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January 31, 2006

Photo of the Day - Steps

Stony Point Battlefield, Stony Point, New York, June, 2005. For some reason I've always been fascinated with old steps and stairs...

Posted by silverdsl at 10:06 PM | Comments (0)

Official: Steve Park to the #31 Busch Car for Ten Races

From Steve Park's website:

Dear Fans,

I'm thrilled to announce that I will be back in the #31 Whelen Engineering Monte Carlo for 10 select races during the 2006 Busch Grand National season. Everyone at Whelen & Marsh Racing has always been so good to me and I am so excited to be back behind the wheel of the Whelen machine.

I would like to thank all of you fans for your continued support and patience. I look forward to seeing you all this upcoming race season. Thank you so much. Once we have more news for you guys, we will definitely post it as soon as possible. Thank you.

I'm sorry but before I talk about what Steve is announcing I have to talk about the announcement itself. For crying out loud the freaking Busch Series has not been known as the Busch Grand National Series since 2002! If you are going to be racing in the series you must have the name of the series correct on your site. I am very happy that Steve has this announcement on his site but I'm embarassed on his behalf that he has the wrong series name because that just doesn't look good. Steve, I love ya but you need to have the right name of the series you are representing on your website. Maybe at one time little goofs like that didn't make a difference but now more than ever people who matter notice and remember things like that. [ETA: The error was corrected on 2/1 and "Grand National" was removed much to my relief!]

Now that I've got that out of the way, let me say that I am thrilled that Steve has a ride for 2006! This close to the start of the season I didn't think his chances looked good for being on the track to start the season. In fact he won't be as the first race for Steve and the #31 team will apparently be in Las Vegas, the fourth race of the season. But he will be racing this season and I think that was extremely important if his career in Nascar was going to continue. Sitting out just doesn't work. I also think that Steve is still in the stage where he wouldn't be completely happy if he wasn't racing so in that regard this is good news as well because he will be doing something that he still feels passionate about. Now that he has a ride I'm looking forward to the start of the season even more because I can't wait to see what Steve will do in his return to the Busch series.

However, as I mentioned previously, I'm going to be careful to keep my expectations reasonable. This is a part-time team racing in only ten races. To say that Steve going to Victory Lane in this ride would be a major upset is a massive understatement. An independent, single-car team that doesn't feature a Buschwacker in a car prepared and supported by their Cup team winning a race is pretty unlikely. That is not a reflection on Steve's abilities as a race car driver. That is the reality of what a part-time ride with a small team is.

Just qualifying for the races they plan on running is going to be a challenge. There are going to be a tremendous amount of teams trying for the same small amount of available spots in each race and the competition won't just come from field-filler teams but also from Buschwackers in extremely strong cars. Yes, Dave Blaney was able to qualify the #31 for the races he ran it in 2005 but there are more teams than ever looking to make these races. The fact that Michael Waltrip entered into a partnership with Fitz-Bradshaw Racing to use the #40's points for the #99 speaks to how difficult it is, even for decent teams to make races.

The races themselves won't be easy either. Steve can certainly hold his own against any of the drivers he will be racing against. But since the arrival of the Buschwackers they have virtually dominated the series. It's very difficult for even full-time regular Busch teams that don't have connections to Cup teams to get top ten finishes let alone a part-time team. Last season Dave Blaney's best finish was 12th so I'm not going to get my hopes up that Steve is going to have very many finishes better than that. Yes, they will be using engines from Richard Childress Racing which will help but anyway you slice it there are going to be significant challenges that that Steve will face driving for a part-time team.

Of course this is the car that Steve was in when he had that horrible, career (and life) altering wreck at Darlington in 2001. In fact, it's been said that Steve is planning on racing the Busch race at Darlington. Some think that this ride is cursed and that Steve should never have gotten back into it. But Steve has maintained a relationship with Whelen and that wreck could have happened at any track in any car. In some ways racing in that car at Darlington again may help Steve gain some closure, particularly if he is able to finish well.

As happy as I am for Steve that he has a ride for 2006 I think that he ended up in a part-time ride is a sign that his career may be starting to wind down. That's difficult to think about but I think the reality is that the sport is moving ahead without him. Let me be clear that as I've said before I believe completely in Steve's abilities behind the wheel and I will support him no matter what he does. However, that Steve had this much trouble finding a ride for this season and the only thing that he was able to come up with is a part-time ride is not a good sign for what the future holds for him. His age works against him. The lingering perception by some that he is still damaged goods, as untrue as it may be, hurts him. That he didn't have much success in his last two years in Cup or his last year in the truck series works against him. That I'm not sure he always markets himself to his full potential works against him.

Can he still get a full-time ride? Definitely. I suspect that Steve was hoping that the second truck for Wyler Racing would be made available to him and this ride was his back-up plan when that didn't happen. Perhaps at some point in the future, maybe even later this season that might still happen pending sponsorship. However, some believe that this will be Steve's springboard into a full-time ride with Toyota in 2007 in Cup or Busch and I think that's unlikely. I hope I'm pleasantly surprised because I would be estatic for Steve if he ended up with Toyota in one of those rides but I think the sport has evolved and I'm not sure that Steve has.

But for now I'm looking forward to the ten races that Steve will be racing in the #31 car. It's not easy for me to get to races but one of the races he will likely be in will be the Busch race in New Hampshire so maybe somehow I can manage to get up there. It would be great to see him race in person! I wish Steve all the luck in the world in the #31 car and above all I hope he has a lot of fun back in the Busch series!

Posted by silverdsl at 08:19 PM | Comments (0)

This is Really Disturbing...

Richard Williams, president of The Williams Company, a PR company that represents several current Nascar drivers, and former spokesperson for Nascar has been arrested on one count of statutory rape, first-degree rape offense of a child and solicitation of child by computer to commit an unlawful sex act. The first two charges relate to allegations of what Williams did with an 11-year old who is now 15 and the last charge relates to Williams being arrested by police as he thought he was meeting a 15-year old in a church parking lot. If these charges are true it's disgusting, repulsive and appalling that this man would prey on a child to satisfy his sexual urges. There is absolutely no excusing this kind of behavior towards a child.

Nascar must be sweating this one out. Williams represents drivers such as Kyle Petty, David Starr and John Andretti and he worked directly for them for years. While the authorities are saying that there is no connection between the charges that Williams is facing and Nascar, I would guess that he was in the presence of quite a few children and teens at various Nascar related events and depending on where the investigation goes there could be a lot of questions asked. This is surely something that Nascar hopes will go away quickly even if there ends up being no direct connection between the sport and Williams' actions.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:01 PM | Comments (0)

Deadspin.com

Will Leitch and Rick Chandler run a sports blog called Deadspin.com which is getting quite a bit of traffic and attention, despite only being in existance since September. Deadspin is every team, player, agent and PR person's nightmare because as a blog the standards for which kinds of stories they post are a lot less strict than say The New York Times. That doesn't mean Deadspin posts every random tip he gets from any old source. As a former reporter covering the St. Louis Cardinals for the St. Louis Post Dispatch Leitch was in a position to develop contacts within the sports industry and Chandler is a journalist as well. Apparently they have developed good sources through their previous work as not only do some of the tips for stories come from fans but also from officials from the various leagues and teams.

The blog is heavy on football and basketball stories, both professional and collegiate. But there's also been plenty of baseball items and I expect more once the season starts. One kind of item that Deadspin loves is photos of players partying, particularly when they're partying with attractive females. So players who might be up to no good should be even more careful about letting their photo be taken because it might just end up being seen by quite a few people. I guess some will say that Deadspin is too rumor or gossip oriented but I think they're trying to have some fun with the items they report on and they certainly cover plenty of more serious or non-gossipy stories as well. In fact, the The New York Times article indicates that sports journalists read the blog for the occasional tip on a breaking news story. I'm interested to see where Deadspin goes and how much of an influence they might have on mainstream media and on the subjects they cover.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:02 PM | Comments (0)

Steve Park to Race in Busch Series Part-Time?

From Jayski's:

Park has a ride? hearing Steve Park will drive a limited number of Busch Series races in 2006, possibly with the #31 Whelen Racing team.(1-31-2006)

A rumor was posted about this on Steve Park Central a while back and it does make sense given Steve's past association with Whelen in the Busch series. In addition, the past two years he's returned to the Whelen modified series a couple of times to race and appeared at that series' banquet this off-season. Coincidence? Maybe so, but maybe Steve has also been helping out a series sponsor that he has always had a good relationship with that he hoped to work with in the future. It's possible that there's no truth to this rumor and it's simply a message board rumor that grew legs but I would be very happy for Steve if this did happen because I think it's essential that he's on the track in 2006 in some way, shape or form, even if it's not full-time if he wants to keep his career in Nascar going. While getting into a subpar car can be a bad thing too, sitting out to wait for the perfect ride doesn't seem to work either. I think it's what he would need to do to keep himself visibly and remain a candidate for a full-time ride.

The only problem with a part-time Busch ride is that the expectations for performance will have to be kept reasonable. Just qualifying for the races could be a challenge. Not because Steve isn't capable or the team isn't decent but because there are so many Cup drivers who will be Buschwacking in Cup backed teams this season that teams without a guaranteed spot face an uphill battle from the start. In addition, the results for Dave Blaney in 2005 in the #31 weren't anything to write home about. There was one 12th place finish but otherwise the results were pretty mediocore. I'm sure someone is thinking that's because Blaney isn't as good of a driver as Steve is but I'd say that's because the competition level with all the Cup drivers and Cup backed teams is extremely stiff.

If this is the ride that Steve ends up in I think it really says something about the state of things in Nascar in general and his situation specifically but I will leave that for a future entry if this rumor is actually true.

In the meantime I will have my fingers crossed for Steve that this works out for him. He's not Ward Burton or Ricky Craven who have families, foundations and broadcasting interests that they are perfectly happy devoting all their time to if the exact opportunity on the track doesn't present itself. While Steve has a long-time girlfriend and hobbies such as golf and riding his motorcyle I think he's not at the same point in his life as drivers like Burton, Craven or even Ricky Rudd who might still have the passion to race but might not mind so much if the sport moves on without them. My impression is that Steve's focus is still on racing and he might not be as happy as some if his career doesn't continue for a few years longer.

Who knows, maybe being part-time in a Busch ride will lead to something full-time down the road if an owner needs a driver and sees that Steve is available. Or maybe a new team will form in the truck series midway through the season that will need a driver and he can hop in. But for now I am excited for Steve that the door is still open for him continuing racing at this level.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:36 AM | Comments (0)

Ricky Craven - Forced Into Retirement?

It's looking likely that Ricky Craven won't be on the track in Nascar in 2006, at least not full-time. That's not because he doesn't want to be there but because the opportunity that he wants, a full-time ride in a competitive Cup car, isn't available to him. Not that there weren't other rides available to him - he was offered a few Truck or Busch rides. But those weren't what he really wanted so he opted to say "no" to all those opportunities and wait for what he really wants, which as of now hasn't materialized. He said,

"I haven't gone after anything. I'm waiting for the right opportunity, an opportunity I would be excited about."

So in the meantime, while he waits for a ride that will excite him, Craven is content to hang out with his family in Maine.

Craven still wants to race, no doubt about that.

"Don't underestimate my ambition or desire to compete. I still have a passion to compete. I miss competing every day. In my mind, I still have some value. There aren't many experienced drivers on the sidelines who have gone to Victory Lane [in the Nextel Cup Series]."

Of course Ward Burton and Steve Park are drivers who have won in Cup who are still sitting on the sidelines as of now. The problem is that having the desire to race and winning a few races isn't enough any more. Youth, marketability and the potential to be the next Jeff Gordon are what teams and sponsors are looking for. They know what they're going to get with Craven - a solid driver who can race up front when he has a competitive car. But they also know that he's not going to suddenly blossom into a superstar. And everyone is looking to catch lightening in a bottle.

Essentially I think Craven's days as a full-time driver are over. Much like Ward Burton, if he's unwilling to consider rides in other series then his options are extremely limited, especially since I doubt that he will want to get into a subpar ride just to be in Cup.

But when you hear him talk I think he's just fine with retirement, though he's not willing to call it that.

"I'm going to [go to that secret spot] for the rest of my life, and my son's going to do it with me, and my friends are going to do it with me," he said. "It's priceless. I'm just getting into that. And I've got some catching up to do."

Because Craven is realizing how much he missed out on while he was away racing. The family events and milestones. Good times with friends and family. Seeing the seasons change at Moosehead Lake in Maine. Getting to do the things he wants instead of being on the go all the time. There are some drivers like Michael Waltrip or Kevin Harvick who I think thrive on keeping themselves active and involved in a lot of ventures, on and off the track. But I've never gotten the impression that Craven is one of those. So while I think Craven is going to miss racing considerably, I also think he's going to be very happy away from the track, just like Burton.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:35 AM | Comments (0)

January 30, 2006

Photo of the Day - Cactus

Aruba, September, 2005.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:29 PM | Comments (0)

In the News: Michael Waltrip (1/30)

As I've mentioned previously I find it hard to draw too many conclusions from testing since teams may be working on different things at different times so it's difficult for me to truly know how to translate what happens during testing into what it will mean on race day. However, one thing that's been said frequently is that the tests at Las Vegas are a much truer reflection of how a team might perform than those at Daytona because there are many more tracks like Las Vegas than there are Daytona. In addition, it seems that we hear much more about teams sandbagging and not showing all their cards at Daytona in advance of the Daytona 500 than we do about testing at Las Vegas.

So I'm a bit concerned to see Michael Waltrip and the #55 all the way at the bottom of the speed charts in both the morning and afternoon sessions at Las Vegas testing today. I didn't really think that they would be at the top of the charts - BDR equipment is still BDR equipment but I wouldn't have expected Scott Wimmer in the #4, Chad Chaffin in the #92, Kenny Wallace in the #78 or Hermie Sadler in Michael's own #00 to be quicker. Hopefully the #55 team was just doing some experimenting and tomorrow they will have a little more speed.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:36 PM | Comments (0)

Elliott Sadler Joins Trackside

Now that Rusty Wallace got a job working for ESPN/ABC he doesn't have time to appear on Trackside on Speed which is a good thing for those of us who didn't really enjoy Rusty on the show. I'm thrilled to find out that his replacement, who will appear on the second half of the season, will be Elliott Sadler. I've always liked Elliott and I think he will do a good job on Trackside. Elliott has always seemed like he has a lot of personality but given the sometimes restrictive environment that Nascar operates in I don't know that he's always gotten to show as much of it as he and his fans might like. But the relaxed, feel-good format of Trackside should allow Elliott to let loose a little and have some fun. My only question is how open Elliott will be when it comes to expressing his opinions honestly but given the format of Trackside I'm not sure that will be necessary. As long as he can joke around with the guests and think of some questions for them I think he'll be a fine addition.

