Scanning the world of sports, you can find plenty of sports individuals and teams that so tick you off you want to call them out. Or throw them under the Bus. This is your forum to do that! I have a few that I'd like to throw Under The Bus.
NFL
Willie Andrews, CB, New England Patriots: this coward allegedly pointed a gun at his girlfriend during a domestic dispute early last Monday. At the time, the Patriots said they were aware of the report, but had "no comment." UPDATE: the Patriots released Andrews the next day. This thug does not belong on ANY NFL roster because he's a lawbreaker. If it is proven he did this, he should NOT be a free man for a VERY LONG TIME. Andrews gets thrown Under The Bus for being a thug and a dumb####.
Brett Favre: there's that rumor floating around that he may be unretiring. The Packers have moved on without him. Sounds like Aaron Rodgers is having his feet cut out from under him. Brett, you're one of the all-time greats, but enough already! For "tantalizing" us with the unretirement rumors, you get thrown Under The Bus (Cook).
NASCAR
"Fans" that threw debris on the track at Daytona: this is to you "fans" that threw debris on the track after Kyle Busch won. That was garbage. You are NOT true NASCAR fans. You are pathetic, miserable LOSERS. You can boo Kyle all you want and that's fine. But to throw debris at him after he wins a race? That's beyond the pale. Congratulations to Kyle Busch on his win at Daytona. And to you "fans" that threw debris on the track, you get thrown under the Bus, one "fan" at a time.
MLB
Milwaukee Brewers: they blew a five-run lead on Thursday. In the ninth inning. As a Dodgers fan, it PISSES ME OFF. You suck, Milwaukee. Your bullpen sucks. When you're up 5-0, three outs away from winning, and you give up the game, THAT blows. All they needed was THREE OUTS!! Yet their merry band of arsonists called the bullpen imploded. They proceeded to drag their gas cans out of the pen, soaked up that stadium with gasoline, then flicked their blue tips and burned down Chase Field. The Phoenix Fire Department was pretty busy that day. For that colossal gag job, the Brewers get thrown Under The Bus.
That's all I have for the week. What say you? Come on in with your nominees!
This week, Crappafoni Pictures brings you an Independence Day celebration of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, grilled BBQ style and served with all the fixin's and the beverage of your choice. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. An extra good for him for coming back from 37th to win. While he had a strong car all race, his car was the best at the end.
Carl Edwards: almost became first billing in this blog. Narrowly lost a drag race with Kyle Busch on the final lap.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: had a very strong car throughout the race, and between he and teammate Jeff Gordon, led 96 of the 162 laps in the race.
Mark Martin: his signing with Hendrick Motorsports must have buoyed his confidence, as he finished solidly in the top 5.
Patrick Carpentier: came out of nowhere to finish in the top 10, his first career top 10 on a superspeedway. Of the open wheelers, he seems to be adapting to NASCAR the best.
Joe Nemechek: Front Row Joe scored a HUGE top 5 finish, finishing fifth. It was huge not only for himself, but his team, as they were outside the top 35 in points and had to race their way in.
Honorable Mention: Johnny Sauter, David Ragan, Regan Smith.
THE BAD
Greg Biffle: as the 43rd place finisher, he gets the dubious first billing.
Jon Wood: had to race his way in and very early took his #21 Ford to the garage for major repairs. He returned to finish 7 laps down. He was actually running with the main pack after the major repairs and setup. Could the Wood Brothers go under in NASCAR's ever changing economic landscape?
THE UGLY
The Big One: this happened when Jimmie Johnson spun on the backstretch and collected several cars, among them David Reutimann, who tied a NASCAR record with FIVE free passes, eventually getting back on the lead lap. The cruel irony: Reutimann was back on the lead lap at the time of the accident.
The Big One, Part II: THIS one happened on Lap 162 and it involved Michael Waltrip, Travis Kvapil, Sam Hornish Jr., and Dave Blaney. TBO, Part II ended the race with Kyle Busch being declared the winner.
TNT's "coverage": while I liked the split screen, there were several instances that they could have cut away from the commercials to report events on the track. One such instance involved Kyle Busch dropping off the pace to 37th at one point.
