Spotterman speaks his mind

Spotterman makes another appearance on SFC and add his two cents about last week’s Dover race, the COT and college football. What is interesting about his opinions is that he falls for one of the most common ironies of Nascar fans. That is the double standard of ‘criticism’. This double standard is lumping a lot of independent issues and blaming some broad entity, in this case Nascar (usually spelled NA$CAR) Its a lot like blaming ‘big oil’ for every cent price increase of a gallon of gas. Then conversely walking on eggshells with his criticism of his beloved South Carolina Gamecocks football team. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Here is a portion of Spotterman’s opinion of the Dover race and the COT in a thread he titled ‘BORING Race’:

“Obviously the last 50 laps or so were interesting due to all of the wrecks but how did you all feel about the first 350? I have never been so bored on the roof in my life! These guys aren't able to race hard in these cars. Give them some downforce, some softer tires and let's go racing. This is like watching a John Deere race.”

While there is little doubt that this past Dover race was a snoozer, laying blame on the COT and Goodyear might be a little bit misleading, especially considering the history of this track.

1) Dover’s first Cup race was in 1969 and was only 300 laps (300 miles). This race also must have been ‘boring’ with only 4 cautions and only ONE car finishing on the lead lap. (The 2nd place car finished 6 laps down)
2) Two years later in 1971 the race went from 300 laps (300 miles) to 500 laps (500 miles) and went caution free. Once again, only one car finishing on the lead lap.
3) Dover changed the racing surface from Asphalt to Concrete in 1995 from 1969 to 1994 the average number of cars finishing on the lead lap was less the 3 cars per race.
4) From 1995 to present with the Concrete surface the average number of cars finishing on the lead lap is just a little over 9 cars per race.
5) In all of the Dover races, the average cars finishing on the lead lap are just over 5 cars per race.

So maybe, just maybe the problem is not the COT or Goodyear, but the nature of the track itself. Would a softer tire make for a more ‘racier’ car? Probably, but are you willing to trade that for more tire failures? One has to just flashback a few years ago when Goodyear under Nascar’s blessing went to softer tires, and the teams whined after each failure. Then this issue is compounded by the fact that Dover races have a history of long green flag runs, thus making tire wear an even more of a priority.


Later in the thread however, Spotterman shifts gears and give an opinion on South Carolina Football. He expresses his displeasure over the loss to LSU (maybe the best team in the country right now though) with this comment:

“I can honestly say we were out-coached, in my opinion. Turnovers by the players definitely hurt us but that has to be the worst game Spurrier has ever coached since he came to South Carolina. He pulled the starting QB, didn't play the back that was so dominant on the first scoring drive and was asleep on the FG attempt, which with the fake led to a touchdown.”

Every one of these statements/opinions are fair and even justified. But then ironically Spotterman feels some need to quantify his statement with this:

“I am not bashing a team or coach I support just stating my displeasures on that particular game. There's always next week and in the end... Who am I to be a Monday morning quarterback? I'm no one which is why I'll remain a fan and let the folks that know how to make NCAA football exciting do their jobs. We could all rant and rave when our teams don't do well but if you haven't walked in their shoes you need to lace your shoes up and zip it. I'm lacing and zipping as I type... You either support a team or you don't.”

The irony is that for some reason his opinion about the COT and Goodyear is justified and ‘okay’, yet on the other hand his displeasures of the Gamecock effort need some back peddling as in is own words, he is ‘just a fan’ and that he should ‘and let the folks that know how to make NCAA football exciting do their jobs’. For some reason, this doesn’t apply to Nascar, and thus the irony. You either support Nascar or you don’t…right?

But Spotterman is not alone as this is very common among Nascar fans. (Myself included) While I don’t agree with his opinion of ‘fixing’ the COT, his opinion is noted. And he is probably dead on about the Gamecocks and their head coach, as in the coming games and years as they will experience much success.

CoockaDooodleDoooo!!!!

and oh yea….BOOMER SOONER!!!!!

The Best 17th Place Finish is Nascar History?

You hear the cliche all the time in other stick and ball sports where someone says, "you wont see that on the stat page tomorrow morning" and nothing could apply more to the 19's team effort from Dover.