The majority of fans also seem to think that adding Elliott to Trackside is a good idea which should show Speed that fans aren't always resistant to change and they don't hate everything.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:43 PM | Comments (0)

January 29, 2006

Photo of the Day - Epcot

Spaceship Earth, Epcot, Walt Disney World, January, 2004.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:53 PM | Comments (0)

Place of the Day - Kruse Rhododendron State Park

This sounds like a nice place to visit on a warm spring or summer day for a walk through the forest. Kruse Rhododendron State Park is located on 317 acres next to Salt Point State Park, 20-miles north of Jenner, California. Of course by the name it's obvious that the park is filled with Rhododendron, which are in full bloom in May, but there are also forests filled with redwoods and firs. The land was originally part of the Kruse family ranch which dated back to the 1880's. In 1933, the land was donated to the State of Califonia in honor of the father in the family who was a founder of a bank in San Francisco. Apparently all the Rhododendrons, which can be seen by visitors as they walk through five-times of trails, came about as a result of regrowth after a large fire.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:00 PM | Comments (0)

Continuing Problems With Fakes on Ebay

I used to bid on baseball cards and other items on Ebay all the time. However, as the site has continued to grow the amount of fraud and fakes has also continued to increase and it's discouraged me from bidding. Now the only auctions I participate in are ones that are either registered with Ebay as benefiting a charity or I know for sure are tied to some official organization. Still, it's very rare that I bid on anything. Yes, there is a feedback system in place that supposedly protects buyers and sellers but often people are afraid to leave negative feedback because they are afraid of retaliation. So just because a seller (or buyer) has good feedback doesn't mean they are a good user or that they won't suddenly go bad.

Ebay says that they are only a marketplace and that they simply give buyers and sellers a venue to buy and sell products. I do understand their viewpoint - it would be impossible for them to verify every single item, buyer and seller as legitamite. Still, it seems that there should be more done when Ebay becomes aware of a pattern of fraud on their site. There's just way to much of it for my comfort.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:35 PM | Comments (0)

January 27, 2006

Photo of the Day - Lake Mead

Lake Mead, Nevada. January, 2005.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:03 PM | Comments (0)

Matt Kenseth Signs Long-Term Deal to Stay at Roush Racing

One driver who won't be involved in the rumor mill in relation to whether they might sign with a Toyota team in 2007 is Matt Kenseth. Today Roush Racing announced that they re-signed Kenseth to remain as driver of the #17 for several years to come. Jack Roush said,

"We are very pleased that Matt extended his contract with Roush Racing. Matt is one of the most talented drivers in the garage and he'll always hold a special place in our organization, having helped to bring us our first Cup championship in 2003. It's very assuring knowing that he will be staying on with us and I know that the first goal on his agenda is to take that championship trophy back."

Given the intense level of the competition these days in Cup, including from Kenseth's own teammates I'm not sure he's going to contend for the Championship this season but I have no doubt that quietly he will win a number of races over the next few years.

What's strange to me is that I could have sworn that Kenseth said that he was re-signing with Roush at the end of last season when there was some speculation that he was being courted by DEI to take Michael Waltrip's place in the #15. So I had already assumed that this was a done deal but I guess I misunderstood and Kenseth only said that he wanted to stay at Roush, not that he actually had a deal in place to stay. In any case, Toyota can scratch Kenseth's name off the list of available drivers.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:54 PM | Comments (0)

In the News: Michael Waltrip (1/17)

Obviously, there's been a boatload of stories about Michael Waltrip joining with Toyota to field cars in Cup and Busch in 2007 via Michael Waltrip Racing. I would be here all day if I mentioned all of them. But I'm very happy to see Michael be mentioned in so many different places as part of the coverage of Toyota entering Cup and Busch. I guess because he was the only driver announced on Tuesday evening and he's also going to owning several of the cars, it made him the center of attention which is great for him!

Otherwise, Michael has been busy filming new TV commercials for NAPA in the Daytona area this week. Local businesses in the area were pleased that the film shoot was taking place nearby because it was apparently good for business as extra people came to the area to see Michael or see what all the commotion was all about. Say, I wonder if Michael stopped in to visit his good buddy Steve Park while he was in the neighborhood? If so, I wonder if they discussed the possiblity of Michael giving Steve a ride now or in the future? But if there's one thing I wish Michael would do for Steve's it's to encourage him to have a website as slick and frequently updated as Michael's is as opposed to the frigid wasteland that Steve's site is.

I can't say enough how great Michael's site is from the overall design to how quickly it's updated these days with news about Michael. When the news broke that he formed Waltrip-Jasper and when the announcement was made that he was joining with Toyota there was a press release on his site immediately. The announcement about Toyota featured a .pdf of the full press kit and photos as well. Seemingly on a daily basis there are links added to articles in various publications about Michael. In addition, the Member's Only site has had exclusive photos and there's the fan forum and all sorts of other features. I'd love to see Steve's site have even a fraction of what Michael's site does!

March 14th, Darrell Waltrip will be "roasted" in Franklin, Tennessee, at the 17th annual Steak & Burger Dinner which is a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of Franklin/Williamson County. Participants in the roast include Michael, Ken Schrader, Rusty Wallace, Terry Bradshaw, Mike Helton and David Hill, president of Fox Sports. I'd love to be there to hear Michael roast his brother! I'd guess that it's will be hysterical! Tickets to the dinner are $100 but there is also an online auction to raise money for the Boy's and Girl's Club. The winners of the auction will get to sit at a table with Darrell and Michael, Terry Bradshaw, Mike Helton and David Hil. That would likely be a very entertaining table. If I was anywhere near Tennessee I would go to this for sure!

Posted by silverdsl at 03:51 PM | Comments (0)

Sports Themed Mega-Resort Planned for Las Vegas

The newest mega-hotel/casino planned in Las Vegas is the Ultimate Sports Resort which will be located outside of the Las Vegas strip in an area near the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The resort, which is expected to cost $4 billion to build, will feature ten sporting arenas including a driving range, swim and dive center, ice rink, shooting range and bowlling alley; 5,500 suites ranging from affordable to super-luxury; 500 condominiums; a 150,000 square foot casino; ten nightclubs; numberous restaurants including several five-star ones; as well as many types of sports and entertainment activities. Of course this resort has to load up on as many activities as possible since they will be located so far away from the Strip which is where most people want to stay when they come to Las Vegas. However, this resort will likely see a huge influx of guests, visitors and events during weekends when Nascar is at LVMS. Otherwise, they are really going to have to make this resort something extremely special to draw people from off the Strip unless they are hoping to cater to a local audience.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:32 PM | Comments (0)

Tony Stewart Has Possible Cracked Rib

About two weeks ago Tony Stewart was treated and released from the hospital after flipping his midget car during one of the qualifying races for the Chili Bowl. Initially it was said that Stewart was given a clean bill of health by his personal physicians but now comes word that although his arm is fine, he likely has a cracked rib which is causing him pain.

At the time I expressed concern about the risks of drivers racing in series other than their primary one because of the possibility of injury which could have devestating effects not only for the driver but for the team they race for. In fact, Stewart did get injured and it's a lingering injury that can't be treated other than by rest and relaxation, something a Nascar Cup driver doesn't get to do much of. I have no doubt that Stewart isn't going to let this injury stop him from going all out while he's in the car but depending on how long it takes the rib to heal I have to wonder if it's still giving him pain when the Daytona 500 rolls around if it will have any effect on him during the race? I'm sure drivers race with all sorts of aches and pains all the time but it seems like a cracked rib might be a little different than a bruise from a hard wreck.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:15 PM | Comments (0)

It's a Sickness...

Seriously, what is wrong with these people? If it wasn't bad enough that Amy Fisher, Mary Jo and Joey Buttafuoco are shopping a "reunion" TV special now comes word that Joey and Amy are going to meet in the middle of the field at the Lingerie Bowl to participate in the coin toss to determine which team of lingerie models gets the kickoff. Most crime victims want nothing to do with the perpretrators that harmed them. Most criminals who have spent time in prison don't want anything to do with the people who put them there. Not the Buttafuocos and Amy Fisher. I guess it's a gimmick by the producers of the LIngerie Bowl to increase ratings for their pay-for-view broadcast. I guess for Amy and Joey it's another way to exploit the events of fourteen years ago as a way to reap some financial benefits from it. I wonder what the Buttafuoco children think about all of this? They must be adults by now but I can't imagine they're thrilled with the fact that their parents are helping keep this mess from going away.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:59 AM | Comments (0)

January 26, 2006

Oprah Finally Wises Up

On today's Oprah Winfrey Show, James Frey came clean and admitted that he made up details about every single character, including himself, in his supposed non-fiction book, A Million Little Pieces. In fact, Frey said of The Smoking Gun article that exposed him,

"I think most of what they wrote was pretty accurate."

Oprah then said that not only did she feel "duped" but that she betrayed millions of viewers since they trust her recommendations. Indeed Oprah did look foolish. In addition Oprah said that she regrets calling into the Larry King Show to voice her support of Frey.

"I regret that phone call," she told her viewers on Thursday. "I made a mistake and I left the impression that the truth does not matter and I am deeply sorry about that. That is not what I believe."

I have no idea what finally convinced Oprah how problematic it was that Frey's book was filled with inaccuracies and exaggerations. I would guess that perhaps Oprah never read The Smoking Gun's report for herself because anyone who reads through the entire thing and sees how much evidence The Smoking Gun provided would have no doubt that Frey's book was full of lies. I'm glad that Oprah stressed the importance of the truth - it does matter, especially considering how many untruths were at the heart of this book which she helped make into a best seller.

Frey initially defended the book but in the fact of so much criticism and evidence that showed how much of it was made up I suppose there was no way for him to hide from the reality of the situation - he presented a work of fiction as non-fiction. The story of his life but as he imagined it as opposed to how he actually lived it. Oprah said that she betrayed her viewers, Frey betrayed his readers. Frey claims that he developed a larger-than-life image of himself as a badass in the book as a "coping mechanism." Or maybe it was just to make a more interesting book that he knew would sell better. Now that he's been shown to be a liar on a large scale it makes it impossible to believe anything he says. How does one know that he's telling the truth now?

What I'm wondering about is whether his publisher, Random House, who were dismissive of the claims about Frey, will revisit the issue now that even Frey himself has admitted that much of the book is a work of fiction? In addition, will The New York Times which had A Million Little Pieces on the non-fiction best-seller list shift it to the fiction best-seller list?

Posted by silverdsl at 02:08 PM | Comments (0)

January 25, 2006

Photo of the Day - Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. July, 2003.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:08 PM | Comments (0)

Rusty Wallace to Join ESPN/ABC Race Broadcast Team

Starting this season, Rusty Wallace, who recently retired as an active Nascar Cup driver, will be part of the boardcast team for IRL races for ESPN/ABC. In addition, he will also report from at least 20 Cup races for ESPN and be an analyst for ESPN2's new daily motorsports show. Finally, starting in 2007 Rusty will be in the booth calling both Cup and Busch races for ESPN and ABC. Other than Rusty starting out by working IRL races, all of this is completely expected. In fact Rusty did a little test run of his broadcasting career by taking Michael Waltrip's place on Trackside on Speed.

I have to admit I've never been a big fan of Rusty so I'm not really looking forward to having him in the booth. While I think he will be smooth as a broadcaster I'm not sure that about three months removed from being an active driver is enough time to give him the distance necessary to analyze races and work as a Nascar broadcaster/journalist. When it comes to talking about the on-track action I don't think there will be much of a problem and active drivers like Michael are very successful parts of race broadcasts. However, I think it's a different story when Rusty will be called upon to give honest opinions about people he was just racing alongside of a few months ago. I suppose every driver who ends up in the booth and still has friends in the garage area has to make the transition and learn how to balance friendships with their role as a member of the media. But it seems to me that the more time that's gone by the easier it might be to feel comfortable speaking openly about what happens during races and in the garage area.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:24 PM | Comments (0)

Bill Davis Racing, Red Bull Racing Will Also Race Toyotas in Cup in 2007

Besides Michael Waltrip Racing, the other two teams that will be racing Toyota Camrys in the Cup series in 2007 are Bill Davis Racing and Red Bull Racing. Of course it was about as obvious as the likelihood that Michael would mention NAPA in every interview he did last night that BDR would be fielding Toyotas in Cup in 2007 given that they race Toyota Tundra trucks in the truck series. However, the big surprise was the third team that was announced. There had been much speculation about which existing organizations might join with Toyota but it turns out that at least initially all of that speculation is incorrect. Last night it was announced that Red Bull Racing who are involved with F1 racing would also field two Toyota Cup teams.

So we know the names of the teams that will be fielding Toyotas in Cup and we also know the name of one driver - Michael Waltrip. We also know that Marty Gaunt, who was once with Penske Racing, will be the general manager. We also know who a few of the sponsors of several of the cars will be. Besides that not much other specific details were given, especially about what most people are anxious to know most about - who the other Toyota Cup drivers are going to be.

Although it was assumed that Dave Blaney's presence at the event last night means that he will also be one of the Toyota drivers, it turns out that his contract only runs through this season and there's been no discussion as of yet in regards to 2007. So there will be six Toyota Cup cars in 2007 but only one driver is confirmed. So that leaves five seats wide open. Let the speculation about who's going to be driving those cars begin!

Many people believe that Robby Gordon is eventually going to join up with Toyota and the announcement of Red Bull Racing only solidified that belief for some because Red Bull has sponsored Robby in the past. But there was a media event for Robby last night prior to the Toyota event and Robby said that for now he's committed to the manufacturer he's with. I also think that Robby has put a lot of work into trying to improve his Cup team for 2006 and I don't see him abandoning that quite so soon to go race for a team where he wouldn't be the owner. I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that Robby would join with Toyota down the road but for now I think he's going to continue doing what he's doing, though I think that he would benefit from an association with Toyota.

Another name that's been tossed around is Kevin Harvick. I think Kevin joining with Toyota makes a lot of sense. First, Kevin is only signed with Richard Childress Racing through the end of this season so he is free to explore all his options for 2007. Even if Toyota wasn't entering Cup racing I think Kevin would want to do given RCR's struggles the past couple of years. In addition, Kevin has his own Busch and truck teams through Kevin Harvick Inc. and it occurs to me that signing Kevin to race for Red Bull Racing in Cup would then give Toyota a few Busch teams. Though their racing styles are completely different, off-the-track there are some similarities about Kevin and Michael given that they are both car owners, both seem to have an extremely good business sense, and both understand the importance of fans and value being as fan-friendly as possible. So if that is the kind of person that Toyota is interested in, Kevin certainly fits the bill. But more than all of that Kevin is an aggressive and talented race car driver who likely has many successful years ahead of him so I think he would be an excellent pick-up for one of the Toyota teams.

I would expect that a few of the drivers currently driving for Toyota in the truck series will likely move up to drive for one of the Toyota teams in Cup or Busch. I think David Reuitimann is likely to race for Michael Waltrip Racing on some level. Beyond that I suspect that there will be some surprises. Just as we were shocked by the career moves that Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray made this season, I think we will be surprised by some of the drivers who will end up racing for Toyota in Cup and Busch in 2007.

Posted by silverdsl at 07:05 PM | Comments (0)

Model Claims Spamalot Producers Used Her Photo Illegally

Carla Collins, a model from Botswana, has filed a lawsuit for compensatory and punitive damages against the Schubert Organization and an ad agency, Serino Coyne, claiming that a photo of her taken during a modeling shoot has been doctored and used illegially to advertise the broadway musical Spamalot. The suit claims that she's being shown in a

"foolish, unnatural and undignified manner."

Her lawyer Leroy WIlson, Jr. also said,

"She objected to the fact they painted her with cleavage that she did not have and that they dressed her up in something she would not wear."

When I look at the photo, while they look similar, it doesn't look like the model in the photo is Collins. In addition, the ad agency has said that she isn't the woman in the photo. But beyond that depending on the contract that Collins signed wouldn't the images from the photo shoot be either the photographer's or the client's to do what they pleased with them? If she did in fact sign her rights to the photos away then the photographer or agency would be free to make them available as stock photos to be used by others.

What really gets me though is that to me there is absolutely nothing wrong with the photo that Spamalot used. She has added cleavage - Collins may be the only woman to object to that! She's wearing something that she normally wouldn't - it's not like they put her in a hooker's outfit! It's a midieval costume. Yes, it's low-cut but nothing so outrageous that she should be embarassed by it.. if it's even her in the first place. The photo shows the model about to blow a kiss so her face is somewhat scrunched up but it's really not an unattractive photo at all. So I can't imagine how she interprets the photo as being foolish and undignified? People blow kisses to each other all the time and there's nothing foolish about it.

There must be more to the story than what is known thus far. While I imagine it must be disturbing to find a photo of herself being used in a way that she didn't expect, it seems to me that being a model and posing for shoots means that her photo is going to appear in a variety of campaigns.

Posted by silverdsl at 12:51 PM | Comments (0)

Theo Epstein Will be the Red Sox... GM

Last week it was announced that Theo Epstein would return to the Boston Red Sox in an unnamed position in baseball operations. This week it's been officially confirmed that Epstein will return to the very same role that he left three months ago - general manager. I was perplexed enough as it was last week when this was announced and I'm even more puzzled now. If he couldn't put his "heart and soul" into being the Red Sox general manager three months ago why does he think that he can do it now?

Apparently friction, both personally and about the team's organizational philosophy, between Epstein and Red Sox president Larry Lucchino led to Epstein's decision to leave, something that has long been denied. But Lucchino says,

"Walls have crumbled, perceptions of one another have changed, and appreciation of one another has grown. As an enhanced sense of 'team' has emerged, we have rediscovered that, whatever our differences may have been, baseball is at the center of our operations and our lives, and working toward the success of the Red Sox is a commitment which all of us share."

Or maybe instead of a sudden rash of personal growth the Red Sox were aware of how much of an asset Epstein is and were willing to make any promises they had to about changes in the way Lucchino and the organization itself operated in order to convince Epstein to come back?

Epstein said,

"Gradually, with the benefit of time and greater perspective, we tackled not only our personal conflicts but also the differences regarding our thoughts for the organization. We emerged, 10 weeks and many spirited conversations later, with the comfort of a shared vision for the future of the organization."

The problem as I see it is how long is that shared vision going to last, not to mention the truce between himself and Lucchino, especially in the midst of the season when the pressure is on?

What gets me though is that Red Sox owner John Henry seems to contradict some of what Epstein and Lucchino are saying.

Much of the media coverage of Epstein's departure focused on a power struggle between him and Lucchino. Henry said those reports were untrue.

"It was simply mythology," he said. "I can assure you as we move forward that Larry's role has not changed at all, and no general manager in baseball could ask for more autonomy than Theo has."

It seems to me that if Lucchino and Epstein had different philosophies about the direction the Red Sox should go in that it does boil down to a power struggle because the two men were battling over whose goals and ideas were the correct ones to put into motion. That's a question of control - more or less a power struggle. Maybe Epstein wasn't trying to reduce Lucchino's role or vice versa but I do think that there was a battle for control which caused conflict which led to Epstein leaving.

The question is what I mentioned above - how long will Epstein and Lucchino be able to remain on the same page and work together smoothly? Old habits die hard. The bigger question is if things go sour again what happens then? Will Lucchino be forced out? What will Epstein do? For now though the majority of Red Sox Nation is celebrating Epstein's return.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:09 AM | Comments (0)

January 24, 2006

Photo of the Day - Michael Waltrip

Pocono, July, 2005. In honor of Michael's awesome news tonight here's a shot of him taping "Nascar This Morning" prior to the July Cup race at Pocono in 2005.

"What do you mean I can't say that on live TV?!!"

Posted by silverdsl at 11:07 PM | Comments (0)

Michael Waltrip Racing Joins With Toyota To Compete in Cup in 2007

It's been no secret for quite some time that Michael Waltrip would be fielding his own Cup team in 2007 by joining forces with Toyota and tonight that was made official. Michael Waltrip Racing will field not just the #55 NAPA Toyota Camry with Michael as the driver, but also at least one other car. Michael said,

“Toyota is a leader in the automotive industry and has quickly become a consistent winner in the NASCAR Truck Series. The logical step is for them to come into the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and I am honored to be a part of their entrance into the sport.”

I've been excited for a long time about Michael joining with Toyota and I am beyond happy for him! First, because I know that he's long dreamed of fielding a Cup car for himself but also because I think with Toyota backing he could enjoy a level of success that he hasn't always had in Cup. What's also exciting is that most of Michael's sponsors - NAPA obviously, Best Western, Klaussner (Sofa Express and More) and Coca-Cola are going to follow him to Toyota. How many drivers in Nascar can say that when they left a ride they not only took their primary and associate sponsors to another organization but also convinced those same sponsors to join him in fielding his own team with a manufacturer new to the sport? In the current climate in Nascar where it's difficult for teams to find and keep sponsors, it's huge that Michael's sponsors have committed to stay with him as he enters somewhat unknown territory. It really speaks to the strength of the relationship that he's built with those sponsors and their confidence in him as a driver and as a person. Obviously they believe they will enjoy success with him, which will hopefully be in the form of multiple trips to Victory Lane!

After having read through the Michael Waltrip Racing press kit which details the team that Michael has assembled I am even more impressed than I was previously. I'm especially happy to see it be official that Larry Carter will be the crew chief of the #55 - that's excellent news! Of course this is essentially the same people who will be working with him with Waltrip-Jasper and the #55 team this season but something about seeing everything in black and white in terms of everyone's accomplishments made it sink in just how outstanding it is what Michael has done with Michael Waltrip Racing. Michael has a vision for how he could develop MWR into a top-notch organization and I think he has set the foundation for that in fine fashion.

Not surprisingly Waltrip Racing World is connected to all of this.

“Since 1996, we have operated Michael Waltrip Racing out of our backyard,” Michael Waltrip explained. “I have always dreamed of constructing the perfect building for a race team. Waltrip Racing World will be just that. NASCAR is a family sport and this, in our opinion, is the definitive family destination. We see the fans packing up their cars and motorhomes and setting out to experience Waltrip Racing World and the area that surrounds it. The value of letting the fans touch, hear and smell the workings of our NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Toyota teams seven days a week not only benefits the fans, but gives our sponsors and manufacturer more exposure. We believe the fans will come during the week to watch our Toyota teams prepare for the races and on the weekends to watch NASCAR action on one of the giant movie screens as part of the experience.”

Michael is one of the most fan-friendly and fan-conscious drivers in Nascar. I can't even begin to describe how much effort Michael gives towards making as many fans as happy as possible when they are around him. He not only tremendously appreciates the support of the many fans that he has but he also understands how important the fans are to the success of Nascar. Waltrip Racing World is another way for Michael to enhance the experience of the fans as it relates to his team and to himself. I am so looking forward to when it's complete so I can take a trip down to North Carolina to check it out!

I would guess that all of this has been in the works for a very long time. In fact, maybe so long that even if DEI had agreed to let Michael keep Tony Eury, Jr. as his crew chief that Michael might have still left DEI. There is no way that plans this elaborate happen overnight and I can't help saying it - I am incredibly impressed as I have been for a very long time with Michael's approach towards furthering himself as a driver and as an owner. His ability to plan long-term, surround himself with other successful, high-achieving people and the way that he thinks of creative ideas such as Waltrip Racing World and acts on them is incredible. This is a man who doesn't have a formal business education in that he never went to college. However, in the twenty years of racing Michael has clearly absorbed a tremendous amount of knowledge from the people around him and from his experiences and he is putting it to good use now.

What's also wonderful for Michael is that he will be in complete control as a driver and as an owner. He won't be at the mercy of DEI or any other organization. There won't be any one else pulling the strings. And he won't have to worry about the kinds of cars he might be given and whether they will be competitive. If the cars that he's racing aren't competitive enough he can make changes. What a liberating feeling that must be - if something's not to his liking he can have it done differently. I'm really happy for him in that regard as well because the freedom to run things exactly the way you want them is really awesome.

I'm excited about seeing what 2006 holds for Michael but I'm even more excited to see what 2007 and beyond will hold! I believe very strongly in Michael's abilities as a driver and I feel certain that he will be in Victory Lane more than once in the future with help from Toyota.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:50 PM | Comments (0)

Barry Bonds Pulls Out of World Baseball Classic

In November Barry Bonds was announced as one of the players who would play for the United States in the World Baseball Classic. However, yesterday he pulled out saying on his website,

"When my name was first announced for the WBC, my gut reaction was that I wanted to play. After much thought and discussion with my family I have decided to remove myself from the upcoming World Baseball Classic roster.After the announcement I received a lot of criticism as well as concern from fans and my family and friends. The obvious objections were about my health and whether or not I would be ready to play. In the end, I decided that I can't take any chances that might jeopardize my season."

Bonds had several surgeries on his knees which caused him to miss the majority of the 2005 season. However, given Bonds' connections to the Balco case naturally there is going to be speculation that Bonds is opting out of the WBC not because of his desire to avoid doing anything to risk his ability to play for the San Francisco Giants, but instead because he's concerned about the Olympic style testing for performance enhancers that players in the WBC will be subject to. That testing is far more comprehensive than Major League Baseball's current testing and may include tests for HGH. While players who test positive in WBC testing won't be punished by MLB, their names would likely be known publically and that is far greater of a punishement than anything MLB could do. I wonder if there will be other players who will drop out between now and the WBC citing their ability to be ready to play for their teams who might actually have other concerns in mind?

Posted by silverdsl at 01:38 PM | Comments (0)

Update from Steve Park...

The following was posted yesterday on Steve Park's website:

Dear Fans,

The 2006 race-season is quickly approaching and I wanted to thank you all for your continued support and patience. I currently have several opportunities in the works, but nothing at this point to release. I can not thank you all enough for your continued support during this off-season. I look forward to seeing you all trackside in 2006. Thank you kindly.

Really there isn't much to say about this other than Steve still doesn't have a ride for 2006. Two weeks ago he was talking about being close to a deal, now he's talking about having several opportunities in the works. I'm not sure that fills me with that much confidence that the ride he's waiting on is any closer to becoming a definite. I also notice that at truck series testing he was talking about racing in Daytona, now he's referring to see fans trackside this season, without giving any specifics. At this point, while anything can most certainly happen, I'd say it might be more likely that Steve will be racing part-time in 2006 than full-time. A full-time ride is certainly not out of the question but this close to the first race of the season I think it presents some challenges for everyone.

I think it was good that Steve finally updated his site. There was quite a bit of complaining on the Victory Log on his website about the lack of an update since December 1. I think a lot of the carrying on was extreme, particularly since there hasn't been much for Steve to update - his status is unchanged from December when he was still trying to find a ride. However, as I've mentioned before in this space it's sometimes disappointing to me to see his website be such a wasteland that goes un-updated for long periods of time even when Steve is involved with various activities. Let me be clear - I don't think Steve owes me anything and I don't find it personally disappointing for myself - there are other sources for information other than Steve's site, in fact with how little content the site has there are many other better sources of news. However, I find it disappointing for Steve because I think with how much of a tool websites are used for these days Steve is doing himself a disservice.

There have been minimal updates to Steve's website in terms of removing references to Orleans Racing when he parted ways with them or reactivating the Victory Log. But there's not been much done of significance. To illustrate how little is done with Steve's website one only needs to look at how they sued to get the domain name stevepark.com. Redirecting steve-park.com to stevepark.com would take some know-how but it can be done. Yet it never has been. Nor has the site been updated in the last year with much of anything that relates to Steve's on-track activities. Oh, the results are there - but there are no race reports or photos. For a while fans could submit questions for periodic Q&As. The last one was months ago and the old ones aren't even archived... actually nothing at all is in the archive section on Steve's site. Steve participated in the Bodine Bobsled event in Lake Placid earlier this month but fans would never know that by looking at his site. His appearance was never publicized on his site, links to articles that mentioned him were never posted nor where there any photos posted. In fact, other than a few stray photos from the modified race Steve raced in, I can't recall any photos or articles relating to anything he's done being posted on his site. In addition, months ago emails from fan club members were collected, presumably as a way to disseminate some sort of information but nothing was ever done with them. Finally, for months there's been plans in the works for a special section for fan club members that would feature potentially really great content like a journal from Steve and personal photos but that hasn't happened and frankly, if they have trouble updating his site with even the most basic of information about what Steve is doing how can they possibly come up with enough content for a special section?

Someone made the comment on SPC that Steve can never make people happy no matter what he does. And there is some truth to that as fans are always going to want more than they are getting from their favorite drivers. But I think this goes beyond that. Updating a website with race reports, photos and updates about what a driver might be up to on- and off- the track are basic things that almost every other driver's site does regularly. Websites are a tool to promote a message, not only about the driver and their team but also about that driver's sponsor. If potential employers and sponsors wander by Steve's site and see that he doesn't use his site to market himself then that simply doesn't reflect well on him. As much as we'd all like it to be about what a driver does behind the wheel representing, marketing and acting as a spokesperson for their sponsors is a huge part of what they do. If it appears that Steve doesn't market himself well how is a sponsor going to think that he will be able to represent them in the way that they want?

It's also more than just disseminating information, marketing one's self and promoting a message. More and more drivers are understanding that websites are an excellent way to interact with their fans directly while still maintaining some distance. It's also a way to keep fans interested. On some level Steve obviously understands this since he wants to do the special section for fan club members and others who would pay a fee to join. In addition, Steve adores his fans and appreciates their support tremendously. So it's puzzling to me that despite understanding that adding features to the site is a good idea and despite being incredibly fan-friendly, Steve has allowed his website to deteriorate so much. That simply doesn't encourage fans to feel connected to him or quite frankly support him. I know that Steve is passionate about racing but to some fans the way his website is probably makes it seem like he doesn't care much about what he's doing if it's not even important enough to him to put it on his own website. So if it seems like he doesn't care, why should they?

Designing, programming and maintaining websites isn't an easy job. There's a tremendous amount of work that goes into it. So I certainly wouldn't expect that added features appear overnight or that the site is updated every day or even every week. There is likely a limited amount of people working on Steve's website which would make it difficult for things to happen immediately. However, in a year's time there should have been much more content on Steve's site than there has been. I think one of the biggest indicators that there's a problem with Steve's website is that there are several fan sites which are a better resources for news on Steve than his own site. If fans with limited resources can update their sites with information on Steve and often photos as well, then it makes it even more glaring when Steve's site goes un-updated. What it's come down to is that fans have to depend on other fans to go to races, ask Steve questions, listen to the scanner, take photos and then report back on message boards or on their personal sites. On one hand it's great to have so many first-hand reports but I also think that Steve should want there to be a central place where fans can get offical news and information about what he's up to. It will only benefit him in the long-run.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:15 AM | Comments (0)

Documentary Examines "Sesame Street"

One of the documentaries being shown at the Sundance Film Festival this week in Utah focuses on how Sesame Street is used in various countries to promote various messages about tolerance, good will and understanding depending on the country. The World According to Sesame Street looks at how producers in other countries of local versions of Sesame Street, in association with The Sesame Workshop in New York, create characters and tweak the basic underlying messages of the show, respect and undertstanding of people's differences, to suit their own needs. For example, the South African version of Sesame Street, Takalani Sesame features Kami, an HIV-positive muppet as a way to educate children about HIV and AIDS. Or the Israeli-Palestinian version promotes understanding.

One of the producers of the documentary, Linda Goldstein-Knowlton said,

"Especially regarding Kami, we thought, they're using Muppets as catalysts for social change. That's remarkable."

