowed in the division is the Angels with 58…
Mavs beat Lakers …Can we please get on with the playoffs?
Steinbrenner not pleased with Yankees 4-8 start …
Steinbrenner growled that he was "bitterly disappointed" by the Yankees' "lack of performance." He said it was "unbelievable to me that the highest-paid team in baseball," with a payroll of nearly $200 million, would be in such a "deep funk" through two weeks of the season.
He charged that his team was "not playing like true Yankees," whichever true Yankees may be left on a team that he retools each off-season with multimillionaire free agents.
He ranted that "they have the talent to win and they are not winning," but that he expected Joe Torre (now in his 10th season as the manager), the coaches and the players to "turn this around." He didn't add the phrase, "they'd better," but he might as well have.
Shawne Merriman slipping? …
Once considered by some league insiders as a guy who could crack into the top ten, we've heard from multiple sources that Maryland "tweener" Shawne Merriman is sliding down many teams' boards.
Merriman, a defensive end/linebacker, is seen by some as inconsistent, and as a guy whose workout stats don't supersede flaws revealed in his game films.
Some even think that Merriman could end up sliding completely out of the first round.
I always wondered, and now I know: Samari and Antrell Rolle are not related …
This may come as a shock to some people, OK most people. Even though they are both from the Miami area, both talkative, and play the same position (and very well I might add), Antrel and Samari Rolle are NOT related. I know, hard to believe – although the have become acquainted to share their mutual amusement over the universal assumption.
Derrick Johnson to Cleveland? …
Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson could be the impact player the Browns need to power their conversion to the 3-4 defense.
Johnson, the top-rated defensive player in the draft, is one the Browns are considering with the No. 3 overall pick. Earlier this week, Browns Director of Player Personnel Bill Rees said outside linebacker is "the critical position" in the 3-4 scheme.
"[Outside linebacker] is where you want your playmakers," he said. "Derrick plays inside but can rush off the edge. He can play outside and put pressure on the quarterback."
Adam Morris suggest a fine candidate for leadoff: Matt Lawton …
But if Hidalgo hits like he did last season, the Rangers are going to have a hard team competing, and are going to need to look for some sort of upgrade out there. Pittsburgh's Matt Lawton is a right fielder who is a prime candidate to be dealt by the trade deadline, and who would be a nice player for the Rangers to plug into the leadoff spot in the lineup, if the cost isn't too high.
Scott Gomez hurt in ECHL playoffs …pretty seriously, too…
NFL wanted Pat Tillman to return …
Shawne Merriman footage …
25 years ago today, Rosie Ruiz cheated to win Boston Marathon …
Sports Illustrated looks back 25 years at Ruiz …
Schilling’s wife to run Boston Marathon …
Is Chewbacca rich? Evidently, not …
Career Low: Agreeing to a flat fee for Star Wars – unlike many of the film’s other stars who negotiated a percentage of the box office receipts.
We needed these action figures …
Some dude, who must be bored, decided to count the F-bombs on Deadwood…. Click Here …if you are old enough to see naughty words…
Rick Arnett at it again for Sports Illustrated …
Darth Vader Soundboard …
I did attend both races this weekend and I will have to disagree. Since this was my first time, I had no idea what was going on. And after screaming at my buddy for 2 hours trying to figure it out, I realized how stupid the whole thing is. The most frustrating thing is right when there is a caution, everyone gets to catch back up to the leader. They are just saying, those first 297 miles are just for positioning
ReplyDeleteI agree with the first guy. I don't watch much racing on TV but going out to the track is greatness.
ReplyDeleteIts not really that complicated to figure out. They have the big scoring towers to tell you what place the cars are in. Cautions are good...they bunch the field up and keep the race from getting too boring!
Saturday's race was better than yesterdays.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I can't believe Gomez broke his pelvis! I'm already so upset about hockey but this is horrible news for my Devils. I'm so sad. :(
ReplyDeleteNOOOOOO! I can't believe Gomez broke his pelvis. I'm already depressed about hockey and now my Devils are screwed. Damn you greedy owners.
ReplyDeleteGod those "little E" and "big E" fans for that matter, drive me absolutely nuts. They can make all the harsh fag jokes about Gordon, but god forbid you make a dead joke about ole number 3...kinda like Corby and Payne Stewart.
ReplyDeleteBy the way how 'bout little Freddy Adu-du getting into a little scrap at the tender age of 15. On an un-related note, love Dirk(MVP) kicking the ball at the end of the Lakers game. I think he is ready for the playoffs...stay hard!
Wouldn't it be great if labor disputes were solved the same way that the Catholics choose a Pope? Everyone's locked in a room until a decision is made.
ReplyDeleteYou think Bud Selig and Don Fehr, or Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow could stand to be around each other that long?
I went to the first race at TMS several years ago, and I am sooo out. It was such a beating, but that is natural when there are 250,000 people out there...
ReplyDeletewow, the sardine theory.
Bob,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Nascar is a hit!
I went to the race yesterday and had a blast. It's so popular to knock Nascar and that's fine with me. The TV ratings indicate Nascar is the 2nd most watched sport in America today.
Hockey cancelled their season, baseball is not drug free, and I don't care to sit in some gym in the summer...gimme Nascar.
With the inclusion of this November's Nextel race, about a half million fans will go to Texas Motor Speedway this year. If someone doesn't want to go, that's fine with me, that gives me a better chance at tickets!
Nascar: No strikes, just BALLS!!!