It is that time of the week where you, Joe Six-Pack Fan, can call out those idiots, malcontents, ingrates, and general all around bad guys for their behavior that so pisses you off. Looking around the world of sports, there are PLENTY of sports figures that have earned the dubious distinction of being thrown Under The Bus this week. I have some sports personalities.
NASCAR
Juan Pablo Montoya: his tete-a-tete with Kyle Busch earned him a trip to NASCAR's equivalent of the principal's office, aka The Big Red Hauler. (Not to be confused with Big Red, one of JPM's sponsors) I will come correct on putting Kyle Busch in the Ugly category of an earlier blog, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. I will make up for it by throwing JPM Under The Bus.
Tony Stewart's Pit Crew: why on earth did they change two tires when they knew that rain was coming on the horizon? Especially when gas only was working. The crew cost Smoke a possible win. And as a result, Zippy and Company get thrown Under The Bus.
Jamie McMurray: I hate to do this to such a good guy, but I must. It appeared he had plenty of room to go around Dale Earnhardt, Jr. as Junior was entering the pits for his final pit stop. J-Mac plowed into him, tearing up his own vehicle and as he slid to the bottom of the track, he clipped his teammate David Ragan. Ragan lost control and hit the wall, ending HIS day. For being inattentive at an inopportune time, J-Mac goes Under The Bus.
NBA
Shaq: he dissed Kobe Bryant in a freestyle rap at a recent outing at a nightclub in New York City. The Big Chicken#### did this after last week's Who Would You Throw Under The Bus? was posted. Shaq's not escaping. Shaq, where were you when the Finals were being played? WATCHING IT ON TV, like millions of other Americans. Where was Kobe? PLAYING in the Finals. Shaq, grow the hell up. You won a ring without Kobe; give it a rest already. As if Kobe doesn't need any more motivation, this will fuel his fire even more to win a title without you. Shaq, and in the meantime, you get thrown Under The Bus.
Memphis Grizzlies: yes, you got O.J. Mayo. But you paid a pretty steep price to get him. You gave up Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, and another player. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves improved themselves by getting a fundamentally sound player in Love, a sharpshooter in Miller, and a couple of other serviceable bigs that will add depth to the Wolves' bench. When you allow Kevin McHale to fleece you, it will get you thrown Under The Bus every single time.
NFL
New York Giants: they got rid of the Hefty Lefty, Jared Lorenzen. They got rid of the WRONG QB. They should have got rid of Anthony Wright. For getting rid of the wrong QB, the G-men get thrown Under The Bus.
Houston Texans: it's going to take me a VERY long time to be able to root for this team again. They so screwed up David Carr while he was there he's shot mentally. They NEVER gave him a decent running game and a decent O-line while he was there. They allowed him to be a human pinata. Then AFTER they unceremoniously dump him in favor of Matt Schaub, they FINALLY work on building up a running game and an O-line. If the football gods are listening, the Texans won't win a Super Bowl while Robert McNair owns the team. In the meantime, the Texans get thrown Under The Bus.
MLB
Houston Astros: for allowing the Shawn Chacon/Ed Wade drama to reach new heights. This is one of the most dysfunctional teams in MLB. Drayton McLane needs to sell this team to a local group that WANTS to win. Chacon gets thrown Under The Bus for attacking Wade physically for refusing his orders/requests. Wade gets thrown Under The Bus for escalating the incident. Who's next?
TENNIS
Justin Gimelstob: he called Anna Kournikova a b***h and a #### and said some sexually charged remarks towards her involving his brother. Kournikova, to her credit, is taking the high road. Gimelstob, to his credit, took full responsibility for his remarks and apologized. However, you can't unring that bell. For his egregious lapse in judgment and for putting both feet in his mouth, Gimelstob gets thrown Under The Bus.
Ana Ivanovic: she lost early at Wimbledon. There goes LOTS of guys' reasons to watch Wimbledon in the first place. She's HOT. It wouldn't be so bad if she weren't the #1 seed. But she's the top seed and to lose in the second round IS reason to be thrown Under The Bus.
Those are my nominees for this week. Feel free to come on in with yours!
This week, Crappafoni Pictures heads clear across the country, to the great northeast, to present to you NASCAR's spaghetti western version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, served with a side of Bahston-style clam chowder. (Perfect for the rain at Loudon) Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kurt Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. Used great pit strategy to inherit the lead right before the rain came; otherwise, he was a sitting duck. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.
