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’!