The Sports Guru

NASCAR has hit middle age. If sports, like people, can have a mid-life crisis then NASCAR is right in the middle of it. After years of being a grass roots sport, mostly popular in the south, stock car racing blew up in the 90’s becoming the 2nd most popular sport in the country behind the NFL. The death of Dale Earnhardt in 2001 only did more to bolster that popularity, and NASCAR continues to break attendance and viewership records every season.

That doesn’t mean the sports hasn’t gone through it’s share of growing pains, however. Eanrhardt’s pre-mature passing had a dual-edge effect on the sport, drawing popularity while at the same time spiraling NASCAR into a leadership abyss. Earnhardt was a leader on and off the track, and younger drivers respected him enough to follow his word and suggestion. If someone stepped out of line he was there to smack them back into line. He was the protector of the NASCAR “code” and people didn’t dare cross “The Intimidator”. Earnhardt and NASCAR were synonomous with each other.

Since his death, NASCAR has struggled to find a replacement. Drivers have become more and more reckless, with altercations seemingly happening every week. Issues that would have been resolved after a wekk or so have dragged on for months and many NASCAR races have taken a pro-wrestling tone with drivers throwing objects at other drivers and wrecking them on purpose. NASCAR diehards are becoming fed up.

The sport has also suffered a bit from all the popularity. Fans that were fiercely loyal to the sport in it’s infantcy are now becoming disinterested. Many of the old racetracks that were fan-friendly have been squeezed out of the schedule, replaced by mega-tracks with mega sponsers and mega-price tags for tickets. Instead of smaller towns in the south, NASCAR frequents Chicago, LA and Vegas. The fans that were the foundation that built NASCAR have seemingly been left behind, and the experience that was more burning rubber and motor oli has been replaced by pre-race concerts and clebrity appearances.

Major sponsership for it’s series changed from Winston to Nextel, further distancing itself from it ‘good ole boy’ roots. The ‘Chase’ format used to decide it’s champion has been a downer for traditionalists, though it has significantly increased interest in the sport, especially during the final 10 races of the season.

Now, on the cusp if it’s biggest race of the season, NASCAR has decided to drp the hammer on teams trying to gain a competitive advantage. Let’s face it, talk to any NASCAR fan and they’ll say cheating has been part of the the sport forever. Like baseball, an unofficial motto has always been “If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t tryin”. It’s always been a part of the sport that NASCAR publically spoke of removing, but whose actions said otherwise. Until this year.

Cheating has always been a part of NASCAR

Already before the race serveral drivers have been spanked for various rulles violations, including Michael Waltrip, whose three car-team is part of the initial entry for Toyota into the sport. Officials found an illegal substance in the intake manifold and levied the biggest fine ever, $100,000, plus indefinte suspensions of Waltrip’s Crew Chief and Competition Manager. Four other Crew Chiefs from other teams, including Ryan Newman, have also been suspended for various violations. Even Jeff Gordon got busted, for having quarter-panels that were too low after his qualifying race win yesterday, forcing the 4-time winner to start 42nd in the 43 car field.

I am all for enforcing the rules and keeping everyone on a level playing field, but NASCAR needs to be careful that the post-race inspection doesn’t become more of the story than the race itself. Think about it, the Daytona 500 is the Super Bowl of NASCAR, it’s biggest event. What if the NFL started calling holding penalties on every play during the Super Bowl. Or if umpires in baseball started enforcing pine tar rules during the World Series. Sure, they are the rules, but the Super Bowl, or World Series, are not the time to start becoming sticklers about the rules, especially when it has been overlooked for so long. What, you think these guys just started doing some of these things this year?

If NASCAR wants to clean up it’s sport, I am all for it. I have said many times that if NASCAR really wanted to send a message, and stop all the hijinks on and off the track, they would suspend the drivers. TOny Stewart wants to have road rage at 200 miles per hour? Fine, pull Stewart out of the #20 car for a few races and see what the fans, and more importantly Home Depot has to say about that.

NASCAR just needs to be careful. Growth is great, but like anything, too much too fast can make you forget how you got there and who helped ya do it. Let’s hope NASCAR remembers it’s roots, and stops trying to cater to the “next great thing” crowd, becuase when they find that next great thing NASCAR will need the core group they seem to be racing away from.

Technorati Tags: NASCAR, Michael Waltrip, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt, Daytona 500

Here it is, a cleaned up, slimmed down SportsGuru.com.  I hope you like it.  Upgraded to the latest version of Wordpress, the site is more stable, and more visually appealing in my honest opinion.  What do you think?  Contact me and let me know at TheGuru@thesportsguru.com!

