128's Hands are Tied

foyt

Member
Oct 23, 2008
502
4
18
South of Terre Haute
I wouldn't want to be a host on 128 come Monday morning...regardless of the outcome of Sunday's race:

If Hamlin wins, the Toyota-haters will jam the lines
If Johnson wins, the Jimmie-bashers will be out in full force.
If Harvick wins, those folks who can't give it up will be calling about how "that really is the three car".

No matter what happens on Sunday, the hosts and listeners stand to be the losers come Monday.
 

semipenguin

Cheeseburger Connoisseur
Oct 11, 2008
25,162
9,251
168
54
Janesville, MN
The post race show should be good :)

I remember when KB won the Chase in 2004. Everyone called in & bitched that Jeff should have won the championship :confused:
 

dpkimmel2001

Well-Known Member
Nov 6, 2008
2,876
53
48
PA
I remember when KB won the Chase in 2004. Everyone called in & bitched that Jeff should have won the championship :confused:

First of all..... Nice to have met you in Martinsville Semi. We need to do that again some time before the race when we all have more time to tailgate. :bigthumbup:

As far as the Chase format goes..... I can understand how callers felt back then as Jeff Gordon scored the most points that season. Kurt Busch would have finished a respectable 247 points behind in 4th place in any of the other previous seasons. Yes, there are still many of us out here that haven't been able to entirely accept the made for TV Chase format. I'm pretty sure that I'm not speaking for myself as the ratings seem to back up my opinion. Sure, they/we all know what system that they're running under but I still will never understand why the Chase was needed to begin with. Not only wasn't it needed, Brian France has been hinting at upcoming changes to the Chase for future years to come. That would be yet another mistake. He's looking to create the 'game seven' moment @ the end of every season. Note to Brian..... Even the sports that are capable of producing a game seven don't always do so. That's what sets aside great runs for the championship from so so seasons. That's what makes some season special over others. In their misguided attempt @ fabricating drama we have lost and will continue to lose some real points battles. /rantoff

Good article on this subject here.

Be Prepared, The Real Hype Starts AFTER Homestead

This is a public service announcement provided to the real NASCAR fan by the author of this column.

Moments after the checkered flag flies this coming Sunday, you will be told what you have witnessed this past racing season.

You will be told that you have been privy to perhaps the most exciting and thrilling NASCAR championship in modern history.

You will be told that you, the fan, begged for this finish and that NASCAR, or more importantly, Brian France, has given you exactly what you have asked for.

You will be told that this year will go down in history as the crown jewel of France’s reign as King.

You will be told that the future of the sport you love is vibrant and thriving, despite what radical, right-wing, gonzo journalists like myself are publishing.

What you won’t be told, among other things, is this set of facts:

Denny Hamlin was eliminated from contention after Texas. Jimmie Johnson was eliminated this past week in Phoenix. Kevin Harvick is your 2010 Cup Champion (under the old points format, of course).

How do you like being told what you think?

Actually, you don’t have to wait until Sunday at all to get a head start on finding out what you believe. Sympathetic articles, such as this one by thatsracin.com editor, Bob Henry, will get you started.

As you can see, Mr. Henry does point out some of the finer points of exactly what most of you have been saying for quite some time now. Unfortunately, as he states in his closing statements, the problem is not NASCAR, but rather, a communication problem. (Seems kind of ironic to me, seeing as how the sport’s title sponsor’s very business is communication!) Anyways, his point is you have not been giving them a chance. Maybe you should after this next race!

As longtime readers know, I am the first to yell when things go wrong and when things go right. I have applauded recent NASCAR decisions such as double-file restarts, green-white-checker finishes (not three of them, though) and more uniform start times. Conversely, I have also pointed out to you that while these changes ARE good, it was, and is, a frantic effort to stop a mass exodus by millions of fans who are tired of the general BS that NASCAR, under the direction of Brian France, has become.

Yes, there has been some very good races of late, but let me ask you… for I, unlike those in the ivory towers, see and read all your comments and I trust your judgment… don’t you think the racing would have been just as good without having to crown another possible fake champion? I say “possible†because if Harvick can pull it off, he will truly be the real Champion, despite NASCAR’s best efforts. He is, after all, only the guy who has scored the most points all season.

So be forewarned. Brian France and company are going to show you how they have carved a beautiful rose out of a hardened turd this season, and yes, it sure does look nice sometimes! However, I applaud all of you who do take the time to write and email and have the guts (and audacity) to see the “rose†for what is really is.

I trust you all to make your own decisions. Someday, we will get our sport back. Your views, through the mighty voice of your dollars staying in your wallets and the clicking of your remote controls IS being heard. And if NASCAR has to go to great lengths to convince you that you have just seen a fantastic season, seems to me that the “failure to communicate†is on their end, not ours!

Congratulations to Kevin Harvick!