Casey Mears: had a strong car all day and was poised to steal a win before the rain came. Led more laps in this race than the entire season combined. He'll be a valuable asset to a team like GEM Racing. (Imagine the Casey and Kasey Show!!)
Elliott Sadler: E-Sad's car got stronger as the race went on. Like Kurt Busch, he benefitted from excellent pit strategy. A strong and much-needed top 5 finish.
Martin Truex, Jr.: while he was never really a factor to win, he kept the #1 Chevrolet in the top 10 much of the race.
Tony Stewart: led the most laps, but was snakebit again, this time by the rain. May have had the car to beat if not for the rain.
Denny Hamlin: spent nearly the whole race in the top 10. While he didn't lead a lap, he spent 267 laps in the top 10. Good job.
Honorable Mention:Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon.
THE BAD
Patrick Carpentier: a surprising pole winner, Carpentier quickly fell backwards, eventually finishing two laps down. He did lead the first four laps before giving up the lead to Kevin Harvick. On the bright side, he did collect 5 bonus points for leading a lap.
Haas-CNC Racing: both Scott Riggs and Johnny Sauter finished at least three laps down. It won't be that way if Tony Stewart buys the team and puts himself and Ryan Newman in those seats.
Paul Menard: no laps in the top 10, and was getting in everyone's way; he nearly caused an accident that would have collected Kevin Harvick and others. A field filler. When TEI closes its doors, he'll be out of a job.
Terry Labonte: why, oh why, did you come out of retirement? And to an organization that's in disarray? I get that you and your brother want to be teammates again. But PE is not nearly the organization it used to be.
THE UGLY
The Rain: kept the race from reaching its conclusion.
Jamie McMurray: he was involved in the last accident that brought out the caution, right before the rain came. He plowed into Dale Earnhardt, Jr. as Junior was entering the pits. Then he came down into the path of his teammate David Ragan and clipped him, sending Ragan into the wall and ending his day.
Kyle Busch: he and Juan Pablo Montoya had a little tete a tete during the last caution. They decided to play bumper cars. I'm sure had they had a Harvick-style confrontation, Montoya would have snapped the Shrub in half like a twig. Busch's boneheaded move nearly collected a few other cars right behind them.
Michael McDowell: his blown engine capped a crappy day. He did a good job in steering the car to the bottom, below the apron, and exited via a service road.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to chime in with yours!
Looking around the world of sports, there are many sports personalities and teams that have p****d you, the typical Joe Six-Pack Fan, off. I have some teams and personalities that have so ticked me off I could just scream. Here is the forum for you to sound off and call out those dumb@$$E$, idiots, and general all-around malcontents by throwing them Under The Bus. I have some nominees this week. Who do you want to throw under said Bus?
NFL
Marshawn ####, RB, Buffalo Bills: this genius stayed silent rather than cooperate with Buffalo police on a misdemeanor hit and run charge against him. Who the hell does he think he is? If he had come correct right away, all this would be behind him now. Instead, he subjected several Bills players, employees, and management to be subpoenaed. Now he's subject to being thrown Under The Bus.
Jevon Kearse, DE, Tennessee Titans: you're a 10 year veteran, with your second stint with the Titans. You're supposedly looked up to as one of the team's veteran leaders. And you get popped for DUI? What were you THINKING? Apparently you WEREN'T thinking. Mix in a cab or a limo to take you home. For knowing better and still being a dumb@SS, The Freak gets thrown Under The Bus.
NASCAR
Kevin Harvick: Happy, what on God's green earth were you THINKING late in the race? Why did you drive it into the corner WAY TOO HARD? You had a Top 5 LOCKED and LOADED into the standings, and you were poised to move up a couple of spots. You took out THREE good cars (Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray, and Ron Fellows) with that boneheaded move. Because of that idiotic move, you ended up finishing 30th. THIRTIETH!!! Now you're out of the Chase by two measly points. You finished 30th on a course where you finish in the top 5 IN YOUR SLEEP. For Happy, this continues a season-long slump. Now because of his bonehead move, Happy gets thrown Under The Bus this week.