I find it fascinating as well because the producers from other countries are using Sesame Street as a tool to get particular messages across. A children's show, but not just a simple children's show because there are important lessons being taught on Sesame Street that could shape and influence children as they grow up in the way that they deal with other people which of course is exactly the point, not just of the foreign version but also of the U.S. version. It's a good thing that the show features such positive messages.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:05 AM | Comments (0)

January 23, 2006

Photo of the Day - Clouds

From the plane on the way back to New Jersey from Aruba. October, 2005. I'm not a big fan of flying but I do love to see some of the cool cloud formations from the plane window.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:10 PM | Comments (0)

Toyota To Enter Cup and Busch Series in 2007

As Brian France noted prior to introducing an official from Toyota to make the announcement, this bit of news was one of the worst kept secrets in Nascar - starting in 2007 Toyota will be entering both the Cup and Busch series. The announcement was fairly brief as Toyota has a dinner tomorrow night to introduce the teams and sponsors but a few things of interest were mentioned. In the truck series Toyota provides the teams with an extremely high level of support but that won't be happening in the Cup and Busch series. Since the teams they will be working with are already established and in most cases can build their own cars and engines, Toyota's level of technical support will be much less but the specifics will vary depending on how advanced the teams own resources are. In addition, Toyota won't be acting as a sponsor of any of the cars as they do in the truck series. However, I would expect that in spite of that reduced level of support the Toyota entries will still be extremely strong.

It will certainly be interesting to find out which teams they will be associated with - I would assume that Bill Davis Racing is one, likely Michael Waltrip Racing/Waltrip-Jasper perhaps in conjunction with Darrell Waltrip Motorsports is another but the question is will there be other teams that join with Toyota? There's been speculation about Penske Racing or Chip Ganassi Racing also becoming Toyota teams but I've not heard anything definitive connecting either of those two organizations to Toyota. It also may be that Toyota might want to start with a limited amount of teams and once they have a solid foundation with those teams join with larger organizations. Whatever the case ends up being between now and next season I'm sure that the owners who are involved are going to get calls from a significant amount of drivers looking to associate themselves with Toyota.

While many in the garage area are probably anxious to get into or work on a Toyota car, not every fan is thrilled about the news that Toyota is entering the higher levels of the sport. The reasons vary and some are very legitamite. But there is one theme that I see repeated over and over again - some fans don't want Toyota involved in Nascar because Toyota is a foreign company and participation in Nascar should be limited only to the American car companies. Most of that seems to center around a feeling that Nascar is an American sport and the desire to support American-made products which is a fine sentiment. However, it appears that some fans don't realize how many "American-made" cars have large parts of them made in other countries. And there are many Toyotas which are made right here in the United States. Not to mention if people are so concerned with only using American-made products they might want to take a look at where the computer parts that make up the computers that they use to post their rants on the internet come from. As well as the applicances in their kitchens, the clothes they wears, etc... It's great to support American companies and American-made products but the reality is that a significant amount of products are either assembled entirely overseas or features some components from other countries, even products from American companies.

There's a small percentage of people who are opposed to Toyota simply because they don't like Japanese people. I won't even get into how unfortunate I think it is that in 2007 there are still many with some outdated prejudices and stereotypes.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:15 PM | Comments (0)

Buttafuocos, Amy Fisher Plan TV Reunion

What is wrong with these people? Back in 1992 when she was just 16-years old Amy Fisher shot Mary-Jo Buttafuoco in the face because she was having an affair with Mary-Jo's husband Joey. Unless you were living under a rock most people, certainly in the New York area, remember the case since the subsequent media coverage was intense to say the least. What always struck me was how desperate everyone involved in the case seemed to be for attention. So I guess it shouldn't really be surprising to hear that the Buffafuocos and Fisher have decided to try and cash in one more time on their "notoriety" by planning a TV special where they reunite and confront each other in person. That's just incredible to me. Sometimes crime victims want to confront the perpretrator but as part of a TV special billed as a "reunion?" Come on!

Joey Buffafuoco says that he wants to ask Fisher why she shot his wife,

"I've been asked about a million times by Mary Jo, `Why did Amy shoot me?' I was never able to get that answer."

It's simple - she was a 16-year old mentally disturbed girl who was sleeping with a man many years her senior who also doesn't seem to have the best grasp on appropriate behavior.

Buttafuoco follows with,

"There's going to be a lot of shocking revelations, and that's why I'm excited to sit down to do this."

Shocking revelations? Please. Over the years all three of them made no secret of anything so I'm not sure what else there is to reveal... or why I should care.

Posted by silverdsl at 11:44 AM | Comments (0)

January 22, 2006

Nothing Doing...

Some days it's slow and there's not much to blog about but there's usually something at least. Today - nothing. Absolutely nothing. Tomorrow should bring some big news to discuss though in terms of the expected announcement about Toyota entering Busch and Cup. Tuesday could bring even bigger news if Toyota's own press conference happens to involve an announcement of what teams they will be working with and one of them is Michael Waltrip Racing or Waltrip-Jasper.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:46 PM | Comments (0)

Photo of the Day -Flower

Ogunquit, Maine, July, 2005.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:45 PM | Comments (0)

January 21, 2006

More on Waltrip-Jasper

Yesterday the news of the new partnership between Doug Bawel and Michael Waltrip to field the #55 in Cup in conjunction with Bill Davis Racing broke too late for me to write too much in depth about it. So a few more thoughts...

Naturally, for as many fans who are happy that Michael secured himself a spot in the first few races of the season with so many good personnel, there are quite a few fans who think it's outrageous because they take issue with Michael essentially buying the #77's points. First and foremost, the deal between Michael and Bawel is completely within Nascar's rules. Neither party did the slightest thing wrong as Nascar sees it. In addition, while he was in the #15 last season Michael raced well enough to earn DEI the owner points for the #15 to be guaranteed a spot in the first few races (those points will go to Martin Truex, Jr. in the #1 for DEI). While I understand why changing teams means the loss of a guaranteed spot, it seems somewhat unfair to me that changing teams meant the loss of that spot even though Michael had raced his way into the top 35 in 2005. So this deal rectifies that situation.

In addition, if Michael didn't strike up the deal with Bawel some other team was going to do it. Five other teams contacted Bawel about the #77's points and it's his choice as to which one of them he enters into a partnership with. Obviously Michael, perhaps with help from NAPA, some of his other sponsors, Ty Norris and the others that Michael is working with, as well as Bill Davis, offered Bawel the most appealing deal. Of course a large amount of money likely changed hands. But I think it's about more than just money. It's extremely likely, if not certain, that Michael will be fielding cars in Busch and Cup for Toyota in 2007 and beyond - we could find out more about this in the week coming. Toyota is very likely to put forth a great deal of effort and resources into making their venture into the higher levels of Nascar very successful. So I would imagine that could be very attractive to Bawel if the association with Michael is something that is expected to continue past this season.

Of course the big loser in all of this is the #4 team with Scott Wimmer as the driver because when the #77 team folded they were bumped up into the 35th position. So of course some are outraged on that team's behalf. However, if people are upset because Michael is going to be using points that he supposedly didn't earn, even though he did so in the #15, then why wouldn't be people upset that the #4 was going to get the gift of the last guaranteed spot even though that team didn't race well enough to be in the top 35 in owner points? In reality Wimmer was in the same situation as Michael - as the driver of the #22 team he raced well enough to be in the top 35 in points but joined a team that was outside the top 35. So if it's okay for the #4 to be gifted with the points, then it should be okay for the #55 as well.

What makes things stickier of course is that money changed hands between Michael and Bawel. Automatically people have a problem when money is involved. I do agree that there is something unsavory about the idea of buying one's way into races rather than racing into races, but again by virtue of how Michael raced in 2005 he did race well enough to have one of those guaranteed spots. The way I look at this is that this is a business deal - and a smart one at that because MIchael is assured of a spot in the first few races. With how hard it is for teams to find and keep sponsors, as well as keep their teams afloat, it is essential that teams do whatever they can to ensure their success.

In addition, Michael has also aligned himself with people who will help him be successful this season. Ty Norris was already the general manager of Michael Waltrip Racing so he is continuing in that role for Waltrip-Jasper. Of course he gained a tremendous amount of experience in that position as GM for DEI. He is also excellent when it comes to marketing and business. Larry Carter was Rusty Wallace's crew chief last season and helped guide Rusty to finish 8th in the points and the Chase for the Championship.The release doesn't specifically say that he will be the crew chief of the #55 but I assume that would be the case and that would be outstanding for Michael. I've said all along that one of the things that I wanted for Michael was a crew chief like Tony Eury, Jr., someone who could give him strong cars and believe in Michael 100%. I think Carter could be that person. Granted Carter will still be working with BDR equipment so there may be limits to how competitive he can make the cars but I think if he is the crew chief he will do everything he can to give Michael good cars. And of course there's Bobby Kennedy. When Kennedy worked at MWR previously he helped Michael have a tremendous amount of success with his Busch car. They were one of the best teams in the Busch series at that time. Kennedy left to work for Michael's brother, DW, on his truck team but I'm very happy that he will be working with Michael once more.

Some think that Bill Davis must be angry about the ownership deal between Michael and Bawel. But I don't think so. It will really end up benefiting BDR because it will likely make the #55 a stronger team than had they just been a BDR team. What's interesting is that Waltrip-Jasper being possible indicates that Bill Davis might not have owned all that much of the #55 to begin with unless Michael had to buy the #55 from BDR before he could enter into a partnership with Bawel. One of the concerns about Michael being at BDR for some is that BDR struggled to field the #22 so it might be hard for them to field two teams, one of them being an entirely new team. While the cars, crew and equipment will still be coming entirely from BDR, it seems that the addition of some extra personnel, and possibly resources, may help BDR when it comes to fielding this team.

I don't think this deal automatically makes Michael a Chase contender. Michael will still likely have his share of troubles since he will still be in a BDR car. However, I think this increases his chances for having a good season with some solid runs. The pressure to qualify on time for the first few races is gone so they can concentrate more on race setups. Some fans believe that Michael won't be able to race well enough to be in the top 35 during those first few races meaning that he will squander the opportunity presented to him with this deal. But even the #22 team was a top 35 team for BDR so I have no reason to think that the #55 team for Waltrip-Jasper won't be as well. Michael knows how to get the most out of the cars that he is given and I think he will surprise a few people who think that he will be the worst car on the track. That's unlikely. Michael finished 25th in points in 2005 so I will be happy with any finish in the points in 2006 above that. I'm hopeful that he can crack the top 15 in points, though with how competitive things are and how BDR has struggled to field good cars, I'm not sure that's possible. But finishing somewhere around 16th-20th in points - I think that would be a solid points finish for a new team that doesn't have manufacturer support.

What this deal reflects is something that I touched upon in my previous entry - that Michael is extremely savvy when it comes to business matters and when he wants something he finds a way to get it. I think that Michael's intelligence level and awareness about racing and the racing business is often underestimated by some who feel that he is nothing more than a clown who appears on a lot of TV shows and talks about his sponsors a lot. He is so much more than that. Along the way Michael has gained a great deal of knowledge about the sport and how it functions and he's put together a network of people to help him achieve the short-term and long-term plans that he has. I think how forward-thinking Michael is in terms of how much he seems to be doing to put together something that will not only benefit him now but potentially years to come is outstanding.

There are many positives about this deal for Michael and I'm extremely excited to see how 2006 plays out for him.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:08 PM | Comments (0)

January 20, 2006

Michael Waltrip, Doug Bawel Form Waltrip-Jasper Company

Huge news for Michael Waltrip. He and Doug Bawel have formed the Waltrip-Jasper Company to field the #55 in 2006. This is essentially a fancy way for Michael to get the #77's owner points to guarantee them a spot in the first five races but it appears to be more than that. The cars and personnel will still come from Bill Davis Racing but it appears that Larry Carter will be the crew chief and Bobby Kennedy, who has so well with Michael in the past, is back on board as Director of Competition. Immediately the #55 is a tremendously better team than it was yesterday with the addition of some key personnel not to mention the all-important points.

From the article:

“I have been in the sport as a driver for 22 years and the logical progression for me was ownership at the highest level, the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series,” Waltrip said. “This is such a big step, that I wanted to partner with someone who has intimate knowledge about ownership at this level. Doug Bawel and I have been friends for a number of years and I have always respected the way he handled himself in the garage and with NASCAR.”

“I learned quickly that Michael is a goal oriented person,” Bawel stated. “When we began talking about the possibilities of teaming up, he started dialing the phone and making things happen immediately. He is a talented driver and a proven NASCAR Busch Series car owner, but most importantly as he moves into NASCAR’s premier series, he is a man with a vision that likes to take ideas from paper to reality. I am delighted to lend my experience and management support to Waltrip-Jasper Racing.”

I am beside myself with excitement over this news!

I am absolutely thrilled that Michael won't have to worry about qualifying for those first few races. He can simply concentrate on racing. Working with Larry Carter and again with Bobby Kennedy is going to be huge for him too. I think that a lot of people are going to have to revise their dismal predictions for the way Michael's season is going to go after this news. Is the #55 automatically going to run up front every race? No but I think it does increase the chances of more good runs for this team. The #55 is still essentially the same team it was when it was only a BDR team with the same equipment. However, I do think the additional of some key personnel and the lessened pressure of having to qualify for those races will benefit Michael and the #55 team tremendously to the point where they will likely run much better than they might have otherwise. I feel tremendously better about the way Michael's season is going to go after hearing this news than I did a few hours ago.

I also have to wonder if this company will continue past this season. It seems as if this is a good management structure for if Michael fields Cup cars for Toyota in 2007.

I am in awe of Michael for how he not only worked it out so he could get the #77's owner points but did it in such an impressive way. I've long admired how goal-oriented he can be, as well as how foward thinking he is - Michael really knows what he's doing not only behind the wheel but also in terms of the business side of racing.

Outstanding news!

Posted by silverdsl at 04:56 PM | Comments (0)

Steve Park Not at Busch Testing

I really didn't expect Steve Park to take part in Busch Series testing at Daytona this weekend but a lot of other fans seemed to feel that this week Steve would announce that he had a Busch ride and that he would be at testing. However, based on the morning's practice session Steve's not there. As I said that doesn't really surprise me but I was thinking that we might hear some news about a truck ride for him so I'm even more concerned than I was previously now that another week has passed and we haven't heard a thing.

I'm not sure how much else there is to say that I haven't said before but if it was getting down to the wire last week for Steve to finalize a deal for a ride it's starting to approach the point where it's now or never, at least as far as a full-time ride goes. It's very unlikely that he will be in a Cup car but those teams start arriving at Daytona International Speedway Friday, Febuary 10th. The following week Busch and Truck teams that are taking part in Speedweeks show up. So Steve has less than a month to finalize his plans for 2006 if he intends on racing at Daytona. Essentially three weeks. And I can't say I feel too good about that.

What's concerning me even more is the testing situation. I've seen conflicting information in a variety of places and no matter how much research I try to do I can't seem to pin down a definitive answer. However, I've seen it said in a few places that testing at Daytona is mandatory. I know this is the case for Cup teams but what I can't figure out is whether this is also true for Busch and Truck teams. Because that might not bode well for Steve. If he's joining a new team and they had to be at Daytona testing to test otherwise they can't race at Daytona then he's got a problem if this was to be a full-time ride. Of course there might be ways around that rule, if it's even a rule in the first place, since perhaps if his new ride is as the second car/truck to an already established team that could count as their test. Or they could test seperately at Daytona.

Or maybe whatever ride Steve is negotiating for isn't a full-time ride after all. The rules for part-time teams in regards to testing are surely different so they likely wouldn't have to worry about being at certain tests. Someone posted a rumor on SPC that they had heard that Steve might test the #31 Whelen Busch car at Las Vegas. That's a part-time ride that Dave Blaney was in last year. Of course long-time fans of Steve will remember that was the ride he was in when he got into that fateful wreck at Darlington in 2001 during a Busch race. But Steve has seemed to continue his relationship with Whelen, at least in the modified series so it might not be out of the realm of possibility that he would get involved with them again. As a part-time team it would make sense that they would be skipping Daytona testing if they weren't planning on racing Daytona. Of course that rumor might have absolutely no truth to it what-so-ever. The person who posted it never specified a source and gave very little information so it's impossible to know if it's factual or just another message board rumor.

