[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

An attempt to play Devil's Advocate to the Devil's Advocate here...

I agree. She undoubtedly has talent. But, as you describe so well above it apparently isn't about talent; it's about popularity. Image over substance.

Is THIS what racing has become? Screw the competition (no pun intended); just give us someone we can cheer for, someone we can be identified with, someone whose trinkets&trash will be recognizable to all!

This is apparently the majority of what the lady brings to the table. Do you want to be a part of something as transparent and meaningless as that? I don't. If I did I would have followed the movies or music long ago.

So, coming to NA__AR for the competition has become secondary to being here solely for the money and the endorsements? It's become a sad little sport.

Obviously with me, Bob, you are not the devils advocate. I'm far from being a totally knowledgeable race fan but in comparison to what we have today versus what we had 30 or more years ago, I feel like I am spot on.

There is no doubt that the evolution of NASCAR didn't happen over night. We didn't go from a small group of fans and teams who followed and participated for the love of racing to where we are today in an instant. I am a firm believer that money and the media are the greatest reason why NASCAR is where it is today. I have no problem with anyone making millions. I would if I could. The issue I have is the path of destruction that the money grabbers and the media have left behind. Patrick will just be another nail in the coffin of good racing. Yes I agree that she has talent. She can probably drive an Indy car better than I can and obviously better than many. Then again I'm not real good at brain surgery either.

The excitement that racing used to offer to me is no where near as strong as it once was. Patrick will just further decrease my desire to watch the sport because it will be about her as a woman versus a race car driver. If she comes to the sport and does well as a driver then I will gladly retract any comments about her driving ability. If she brings her temper and her gender to the TV I'll owe no one an apology. Financially she'll probably be good for the sport. She may even outsell Jr in the T & T department, but none of that equates to racing.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Obviously with me, Bob, you are not the devils advocate. I'm far from being a totally knowledgeable race fan but in comparison to what we have today versus what we had 30 or more years ago, I feel like I am spot on.

There is no doubt that the evolution of NASCAR didn't happen over night. We didn't go from a small group of fans and teams who followed and participated for the love of racing to where we are today in an instant. I am a firm believer that money and the media are the greatest reason why NASCAR is where it is today. I have no problem with anyone making millions. I would if I could. The issue I have is the path of destruction that the money grabbers and the media have left behind. Patrick will just be another nail in the coffin of good racing. Yes I agree that she has talent. She can probably drive an Indy car better than I can and obviously better than many. Then again I'm not real good at brain surgery either.
.

To play Devil's Advocate once more... You and I couldn't be in more agreement. I blame superficial fans and the media which plays to them for much of today's racing ills. But...

To Ms. Patrick's credit, I think she almost single handedly pulled IRL away from the abyss. IRL was beginning to flounder and I don't think the re-merge with CART would have saved it. Danica's arrival on the scene, with the media hoopla and attendant star gazing, she put IRL back on the map, if only with her presence, little snits and pouty dramatics. In her first couple years the "P" in PMS could have stood for "Permanent." For awhile there I thought that maybe her estrogen patch had fallen off.

I think IRL and major open wheel racing needs her more than she needs it. Besides, do most of the fans care about her performance or do they care how she relates to the female cop in the Go Daddy advertisement?
"I've ALWAYS wanted to be a Go daddy girl!"
Well, you certainly have the 'qualifications.'" (Both of them)

Hendrick kept Jeffie-Pooh from bailing with Ray by giving him a share of the business. Maybe IRL might do the same with Princess Danica? Who knows? It might be worth every penny.

[simple simon]

Let's try and cut through all the bull ..... when it comes right down to it isnt Danica the female version of Jr. ?

They each have a hook (Danica is a chick and Jr lives through his last name) .... and not much else imo

Yeah Jr has won some on the big tracks .... but i think that was a total team contribution much more then it was the talent of Jr

So, they both use their hooks to rake in the big bucks sponsors, legions of fans, and sell tons of crap ....... and in the end (with them both in 'what have you done for me lately' sports) neither of them have done much of anything on the track

Jr cant even come close to making the Chase .... and Danica .. well yeah she may be 5th in points, but in her series if youre not on the podium youre not anything

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by simple simon

Let's try and cut through all the bull ..... when it comes right down to it isnt Danica the female version of Jr. ?

They each have a hook (Danica is a chick and Jr lives through his last name) .... and not much else imo

Yeah Jr has won some on the big tracks .... but i think that was a total team contribution much more then it was the talent of Jr

So, they both use their hooks to rake in the big bucks sponsors, legions of fans, and sell tons of crap ....... and in the end (with them both in 'what have you done for me lately' sports) neither of them have done much of anything on the track

Jr cant even come close to making the Chase .... and Danica .. well yeah she may be 5th in points, but in her series if youre not on the podium youre not anything

All true. All true. I repeat: "So, coming to NA__AR for the competition has become secondary to being here solely for the money and the endorsements? It's become a sad little sport.