I know this site is geared sports, but every once in awhile I like to throw something to the masses and get your opinion.  I am sure you have all read about or heard about Genarlow Wilson, a former high school football star currently 2 years into a 10-year prison sentence, convicted on aggravated child molestation charges.

You can read more about it HERE, but in short, Genarlow was at a party and received oral sex from a 15 year old classmate.  In Georgia, the law was a bit outdated you see, it was a misdemeanor for teenagers less than three years apart to have sexual intercourse, but a felony for the same kids to have oral sex.  Instead of a slap on the wrist, Wilson was facing major time, and the “sexual predator” tag that goes along with it.

Unlike two of the other players charged with Wilson who plea’d to lessor charges, Wilson did not want the tag, and what being a sexual predator brings along with it.  He was found guilty by a jury, who later was incensed when they learned that the minimum sentence was 10-years without possibility of parole.

Even better, Georgia has sinced changed the law to include oral-sex in the misdemeanor, but did not allow the law to work retro-actively to past cases.  In short, Wilson will spend the next 8 years in prison for a crime that isn’t a crime anymore, and never really was meant to include 17 and 15 year-olds, but to punish pedophiles.

I understand that the law is the law, but at the same time we watch criminals given leniency all the time.  Drug dealers, murderers and the like are set free all the time.  Everyone in this case knows Wilson has been wronged, but no-one will help.  It is a true breach of justice.

If you’d like to learn more about the case, head over to Wilson Appeal.com.  I am not passing my beliefs on to anyone, I just ask that if you read the details of this case you might want to sign the petition.  Georgia law-makers are in the process of looking at a revision to the law that would allow Wilson’s legal team to get Wilson free’d.

Please let me know your thoughts on this matter, and thanks for letting me rant!

Technorati Tags: Genarlow Wilson

Hello All…The site is going to be undergoing a major upgrade in the coming weeks. It might actually be breaking up into a couple different sites, but a final decision hasn’t been made.

Head on over to MileHighReport.com to keep up to date with what is going on in the NFL, and check back often to see what happens here. With a new version of Wordpress coming out in a couple weeks, as well as my Podcast launching around the same time, it is a good time to re-align some things and clean up some others….

Thanks again, and head on over to the MHR!!!

TSG

Ok, I admit it.  I was watching the NFL Network.  Watching 5 or 6 different seemingly meaningless preseason games when on came a commercial.  I flipped around and came upon the U.S.Open and Andre Agassi.  At the time he had just lost the 3rd set, but was still leading 2 sets to 1.  Immediately I became fixated on the action.  I am the Sports Guru, mine you, and this site encompasses all sports big or small, team or individual.  For anyone not into tennis, or Agassi, all of this is a big deal because Andre announced his retirement effective after the Open.  Every next match could possibly be the last.  Being the sports fanatic that I am I couldn’t miss this.  It’s not often when you can watch a legend compete for the last time.  I remember watching this same tournament a few years ago when it was Pete Sampras preparing to leave the stage.  He was facing  Agassi in the Final.  That night the crowd was with Sampras.  He beat Agassi, and rode off into the sunset.   Now it is Agassi’s turn.  20,000+ screaming Americans at his side.

It reminds me of another U.S. Open, and another over the hill legend looking for one last chance at glory.  It was 1991, and Connors was 39.  Way too old to compete in such a young man’s game, a game dominated by young men in their early 20’s.  But there he was, feeding off the spirit of the Flushing, NY crowd, charging all the way to the Semi’s before finally caving.  But what a ride it was.  For players and fans alike, 2 weeks that will never be forgotten, that transcended sports.

Back to this night, Agassi’s night.  It is only the 2nd Round, but the atmosphere is electric.  People want to see the magic, they want 1991 and Jimmy Connors back.  Agassi has been down and out before, first as a phenom that was too rebellious to succeed.  It was always the focus of a champion that seemed to elude Agassi, and his critics were quick to point out he may never gain it.  He did, in fact gain the focus, and it lead him to 8 Major Titles, including the career Grand Slam, something Pete Sampras was never able to accomplish.

Agassi has been mch more than a tennis layer, he has transcended his sport.  He became a media darling, pitching everything from credit cards to cameras.  He was once married to Brooke Shields, and lived the Hollywood life.  On the court, however, he was dominant.  There were better grass court players, better clay court players, better hard court players.  But as a total package, Agassi was one of the best.

The marathon has just ended.  Agassi prevails and continues.  The story isn’t over, the clock yet to strike midnight.  Tonite, somewhere, Pete Sampras is smiling.  Tennis fans are smiling.  Guys like me, who wouldn’t consider themselves more than casual observers, are smiling.  And without a doubt, Jimmy Connors is smiling.  The magic is back, and Andre Agassi just pulled a rabbit from his hat.

Technorati Tags: Andre Agassi, U.S. Open, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras