Philosophers say that we live in the post-modern era.  Post-modernism is a belief that the only absolute truth that exists in the world is that there is no absolute truth.  Despite the glaring philosophical contradiction that Stevie Wonder could see, many people endorse this way of viewing the world.  "What you do is up to you, and what I do is none of your business" they say.  If this is your world-view, that's fine with me (hints of relativism are all over that statement), but its amazing at how relative we are with our morals in sports.

NASCAR found that Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, and Michael Waltrip all qualified with illegal cars on Sunday.   The punishment for the crimes of Kahne and Kenseth's teams were reported by the Charlotte Observer as suspensions for each team's crew chief.  It amazes me that NASCAR refuses to park cars and teams for races.  I'm not sure that these violations would warrant such a punishment, but the bottom line is that such a punishment isn't even an option.  Sure, they say it is, but Kasey Kahne would have to attack and kill Dale Earnhardt Jr. to ever be suspended from a race.  NASCAR has gotten neck-deep with these sponsors to the point that they run the show.  You will NEVER see a race without a Home Depot, Dupont, Lowe's, Budweiser, or Dodge sponsored car.  At least not because NASCAR made that decision.  That fact doesn't even consider the star power of the former champions and superstars that carry the corporate torch for the aforementioned companies.  It's amazing that so many fans turn the other cheek to rules violations in NASCAR.  The unspoken motto of most crew chiefs in the sport is, "If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'".  Everyone seems to be fine with that, even when the large portion of the fan base resides in the "morally conservative" South of the U.S. 

Then, of course, there is baseball.  A sport in which anyone who has ever touched a bottle, vitamin, beer, or even baby, is under tremendous scrutiny and su####ion.  Why?  Are they both cheating?  Yes.  It amazes me that steriod use is considered the ultimate form of cheating in sports.  The steriod rule reminds me of what Jerry Seinfeld says about the helmet law.  He finds it humorous that we would have a law that functions to protect a brain that is functioning so poorly that it doesn't protect itself.  I agree.  When race cars are too fast, they put lives in danger of more than just their drivers.  When athletes juice, who are they really harming?  Your post-modern mind should now kick in and say, "They aren't hurting me, so what they are doing is fine."  However, it doesn't say that at all.  You want to be noble.  You want to be the helmet law.  You want to protect that athlete that is so starved for money and fame, that he/she will literally kill himself/herself to get it. 

I don't feel cheated by Barry Bonds.  I don't feel cheated by Kasey Kahne.  If Kasey Kahne's team deems it necessary to bend the rules to make him more competitive, then install rules that discourage that.  NASCAR does that.  If Barry Bonds wants to use a substance that, until recently, wasn't even banned by MLB and hurt himself, so be it.  He can be the Homerun King, while suffering through health problems and a lower quality of life.  That's his choice.  My question to you is.  If Barry is only hurting himself, and Kasey, Matt, and Michael are putting others at risk as well as not risking nearly as much from a personal, physical standpoint, who has committed the greater crime?  Barry will be tarnished physically, emotionally, and publically for the rest of his life.  Kahne and Kenseth won't even miss a race.  What gives? 

As Sunday's turn from touchdowns and turnovers to drafting and driving, there is only one thing I know for sure. . .This is not your father's NASCAR.  Of course, we've gotten used to that by now.  We've changed from Winston to Nextel.  We've gone from the race for the championship to the race for the Chase.  We've gone from southern drivers who like to drive fast to sophisticated advertising agents who are well groomed, well spoken, and well. . .less rough and tough.  Not just anyone who can turn a wheel can be a NASCAR driver anymore.  Not only that, but now the best driver may not be able to win the championship anymore.

The Winston Cup was always about consistency.  Most Cup champs have a few things in common.  The first is that they won races.  They didn't always have the most wins, but they won their share.  Second, and most importantly, they were consistently good.  Very good.  The year end resume would have three or four wins, but 20-25 top tens.  The key to winning was always not only winning, but having the opportunity to win.  This new point system puts so much of an emphasis on winning, that it may turn its back on the Alan Kulwicki's of the racing world. 

It's ridiculous to add points for wins to driver's totals AFTER the points have been reset for the Chase.  I started watching NASCAR in 1992.  My favorite driver, Davey Allison, had won the Daytona 500 so I was hooked!  I watched Bill Elliott proceed to win the next four consecutive races.  I watched as Davey and "Awesome" Bill won five races each that season.  I also watched a consistent and determined Alan Kulwicki break my heart and win the championship with his measly two wins.  However, I understood that my guy finished third in the standings because he wasn't consistent enough to be a champion.  Why do we want to change that?  Is it because NASCAR is desirous of its new glamour boy, Kasey Kahne, to win the title?  Is it because we don't want the no-names like Kulwicki to win titles ever again?  Some teams don't have what it takes to win five races per season.  However, they do have what it takes to consistently put their car in the top 10.  That deserves something.  If it leads to them scoring more Nextel Cup points over the course of a season than any other team, then it deserves a championship.

Winning a race is a lot about luck.  If you don't believe me, ask Derrick Cope!  Consistently putting your car in the top 10 is a lot about skill.  Sure, luck is still a factor, but great cars, great drivers, and great teams consistently run up front.  There is a reason why Matt Kenseth is a champion and Ryan Newman is not.  Consistency is that reason.  Please NASCAR, don't fall so in love with the win that you stop rewarding consistency!