I'm at the point where I'm starting to doubt that Steve will have a full-time ride for 2006. I'm really not feeling good about his chances for racing at Daytona. It's getting really close. That doesn't mean that it's not going to happen, I just think that the more time that goes by the slimmer the chances are. I guess some will say that I'm a bad fan for not having faith in Steve. After all, it was just last week that he said that he was "close" to finalizing a deal for 2006. Well, close isn't done and done is what is needed for Steve to be on the track at Daytona and in every other race this season. The reality is that in this sport nothing is guaranteed. What looks like a sure thing can fall apart the next day. My hope is that next week will bring word of a new ride for Steve but right now it's not looking good.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:31 PM | Comments (0)

Journalist Paid to Write Positive Articles About Health Exec On Trial

Increasingly it's harder and harder to trust what appears in newspapers and magazines. First, there's the problem of whether's properly sourced and factually accurate. Then there's the problem of whether the reporter is writing from an unbiased viewpoint or whether they have some sort of agenda. Or as in the case of Audry Lewis, who wrote sympathetic stories about former HealthSouth Corp. CEO Richard Scrushy during his fraud trial for the Birmingham Times, there's the possibility that a public relations firm paid money to guarantee positive coverage. Lewis claims that Scrushy paid her $11,000 through The Lewis Group, no relation, to ensure that she wrote pro-Scrushy articles. Lewis says,

"I sat in that courtroom for six months, and I did everything possible to advocate for his cause."

A very sad commentary on the lack of ethics by some journalists. Her job as a journalist isn't to be an advocate for Scrushy or anyone else. Presumably it was to report on the facts of the case or provide an unbiased commentary. Instead she took a considerable amount of money that influenced what she wrote. Why is she coming forward now? Because she claims that Scrushy owes her more money.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:34 AM | Comments (0)

Theo Epstein Returns to the Red Sox

I'm very puzzled by the saga of Theo Epstein. In October Epstein, who had been the Boston Red Sox general manager, and the team parted ways after Epstein turned down a contract extension. Even then I found the explanations rather confusing. There was talk that he and team president, Larry Lucchino clashed, there was talk that Epstein didn't want to be involved in baseball anymore or was going to go to another team. Yet almost immediately there were rumors that he was going to return to the team full-time eventually and it wasn't long before Epstein was working with the team as a consultant. Now he's back in a yet unknown but full-time baseball operations position.

At the time that Epstein left he said,

"You have to be all-in. You have to believe in every aspect of the job and the organization and your ability to stay and do the job the right way, with your whole heart and your whole soul. And in the end, it just wasn't the right fit. It wasn't right."

I have to ask what changed in less than three months for Epstein feel that he could once again put his whole heart and soul into the job? What wasn't the right fit then but is now? Some have speculated that if problems with Lucchino were really the reason why Epstein left in the first place that he's been promised that things will be different and that changes in the organizational philosophy will be made. When Brian Cashman re-signed with the Yankees, supposedly a number of changes in the power structure of the organization were made so that Cashman would be willing to stay. In both cases - will those changes actually stick?

The ESPN article says,

His long-rumored return comes 2½ months after he turned down a contract extension and fled Fenway Park in a gorilla suit to avoid the encamped media.

I know this is a small detail but I find it very bizarre that Epstein snuck out of Fenway Park in a gorilla suit. I understand the urge to avoid the media but couldn't have security have simply kept the media away from him as he left? And aren't there any back or side entrances for him to leave through? Not to mention Epstein's never shied away from the media previously - why now? A gorilla suit seems like an extreme way of hiding too.

Epstein is extremely bright and I think he was a good general manager for the Red Sox. So having him back is a positive for them. But I have to wonder is Epstein going to lose his ability to put his heart and soul into working for the Red Sox again at some point in the future?

Posted by silverdsl at 10:06 AM | Comments (0)

January 19, 2006

Photo of the Day - Aruba

Arikok National Park, Aruba, October, 2005.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:56 PM | Comments (0)

Fan to Sue Over Antonio Davis Incident

Last night Antonio Davis of the New York Knicks went into the stands because he thought his wife was in danger from a fan who may or may not have been harassing her. Today two things happened - Davis was suspended five games by the NBA and predictably the fan, Michael Axelrod, who Davis said was bothering his wife announced plans to sue for $1 million. Why? Because Axelrod claims that he did none of what he was accused of doing, Kendra Davis tried to scratch him and he wasn't drunk as Davis claimed he was.

Axelrod's attorney, Jay Paul Deratany, said he planned to sue Davis and his wife for more than $1 million. Deratany said he was writing the papers Thursday for a battery suit against Kendra Davis and a slander case against Antonio Davis, and planned to file them Friday.

Deratany also said, "A public apology from the Davises would go a long way toward resolving this."

So what is the lawyer saying? If the Davises grovel enough (and maybe throw some money Axelrod's way) the whole thing will go away? I have no idea what the truth of the incident actually is as Axelrod's story is completely different from that of the Davises. But it's really incredible to me that one day later already Axelrod has a lawyer drawing up papers for a lawsuit. Yeah, maybe he didn't do what he's been accused of doing. But is it really enough to sue over?

Posted by silverdsl at 09:41 PM | Comments (0)

In the News: Michael Waltrip (1/19)

Michael Waltrip and the #55 team finished testing yesterday with a drafting session at Daytona International Speedway in advance of the Daytona 500 and the team was pretty happy with the results. Michael said,

"Our drafting session went well. The NAPA Dodge’s handling is excellent, but its a little slow. We were a little slow last year during preseason testing but were able to rebound, run up front, win our 150 race, and have a shot to win the 500, so I think we are in good shape.”

Of course most every driver is going to say that they have a car capable of winning the 500 even if it's not but I'm hoping that there's a lot of truth to Michael's words. I'd really love to see him start the season out right with a strong performance during speedweeks.

In his column this week, Marty Smith takes a look at all the drivers who have new rides in Cup in 2006, including Michael in the #55. Of interest is that Smith says,

Industry speculation says this marriage will be brief, a stepping stone to Toyota factory-backing for Waltrip before he starts his own Nextel Cup Series team in 2007.

The talk is certainly getting louder in relation to Michael and Toyota. Apparently Toyota has a press conference on Tuesday during which they will likely announce a timetable for their entry into the Busch and Cup series. I think it's all but a done deal that Michael will be working with Toyota so I'm very interested to see whether there is any mention of that on Tuesday.

Otherwise, Michael has two appearances scheduled. One is tonight, in Tacoma, Washington, as part of "Back the Track" along with Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne and Sam Hornish, Jr. This appearance is part of a rally in support of a proposal to build a new track in Washington. Michael's other appearance is January 28th in Chicago, Illinois, at the World of Wheels auto show. Michael certainly is doing a lot of appearances lately! I just hope that one of them in the near future will be in the Northeast so I can go!

Posted by silverdsl at 04:18 PM | Comments (0)

Can't Find What I Want...

Is it too much to ask for Nascar or Daytona International Speedway to make available a list of teams who will be testing? Obviously such a list must exist for the various series because any number of sites had lists of the drivers who would be attending the two Cup testing sessions, even when there were changes. But how about for the Truck and Busch series? I find it very unlikely that teams just show up and no one has any idea who will be there until the first day of testing. Surely they must have to register in some way, shape or form. So why isn't that information made available? Or at least it's not anywhere that I can find it and believe me I've looked in a lot of places. It would be even better if the list included the drivers too but I'd be happy with at the minimum a list of teams.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:31 PM | Comments (0)

January 18, 2006

Photo of the Day - Paulinskill Viaduct

Posted by silverdsl at 10:23 PM | Comments (0)

Misinformation Abounds

If there's one thing that irks me is blatant misinformation. There's making a mistake or not having complete information, which I am certainly not immune from but then there's presenting something as factual information when it's completely wrong. The worst part of it is that the factual information that I came across that is wrong should be easily known to be wrong by anyone who is paying attention or does even the smallest amount of research. But increasingly it seems that no one cares about accuracy.

I'm sure some take exception to me speculating about things that I don't know the full story about or how I will discuss rumors that haven't been confirmed as fact. But I try to make sure that I present all of those things in the proper context as my opinions or as unconfirmed. And when new information comes to my attention that indicates that I'm incorrect I try to make a correction. I'm certainly not perfect but I try. Not everyone seems interested in even the bare bones effort in that regard.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:41 PM | Comments (0)

Place of the Day - Isabella Lake, California

Located near the Sequoia National Forest, Isabella Lake is one of California's largest reservoirs, covering more than 11,000 acres. Isabella Lake is a popular destination for boating, wind surfing, water skiiing, swimming, camping, hunting, fishing and hiking. The lake was formed in 1953 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built dams across two forks of the Kern River. It caught my eye on the page of the map that I turned to because there's all this green that makes up the Sequoia National Forest only broken up by this large blue splotch that represented the Lake.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:29 PM | Comments (0)

In the News: Michael Waltrip (1/18)

Michael Waltrip participated in Cup testing for a third day today at Daytona International Speedway. The speeds seemed pretty good in the morning, less so in the afternoon but as usual your guess is as good as mine as to what it means. Fans who are concerned that their driver is short on speed will say that their team must be sandbagging, not showing everything that they've got to fool the other teams, or working on changes that will make the car a stout one come race day. Fans who can't stand a driver celebrate that their least favorite driver is down on speed and hope that it means come race day they don't have a prayer of contending. I say it's impossible to know exactly what a team has until Speedweeks is here.

Yesterday was apparently a day in which the #55 spent time getting used to working with each other. Michael's crew chief Derrick Finley said,

“With Michael being new to us and all of us being new to him, we are doing a couple of different things here this week. Yeah, we’re always looking for speed, but since this is our first chance to get to really work with him we are working on getting the car to handle the way he prefers it to handle and the way he likes it to feel. Obviously, he is successful here at Daytona, so whatever makes him happy will make us happy.”

I was concerned when I heard the erroneous report that Michael would be missing testing because I think being there is important not because of anything that happens in the car - as Michael told Speed the other night a "drunken orangatang" could do what he's doing at testing and other drivers have expressed how boring the process is and how much they aren't really needed. But I figured that this would be a good opportunity for Michael and the team to get used to working with each other. Michael may have already been by the Bill Davis Racing shops but I would imagine it's different visiting with the team at the shop and working together at the track. So I'm glad that Michael is at Daytona and thus far working well with his new team.

A forum member from Michael's site was at the fan fest last night at Daytona which Michael took part in. Michael confirmed that he would on Inside Nextel Cup on Speed again this season. I figured that would happen because there isn't much of a show without him. They can make all sorts of claims about why people watch the show or what it's supposed to be about but the reality is that a major reason for the show's success and why it's unique is because of how much Michael brings to the show. Though I don't enjoy the new format for INC, I still plan on tuning in each week to hear Michael and the other panelist's insights into each week's race but also to laugh - and Michael is certainly good at making people laugh!

Michael's site features a wrap-up about the Sound and Speed festival in Nashville this past weekend. Despite the problems at the event that led to many fans being disappointed because they couldn't get wristbands to get autographs from their favorite drivers, overall the event was a big success as two auctions raised over $180,000 for the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Victory Junction Gang Camp. Apparently there were over 5,000 tickets sold in advance and many more walk-up sales. However, if they want the festival to be as successful in the future I think they will need to address some of this year's problems. Word travels fast and there were many who were unhappy.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:12 PM | Comments (0)

Alex Rodriquez to Play for U.S. in World Baseball Classic After All

Huge surprise here. Alex Rodriguez has apparently changed his mind once more and he will now play for the United States team in the World Baseball Classic. First he was on WFAN in December talking about how he was going to play for the Dominican Republic, a decision that apparently drew some criticism. So A-Rod decided that he would skip the WBC all together because he couldn't make up his mind which team to play for and didn't want to dishonor either country. In early January reports surfaced that this wasn't A-Rod's final decision after all and that he would likely play for the U.S. Those reports were denied but yesterday the rosters for the various countries' teams were released and A-Rod was included on both the U.S. and D.R. 60-man rosters. I wondered then if it's such a done deal that A-Rod isn't playing then why was his name included? That indicated to me that there was some possiblity that he'd play.

So under pressure from Major League Baseball and the Player's Union it was confirmed today that A-Rod will play for the U.S. team. Some fans blame the Player's Union for forcing A-Rod to play but I don't agree that's necessarily what happened. First, A-Rod apparently wanted to play in the first place and the only reason he backed out was because he didn't want to offend anyone. Second, is that ESPN reports that A-Rod was still leaning towards not playing after meeting with Union Head Gene Orza. But late yesterday evening A-Rod had a change of heart for reasons that aren't revealed - maybe he thought more about what Orza or Bud Selig said and did give in to pressure. Maybe he decided on his own that he had an obligation to participate. Or maybe he just decided that it was something that he wanted to be involved with. There's no way to know for sure.

But A-Rod did make the following statement on his website:

"In recent weeks, following dialogue with caring friends and players, both Dominican and American, I reached the conclusion that if I played in the Classic, I would play for the United States and honor my American citizenship.

"I appreciate the support and understanding of my fellow Dominican players and friends who aided me in making this decision. The World Baseball Classic offers baseball and its fans an exciting new forum and I look forward, if selected, to representing the United States in what will be baseball's greatest international competition."

I notice how he referred to consulting some of his Dominican friends and players as well as mentioning their support and understanding. Clearly, he is still worried about getting flack from Dominicans who think he should honor his heritage. Personally, I think A-Rod worries too much about what other people think. The reality is that no matter what he does there are going to be some people, maybe even a lot of people, who are upset. He's an extremely high-profile and well-paid player whose every move is going to be picked apart. There is no way of making everyone happy or avoiding all criticism. A-Rod simply needs to make his decision and stick with it.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:46 PM | Comments (0)

January 17, 2006

Photo of the Day - Rose

Rosedale Park, New Jersey, 2002.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:38 PM | Comments (0)

In the News: Michael Waltrip (1/17)

Final-freaking-ly! It's about time there's enough to do another "In the News" entry! Thanks to Michael Waltrip being at Sound and Speed in Nashville this past weekend as well as at testing in Daytona this week there's suddenly a lot more Michael related news to talk about.

First, Michael is at testing. Let me repeat - Michael is at Daytona testing the #55 car. Apparently the Sporting News item that indicated that Tom Hubert would be testing the #55 instead of Michael was inaccurate or plans changed. Some are connecting that change in plans to the "family medical issue" that Kyle Petty referred to as the reason why Michael missed running the Disney Marathon with him being resolved. However, there was never any official word that Michael would definitely be missing testing in the first place nor did SN give a reason. So it's just as possible that if in fact Michael at some point was going to miss testing that he is present at testing this week because an obligation to a sponsor was rescheduled as it is that the medical issue cleared up - if there even was one recently and Kyle wasn't referring to something weeks or even months ago that interfered with Michael training for the marathon. So I find it a little troubling that I've gone to a few different places and seen continual references to it being possible for Michael to be at testing because whatever relative was sick got better when in fact we don't know for sure what the story was regarding Michael potentially missing testing (or even if it was true) or anything about the possible medical issue in his family.

