2.20.2007

I ain't no gear head ... but I'm on my way

I'm still working on the Monday Morning Fallout -- yes, I realize it's Tuesday, but yesterday was President's Day, and I have a nursery to prepare with a baby on the way in a couple of weeks, so cut me some slack -- so here's a little somethig to whet your whistle until I get a chance to break down the weekend of college hoops.


I feel like I'm admitting something by saying that I not only watched the Daytona 500 ... I liked it.

There, I said it. I feel liberated.

I have to admit, I've never been much into NASCAR. I've tried and tried to get into it, but my lack of understanding of the finer points of what's going on -- the thing that makes other sports enjoyable to me -- always prevented me from appreciating it. However, I decided that I was going to watch this year's Daytona 500, figuring that so many fans can't be wrong.

I had a blast watching it, and I came away from the race hooked on the sport for a few reasons:
  1. Racing is spectacular in HD with surround sound. I had tried watching Daytona on an older TV in years past, and it doesn't even compare. The breathtaking views alone kept me interested.

  2. ESPN's new "NASCAR Now" that aired all week in the spot that is normally occupied by "Pardon the Interruption" was great. I originally was upset that PTI was taking a break, but I came away far more educated about the sport and its nuances, especially with all the suspensions and fines. I don't know how it came off to die-hard fans, but the fact that I now know what a manifold is was great for this newbie.

  3. That finish! Wow! I don't have a lot of knowledge about NASCAR's rules, but after that kind of a race, I can't see how NASCAR could have finished it any other way. It just would not have been fair, as the crash behind them had absolutely no effect on the leaders and did not present an unsafe situation. (As an aside, Martin's immediate -- and continuous -- lament of "I thought they were going to throw the yella" comes off as a bit of sour grapes.)
I do wish there would have been fewer crashes -- all of those breaks in the action, especially the last drawn out caution -- really steal away momentum. It was akin to a basketball game being stopped for 15 minutes because of a clock problem with two minutes to go in a tie game. But the bottom line for me? Had NASCAR chosen to end that race under caution, they definitely would not have hooked me as a fan. Now, I'll be tuning in next week to the Auto Club 500.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nuss, yur startin to scare me. I'm not against NASCAR, but millions of fans can be wrong. Just look at the WWE. I admit, I was twice enthralled by pro wrestling (onces as a six year old and again as a drunk) but I'm not sure I'm totally sold on NASCAR just yet.

I tried to watch a bit when I was living in Spokane (fitting) but in never grabbed me. Probably because I don't understand all the little things involved. To me, it is just plain boring. But, that is what most Americans say about soccer, and they are stupid. Maybe I'm stupid too.

Nuss said...

That's exactly what stopped me. It just looked like dudes driving in circles. But watching that NASCAR Now show on ESPN really kind of let me in on some of the stuff they do, but in a way that I actaully could grasp.

The science of it is what kind of has me intrigued -- the stuff they do to try and make the car faster, the drafting and how that changes how each car performs, etc. I actually got to see it put into action in a race that was downright exciting.

Like I said: I'm not planning my weekends around the races just yet, but I'll definitely watch them if I'm home.

Dr Pezz said...

Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Yellow Flag, Leeeeft, Leeeeft, Leeeeft, Leeeeft, Left, Green Flag, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Left, Checkered Flag.

LOL - I just don't get it, science or not. :)

The real question I would be curious to explore is whether or not the drivers are athletes.

Nuss said...

Well ... what do you think? I do. If golfers are, they are.

Dr Pezz said...

Vehicle racers, jockeys, and the like are in a unique position because they ride something doing the majority of the work. I tend to say "no" they are not.

I could accept golfers (without the cart, of course) as athletes since the best conditioned, Tiger Woods, does seem to be dominating the field.

It's tough, though. Do we accept bowlers, gymnasts, billiards players, swimmers, and runners as athletes of equal standing? Personally, I don't but others don't split hairs in such a fashion.

The other argument that gets me in trouble is what should be considered a sport or not. I say anything solely judged (gymnastics, cheerleading, figure skating, etc.) is not a sport but an artistic competition among athletes. I also don't consider bar games sports or events where liquor doesn't affect the participants' results. :)

Nuss said...

Interesting thoughts ... All right, you twisted my arm. I think I'll have to do full post on it tonight ...

Anonymous said...

"1. Racing is spectacular in HD with surround sound. I had tried watching Daytona on an older TV in years past, and it doesn't even compare. The breathtaking views alone kept me interested."

I love you dude, but you're a douche. That's like the equivalent of saying, "Y'know, the movie Gigli is spectacular in HD with surround sound...." If I filmed myself shaving my back in HD, would you dig the breathtaking views of that as well?

Perhaps you've been sniffing too many paint fumes whilst putting the nursery togther. Perhaps your wife being pregnant has made you overall more sympathetic -- so sympathetic, in fact, that you could somehow sympathize with millions of inbred hicks with an average IQ of 76 who love watching other inbred hicks drive around in circles. They remind me of Zoolander where the guy is just too stupid to turn the opposite direction at the end of the runway.

On second thought, maybe I'm being too harsh. Wait, no I'm not. Because imagine my pain when I read that you not only had one, but THREE reasons you now like NASCAR. Remind me to punch you when I come home in July.

Nuss said...

Duly noted.

And, yes, even your back hair probably would look cool in HD. Erika says your back is sexy.

Jim Anderson said...

I wonder how curling looks in HD.

Anonymous said...

Ha ha! The joke's on you! I don't have any back hair! ...or chest hair. I've got a forest around my nips, though.