Bowles-Eye View · Thomas Bowles · Frontstrech - Monday July 23, 2007
As the 2007 season enters its final 16-week stretch, Sterling Marlin has recently found himself stretching for any help he can get – his career sidetracked by way of the unemployment line, courtesy beleaguered car owner Bobby Ginn. After releasing Marlin and fellow veteran Joe Nemechek this week due to team restructuring, Ginn made it clear that lack of sponsorship – both men were running without full-time support – proved the biggest motivation behind making changes to his team. Fans have been merciless in their criticisms ever since; for all I can tell, Ginn’s about as popular in NASCAR-land right now as Kyle Busch with Hendrick Motorsports.
In some ways, those fans have a beef. As I pointed out in Sports Illustrated two weeks ago, there’s no doubt Ginn hasn’t been the best of owners – right now, the way he’s running his team into the ground makes Britney Spears’ fall from grace look pleasant by comparison. But behind all the yelling and screaming from the old-time crowds and some of my fellow talking heads, Ginn does make one point about Marlin’s release that carries weight. To make an organization work at NASCAR’s top level, you need sponsorship to make it happen – and in order to snag sponsorship, you need to produce. Unfortunately for Marlin, now 50 and in the midst of what he claimed was his last full-time season, that hasn’t happened for quite sometime.
It’s not like the driver wasn’t given every opportunity to make things happen. After three crew chiefs plus an owner change, the No. 14 has been through several transformations – and none of them have worked. Twenty races in, Marlin’s lone distinction is the only driver to make every race and not come up with a Top 10 finish. When added to last season’s collection of disappointments, the best Marlin’s been able to come up with since sitting in this seat is a 9th at Richmond – over one year and 45 starts ago.
If those are the most recent numbers on your resume, it’s hard to get sponsors to invest in you, even if you once were a lucky break away from taking the 2002 Cup title. Ironically, should Marlin have held on that season he would be in high demand, the first in line for the Past Champion’s Provisional made famous this year for keeping both teams and careers afloat. But alas, a hard crash in Kansas kept Marlin sidelined for the final seven races that year– leaving him in the category of “better” and not the “best.”
Despite being repeatedly acused of "only" cutting and pasting, sometimes I think other authors are perfectly capable of summing things up very well. I think Thomas did that right here. Consequently, I see no need to add my 2 cents at this point. On the other hand, in the tradition of newsgroups, that later developed into blogs, I am happy to share this information with you and will gladly discuss it with you. Feel free to add your comments.
Some of you may recall that my children were in The Iowa State University production of The Music Man as a part of Stars Over VEISHA which is part of Iowa State's Annual VEISHA Celebration ( except on years following breaks in the action as a penalty for rioting the previous year that is, but that is another story). My children, ages 10 and 12 were in the ensemble. My daughter (12) was the leader of the girl pre-teens and my son (10) was Eddie , who wears his knickers "below his knees."
My daughter is in the black dress on the left. My son has the hat on right next to The Music Man (Harold Hill).
Well after this successful project, my wife and I decided our kids did well. This seems to be their calling. So we have given them opportunities to do more acting.
Consequently I encouraged my daughter to try out for the lead role in a local theatre production of Ruthless which was originally played on Broadway by Britney Spears. Well she didn't get the part. But no other little girl did either. The part went to one of the college girls who had been in Music Man.
However, while trying out, my wife and daughter noticed that the studio was going to do High School Musical . Last Tuesday night they tried out. Then they came home telling me they needed a 40 something year old man to play the basketball coach and that they had said that I could do it. Thursday night I went and tried out for a play with my wife for the second time in my life. And well, I got the part. My wife got the part of the drama teacher that argues with the coach in one big scene. And my daughter got the part of a cheerleader.
I hope this doesn't sound like bragging. Actually I am just so excited that I wanted to share the news with you guys who are all better friends of mine than you might think.
"But all this must be suffered by those who profess the stern order of chivalry" Most Interesting Blog, June 16, 2008 and six other occasions. Lisa awarded him Best "breaking news" blogger March 31, 2008. Blog of The Day, Christmas Day, 2007. edhardiman wrote, "Falco's tribute to Rocket Richard reminds us all the stars of today stand on the shoulders of giants..." October 23, 2007. Three Golden Swirrly p00p Awards (Hockey, NASCAR and Use of Graphics), FlyingPig, July 18, 2007. 2007 Memorial Day Weekend Trifecta sponsored by williamwilman . Featured on WFORacingFans April, 2007. "Stylin'" award, Dusty, February 07. "One of ten new bloggers to watch" Dudski, January 2007.