MLB
New York Mets: they couldn't have handled Willie Randolph's firing any worse than that. You should have clipped him off during one of your long losing streaks. Instead, you allowed him to travel with the team to Anaheim to face the Angels. THEN you clipped him IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. After the first game of the series. I've got no problem with Randolph being clipped; what should have happened is that he should have got fired BEFORE the Mets went on the road. For their egregious mishandling of the Randolph firing, the Mets get thrown Under The Bus.
NBA
Los Angeles Lakers: losing by 40 to the Boston Celtics was inexcusable. It's okay to lose to the Celtics; they are the better team. But losing by 40 means you QUIT. I am very disappointed and disgusted by the Lakers' lack of effort. I hope the Lakers use this as motivation to win an NBA title next season. But until then, the Lakers get thrown Under The Bus.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours!
Crappafoni Pictures presents to you in high definition this week's The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, served with California wines and cheeses. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. Had the best car much of the day and as such he's earned his first road course win.
David Gilliland: an impressive career-best second place run by the native Californian, considering he's had a more down than up season.
Jeff Gordon: he turned a crappy car into a top-5 car at his home track. Home cooking has been good to him this week.
Clint Bowyer: excellent run. Was caught in the first caution by bad pit strategy. He decided to pit with his RCR teammates and the caution came out shortly afterward, locking him in excellent track position.
Casey Mears: like Bowyer, used excellent pit strategy to lock himself in great track position. Took advantage of the wreck that his fellow Bakersfielder Kevin Harvick caused to gain even more positions.
Honorable Mention: Juan Pablo Montoya, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth.
THE BAD
Kevin Harvick: a bonehead move not only cost him a top 5 finish, but he's in danger of missing the Chase. His bonehead move was that he went into the turn too hard and took out THREE good cars. The silver lining is that he's coming to tracks that have been good to him throughout his career.
David Reutimann: never felt confident up in the wine country of California. A late race crash was the capper to his crappy week.
Robby Gordon: for someone that was expected to contend, he was never really a factor. Finished three laps down in 36th.
Brian Simo: a field filler. He was the first driver out of the race just 20 laps in. This will probably be the only time this year I'll mention him.
Boris Said: see Robby Gordon. He finished even worse than Gordon, finishing 41st, 18 laps down.
THE UGLY
Marcos Ambrose: he had a GREAT run spoiled by an accident. The accident damaged his gear box and spewed oil and other liquids all over the track.
Kevin Harvick: rarely does a driver make both the Bad AND Ugly categories, but I must put Happy there. The Ugly being the result of dropping out of the top 12 and having to scramble to make the Chase. He'll make the Chase IF he doesn't make any bonehead moves the rest of the season. He needed a strong run at Sonoma and for the longest time it looked like he was going to be in the top 5.
Those are my nominations for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Welcome race fans! It's time to go old school dirt-track racing! Be prepared for brutal heat when you come to Central California in summer. The main event at Kings Speedway is The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly 150. One hundred fifty laps of sheer excitement and white-knuckle racing on a 3/8 mile clay oval. This is Bristol on steroids and HGH.
Let's take a look at the early favorites in this race. Tezgm99 was the last winner, at Infineon. He edged Forensic2 in a photo finish. Jon_464, the winner of the first race of the season, was plagued by tire issues and a speeding penalty on pit road during a green flag pit stop and never could overcome those. He finished a lap down in 15th.
With the win, Tezgm99 takes over the points lead, with jon_464 in second. Frevr3fan, Texascudaguy, and LisaH round out the top 5 in the points.
Expect a LOT of bumping and ####ing in this one, and perhaps some short fuses. There will be of####uty MP's to handle anyone that gets out of hand. I expect cars to be torn up, egos bruised and battered, and perhaps some bloodletting.
Crappafoni Pictures proudly presents this week's version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, presented with a Michigan twist.
THE GOOD
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. Congratulations on breaking a two-plus year winless streak! I've said that he'd win at a track that he wasn't expected to win at. Michigan qualifies for that! This was Chevrolet's first win at Michigan since June 2001, when Jeff Gordon piloted his Chevrolet into Victory Lane.
Kasey Kahne: had a strong car both early and late. Fuel strategy allowed him to finish a strong second.
Roush Fenway Racing: four cars in the top 10 will get you in this category. Jamie McMurray got a free pass, and his car got stronger as the race went on.
