OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS THE AIR HAS BEEN ALIVE WITH IDEAS ABOUT THE MOVE FROM DEI BY JR. HIS DISTRACTORS SAY HE LEFT CAUSE HE DIDN'T GET WHAT HE WANTED AND THAT HE IS SPOILED, HIS FANS SAY HE LEFT CAUSE HIS STEP-MOM IS A MEANY AND WOULD GIVE HIM WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY HIS. AND A FEW OF HIS VERY STRONG FANS SAY I DON'T KNOW BUT I HOPE HE GETS WHAT HE WANTS. I SORT OF FALL INTO THIS GROUP.
IF WE LOOK AT A FEW OF THE THINGS HE MIGHT WANT WE GET SORT OF A MIXED PICTURE. DOES HE WANT MORE MONEY? I DON'T THINK SO HE'S GOT MORE NOW THEN HE COULD EVER SPEND, AND LIKE MICKY MANTLE I THINK HE WOULD PLAY FOR NOTHING. DOES HE WANT CONTROL OVER EVERYTHING, DON'T THINK THAT IS THE ANSWER EITHER, HE HAS SAID MANY MANY TIMES ALL HE WANTS TO DO IS DRIVE AND WIN. DOES HE WANT TO TAKE THE PLACE OF HIS DAD IN THE HEARTS OF NASCAR FANS, NO, HE LOVED HIS DAD TO MUCH FOR THAT , AND WE ALL KNOW THAT LIKE JOHN WAYNE, THERE WILL ALWAYS ONLY BE ONE DALE EARNHARDT.
HMMMMMMM, THEN JUST WHAT IS IT HE WANTS, WELL ONLY HE KNOWS THAT FOR SURE AND ONLY HE WILL EVER KNOW IF HE GETS IT, BUT HERE IS WHAT I THINK.
I THINK HE WANTS TO STEP OUT OF THE SHADOW OF HIS FATHER, I THINK THAT RATHER THEN WALKING BEHIND OR IN FRONT I THINK HE WANTS TO WALK BESIDE HIS FATHER. HE WANTS TO PROVE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER THAT HE DESERVES THE PRAISE AND ENVY THAT HE HAS RECEIVED. AND I THINK HE WANTS TO WIN AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE BETTERMENT OF NASCAR RACING.
NOW THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED EACH OF US HAS IN OUR HEARTS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE OUTCOME BE AND HERE IS MINE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE JR. GO TO EITHER RCR OR GIBBS RACING, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BLACK CHEVY BUD CAR WITH JR'S NAME ABOVE THE DOOR, AND THE NUMBER 83 PAINTED ON THE SIDE.
THE 83 WOULD BE A VISUAL SALUTE TO BOTH HIS GRANDFATHER AND HIS FATHER, THE TWO MEN WHO PUT THE FIRE IN HIS HEART AND THE GLEEM IN HIS EYE. I GUESS WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY IS THAT I THINK ALL THE ADO SHOULD BE ABOUT A YOUNG MAN'S EFFORT TO CONTINUE A TRADITION STARTED BY HIS GRANDFATHER AND CARRIED FORWARD BY HIS FATHER.
I honestly think that the main issue is that the DEI organization is less competitive due to the fact that thier shop is becoming outdated and needs to be brought current. Dale wants to win, has the ability to win, and the equipment is just not there recently. He said it best himself, he just wants to be able to compete and have a chance to win. With the way Theresa is running things that is less and less likely each week. If he gets with a team that fields good equipment on a consistent basis, I look to see him as a NEXTEL Champ in the near future. I am of the common consensus that he will end up at RCR. Im sure he will do well. Those that hate on him and talk trash about him just being spoiled are confused in my mind, and are of the same dim wit of those that accuse gordon of cheating this year due to his momentum as of late. I say respect talent, and stick to what you can prove.
I fully agree with your assesment of the situation. I don't want the car to be black though. That would be more of staying in the shadow. Don't get me wrong I would love to see the black#3 on the track again but for Jr. to mve forward red and white Bud 83 is the way to go.
WELL YOU MAY BE RIGHT, BUT I REALLY LEAN TOWARD BLACK, CAUSE THEY DON'T MAKE ANYTHING DARKER YET. WHEN I SAW THE SPECIAL PAINT JOB ON JR'S CAR LAST SEASON AS A TRIBUTE TO HIS DAD I JUST FELL HEAD OVER HEELS FOR IT.
Gunny: I happen to agree with you as you know. I refuse to make predictions or wishes as to where or what Jr. will do. That is completely up to him..I will cheer him on in all his endeavors. :-)
good thoughts gunaquat with his team at dei the talent and knowledge is as good as any in nascar but it takes no dummy to see the downhill slide in performance and like most earnhardt fans i hope dale finds a way to be competive if he has competive equiptment ,his talent will find a way to win im a dale fan because he is a straight shooter and makes no excuses i truly hope he finds what he needs he is a good man!!!and we as fans need to get over ourselves as dale has been walking in his own footsteps for a while!!