As for other news from testing over the past two days the times during the various sessions have varied. At times they've matched up well against other teams but overall they aren't high on the speed charts. However, I always find it impossible to gather much from testing, particularly at testing at Daytona. Every team is working on different things at different times and making all sorts of adjustments to the cars to gather information. Some of the cars that are used in testing won't see track time during the race and some of the ways that the cars are set up wouldn't be used in a race as well. So cars that are near the top at testing might be duds during the actual race and cars that are near the bottom might end up racing quite well. In addition, you throw drafting into the mix and everything gets muddled even further. From what I understand weather and particularly the wind has been an issue at times as well this week. But those who were present in person at testing and listened to Michael over the scanner have reported that he sounded pretty happy. That's definitely a good thing.

As every driver does at the beginning of the season Michael was extremely positive about his chances of doing well at the Daytona 500.

“They [Bill Davis Racing] won the Daytona 500 in between my two wins. They won it in 2002, and I won it in 2001 and 2003. So, I know Bill Davis Racing knows how to excel at a place like this. That coupled with my experience and knowledge of the car will add a good piece to the pie and I expect us to be really good when we get back here in February … I’m ready.”

If I remember correctly Scott Wimmer had a decent run in the #22 car last year at the Daytona 500 so hopefully that is a good sign about BDR's ability to build good cars for plate tracks. Will Michael win his third Daytona 500? I'd love for that to happen but I'm not sure that's realistic. I'd be happy with a strong run to start the season off right and for Michael to miss the "big one" and survive the race with his car (and himself) in one piece.

A few photos of Michael at testing have turned up in various places.

The other bit of news in relation to the #55 team is that they are among six teams who are hoping to aquire the owner points from the now defunct #77 team that would guarantee them a spot in the first few races of the season. The Savannah Morning News reports:

Michael Waltrip referred questions about him buying into the now-defunct Penske-Jasper Racing team. NASCAR said Waltrip and Jasper owner Doug Bawel were working on a deal that would allow Waltrip, who now races for a new team created at Bill Davis Racing, to essentially buy into that team's position in last year's point standings. By doing so, Waltrip's new team would be guaranteed a starting spot in the first five races as part of the sport's provisional exemption program. If that effort fails, the No. 4 Chevrolet from Morgan-McClure would get that final exemption for the first five races ... :

I would be absolutely thrilled if a deal could be worked out for Michael and the #55 team to get the #77's owner points! It would be huge if Michael and his team didn't have to worry about qualifying as much and could concentrate more on what happens during races. If there's one area in which most fans of Michael, myself included, are pretty worried about it's the possiblity of him missing races if the #55 team doesn't qualify well enough. And there will be quite a bit of competition for only a few available spaces. While I have full confidence in Michael's abilities behind the wheel if there's one area in which I think he's not as strong as others it's qualifying. So if this could be worked out I think it would be really good for him. Hopefully it will play out in Michael's favor but they will face stiff competition from a lot of other teams for those owner points so it may take a significant amount of money changing hands on the part of Bill Davis Racing, NAPA and maybe even Michael himself.

Over the weekend Michael was at the Sound and Speed festival in Nashville which brought country music stars and Nascar drivers together to raise money for the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Victory Junction Gang Camp. While the festival is a great idea and there were events that sounded like they were a lot of fun those people who attended were not happy with how disorganized the autograph sessions were. Due to poor dissemination of information fans weren't informed how to get wristbands or that there was a very limited amount of wristbands available for each driver/musician pairing. Which meant that many fans were left out in the cold when it came to getting autographs from their favorite drivers. Hopefully things will be more organized next year. From what I heard Michael was aware of the problems and addressed it during his question and answer session as well as made sure to acknowledge fans who weren't able to get a wristband to get his autograph who were standing near him as he was signing.

But the night before the autograph session there was an auction of various items to raise some money. Michael apparently helped get some of the items auctioned off. Eddie Montgomery, of Montgomery Gentry was impressed.

"I thought maybe $500 just because people would be nice and not want to hurt my feelings," Montgomery said. "But Michael told me he was going to sell that hat, and he did. He put it on and walked around in it to get the bidding started. He ought to be a comedian instead of a driver."

The hat ended up going to Bobby LaBonte, a big Montgomery Gentry fan, for $12,000 after a bidding war between him and Jamie McMurray. I guess when the folks involved have lots of money to play with they can afford to bid big bucks for a hat!

In any event, reading all these news items about Michael has really gotten me excited for the start of the season! Daytona can't come soon enough!

Posted by silverdsl at 03:30 PM | Comments (0)

Wild Words From the Mouth of Steve Adler

Steven Adler, the former drummer of Guns 'n Roses, did an interview with Metal Sludge recently. In it he alleges that he had sex with an extremely well-known male lead vocalist of another hard rock band that has been around forever. Read the interview if you want to know who because I can't bring myself to repeat that particular item of gossip here. I'm actually even hesitant to discuss that interview or link to it because that allegation is one that could be damaging to the other musician's reputation if it's false. Which it could very well be since Adler had major drug problems for years and there's no telling how accurate or reliable the things he says are. But the point of this entry is that it bothers me that he makes such an inflammatory statement and there's no follow-up by Metal Sludge to clarify. Nor does there appear to be any attempt to get a comment from the other musician's "people." And that bothers me.

Metal Sludge has never claimed to be professional journalists and it's likely that a lot of people will dismiss Adler's claims as bullshit. But there are going to be a percentage of people who take him at his word. And that's a problem if he's not telling the truth and the other party has been given no opportunity to respond.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:42 PM | Comments (0)

American Idol Returns Tonight

And everybody's talking about it so why not me too? Actually I have no intention of watching tonight. I find the selection process pretty boring. Really, I don't enjoy the show as a whole either other than hearing some of the finalists music performances. I'll probably start tuning in Febuary 8 after the finalists start competing against each other but I'm not sure how long I'll stick with it. It's increasingly frustrating how little of a true talent competition it is.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:21 PM | Comments (0)

Major League Baseball Wants to Control Use of Statistics

CBC Distribution and Marketing, a company involved in fantasy sports including baseball, is taking Major League Baseball to court to challenge MLB's requirement that companies using statistics about players such as hits and homeruns pay for a license from MLB before they can use the statistics. Apparently this suit came about because MLB didn't give CBC a license last year. From the article,

Major League Baseball, which also runs fantasy leagues, has claimed that intellectual property law makes it illegal for fantasy league operators to "commercially exploit the identities and statistical profiles" of big-league players.

What I think it comes down to is that fantasy baseball is a huge money-making operation. Millions of fans take part every year and MLB likely wants a bigger cut of the profits. So this is a way that the can control and likely limit how many outside companies have access to the stats that they need to run their fantasy operations in the hopes that more fans will use MLB's own fantasy baseball leagues. Maybe one day they envision being the only ones who will offer fantasy baseball.

While I understand where MLB is coming from in terms of wanting to protect their intellectual property rights as well as the players from being used in an inappropriate commercial venture, I'm not sure I buy the argument that the player's stats make up part of the identities of the players that must be protected. What happens in a game does enter into history of a sort and it seems like it goes a little too far for MLB to claim that they have the right to control what people do with that information once a game is over. Of course if CBC wanted access to the stats that MLB themselves were compiling then I think that they should have to pay for it. But if CBC intended on compiling the stats themselves to use in their fantasy baseball operation it's hard for me to understand how MLB thinks that they can control that. You've got people at games who fill out scorecards and keep track of all the in-game action - will they take issue with that next?

I think MLB also runs the risk of doing themselves some damage if they go too far. There's no doubt that fantasy baseball increases the interest in the game. People love taking part in fantasy baseball leagues and those that participate watch games, including those that aren't being played by their favorite team, to see how their players are doing. If MLB puts too many controls on fantasy baseball that could discourage some from taking part which might end up hurting their bottom line.

I'm sure fantasy sports businesses in other sports are watching this case closesly as are the leagues themselves.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:57 AM | Comments (0)

January 16, 2006

Photo of the Day - Ogunquit

Marginal Way, Ogunquit, Maine, July, 2005. It sure would be nice to watch sunrise every morning over the ocean every morning from those chairs...

Posted by silverdsl at 09:48 PM | Comments (0)

Place of the Day - Presque Isle State Park

Strangely based on the Google search that I did there appears to be many Presque Isles throughout the country but the one that I was looking for information on is the Presque Isle in Erie, Pennsylvania, in Lake Erie. Presque Isle features a state park that covers most of the island with 18-miles of trails and is open for day use year round. There are sandy beaches for use in the summer time and plenty of room for cross-country skiiing in the winter. Over four million people a year visit Presque Island but they don't just hike, nature-watch and sunbathe. There is also a lighthouse on Presque Isle that dates back to 1872. Presque Isle is called Pennsylvania's only seashore and it definitely looks like a pretty place to visit.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:34 PM | Comments (0)

Martin Luther King Day

Today I have off for Martin Luther King Day. Martin Luther King was truly a great man whose work in the Civil Right Movement made him the youngest man to ever win a Nobel Piece Prize. His determination has impacted countless lives in so many ways in the past, present and future.

A few quotes from King:

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human and, therefore, brothers.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

And of course one of his most famous:

Now, I say to you today my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: - 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'

A wise man indeed.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:55 PM | Comments (0)

I Wonder How, If Anyway, This Effects Steve Park?

From Jayski's:

Sponsorship for a team, which one? UPDATE: hearing Con-Way Transportation is signing a new sponsorship deal with a truck team within the next day or so, no word on the team, but Con-Way did sponsor #59-Robert Pressley at Texas last June.(1-12-2006)
UPDATE: been told that #60-Jack Sprague and the Wyler Racing team got the Con-Way sponsorship.(1-16-2006)

This might have no bearing on what Steve Park does in 2006 at all. However, if it's still in the mix for Steve that Wyler Racing might field a second team for him it seems to me that if they have a primary sponsor for their primary truck that Jack Sprague is in, that it makes it more likely that they could work something out for a second truck. Fielding two unsponsored teams is difficult, even fielding one sponsored and one unsponsored isn't always easy as Orleans Racing found out. But it seems to me that since Wyler Racing doesn't have a problem running a truck without an outside sponsor as they did for Sprague in 2005 perhaps they would field one for Steve now that they don't have to worry about a sponsor for Sprague. Or maybe now that they might have found a sponsor for Sprague they can focus on finding a sponsor for a potential truck to put Steve in. Of course this is all wild speculation based only off of what Steve was telling people last fall about a potential second truck at Wyler Racing and since I've heard nothing about that for a while it's possible that there's nothing there for him anymore. He could end up with an entirely different truck team or even a Busch team, though I think that's much more unlikely.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:54 PM | Comments (0)

January 15, 2006

Photo of the Day - Walt Disney World

Epcot, Walt Disney World, Summer, 1998. Inside Journey Into Imagination before it was renovated.

Posted by silverdsl at 11:21 PM | Comments (0)

Place of the Day - Caverns of Sonora

The Caverns of Sonora are located outside of Sonora, Texas in Sutton County. 150 feet underground, 90% of the formations are still actively growing. Though it is smaller than the well-known Calsbad Caverns, it sounds like the formations are pretty impressive. The photos of the Butterfly formation are especially cool looking because it literally does look like the rocks are covered with butterflys.

How the cave was first discovered isn't entirely known though it is thought that a hunter's dog ran into the cave around the turn of the century and that's the first time it was noticed. However, it wasn't explored at all until the 20's when two children with candles explored a short distance inside. It wasn't until the 50's that the owners of the ranch that the cave is located on had it professionally explored. In 1960 it was opened to the public.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:18 PM | Comments (0)

Would You Pay $325 a Person for a Meal?

Diners at Joel Robuchon at the Mansion, the high-end French restaurant at MGM-Grand in Las Vegas, pay $325 a person for a sixteen-course tasting meal or $125 for a six-course version. Of course that doesn't include drinks so add onto that perhaps another $100 a person or more if one wants a glass or two of a good wine. While the reviews indicate that the food is outstanding, by the end of the night the bill is quite hefty. I happen to love going out to eat and great food. But $325 a person? I would much rather spend that money on something more lasting. Then again, if someone wanted to treat me to a meal there it would probably be a pretty interesting experience.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:36 PM | Comments (0)

Hamiltons Have Harsh Words for Cal Wells

It's amazing considering how much Bobby Hamilton, Jr. wanted to be released from his contract at PPI Motorsports to drive the #32 Tide car that now that he's been released how upset he and his father are about it. Hamilton, Sr. says,

"I don't care who you are or what business you are in, if you have any morals at all, you don’t give a guy a pink slip and make it get there when he is standing in front of a Christmas tree getting ready to do a family photo with his child in his hands on Christmas Eve. It might have been sent out on the 22nd, but it's close enough. It just happened to get to him then. I am hot as hell about it. I don’t care if he gets mad at me."

and Hamilton, Jr. says,

"The thing that was irritating was that about middle of the year, Darrell (Waltrip) was making a change in the No. 12 truck but PPI would never let me out," said Hamilton Jr. "Then it goes to about 3/4's of a way in the year and I wanted out again but they never would let me out. The way it was done where they shut down every opportunity for me to get another opportunity in a Cup car because I wasn't allowed to talk about things as far as other opportunities with other teams because I was in a contract. But hey, I'm here so I don't have to worry about it. At the same, you keep hearing rumors, rumors, rumors so if that's the rumor just let me out."

Boo-hoo, cry me a river. I'm having trouble mustering much sympathy for Ham, Jr. Yes, Wells likely knew that he wanted to make a driver change prior to December 22 and he could have let Ham, Jr. know sooner so that he could fully explore his options for 2006. However, it was no secret that Hamilton, Jr. wanted out. So he gets his release and he's still unhappy? At least he's got his father to give him a ride. There are any number of drivers, some of whom were released prior to Ham, Jr., whose fathers can't put them in a truck and are still looking for work.

Ham, Jr. also said,

"The bottom line, I got a feeling that I will be in the sport a lot longer than he (Wells) will."

That may be true because if Wells can't field more competitive cars he may lose Tide as a sponsor which could lead to him having to close up shop because I'm not sure how likely it will be that he will find a replacement sponsor when the results on the track have been dismal at best. And I'm sure that Ham, Sr. will field his son a car or truck on some level for as long as he wants to race so Ham, Jr. will probably be around in Nascar for quite some time to come. However, that kind of a comment is really outrageous to make publically. It comes off as a personal insult.

Then Hamilton, Jr. finishes by dissing the cars that he had to race.

"I just want to pass something," said Hamilton Jr. to his father on the way to the track. "The stuff I've been driving you couldn't pass a car."

Again, I think that he has a point in that the cars he was racing were pretty uncompetitive. No driver can magically make a car into a top ten car if the equipment they're given is poor. But Ham, Jr. was behind the wheel and also part of a team. He had a hand in the success and failure of the team. Not to mention his crew was surely working as hard as they could with the resources that they had to ensure that the results were the best possible. Though with the way that Ham, Jr. made it clear that he wanted out that couldn't have done any favors to team morale.

The problem is that while the Hams have some valid points I don't think that it's appropriate to publically go after Wells this harshly publically.

Posted by silverdsl at 07:34 PM | Comments (1)

January 14, 2006

Photo of the Day - Butterfly

Aruba, September, 2005.

Posted by silverdsl at 05:56 PM | Comments (0)

Michael Waltrip: No Ill Will Towards DEI

Many fans of Michael Waltrip believe that DEI screwed Michael mightily over the years and that he must hate not only everyone at DEI but his entire time there. I've never believed that was the case because during his stint at DEI Michael won his first four Cup races, including two Daytona 500s. In addition, when you are in one place for four years surely you develop good friendships with people. On top of that his good friend Dale Earnhardt, Sr. personally selected him to be in the #15 prior to his death so I've always thought that gives Michael a connection to DEI that is a little more than just driver to team. That's not to say that I think everything went well for Michael at DEI. Like many other fans, I think that he wasn't always given the competitive cars or support that he needed to succeed. Taking Tony Eury, Jr. away from him last season and giving him back to Dale Earnhardt, Jr. made a bad season worse for Michael. But I don't think that it was all negativity and bad times at DEI either.