I don't think there was one instance where the 19 car actually improved his position 'on the track', but did manage to salvage a nice finish through good pits stops, a spotter who has cat like reflexes guiding his driver through wrecks, and a driver who listens to that almost 'psychic like' spotter.

Starting 12th, the 19car almost immediately began sporting the now patented 'falling back through the field' with an ill handing car to the high 30s in the field. It's like a broken record hearing 'loose on entry, tight in the middle, loose off', repeat as needed.

But sometimes it is not how fast the car is (even one that really was only a tenth or so 'off') but how the whole team reacts. The crescendo came with just a handful of laps left in the race when the 'big one' happened just in front of the 19car, and the plethora of 'back it down, back it down, wave em off' by spotterman and the presence of mind of the driver to slow his car without flat spotting the tires. That exchange won't go in any record books, but probably was the difference from finishing 17th compared to the possible 34th. So the next time we hear about how 'bad luck' played into a finish, the opposite is true for this week's Dover finish.

And lastly:

I thought upstart Denny Hamlin showed much maturity and restraint with ole guard driver Kyle Petty. While on the track Hamlin may have made a bonehead move, off the track he remained calm and simply watched Petty make himself look foolish.

Score one for a 'young gun'.

LEAVE ELLIOTT ALONE!!!!!

LEAVE ELLIOTT ALONE!!!!

A tearful Britney Spears fan named Chris Crocker posted a passionate video called "Leave Britney Alone"! [video below] on YouTube after the pop star’s disastrous MTV Awards performance. Crocker’s video has become an instant YouTube hit and has gotten about 4 million views.

If Chris Croker was a Nascar fan, I’m thinking his next YouTube video might look something like this!

"How friggin dare anyone out there make fun of Elliott Sadler after all he has been through. He lost all his eye candy, he went through a nasty break-up. He has 80 gazzillion friggin dogs. His sweety turned out to have a mind of her own, and now he going through a custody battle over those dogs!

All you people care about is…........ readers and making money off of him.

HE’S A HUMAN!

What you don’t realize is that the ‘Southern Gentleman' is making you all this money and all you do is write a bunch of crap about him. He hasn’t performed on the track in years. His latest Track Side Live bit is called “worst car ever” for a reason because all you people want is MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE.

LEAVE HIM ALONE!

You are lucky he even raced for you BASTARDS!

LEEEAVE ELLIOTT ALLLLLONE!…...........Please.

Mike Helton talked about professionalism and said if Elliott was a professional he would’ve pulled it off no matter what. Speaking of professionalism, when is it professional to publicly bash someone who is going through a hard time. Leave Elliott Alone Please….

Leave Elliott Sadler alone…right now…......

I MEAN IT!!!!

Anyone that has a problem with him you deal with the Tartan, because he is not well right now. leave him alone!!!!!"


This could almost double as 'hate' email I receive especially with the justifications and excuses given. But they are good for a giggle now and then.


And just in case you have been living under a rock the past couple of weeks, here is the original clip.
'Leave Britney Alone"

Say it ain't so, Roger

So NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell slams the hammer down on the New England Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick. The sanctions and penalties levied were fining the head coach $500,000, the Patriot organization $250,000 and have to forfeit either a 1st round pick or a 2nd and 3rd round pick next year. But what did they really do?

The Patriots were guilty of breaking a very vague rule of 'recording (or stealing) defensive signals', which in Nascar terms is about the same as proving the intent of having a car fail post race inspection for having the left front fender measuring 'too low'. But here is the catch, the NFL before the season started specifically warned the Patriots to not do this very thing. Does this sound a bit familiar with the Nascar warning to teams before Speed Weeks this past February?

But the real problem here is the inconsistency of NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell's sanctions this year. He suspends former Bears quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson five-games and $100,000 fine for purchasing over the internet HGH (Human Growth Hormone) for his personal use to counter diabetes by normalizing sugar metabolism gradually. There has not been any proof provided to the NFL that any HGH was funneled to players or that it ever left Wilson's home.

Adam "Pacman" Jones was also suspended for whole season for off-field incidents with the law along with Chris Henry who was suspended for 8 games.

But the message the NFL is sending is clear, have illegal substances, even as a coach, continue to get arrested and plan on getting suspended. get caught CHEATING on some vague rule and get a slap on the wrist with some monetary fine, and no suspensions. Some might say that losing a 1st round draft pick is hash, but what they are forgetting as that the Patriots will have another 1st round draft pick as well.