It is really a one team race unless Mears gets fired. RCR has the #3 and #33 lined up. Hendrick needs to lose a driver. Gibbs has a strict no alcohol sponser policy so unless Jr and Budweiser can seperate them from their morals then Look for RCR to land Jr. Ginn has thrown a hat in the mix and all I will comment on that is HAHA. Jr will have his choice and will probably announce after the All-Star event. I would love to see anyone challenge Hendrick at a plate track if the 4 car team was Jeff, Jr, Jimmie and Kyle. Teams would be racing for 5th. The fun would be the split of fans between Earnhardt and Gordon. Alabama might have it's own civil war. Talladega fans would be lost in confusion and it would be awesome to watch. In closing wherever you land Jr. I will be cheering you on and will support you. Go Jr.
PS. On a side note ticket sales for the DEI museum will go on sale a dollar a head in 2009 when Truex leaves and the featured exibit will be Dale Sr. rolling over in his grave because of Teresa's stubborness. Good Luck Teresa. You'll need it.
Great post Gunaquat. This situation is puzzling to me because I'm not sure that any of the places makes perfect sense for Jr.
Take Hendricks. I think that Rick would be more than happy to lose Casey Mears for Jr. However, can one team possibly be big enough for Gordon, Johnson, Jr. and a budding star in wildman Kyle Busch? I swear that kid has talent but if he doesn't learn when to back off he is going to get himself or someone else hurt. (knock on wood) That's alot of ego for one team.
Gibbs makes a little more sense. JJ Yeley would have to go, but like 3JrBud8 said, there is that Bud sponsorship. Plus it's similar to Hendricks. Tony Stewart is arguably one of the best if not the best driver in the sport. Denny Hamlin is like Kyle Busch in that he is another guy on the rise. Is the garage big enough for all three?
Then there is RCR. This makes the most sense in that Jr. instantly becomes top dog. He has solid teammates in Harvick and Burton but he becomes the man. However, does this keep him in Dale Sr.'s shadow? That is the one drawback.
If Ginn throws enough loot at Jr.s does he bite? What better way to step out and show you are your own man than by taking a new team to the top? If they can convince him that they will spend the money on equipment maybe he sets off on his own. This is the only place where that is possible.
The 83 is a cool idea Gunaguat. Maybe they could paint the car black and red. As I've been saying, whatever happens is going to be good. This will be a blessing for Jr. when it's all said and done.
WE SHALL SEE WHAT WE SHALL SEE, ALL I KNOW IS IF HE STARTS DRIVING A GARBAGE TRUCK IN A SMALL TOWN IN FLORIDA OR DALLAS TEXAS I WILL STILL BE A FAN OF HIS
HE HAS DONE JUST WHAT HIS DAD WOULD HAVE DONE AND ALL HE CAN DO NOW IS MOVE FORWARD TOWARD THAT FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP
As always, very well done. I haven't had time to get my new Jr. article on my blog yet, but I think you'll like my dream. Maybe we can get you to lift your glass as well!?!
Any cup, any drink, you are welcome any time. Got my Jr. article up. (Didn't mean to make anyone feel left out, just focused on the Musketeers.) I'll put a pot on, hadn't thought about those who may not partake of spirits! You, as always, are a true gentleman, and I would be honored to toast with you no matter the toast!
Gunaquat, I agree that Dale Jr. is wanting to walk beside his father's image. I think that Jr. really feels that DEI has strayed away from the plan that Dale Sr. had laid out for that organization. I know that Teresa was there for that plan, but somewhere along the line, it seems that Teresa or someone in that organization changed the plan. They are not putting cars out there that can compete with the Chevy super power houses, like Gibbs, Childress and Hendricks.
And I really feel that Dale Jr. feels that he and Kelly could have gotten DEI back on track. And with Kelly's knowledge of racing and the operations behind the scenes, she would be the perfect one to pull DEI out of the shadows of the other Chevy teams and put it back side by side with them.
Kelly has the know how, and Dale Jr. has the image. And let's face it Dale Sr. started DEI so that his children would have a place to carry on his legacy. DEI was started so that Dale Jr. would have a place to race and a place to succeed. And DEI should be in the hands of the Earnhardt Children.
I AM FROM OKLAHOMA AND HAVE WORKED IN THE FIELD OF YOUTH SPORTS AND RECREATION FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
I AM A FAN OF NASCAR, AND OU COLLEGE FOOTBALL. THINGS THAT ARE PUT ON THIS BLOG WILL USUALLY BE BASED ON THESE SUBJECTS , BUT NOT ALL THE TIME.
