Thursday, June 14, 2007
Sports columnist Aaron McFarling: Fans see red, but drivers see green
Aaron McFarling
Recent columns
Looks like some racing fans are going to need to get to work in the bullpen this off-season.
Just think of the precision now required out of those throwing arms! It used to be they could hurl a beer can at Jeff Gordon in Victory Lane with minimal risk. At best, they'd hit him; at worst, they'd hit the pavement and splatter one of his crew members with suds.
Either way, good times.
Now a slightly errant toss might hit -- gulp -- Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is approaching Gordon to -- gasp! -- give the Rainbow Warrior a congratulatory hug.
It's the new NASCAR, all right. And all joking aside, it's a dilemma for those who love to hate.
Earnhardt's announcement Wednesday that he would sign with Hendrick Motorsports, thereby becoming Gordon's teammate for at least the next five years, has prompted a lot of comparisons. Red Sox star joining the Yankees. Young Hatfield signing up to work for Mr. McCoy. And my personal favorite, from a question asked at Wednesday's televised press conference: Bear Bryant's son going to play football for Auburn.
Here's what it actually is: A reminder.
It's a reminder that no matter how much enmity might exist in the stands, no matter how many "I root for two teams" T-shirts and Calvin-doing-his-thing window decals are sold, rarely does it actually manifest itself on today's playing fields and racetracks.
Football players from rival cities embrace after games. Baseball players go out to dinner with the enemy when the enemy comes to town.
NASCAR is no different. As long as the paychecks clear, who has time for bad blood?
So it should come as little surprise that Earnhardt, who never hated Gordon so much as he hated getting beaten by him, was willing to tick off a few of his fans by joining Hendrick. All Rick Hendrick does is hoard talent and win. His drivers have taken the checkered flag in 10 of 14 races this season, including four wins for Gordon.
For a guy who said his main reason for leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. was to win a championship, this was a no-brainer opportunity. The move will strip away any excuses about equipment and allow Earnhardt to find out how good he really is -- or isn't.
And the bottom line is, that's what most reasonable fans want, too. They want to see their driver running up front, no matter who signs his paychecks.
Earnhardt understands this. But he also understands how his fans might be uneasy with this new partnership, and he did his best to ease those concerns.
"I think that I'll still have that [drive], just as an Earnhardt, to beat Jeff Gordon," Earnhardt told reporters at the press conference. "It's always been there in the sport, and I think it will continue to be there. I think that you can have that kind of rivalry within Rick's program, within his business and it still be healthy."
Maybe. But it could also lead to some awkward racing next summer. Could you imagine seeing something similar to what we recently saw at Martinsville Speedway this April, when Gordon acquiesced in the final laps and let teammate Jimmie Johnson win?
What if that becomes Earnhardt tailing Gordon? Would Junior take one for the team and settle for second?
If he did, you might really see some cans flying then. And bullpen sessions or not, pinpoint accuracy wouldn't be much of a concern.
