[Jeffrey4396]

NASCAR takes ABC to task for 'boring' race: Almost everybody who watches TV sports is an instant critic. One exception: Sports leagues themselves, who almost never publicly criticize the networks that cover them. And when it comes to ESPN, and its various TV platforms including ABC, the last criticism you'd expect is that the worldwide leader in hype wasn't enthusiastic enough about something it had paid to cover. But NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston, in a blog posting on nascar.com, specifically knocked ESPN/ABC's coverage of Sunday's Sprint Cup race in Talladega, Ala. At issue: Whether the race was boring.
Usually, TV sports analysts go to great pains to avoid even hinting what they're showing is boring. But Poston suggested ESPN/ABC analysts, including Dale Jarrett, "certainly weren't happy with the race and felt compelled to remind viewers of that virtually every lap. ... And along the way, ABC missed a lot of very good racing." On Sunday's race on a long track with steep banks, NASCAR cited safety reasons for prohibiting so-called bump-drafting to provide extra room between cars on turns. Although ESPN/ABC let viewers eavesdrop on driver Tony Stewart asking his crew during the race to tell him something interesting "so I don't fall asleep out here," Poston says the event had "seriously intense racing." ESPN, in a statement, said only that it had a "strong telecast" and had no comment on Poston's post.(NASCAR takes ABC to task for 'boring' race - USATODAY.com)

wow just wow

[jks812]

Wow is right. So Nascar is blaming the network for the race being boring? That's just crazy. They showed what there was. But isn't that typical nowadays to blame everyone but yourself for what you do? They make the race boring but it's not their fault, of course not.

[Robertdjr]

Nothing's ever wrong in lollipop land...

[erb224]

<rant>The race had it's boring moments, but the ESPN crew did nothing to make the race better. Who made them the police of bump drafting? I think they were mad that NA$CAR was so outspoken about the 'new rule'. NA$CAR has warned drivers that they could be penalized for years about bump drafting. THEY NEVER DO, so why worry about it? ESPN coverage is the worst. I'm thinking I'd rather watch a race on the network with the cartoon. </rant>

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Robertdjr

Nothing's ever wrong in lollipop land...

Dangit Robert... I just fell out fo my chair laughing

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by erb224

<rant>The race had it's boring moments, but the ESPN crew did nothing to make the race better. Who made them the police of bump drafting? I think they were mad that NA$CAR was so outspoken about the 'new rule'. NA$CAR has warned drivers that they could be penalized for years about bump drafting. THEY NEVER DO, so why worry about it? ESPN coverage is the worst. I'm thinking I'd rather watch a race on the network with the cartoon. </rant>

And just how would the ESPN crew make it better? The guys doin the broadcast just showed what was goin on. Could they have not aired the comment from Stewart? of course they could have opted not to, but they chose to show how it felt for the drivers. It's not ESPN's fault the race was boring, and there was nothing they could have said or done that would have got fans to believe different.

[mike honcho]

You can only polish a turd for so long.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by mike honcho

You can only polish a turd for so long.

exactly .

[BrianFranceFan]

Their is nothing they coulda done to make it better...but they only made it worse for me. All race long...it was hardly any talk about drivers moving up through the field. Throughout the whole race...all I heard was them talking about how the new rule has made this is a boring race. Complaining about something once is fine...but when you complain about the same thing over and over again...then it gets old!

[Robertdjr]

Originally Posted by BrianFranceFan

Complaining about something once is fine...but when you complain about the same thing over and over again...then it gets old!

Kind of like hearing about/seeing Jimmy Johnson over and over again all race long, right?

[jks812]

Originally Posted by Quality88

And just how would the ESPN crew make it better?

They could have got on the track with the espn trucks and raced. I bet that would have been better to watch.

[Bob Tanner]

This ranks right in there with the logic that the victim of a shooting was at fault because he/she was in the path of the bullet.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by jks812

They could have got on the track with the espn trucks and raced. I bet that would have been better to watch.

That would have been interesting

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

This ranks right in there with the logic that the victim of a shooting was at fault because he/she was in the path of the bullet.

You aint kidding

[wardfan]

I think NASCAR is just mad that they aired the racers comments of the race being boring and all but telling views watch some other channel for a couple of hours & come back for the end

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by wardfan

I think NASCAR is just mad that they aired the racers comments of the race being boring and all but telling views watch some other channel for a couple of hours & come back for the end

Hmmm...? I can see that line of reasoning. I wonder if Ryan, Vickers, Hamlin, Jeffie-Pooh, Smoke or Harvick will be caught "speeding" on pit road this week.

I bet the driver's meeting will be a hoot. Probably something to the affect of "No driver will grant a post race, or post wreck interview until he has been 'debriefed' by appropriate NA__AR personnel."