Red Bull Racing: Brian Vickers finished 4th, and A.J. Allmendinger finished 19th. Vickers may have had the car to beat had it not been for that last caution.
Tony Stewart: his car ran in the top 10 much of the day, culminating in a strong 5th place finish.
Elliott Sadler: finished strong in 9th. He had a strong car much of the day, spending much of it in the top 15.
Honorable Mention: Jimmie Johnson.
THE BAD
Dario Franchitti: as the last-place driver, he gets first billing in this dubious category. Better luck next week, D.
Juan Pablo Montoya: I think he unloaded a bad car and it got much worse as the race went on. He finished nine laps down.
Bill Elliott: the former champion has turned into a field filler. As recently as 2002 he was in the hunt for a championship. As much as I like Bill Elliott, I think it's time for him to hang up his helmet and enjoy retirement.
THE UGLY
Ryan Newman: the Daytona 500 winner had mechanical issues and spent a LOT of time in the garage. He finished in 42nd, 89 laps down.
Robby Gordon: a hard crash on Lap 152 ended his day early. He'll be a factor next week at Sonoma.
J.J. Yeley: had mechanical issues and spent time in the garage. He returned to the race to finish 87 laps down.
Dave Blaney: he brought out the first caution of the race when a rear axle broke. He returned to the race and actually picked up four positions through attrition. A sub-good for that.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Crappafoni Pictures presents to you the northeast edition of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. The spaghetti is on the side, with the main course being an authentic Philly style cheesesteak sandwich. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kasey Kahne: as the winner of this race, he automatically gets first billing. He had the best car all day and earned his win. Way to go Kasey!
Red Bull Racing: both of its drivers finished in the Top 15. Brian Vickers finished 2nd, and A.J. Allmendinger finished a career-best 12th.
Labonte Brothers: Bobby piloted the #43 General Mills Dodge to an 11th place finish. Elder brother and teammate Terry finished on the lead lap in his first race in a year. Good job guys!
Kurt Busch: a very solid top 10 finish for the 2004 champion. Perhaps this will turn his season around.
Kevin Harvick: he started 42nd due to a battery issue. Fought his way to a 13th place finish, a great finish considering his car was a marginal top 20 car. Kudos to Harvick's pit crew for getting the car better as the race went on.
Honorable Mention: Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jeff Burton.
THE BAD
Kyle Busch: what was he thinking when he was trying to beat Jamie McMurray to a spot early in the race? Bad Kyle. BAAAAD Kyle. He and McMurray made contact and Busch hit the wall, effectively knocking him out of the race. He came back later in the race but was unable to gain any positions, finishing 43rd.
Sam Hornish Jr.: he was involved in more than one accident. He finished 42nd, 69 laps down. Hopefully he'll rebound from this race and have better results.
Dario Franchitti: like Hornish, was involved in more than one accident. He couldn't seem to stay away from Hornish as they were involved TWICE.
Jason Leffler: finished 59 laps down driving the #70 Haas-CNC Chevrolet.
THE UGLY
Clint Bowyer and Juan Pablo Montoya: their crash started when Bowyer got loose on lap 82. Montoya had nowhere to go and t-boned Bowyer, causing major damage to both cars. Montoya's car eventually caught on fire. They both would eventually return to the race but would finish many laps down. For Bowyer, his Chase chances took a major hit.
TNT: the coverage was inconsistent at best, horrible at worst. The racing on several occasions was interrupted by unscheduled commercials that would run a few seconds before someone realized their mistake. OOPS! Since it was TNT's first race of the season, perhaps their coverage will get better.
Those are my GBU nominations for the race. Feel free to come on in with yours!
It's that time of week when you, the Joe Six-Pack Sports Fan, have every right to call out those idiots, ingrates, and general all around #####$ for their stupidity and arrogance. Time again for you to throw the object of your ire in the sports world Under The Bus. I have a few figures I'd like to throw Under The Bus.
NFL
Dallas Cowboys: this is a neverending soap opera with this team. T.O., Jessica Simpson vis a vis Tony Romo, now Pacman Jones. I suspect Jerry Jones is itching for a lockout in 2011. Yes they'll have a state of the art stadium in Arlington soon. Us non-Cowboys fans are frankly sick and tired of the whole thing. The Cowboys' soap opera gets thrown Under The Bus.