This weekend Michael is in Nashville for Sound and Speed, a festival featuring Nascar drivers and country music stars which raises money for the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Victory Junction Gang Camp. In an interview while in Nashville Michael said,

"DEI will always be a special place for me, but it was time to move on."

and

"(he)...had an opportunity to stay at DEI if I had chosen to do so, but (after two winless seasons) I needed to go forward. (He)...left on good terms with everybody. … I have friends there and will always be special for me."

That doesn't sound like a man who is angry at his former employers or feels hostility towards them.

Granted it's not in Michael's nature to say anything particularly negative about anyone very often. But on the other hand I don't think that Michael is just blowing smoke either. Winning those Cup races and especially the Daytona 500s are likely very special moments for Michael and I'm sure that he is grateful to everyone at DEI who helped him win those races. I think he also very much enjoyed having Tony Eury, Jr. as his crew chief. Michael has said in the past that the cars that Eury, Jr. gave him were some of the best that he's ever driven in his career and it showed - in the first half of the season Michael had some incredible runs at some tracks and really showed that when given competitive cars he can race on non-plate tracks just as well as he can race at plate tracks.

Michael also says,

"I've never doubted that I could be a winner. I feel that I'm with a team that can give me that opportunity. Bill Davis Racing is the right place for me."

I agree that Bill Davis Racing is a place where Michael might win races but I'm not sure it will be in 2006. If Michael stays with BDR when Toyota enters Cup or if he fields his own Cup car through Michael Waltrip Racing with Toyota backing he will likely contend for wins. But I think that it's possible that 2005 may present some struggles for Michael as he is with a new team that will be trying to establish itself without the benefit of manufacturer support. I hope I'm wrong about that because few things in racing would make me happier than to see Michael in Victory Lane again but realistically right now the #55 team may have some challenges to overcome in 2006.

Posted by silverdsl at 05:00 PM | Comments (0)

Klapisch: I Won't Vote For McGwire For Hall of Fame

In March of last year Mark McGwire testified in front of Congress about the use of performance enhancers in baseball. Or more accurately he declined to say much of anything about his own use of steroids and instead invoked his fifth amendement right to avoid self-incrimination. Naturally everyone assumed that meant that McGwire had used steroids as an active player and didn't want to either put himself in a position where he would have to lie to congress or open himself up to somehow facing charges related to his steroid use. While his non-testimony was extremely suspicious, there has never been any concrete evidence that conclusively shows that McGwire used illegal performance enhancers. He's previously denied that he used steroids, there is no leaked grand jury testimony like there is for Jason Giambi and there is no positive drug test. Yet that's not going to stop some from treating McGwire like he's been found guilty of steroid use anyway.

A matter of hot debate is whether players who are steroids users should be voted in to the Hall of Fame. I think it opens up a giant can of worms because a variety of players in the Hall of Fame have skeletons in their closets, some of which effected how they played baseball. But back to McGwire, Bob Klapisch of The Record says that he won't vote for McGwire for the Hall of Fame until he comes clean about whether or not he used steroids. Actually, based on the tone of Klapisch's column I think he won't vote for him either way because Klapisch talks about McGwire as if he believes conclusively that McGwire used steroids despite the lack of actual evidence that says that he did.

Klapisch says,

Given McGwire's sorry performance before Congress last March, where he had the audacity to dodge questions about his tainted records, he'll probably hold onto his lies forever. In that case, McGwire will have to campaign elsewhere for his votes.

If Klapisch is so sure that McGwire is a liar with tainted records then no matter what McGwire says Klapisch is unlikely to believe him, even if he says that he never used steroids. Yet Klapisch really has no idea why McGwire opted to take the fifth back in March in front of Congress. Is it likely that McGwire used steriods and other performance enhancers? Yes, I think that it is but it is still possible that he didn't. I think that the standard of proof to accuse a player definitively of use needs to be greater than what is known in McGwire's case thus far.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:00 PM | Comments (0)

Mike Sweeney Says 1999 Royals Teammates Offered Him Steroids

Kansas City Royals first baseman Mike Sweeney told both talk radio and the Kansas City Star this week that he was offered steroids by some of his teammates in 1999. Of course Sweeney declines to name names but he might as well have because he has now opened every single one of his teammates on the '99 Royals, who include Johnny Damon, Carlos Beltran and Jermaine Dye, to speculation that they used. Of course one of Sweeney's teammates was also Jeremy Giambi who admitted to using steroids so it's natural to think that perhaps he was the one who offered Sweeney the performance enhancers but that won't stop fans from jumping to conclusions about other players.

What's amazing to me is that Sweeney says,

"We are a family in the clubhouse. What happens in the clubhouse stays in the clubhouse. It's like that saying about Vegas -- what happens there, stays there.

Except that he didn't let what happened in the clubhouse stay in the clubhouse. By talking about steroid use by his teammates he's taking what happened behind clubhouse doors squarely in the spotlight. Does he think that talking about steroid use by teammates, some of whom might still be active players, isn't going to get any attention? I don't have a problem with players talking about steroid use but I think they need to be careful about not setting up any of their teammates to be accused unjustly nor do I think Sweeney should be making references to talking about keeping what happens among teammates secret when he's essentially doing the opposite.

Not surprisingly this story isn't a headline on the Royals official site.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:27 PM | Comments (0)

Tony Stewart Treated and Released at Hospital After Midget Car Flip

From Jayski's:

UPDATE: Tony Stewart, the reigning champion in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, was taken to a local hospital for a preliminary examination after he flipped his Midget car in the opening laps of last night's qualifying race for the 20th annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals at the Tulsa Expo Raceway. Complaining of pain in his right arm after the crash, Stewart was taken to the hospital where X-rays revealed no broken bones and a CT scan proved negative. In a precautionary measure, Stewart was fitted with a cast until a more extensive evaluation can be made by his own doctors on Monday. "I'm a little sore," said Stewart. "The doctors were great and did a pretty thorough evaluation of me. They didn't find anything broken, but just to be sure, they fitted me with a cast that I'll wear until I meet with my doctors on Monday. It looks a lot worse than it is. "In no way should this affect my upcoming test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, my plans to compete in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona or my participation in Daytona Speedweeks."(True Speed Communication)(1-14-2006)

Tony Stewart loves to race and as such he enjoys racing on his own time in series other than those affiliated with Nascar. Each year he tries to take part in the annual Chili Bowl Midget Nationals along with a few other Nascar drivers such as Kasey Kahne, J. J. Yeley, Jason Leffler and others. Most of the time everything goes fine and there are no incidents. But for the second time this week Stewart flipped his midget car. The first time he escaped without any injury but this time he hurt his arm and was forced to go to the hospital for treatment. While it appears that he wasn't badly injured and he won't have to miss any time behind the wheel it does make one wonder if it's a good idea to let drivers participate in races for fun.

In 2004 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was burned in a fairly serious wreck during practice for a Grand Am race he was participating in during his free time. Now Stewart has been injured as well in an off-season race. In baseball, the players contracts contain a long list of activities such as playing basketball or riding motorcycles that they are prohibited from doing out of fear that they will be injured. I wonder if eventually Nascar driver's contract will contain clauses that prohibit them from racing in races that aren't Nascar affiliated? Had Stewart been seriously injured it could have derailed or stopped completely his bid in 2006 to defend his Cup Championship. It has to concern the folks at Joe Gibbs Racing that while Stewart got lucky this time, the next time it could be a worst injury. And their livelihood depends on Stewart's health as well.

Of course drivers can be injured during Nascar races as well. Steve Park suffered an injury that was career threatening racing on the side in the Busch series. Stewart was shaken up last season in a wreck in a Busch race. And of course there is always the risk of injury during a Cup race as well or even just walking down the street for that matter. But it seems to me that this is a reminder that racing, both for fun and as a career, has an element of danger to it that should be taken seriously even when it's just for fun.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:08 PM | Comments (0)

January 13, 2006

Steve Park At Testing After All... But Has No Ride

From truckseries.com:

Steve Park is here this afternoon at DIS spectating, not actively participating in Preseason Thunder testing. However, Park said he is close to locking up a deal that will have him back in the seat in time for the race.

"I have some things close, just nothing I can go on record and talk about," he said. "I am working on Plan A, and if that falls through I'll move on to Plan B. But I have every intention of being back here and racing in February."

From what I've heard things have been "close" for him with plan A for a while now. So frankly, I can't say I'm jumping up and down because the fact of the matter is that testing is here and Steve has no ride. Close doesn't count for too much because close means that the deal still isn't done. I'm sure that there are some who think I'm a horrible fan for not being happier about this bit of news but missing testing isn't a good thing, especially if it happens to be that the deal Steve is working on is for a new team. That's not a good way to start out in that the first time they would be seeing any on-track action is in race one. To say that they'd be behind the game, regardless of whether they are a new or established team is an understatement. So yes, it's good news that Steve is close to a new deal but I'm going to table my excitement until we find out just how close "close" really is.

Of course the question is what possible hang-up could there be to prevent this deal from being a go? After all, teams want to have everything set for testing so they can take part. So I'd guess that sponsorship is the issue. It's extremely difficult for teams to find and keep solid sponsors. Maybe this is still the long-rumored second truck for Wyler Racing that Steve was telling people was a possibility at the end of last season. Of course Jack Sprague's truck for the same organization still needs a primary sponsor too so perhaps they even have not just one, but two sponsors to get before the deal with Steve can be finalized. But then again there are a number of teams at testing who don't have sponsors besides Sprague's like the #77 of Brendan Gaughan, the #17 of David Reutimann and the #17 of Mike Bliss.

I hope that Steve's plans, whether it's plan A or plan B, work out the way that he wants and that he is in a truck (or car) when Daytona rolls around in Febuary.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:18 PM | Comments (0)

Steve Park Not at Truck Testing in Daytona

I haven't seen a definitive run-down of the drivers and teams who are present at truck series testing in Daytona today but based on the first few sessions rundown of times and the list of drivers who are currently scheduled to participate in the fan fest, along with the news that two available rides the #13 and #16 are now filled with Kerry Earnhardt and Mike Bliss respectively, it appears that Steve Park isn't present at testing. Which makes it unlikely that he has a truck ride. It's still possible that Steve has a Busch or Cup ride lined up and he will be at one of those test sessions next week but if things are tight in the truck series in terms of quality rides being available it's even worse in those two series.

Apparently the #14 for Fitz-Bradshaw Racing is still an open ride and they are planning on announcing who the driver is going to be next week. Could that driver be Steve? It's a possiblity I suppose. I would be very happy if Steve ended up in the #14 as they will be running Evernham engines which means that the FBR cars should be improved over 2005. In addition, thanks to the partnership between FBR and Michael Waltrip Racing, Steve would sort of be a semi-teammate to Michael Waltrip again which would be a very good thing. However, is Steve likely to be named as the driver? I'm not sure. He has stated before that he only wants to go back to Busch or Cup if it's going to be in a competitive ride and I'm not sure the #14 is going to put him in a position to win races as often as he might like. In addition, the trend in Nascar is certainly towards youth over experience so depending on FBR's mindset that might put Steve out of contention for this ride.

I want to stress that in no way do I think it's a done deal that Steve won't be on the track in 2006. There could very well be a deal in place for a Busch ride. Something could turn up between now and the first race at Daytona. Or Steve could end up with a ride mid-season if a driver is released or an organization decides to add another truck (or car). But I do think that Steve not being at truck testing, especially since he lives in Daytona now so he's in a position to help a team out even just for testing as a favor, isn't a good sign. I still believe fully in Steve's ability behind the wheel - as I've said many times, when given competitive equipment Steve can race up front and win. I will also support Steve and be a fan of his whether or not he's racing but at the moment I'm not feeling overly confident that he's going to be on the track full-time in 2006.

It's sad that it's gotten to this point for Steve that it's down to the wire for him in terms of finding a new ride. In 2001 he was considered one of the young stars of the sport who had a bright future ahead of him. How quickly things can change. Hopefully there will be some good news about Steve's plans for 2006 soon to allieviate my concerns and that of other Steve Park fans.

Posted by silverdsl at 11:23 AM | Comments (0)

Jim Smith: Closing Ultra Not Ford's Fault After All

A week ago Eddie Tharp, general manager of the now-defunct Ultra Motorsports said the following was the reason why Ultra Motorsports was forced to close down,

"Ford came up with an offer, Jimmy made a counter-offer and they met somewhere in the middle," Thrap said. "When the contract came it was not what they had agreed upon, and it was locking us in for five years at a ridiculously low price that would have cost Jimmy millions of dollars out of his pocket over a five-year period.

"At this late date, he had no alternative and there was nowhere else to go in the timeframe that we had."

Yesterday however, Jim Smith, who was the owner of Ultra Motorsports released this statement,

"The reason we decided to shut down had absolutely nothing to do with Ford," said Smith, in responding to rumors that had the manufacturer not producing a promised deal for the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. "Ford was more than gracious in their offer to back us for the 2006 season. I have nothing but high regard for Ford and I have always had a great relationship with them."

and

"(On talk that Ford was to blame) Nothing could be further from the truth," said Smith. "We had to assess our entire program after Dodge decided to allocate its resources elsewhere for 2006. When we looked at the big picture, the numbers just didn't add up. It's a shame we had to close our doors, but we're extremely proud of the record Ultra Motorsports compiled over the years. Like they say, all good things must come to an end and for us, this is the end."

Fact is that the person who pointed the finger at Ford was the general manager of Ultra. Not Jayski, not the media and not fans. Someone from within his own organization. I'm expected to believe that the GM of Ultra spoke out of turn without Smith's knowledge and didn't know what the situation was?

Of course Smith might have had to back off from the initial statements that blamed Ford due to pressure from the manufacturer but Smith's comments open up more questions as to why Ultra Motorsports actually shut their doors. If Ford gave Ultra a contract that was adequate and they had a primary sponsor then the financial resources should have been there for Ultra to field a truck for Ted Musgrave in 2006. How could the numbers have not added up when for the past ten years the numbers did add up to run trucks when they had manufacturer support and primary sponsors? So perhaps there's more to the story.

Maybe Jim Smith simply wanted to go out on top. Perhaps he could have fielded a truck in 2006 but if money really was an issue at all he knew that he might not have the resources to defend the 2005 championship so he decided to walk away having achived the biggest goal of every truck owner - to field a championship team. In addition, there have been rumors that Smith is investigating getting involved with other ventures in Nascar so perhaps he decided to focus his energy there. Regardless, as usual with the closing of a team or release of a driver there are more questions than answers.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:23 AM | Comments (0)

January 12, 2006

Photo of the Day - Las Vegas at Night

Las Vegas, Nevada, January, 2005.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:11 PM | Comments (0)

Place of the Day - Cinder Cone Lava Beds

I just turned to a page at random in my topo map of Southern California and picked the first thing that caught my eye - the Cinder Cone Lava Beds. Apparently the Cinder Cone Lava Beds are in the midde of the Mojave National Preserve. There are other lava beds in the Mojave but this particular group totals about 30 in number and is a result of relatively "recent" volcanic activity. I put recent in quotes because 1,000 years ago really isn't all that recent. The Cinder Cone Lava Beds are spread out and not easily accessible from a paved road so I imagine they aren't as well visited as other lava beds in the preserve.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:00 PM | Comments (0)

Michael Waltrip Will Be At Sound & Speed

Michael Waltrip will be at the Sound & Speed event in Nashville this weekend so whatever the family medical issue that Kyle Petty referred to last weekend that prevented Michael from running the Disney Marathon with him is likely either resolved or not grave. I have to say that I am guilty of jumping to conclusions without waiting for all the facts to be known because I leapt to the assumption that Michael skipping testing in Daytona next week is both a done deal and connected to Kyle's comment. However, there is no official word that Michael is in fact skipping testing and if he is it could be for any number of reasons which may have nothing to do with any kind of personal concerns. Kevin Harvick skipped testing last season for a sponsor committment and Tony Stewart skipped testing this week to concentrate on the Chili Bowl. It should also be noted while the natural assumption is that perhaps the issue involved Michael's mother since she has had health problems over the years, who the medical issue involved is completely unknown and it's possible it wasn't even someone in Michael's immediate family. Really, there are very few actual facts that are known about the comment that Kyle made.