We ask Nascar to publish their rulebook and have specific penalties for violations, but somehow the NFL 'gets away' with the same thing by allowing the Commissioner to subjectively access penalties as he sees fit.

Sounds alot like the NCAA, the NBA, MLB and the list goes on and on, it is not just Nascar.

A Train Wreck Right Before Our Eyes, Elliott Sadler style

While watching College football most of Saturday and Saturday evening, I still had the presence of mind to use the greatness of the Internet and Trackpass to help me keep up with the Nascar race.

It was just a little bit after the cross flags when the scanner chat of the 19 radio came to a crescendo. But what many may not realize, this is not anything we have not heard over the scanners before from the “Southern Gentleman” and if he holds true to form, the over/under of how long it will take for him to have a complete meltdown on his Crew Chief is about 3 races.

I wish I had a dollar for each time Sadler makes the comment that “this is by far the worst race-car I have ever driven”. This has become as much as a weekly comment as his second favorite, “I think I have a tire going down”, only to hear the Crew Chief after an unscheduled pit stop comment that ‘all the tire pressures were up’. But it is a sad day when they owner has to come on the radio and attempt to keep the driver clear and focused because of the driver’s comments which once again indicates that he has ‘given up’ for the night. The “Southern Gentleman” sounded more like he was in kindergarten and had to miss recess because he was in trouble. It was borderline ‘pouting’.

The last time the ‘Southern Gentleman’ had a meltdown like this, he was dropping F-Bombs on the scanner towards his Crew Chief and Crew claiming that ‘Since you guys are not F-ing doing anything, why don’t you ask…….. What I did wrong?’ (After Nascar re-aligned some of the field under a caution) This was in his final season with RYR.

Then there was the conversation that began with ‘Brett, what position am I running in’? Being human, it seems that Spotterman could not give his usual immediate answer as he was ‘taking a break’. I guess red flags are good for something! But soon the conversation shifted and what could have been a simply ‘honest’ comment by the Spotterman, or it my have been a brilliant move to turn a “pouting child’s” attitude around. Spotterman made the comment that ‘everyone up here (the spotterstand) are checking their Blackberries for College Football scores.” Sadler responded with ‘How did the Tarheels do?” Brett responded with “Tarheels got beat by 3, E”. Sadler then asked how Brett’s South Carolina team did, and with a chuckle the response was "Cockadoodle doo baby!"

So much for the ‘Hokie Club’ membership and allegiance the “Southern Gentleman” was claiming earlier in the season! But it was a classic move by Spotterman to deflect some of the negative attitude that was spilling out of the 19 car.

And lastly from off the track, a couple of weeks ago the “Southern Gentleman” denied having ANY contact with former sponsor M&M/Mars.

"I haven't talked to them…….I don't see it happening to be honest with you. I haven't really talked to the guys.”

This statement reeks with semantics, especially coming from someone who just a little over a year ago for months denied ‘talking to EMS’ and owner Ray Evernham, only to be named the driver of the 19. That spin has been well documented before.

This statement takes another twist when you see Spotterman on SFC, countering articles claiming that M&Ms/Mars have a clause with RYR, that they cannot sponsor a Sadler driven car until after the ’08 season.

While M&Ms/Mars has not made their ’08 plans public knowledge, they have privately and internally made a decision on which direction they will be going next year. Is it with the ‘Southern Gentleman’? Maybe, maybe not. Has the ‘Southern Gentleman’ personally spoke to M&Ms/Mars? Probably not, but I would bet the farm that his representatives have and know exactly where M&Ms/Mars will be next season.

This spins better than the 19car after a few ‘chassis changes’!

This is a must read

I couldn't have said it any better and this blog echoes what I have been saying for a couple years now. Of course it is no fun watching the 19 literal go backwards on the track each week, but it is even worse when one is only considered a 'fan' by how much they 'pay'.

Short Cut

Lost in the Chase

With all the talk of what the 8 car has to do in order to make the chase, one item seems to be overlooked. That 100 points docked for using illegal wing brackets during pre-race inspection at Darlington. I can almost hear the 'what ifs' from the Junior Nation if the 8 car does finish within 100 points of the 29.