New England Patriots: Spygate won't go away. This is another team that thrives on high drama, particularly with Bill Belichick vs. the world. You used to be a team that people could get behind. Now you're perceived as cheaters. Please, save the drama for your mama. Until then, the Patriots get thrown Under The Bus.
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA): he wants Congress to punish the Patriots further. Senator, do us all a favor and INVESTIGATE WHY THE DAMN GAS PRICES ARE SO FREAKING HIGH!! Then do us all a favor and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! AND GET OUT OF OUR SPORTS!! Sen. Specter and ALL OF CONGRESS get thrown Under The Bus for being a bunch of do-nothing BLOWHARDS!!!!! Is it any wonder Congress' approval ratings are in single digits?
NBA
Joakim Noah, C/F, Chicago Bulls: he was in Gainesville kicking it when an officer spotted him holding an amber-#### drink, a violation of city law. At the police station, tree was found on him and he was promptly arrested. What the hell are you doing back in Gainesville? You shouldn't be back there unless there is a reunion of the Gators' national championship teams. You're an NBA professional now. At the very least, you're guilty of egregiously bad judgment. For your bad judgment, you get thrown Under The Bus. UPDATE: he accepted a deferred prosecution agreement, resulting in a fine and probation.
Rasheed Wallace, C/F, Detroit Pistons: his act has gotten old and tired. He had a HORRIBLE night when the Pistons needed him most. He single-handedly cost the Pistons a chance to win and force a Game 7 in Boston. My prediction: he won't be back with the Pistons next season. He is supremely talented (a definite top 3 talent when he's on) but disappears at the most inopportune times. Now the Pistons are going fishing for the summer. But before he goes fishing, Rasheed Wallace gets thrown Under The Bus.
NASCAR
Denny Hamlin: WTF was he thinking when he was going full speed on Lap 17 after the wreck was about to stop? He escalated the wreck and knocked himself and Elliott Sadler out and severely damaged SEVERAL other cars that were in the top 12 in points coming in. IF NASCAR had any BALLS, they would park Hamlin AND HIS TEAM at Pocono. He was driving with his head so far up his #### he could see out of his mouth. For being a blithering #### and driving dangerously, Hamlin gets thrown UNDER A FLEET OF BUSES.
Those are my nominations. Feel free to come in with yours.
In honor of the last race on Fox, Crappafoni Pictures presents to you the Monster-sized version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the winner at Dover, he gets first billing. He had a stout car all day.
Roush Fenway Racing: four cars in the Top 10, with Jamie McMurray sneaking in to finish tenth. It wouldn't surprise me to see RFR have four drivers in the Chase.
Jeff Gordon: to finish on the lead lap today was astounding, especially with Kyle Busch as stout as he was. He may have cost himself a chance at a win when he stayed out too long on green flag pit stops late in the race.
Martin Truex, Jr.: while he wasn't a factor to win, he had a solid sixth place finish, being the last driver on the lead lap.
Jeff Burton: was consistent again, finishing eighth. He did finish a lap down because Busch was so strong.
Honorable Mention: Jimmie Johnson, Dave Blaney.
THE BAD
David Gilliland: he was the cause of the Talladega-esque 11-car crash early in the race when he got into the back of Elliott Sadler and sent him spinning. Mayhem then ensued. There were a LOT of torn up cars after that one. More on the crash later.
Denny Hamlin: he escalated the crash when he went full speed through the carnage as other drivers were trying to pick their way through. He took out a number of cars in the top 12 in points. More on him in a later blog.
TV Coverage: is it me, or am I sick of the lovefest with Kyle Busch? They were having orgasms when Busch was leading (and eventually won). Perhaps TNT will be more impartial.
Honorable Mention: field fillers (you guys know who you are).
THE UGLY
Lap 17: that wreck was Talladega-esque. Half of the top 12 in the points going in were involved. Denny Hamlin drove like a total ####, going FULL SPEED through the carnage and taking himself out and severely damaging several other cars. WHAT THE HELL WAS HE THINKING??
Kevin Harvick: his car looked like a dune buggy once he returned to the track. Yet through attrition, he gained a couple of spots. (a sub-good among the ugly)
Those are my nominees for the race! Feel free to chime in with yours!