Stay off the wall,

Jeff Meyer
 

semipenguin

Cheeseburger Connoisseur
Oct 11, 2008
25,162
9,251
168
54
Janesville, MN
First of all..... Nice to have met you in Martinsville Semi. We need to do that again some time before the race when we all have more time to tailgate. :bigthumbup:

It was great to meet you too :) I almost didn't go. Me & my girl friend have a really dysfunctional relationship sometimes. It's also hard to do anything early unless I'm alone. Otherwise we could have tailgated before the race
 

NoWayHozay

Member
Jan 5, 2009
51
4
8
Good article on this subject

Been following this for a few weeks now. Harvick has had a 1 race+ lead since Watkins Glen. Hope he gets the trophy, too. Been a helluva season.

A couple observations on the chase this year:

Since there is only coverage of the three contenders & the leader of the race,

- Last week I was forced to root for Carl Edwards, who I dislike as a person and a racer, so that Hamlin wouldn't win.

- This has also forced me into the situation of hoping JJ wins a fifth straight title rather than Denny, who I consider to be a mopey jerk.

- Choosing the lesser of two evils isn't exciting, at least not in a good way.

- The only way NASCAR can win is if Harvick pulls a Vettel and wins big at Homestead.

Let's face it, JJ winning isn't something anybody outside of his loyal fans will care about. The morons on 128 can say a million more times what an awesome accomplishment it is, but it really isn't. He just sat next to the Cap'n while the ship went down.

Denny is only slightly more popular than KuBu was when he fell ass-backwards into the first chase. I'm betting if he wins, it will be marketed bigtime as Joe Gibbs' cup, not Denny's.

Whatever happens, I hope the sport starts the process of recovering from what ails it. I doubt anyone 5 years ago could imagine going from massive popularity to complete irrelevance was possible in such a short time...
 

dpkimmel2001

Well-Known Member
Nov 6, 2008
2,876
53
48
PA
This has also forced me into the situation of hoping JJ wins a fifth straight title rather than Denny, who I consider to be a mopey jerk.

- Choosing the lesser of two evils isn't exciting, at least not in a good way.

It kills me that I've also been rooting for Johnson over Hamlin. I glad to know that I'm not the only one. I sure hope that somehow Harvick can pull this out.
 

NoWayHozay

Member
Jan 5, 2009
51
4
8
It kills me that I've also been rooting for Johnson over Hamlin. I glad to know that I'm not the only one. I sure hope that somehow Harvick can pull this out.

I figure everybody thinks Hamlin's going to win, and everybody wants Harvick to win, so Johnson has it in the bag. :eek:

Today, one of the idiot ESPN shows was apparently debating which is more irrelevant, NASCAR or MLS. Nice. And after all the nice things Dimwit France said about ESPN today, too. :crazy:
 

Snoozer

Well-Known Member
Oct 13, 2008
3,256
89
48
45
Canada Eh!
Not that it is his own fault he's playing in the rules he's giving but Jimmie Johnson and the 48 team ARE ruining NASCAR. I said it last year and only casually watched this year. If he pulls it off again, first off congrats. Second, I'm done except for watching the big races like Daytona, Bristol Martinsville and Talladega.
Its boring, flat out boring its not exciting this year because its close the only reason anyone cares is so the 48 doesn't win again.

France ruined NASCAR with the chase and the 48 team is just magnifying how much of a joke it is. If they win and France tinkers with the chase this year Jimmie can forever say they changed it because he was winning too much.
Our sports championship is a joke now. :( individual races are still good but the year long run at a title is nothing more than a joke. It will probably be proven again this afternoon.
:( :( :(
 

NoWayHozay

Member
Jan 5, 2009
51
4
8
individual races are still good but the year long run at a title is nothing more than a joke.

How can you even tell? NASCAR doesn't broadcast races anymore, they just show parts of the chase.... :blah:

Way to go 5-time, at least Hamlin choked on it bad.

And....you'll have that.
 

Andrew8468

Plans on freezing in the dark
Oct 26, 2008
4,309
551
113
Canada, eh?
The coverage on Sunday sucked because they added Pete Pissedon to the MRN crew. I was ready to chuck my radio out the window and start listening to the ESPN booth monkeys.
 

Snoozer

Well-Known Member
Oct 13, 2008
3,256
89
48
45
Canada Eh!
I'm done for a few years. Its boring. The 48 team is too good. Someone needs to step up. :p
Like I said, I'll be checking out individual races still but thats about it.
 

mghtx

2000 Man
Oct 23, 2008
2,368
33
48
I'm told over and over that in the years to come I'll be in awe of JJ and everything that's been done.

Uh, no. Sorry. I just won't be. And really it's not against JJ. It's against nascar.

I didn't watch a full race all season.
 

Snoozer

Well-Known Member
Oct 13, 2008
3,256
89
48
45
Canada Eh!
I'm told over and over that in the years to come I'll be in awe of JJ and everything that's been done.

Uh, no. Sorry. I just won't be. And really it's not against JJ. It's against nascar.

I didn't watch a full race all season.

I saw an article the other day asking if he's the greatest driver ever. My opinion? no. One of the greatest? Yes. The greatest Chase driver ever? Absolutely. But not the greatest ever I don't think. I think being one of the top drivers in NASCAR and having the chase have 10 tracks that you happen to be great at is what has given him 5 titles and I blame it on the Chase and Brin France. He wanted excitement and he got the exact opposite.