Its Labor Day weekend

This holiday weekend marks the beginning of one sport’s season, and the beginning of the end of another. It is a great time of year, but not without a bit of controversy.

The ‘old guard’ Nascar fan still stings from not having the ‘tradition’ of the Southern 500 in Darlington. It is ironic that they feel this way however, as many of their claims originate from their perceived ‘greed of Nascar’. While there is no doubt that Nascar is financially strong, and yes does generate large profits, there is a key reason for this.

The ‘old guard’ still wants to see races on a ‘regional level’, in venues that are near the ‘roots’. While this is convenient for them, they also want to see nationwide sponsorship for their favorite drivers. The problem is that one can’t have that both ways. If one desires Nascar to ‘keep it’s southern roots’, then don’t expect to maintain the nationwide exposure (i.e. sponsorship) and TeVee time.

Will there be some empty seats at Caly this weekend? Probably. But the total race attendance will still be significantly greater than if the race was held at its ‘traditional venue’. Plus, (like it or not) the opportunities for untapped exposure of the sport to new and potential sponsors are much greater in Southern California, than in South Carolina. And remember, the last half dozen or so Southern 500s had empty seats as well. That fact maybe more of a product of the holiday weekend and not the race venue.




Labor day weekend also makes the start of the College Football season and for many, it can’t get here soon enough. Here are a few items to prime the season.

This weekend, it begins. It's what many of us have waited ALL YEAR for. If I stop long enough and really think about it.......it brings chills.

What really is important in life? The really important stuff are our spouses, our children....family.

Of course that IS number one.

But we are part of that unique obsessive breed that love and adore college football. Others not in this category say.....'It’s just a game.' Technically they are correct. But in reality it's not just a game. It is a very important part of our lives. It is a vital fuel that keeps us going and gives us strength.

During World War II the American public went to movies to get that precious moment of 'escape.' A moment where we could escape and dream and hope during very difficult times as loved ones fought for our freedom.

Today, for many, the escape in the fall is College Football. We love hearing the bands, the roar of the crowd, and our devotion to those on the gridiron that we don't even know become our heroes. Our devotion to our sport is somewhat bizarre. Here's a unique mind experiment. Let's say, for example that one-year for some unexplained bizarre reason that the entire squad of Oklahoma decided to transfer to LSU and the entire squad of LSU decided to swap and transfer to Oklahoma. It wouldn't matter.......that's OUR TEAM no matter what the players names are. We don't know the players but they are OUR guys and that's all that matters.

The NFL?......that is the arena where we get to watch 'our guys' get their monetary reward and we are happy for them and want them to succeed. But pro ball isn't college ball. College football is where the true glory is.

Why are college stadiums on the whole so much bigger than pro stadiums? Ask any NFL player that had the unique opportunity to play in the NCAA championship game and the Super Bowl and they will tell you.......NOTHING compares to the college game. Even crucial rivalry games are more important to them than the Super Bowl.

We live through them. We smell the grass, we hear the roar of the crowd, we, in some way, experience the glory they are feeling. We (the crowd) are that other player on the field that cheered and pumped them up to achieve victory. In a way we are a part of 'our team.'

College football isn't 'just a game.' It's an essential and deeply important and psychological part of our lives that even helps us to be better people. Yes, we lose games we shouldn't lose and we 'give up' and want coaches fired and we get on message boards and threaten physical violence to our opponents simply because it draws out the 'passion' in our very being. It's part of the fueling process.

It's not just a game. Every single sportscaster and analyst will tell you......this is the greatest time of the year. No other sport brings out passion like college football. If you don’t believe me, the best example is even Nascar related. Try walking through the camping areas during the fall Dega weekend, and it really doesn’t matter if it is Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. You will see the college football passion first hand. It’s everywhere and just as prominent as the race itself.

Wanna see some passion?
A poll of 42 college football coaches has found some consensus — the Pac-10 Conference has the worst referees. In other news: the Pope is Catholic, water is wet, and the Texas Longhorns still sucks!

Real Quick

Watching the CTS race at Bristol last night, a few observations:

1) The new surface is very, very, very, very, very smooth

2) There is actually another, higher (at the very least a half groove) to race in (maybe even two grooves)

3) This is now a 'race track', not a 'fan spectacle'.