This week's version of Who Would You Throw Under The Bus? is dedicated to the brave men and women in uniform serving domestically and abroad. Without these brave men and women, this blog wouldn't exist. Kudos and mad props to all of you. There are several sports figures that have totally pissed me off this week. Therefore I am throwing the following figures under the proverbial Bus:
MLB
Shelley Duncan, New York Yankees: this guy just doesn't get it. And he probably never will. This genius scribbled, "Red Sox Suck" then signed his name after a young Red Sox fan requested his autograph. Very class act there, Shelley. And for that act that's two letters short of class, you go Under The Bus.
NASCAR
Chip Ganassi: he fired his best driver's crew chief just as Juan Pablo Montoya and Jimmy Elledge were starting to click. Is it ANY wonder NO ONE wants to drive for you? I wouldn't blame JPM one bit if he were to walk. (JPM, I'll bury the hatchet and welcome you to RCR should you end up there.) Perhaps you should devote your time to your IRL teams; that's where you reign supreme. Until then, Ganassi goes Under The Bus.
J.J. Yeley: did I miss the announcement that you hired Stevie Wonder as your spotter? WTF was that act, blasting Dale Jr. from behind? I wouldn't have blamed Dale Jr. one bit for wanting to open up the largest can of Whoop #### he can find. And why the *(*)*^ do you still have a ride? You're reckless, make questionable decisions at best, wild-a$$Ed decisions at worst. For that act, you go Under The Bus.
NHL
Gary Bettman: he has proven the Peter Principle right. He is an INCOMPETENT NHL Commissioner. Then he threatened Al Sobotka, the driver of the Zamboni at the Joe, a very stiff fine if Sobotka tossed an octopus on the ice. I hope he threw that octopus on the ice!! I'd contribute towards paying that stiff fine! For threatening a working man nearly half his salary in fines, Bettman not only gets thrown Under The Bus, but he ALSO gets thrown Under A Fleet Of Zambonis.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to chime in with yours!
I dedicate this edition of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly to our brave men and women in uniform, and especially to those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice. To our veterans, thank you.
THE GOOD
Kasey Kahne: as the winner of the Coca-Cola 600, he gets first billing. He also accomplished a rare feat, winning the All-Star Race and the 600 in the same year.
Roush Fenway Racing: all five of their drivers finished on the lead lap in the longest race of the season. They have turned the corner and I won't be surprised to see at least three of their drivers in the Chase (Edwards, Biffle, and Ragan).
Elliott Sadler: ran strong throughout the race, even led a few laps. Hopefully his bad luck has run out and he can run the way he's capable of running.
David Reutimann: a superb run by him to finish in the Top 10. Although he never led, he was in the Top 10 for almost half the race, 174 laps to be exact.
Jeff Gordon: fought an ill-handling car all race long to finish in the Top 5. His car was a piece of #### to start, then as the race went on it slowly started getting better. He turned a marginal Top 25 car into a Top 5 finish; it's a tribute to the patience and belief in his crew he has, and to his abilities as a driver. Showed why he's one of the all-time greats.
Honorable Mention: Dale Earnhardt, Jr.,Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton.
THE BAD
Robby Gordon: continues to show why a one-car team has gone the way of the dinosaur. He would best be served if he sold his team to another team looking to add another driver.
Kyle Petty: I hate having to put him in this category consistently, as he is one of sports' great humanitarians. But he consistently finishes in the mid to upper 30's. That's why I have to put him here. If I had GBU last year at this time, he'd have definitely been in the Good category. (He finished 3rd in last year's race)
J.J. Yeley: can someone PLEASE tell me why this guy still has a ride? He can't seem to get out of his own way. He has done worse than the driver he replaced, Tony Raines. At least Raines finished in the Top 10 a couple of times last season and he wasn't tearing up Hall of Fame Racing cars. And Yeley subsequently rear-ended Dale Earnhardt, Jr. after Jr cut a tire and crashed into the wall.
Fox's Broadcast: DW, your man-crush on Kyle Busch is quite obvious. There ARE 41 other drivers out there besides Busch and Kasey Kahne. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm looking forward to the end of the Fox broadcasts. On second thought, maybe not. ESPN awaits, and they're FAR WORSE.
THE UGLY
Brian Vickers: his left rear wheel came completely off and caused him to crash out of the race after he had one of the cars to beat. David Gilliland subsequently played car soccer, launching the errant tire skyward, with the tire landing in the infield camping area.
Tony Stewart: had the race in hand until he made contact with the wall with two laps to go and subsequently had to pit.
Jimmie Johnson: looked like he was well on his way to a possible win when his engine expired with 49 laps to go. His up and down year continues.
Those are my nominations. Feel free to come in with yours!
NO debris cautions. Cars that were involved in a crash would have NO hanging debris on them once they are able to return to the track. That means no hanging sheet metal, no loose duct tape, etc.
I'd eliminate the "Lucky Dog" rule. RACE back to the line if you want to get your lap back (or a lap back if you're more than one lap down).
Drivers would be allowed to express their emotions freely. If Juan Pablo Montoya and Kevin Harvick want to fight after one knocks the other out of contention, let 'em fight until one has an advantage over the other. NO loss of points, and no fines. Basically, it's "boys will be boys."
Teams that get caught cheating during a race lose the points they earned during the race and are warned if it's their first time that additional penalties will follow. If that team's driver won the race, the win would be stripped from them and given to the second place finisher (provided he wasn't cheating).
A driver that pulls a stunt like Denny Hamlin did at Richmond would be parked for the remainder of the race and face disciplinary action, including, but not limited to, loss of points and/or suspension for one race. It wouldn't be just the driver that would be suspended. It would also include the driver's team. (Hamlin altered the outcome of the Richmond race by parking his car on Turn 4 to bring out a caution, then driving away.)
Any driver that is the cause of two crashes will be parked for the remainder of the race. He will get the points he earned for his finish, plus any prize money. Basically, it's a pat on the back, "See you next week."
On restarts, lead-lap cars start side by side. NO lapped cars on the inside. Lapped cars start in the back. They're lapped cars for a reason.
Personally, I think NASCAR has softened greatly from the early days. JMO. Back in the day, there were guys like Cale Yarbrough, Richard Petty, David Pearson, etc., that took no #### from anyone. And they settled their differences like real men. The raw and real emotion needs to return to NASCAR, and let the drivers' real personalities shine through.
It's that time of the week again! It's time to call out those sports figures that have so totally p****d you off you want to SCREAM! (Ashlee Simpson notwithstanding) Well, here is the forum in which you can call out those sports figures by throwing them under the Bus. I have a few nominations, so here goes!
NFL
Detroit Lions: for further pissing off some of their season ticket holders. Apparently someone in the Lions' front office responded this way to a complaint from one of their season ticket holders: "#### 'em." I'm always looking for a reason to throw the L.A. Clippers of the NFL under the Bus. Now I've found one. (NOTE: may have to write a written apology to the Clippers for lumping them in with the Detroit Lions. Clips, I apologize for lumping you in with the #### 'Em Lions aka the Detroit #### 'EM'S.)
Wal-Mart: the reason Wal-Mart is in this category is because they stiffed the Andre Johnson Foundation in two ways. First, they messed up the Texans' WR's order of 750 bikes that HE purchased to give to underprivileged kids. (There were around 675 bikes that ended up being donated as a result at the May 3 event.) And because of that order snafu, they stiffed the kids out of ice and water THEY HAD PROMISED. ICE AND WATER!! Sam Walton must be turning over in his grave. For stiffing the kids and messing up the order, Wal-Mart goes under the Bus.
NBA
Utah Jazz fans: this is for the moronic Jazz fans that chanted "Cancer!" every time Derek Fisher attempted a free throw and allegedly threw debris and trash at the Lakers' bench during Game 6 of their series. And they shouted "Refs SUCK!" when the Jazz were getting whipped. Don't blame the refs for your team's shortcomings. Congratulations, Utah. You surpassed Philly fan as the WORST fans in sports. Great job. Because of the morons that did this, you spoiled it for the rest of the Jazz fans. And because of the morons, Jazz fans get thrown under the Bus. I have ONE WORD for Jazz Fan: SCOREBOARD!
NASCAR
A.J. Allmendinger: for not even apologizing to Elliott Sadler after wrecking Sadler out of the All-Star Challenge, then he had the gall to win it! You'll get your comeuppance. Until then, you get thrown Under The Bus.
Those are my nominees for the week. Feel free to come in with yours.