4) There will be a significant number of fewer cautions Saturday night because the 'chrome horn' will not be as much a factor as in the past.


I'm looking forward to watching this race.

Some Unfinished Business

A little over a month ago the University of Oklahoma athletic department, for the seventh time was found guilty of ignoring the NCAA rulebook. A book that is very much like the Nascar Rulebook in that it contains some very vague rules and interpretations. But I regress.

Just over 50 years ago the football program was cited for it’s first infraction of "improper transportation; extra benefits; improper recruiting inducements". This most recent infraction was for "impermissible extra benefits – payment for work not performed and failure to monitor”.

On the surface, one could look at OU as the ‘Rick Hendrick Motorsports of college football’ and after all the school’s nickname, ‘Sooners’ actually honors people who jumped the gun and ‘stole’ their claims back in the 1889 Oklahoma Land Run.

But what one might expect didn’t actually happen.

So what really did happen in Norman?

Yes, two starters and non-scholarship walk-on did indeed receive money for work they didn’t do at a local and well-known car dealership in Norman. It was no secret that Oklahoma athletes were (by NCAA rules) legally employed by this dealership, and in fact, many of the athletic department staff leased or purchased cars from this dealership as well. OU was ultimately guilty of breaking NCAA rules by failing to completely monitor athlete’s employment and maybe more could have been done on the front end, but that is up to much conjecture.

However, it is what took place on the back end that makes me proud to be a Sooner and especially how head coach bob Stoops conducted a real investigation, made a quick (and tough) self-punishing decision and showed the rest of the college football nation that there is a right way to handle things when those things go horribly wrong.

"You have to step up. I have a program built here for the long haul and this didn't change that." Bob Stoops

Some readers may simply call me a ‘Homer’ and just turning a blind eye to ‘my team’, a team that is a repeat offender after all, there should not have been this scandal in the first place. Furthermore, they should have had plenty of practice and it is about time OU did right in the first place?

In reality, OU handled this even by NCAA standards in a manner that maybe considered unprecedented in college football history. Lets look at the time line of events.

On March 3, 2006, the school received an anonymous email claiming some football players were being paid for essentially a no show job.

There is not a university in Division 1A that has not had to deal with an allegation like this, but the nature of even sending this allegation anonymously would tend to be ignored, deleted or simple delayed before being sent to the proper authorities.

OU did not hesitate to investigate immediately and conducted interviews, retained facts and narrowed down the potential list to just a few suspects. The coaching staff and Stoops not only didn’t resist but also actively aided to this investigation, even if that meant the possibility of losing the starting Quarterback, and a starting offensive lineman.

There was one huge stumbling block in this investigation and that was to legally access the players in question private tax records, the players would have to sign a waiver voluntarily. The players didn’t have to turn these records over, and their refusal would have delayed this investigation perhaps years. Unlike another school that has won recent multiple National Championships and an Upper Mid-West School as well, Stoops refused to ‘throw up his hands’ and fall back on the ‘let the investigation take its course’ (and stall) Stoops told the players they could either sign a waver to release the records or never play another down for him.

"Those players didn't have to sign their waivers to get all of their tax information. But I knew for me, they are not going to play for me unless they did because if they are not going to give us all of the information, then something isn't right." Bob Stoops

The guys turned over the incriminating info and on August 1, he and department officials interviewed the players. The next day they were dismissed from the team, even as it seemed to crush OU's chances of winning the Big Twelve championship.

"It was the right thing to do regardless of the consequences." Bob Stoops

On August 21, less than three weeks after completing the investigation and less than six months after that first tip, the school sent the NCAA an initial report. The NCAA came and did its own investigation and in July, the major infractions punishment came down – some minor scholarship losses, probation through 2010 and the forfeiture of eight victories back in 2005.

For years schools have ignored, denied and covered up original charges and then resisted when NCAA investigators tried to do their job.

Many schools prefer to launch an investigation that is as much eternal as internal. The goal is to drag things out, keep stars eligible and eventually come to a determination years later. After wasting vast sums of money with an NCAA-connected law firm, the school will then complain that any possible sanctions aren't fair since the kids currently playing had nothing to do with the long ago crime and will be unfairly punished.

This time, OU did it right.