I am a big fan of Kyle Petty and one of the things that I like about him is that there are times when he is very candid. However, I wish that he had opted to say that Michael had to withdraw due to a conflict and not gone into details as to what exactly it was. That way it would avoid some of the speculation. While I think there is nothing wrong with showing concern for members of Michael's family speculation that centers around Michael's personal life, which I think is no one's business except for his unless he chooses to share it, makes me especially uncomfortable so I just wish Kyle had been a little less forthcoming this time.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:25 PM | Comments (0)

Oprah Dismisses Claims About Frey Book

Last night James Frey, the author of the non-fiction book, A Million Little Pieces, who is accused by The Smoking Gun of fabricating and exaggerating large and key parts of the book was on CNN's Larry King Live last night to address the charges. Not surprisingly since his book sales and livelihood as a writer depends on his reputation, Frey defended the book by saying,

"The book is about drug addiction and alcoholism," he said. "The emotional truth is there."

The emotional truth may be there but according to the witnesses and documents that TSG discovered, the real truth may not be. Apparently Oprah Winfrey, whose selection of A Million Little Pieces for her book club made it a best-seller, doesn't care if the book reflects the real truth either. She called in to the Larry King Show last night and said,

"What is relevant is that he was a drug addict ... and stepped out of that history to be the man he is today and to take that message to save other people and allow them to save themselves."

While it's true that the book may still be an inspiration for those who are suffering from substance abuse problems, whether or not Frey has fabricated parts of his book is relevant. Because if some events in the book are fictional, what else that he is saying might be fictional as well? How can anything he says be trusted? Then, how can he truly help others who are drug or alcohol addicts if they don't know if they can believe him or not?

As I've said before the truth, the whole truth, matters.

Posted by silverdsl at 11:02 AM | Comments (0)

Jeff Burton on RCR and Dale Earnhardt, Sr.

Other than Michael Waltrip or Steve Park, my favorite driver to listen to an interview with is Jeff Burton. Instead of spinning everything and only giving safe answers Burton is candid and tells it like it is. So for example, during a press conference he did yesterday during testing at Daytona, Burton didn't shy away from talking about how Richard Childress Racing has struggled the past few years and how they've had to work hard to improve. Many drivers would probably try to gloss over their organization's struggles or avoid talking about it in depth but not Burton.

One of the most interesting reasons Burton hypothosized that RCR has struggled is because of the lingering effects of the death of Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Some might think that's ridiculous five years later but I think that Burton actually is on to something very important. Earnhardt wasn't just a driver at RCR - he was a major force and factor in their success. Burton said,

"I think that Richard knew he needed to move forward, and everybody in there knew they needed to move forward. But I also think that any time they moved away from something that they were doing, they were moving further away from Dale."

In essence the company had and still has the resources in terms of technology, personnel and equipment to keep up with every other organization in Nascar but they were being passed by in a lot of areas because there was the feeling, whether it was acknowledged openly or not, that they couldn't stray too far from the way that things were done when Earnhardt was alive. Almost as if doing that wouldn't be true to Earnhardt or his vision.

Burton went on to say,

"Again, I don't know how it got where it was, but there's no question that Dale had such a huge influence, and without a doubt, there's been many days when I've heard, "When Dale was here, we didn't have to do it like that." I haven't heard that in the last six months, but I heard that. "When Dale was here, we didn't have to do that."

But the reality of it is if Dale was there, they would have to do it in today's time."

Because Burton knows that if Earnhardt was around he would have prodded them into keeping up with the times and doing things the same way other teams were if it would benefit them and lead to more success on the track.

Listening to Burton I got to thinking about DEI. If RCR is still suffering from the effects of Earnhardt's death than the same could also be true of DEI as well. There's no question that DEI has struggled recently, particularly in 2005. They are simply not the same powerhouse that they once were. What's amazed me for a while is that until some time last season they were not functioning the way that other organizations were that were succesful. For example, the teams operated completely independantly instead of sharing information and some of the crew chiefs were resistant to using the full array of technology that was available to them. So it got me to wondering if it's possible that at DEI they were also unwilling to change a lot of things because they too felt, even subconsiously, that it would be moving away from the way the company was run and the approach that they took when Earnhardt was alive and played an active role in what went on at DEI. But times changes and as advances are made, not just in technology, but in business philosophies, in the approach towards the way race teams operate or in the direction the sport is headed in, it's essential that an organization keeps up or they will find themselves in a bad position where it might be hard for them to compete with the organizations who do keep up with the changing times.

Fans are very fond of talking about how much would be different at DEI and elsewhere if Earnhardt was still alive. I think it's impossible to know what Earnhardt might or might not have done but it's certain that there are many things that wouldn't be the same, perhaps the biggest being that many of the safety advances that Nascar now has might not be mandated. But most specifics in terms of what he might have done on the track, what RCR might be doing now, what moves he would have made at DEI in terms of the drivers there and what he would have encouraged the governing body of Nascar to do are impossible to know for sure. However, it's clear to me that even five years later there is a void in the garage area, among the drivers and at several organizations that hasn't, and may never be, completely filled.

Burton also said,

"I think that there's -- Dale was a huge influence to Bill and to Mike, and he had a direct relationship with those guys. I think now it's more done by committee. I think there's five or six guys, and I'd like to think that I'm one of them, that have a rapport with NASCAR and with the media that can help make things happen. But I think it's done more by committee today than it was when Dale was here."

There will never be another Dale Earnhardt, that's for sure. I think that Burton's comment could also be applied to Earnhardt's influence at RCR and DEI as well. His loss wasn't just a personal loss, the loss of a driver or team owner, it was also the loss of someone who had a tremendous amount of vision and ability to guide the sport.

And if Earnhardt had that kind of influence on his profesional relationships, I have to wonder how much of a void personally does his loss continue to be to those who were close to him? I'm not talking about still missing him - his family and friends will never get over his loss or forget about him. I'm talking about how he likely gave advice and mentored those around him in terms of racing and otherwise. Michael Waltrip, Steve Park, his son, likely so many others whose lives he touched in a substantial way...

Posted by silverdsl at 09:33 AM | Comments (0)

January 11, 2006

Photo of the Day - Steve Park

Wall, New Jersey, 2003. Just thinking about Steve Park and whether there will be an official announcement about his 2006 plans soon. The funny thing is that Michael Waltrip was at this event too but this was just before I became such a big fan of Michael's. I had always liked him but it took seeing how fan-friendly he was at this event to really make me a fan of his. Of course Steve was awesome that day too as he always is with his fans.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:01 PM | Comments (0)

Domino's Renews With Michael Waltrip for 2006

Once a photo of Michael Waltrip's #55 cup car decked out in a Domino's paint scheme was posted on Jayski's it was pretty obvious that Domino's would be sponsoring Michael in some way, shape or form in 2006. Now comes official word that they have renewed with Michael for 2006. Ken Caldwell, chief marketing officer for Domino's said,

"Michael has done a great job in our commercials and serving as a Domino'sPizza spokesman. We are happy to build on our relationship and to continue our participation in this exciting sport."

No kidding he does a great job as their spokesperson! The commercials with him are hysterical - the one that he and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. did last year was particularly funny. And many fans of Michael have taken to ordering pizza at least once a month to support their favorite driver.

Not only will Domino's be the primary sponsor of the #55 for the August 20 race at Michigan International Speedway, be an associate sponsor on Michael's car for all other races, and feature Michael in commercials and promotions, but they will also be greatly expanding their showcar program. So in 2006 the Domino's showcar will travel around the country, making appearances at local Domino's near the tracks during race weekends. The show car will make at least 100 appearances during 2006 and Coca-Cola will also be a participant, providing free product and raffle prizes. Which does make sense since Michael is part of the Coca-Cola family of drivers. In addition, the show car trailer will have glass window which will allow the show car to be seen as the trailor is driving down the road. That sounds pretty cool and will certainly give a thrill to fans who see it on the road!

Why is Domino's expanding their show car program so much? It's all about sales. From the release:

Stores that hosted the show car reported an average of 30% to 60% sales increases.

That's a pretty big jump in sales and it's outstanding that Michael had a hand in increasing sales by so much. It's pretty clear why Domino's is sticking with Michael - he helps them increase the visibility of their product and sell pizzas which is their goal.

I think Domino's is one of the best sponsors at making the most of their Nascar involvement. They aren't just an official sponsor of the sport, they are also on a car and they don't just leave it at that. Instead of being a passive sponsor they come up with all kinds of creative promotions to capitalize on their association with the sport and with Nascar. It obviously works well for them.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:19 PM | Comments (0)

Ashley Parker Angel: There and Back

Anyone remember the boy band O-Town? I watched them on MTV's Making the Band and I can barely remember them either. But Ashley Parker Angel, one of the members of the band, is back on another MTV reality show - There and Back, about his quest to get his career back on track. As it turns out Angel desperately needs the influx of cash that another hit album would bring because he's broke, his girlfriend is pregnant, they want to get a house so they don't have to live with his girlfriend's mother and if he was independantly wealthy perhaps he could finance his own records and have more control. This show definitely strays from "reality" in that it's very obvious that some parts are scripted, especially when Angel is talking to the camera. That's something that would normally make me stop watching but there were also some unintentionally humorous moments too. Let's just say that realityblurred.com pointed out a big reason why Angel is broke right now:

“Do you think I should sell my Camaro?” “You put like 30 grand into that Camaro, Ashley, and it’s not even drivable.” And now we know why Ashley is broke.

The segment when Angel goes on a job interview was painful. He was interviewing for a job that involved working iwth musicians and helping them with their gear. One would think that since he was in a band he would be a shoo-in. Wrong. Apparently Angel didn't pick up a tremendous amount of technical knowledge when it comes to working with the instruments and gear. Seeing that and hearing his discussion with his girlfriend about his lack of skills that would help him land a job makes it clear that even celebrites need a back-up plan. Fame and fortune can go away in the blink of an eye and it's essential to have some sort of skills or way to support one's self.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:59 PM | Comments (0)

January 10, 2006

Photo of the Day - Aruba

Aruba, October, 2005.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:07 PM | Comments (0)

Place of the Day - Window Rock, Arizona

Near the New Mexico/Arizona border, Window Rock is the Capitol and adminstrative center for the Navajo Nation. There is literally a window rock in Window Rock as it gets it's name from a hole in a 200-foot sandstone hill. I found a good photo of the window rock and it reminds me a little of a natural arch or some of the formations at Valley of the Sun State Park in Nevada. Naturally there are many other places to visit in the area related to the Navajo Nation.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:45 PM | Comments (0)

James Frey + A Million Untruths = One Smoking Gun Expose

Oprah Winfrey selected James Frey's book, A Million Little Pieces, to be featured as part of her book club. The book, which was supposedly a non-fiction memoir of Frey's youthful years as a drug-addicted criminal who ended up in jail and how he got his life back on track, ended up on The New York Times non-fiction best seller list for the past fifteen weeks and sold more copies in the United States in 2005 than any other book not about Harry Potter. However, a major investigative report by The Smoking Gun has revealed that Frey may have fabricated and exaggerated major parts of his "non-fiction" book.

Really it's unbelievable how much The Smoking Gun uncovered. The Smoking Gun's report didn't show just one or two minor discrepancies. Reading through it's incredible how much TSG discovered didn't actually happen in the way that Frey claims that it did. While some might say that anyone's memory might not be so great years later, it seems to me that there's no way that Frey could accidentally get this many things wrong. TSG not only found that key documents that should prove Frey's version of events didn't exist but that there were numerous court documents, police reports and actual, live witnesses that showed that Frey likely spent very little time in jail, despite what he claimed and large portions of some of the biggest events that are key parts of his book didn't happen in the way that he says that it did.

Frey plans on going on Larry King Live on CNN tomorrow night and I'm sure he will have some sort of impassioned defense of the book which will probably fall in line with what his publisher, Random House, is saying.

"Recent accusations against him notwithstanding, the power of the overall reading experience is such that the book remains a deeply inspiring and redemptive story for millions of readers."

As far as the charges, which were made by the Smoking Gun Web site, "This is not a matter that we deem necessary for us to investigate," said Alison Rich, a spokeswoman for Doubleday and Anchor Books.

Appalling. Does anyone care about accuracy, truth or ethics any more? I know that when an author writes their memoirs it's to be expected that some things might be embellished. It's not the same as a journalist writing for a newspaper. However, A Million Pieces is a non-fiction book. I expect that when I read a non-fiction book, no matter how good or inspirational it might be as this one apparently is, that it really isn't in reality fiction. The truth matters to me and it should matter to everyone.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:10 PM | Comments (0)

Not Unemployed for Long: Ted Musgrave Finds a New Ride

Friday morning Ted Musgrave was informed that he was out of a ride since Ultra Motorsports would be closing their doors effective immediately. Less than four days later a deal was in place to put him behind the wheel of a second Toyota truck for Germain Motorsports as a teammate to Todd Bodine. Given how strong Bodine was in the last half of the season which saw him win five races, I'd say that there probably aren't too many better organizations in the truck series for Musgrave to have joined. I have no doubt that Germain Motorsports is going to be a powerhouse in 2006. Bodine isn't popular with a lot of fans who think he's a wreck-magnet but there is no doubt that when he's behind the wheel of a truck he can take it to Victory Lane. I'm also quite sure that Musgrave will do everything he can to repeat as series Champion.

I heard an interview that Musgrave did this evening with Claire B. Lang on XM and he had a few interesting things to say. Apparently Musgrave and his entire team was taken completely by surprise about Friday's news. No one had any idea that Ultra Motorsports was in any kind of trouble. As soon as he heard the news Musgrave started making phone calls both to truck and Busch owners to see what might turn up. He also received a whole lot of phone calls as the news traveled so by the weekend he had a number of offers to sort though. But what surprised me is that it was somewhat tough going even for the reigning series champion in that it's so late in the off-season that many of the offers that he received were either for part-time rides or would have involved another driver losing their ride, something he wasn't willing to do to one of his peers. I wonder how many other drivers in Musgrave's shoes would do the same thing? Or might some of them look at it as every man for himself and take a ride even if it meant putting someone else on the unemployment line.

But once Musgrave decided that a ride at Germain Motorsports sounded pretty appealing, which probably didn't take long the deal came together in a matter of hours. The only reason they even had to wait as long as they did to announce it is because they wanted to wait for Bodine to get back from the Bodine Bobsled event up in Lake Placid to get his blessing on having Musgrave as his teammate. Of course Bodine was down with the idea and Musgrave will be heading to testing in Daytona with a completely new team, though some of the people who worked at Ultra Motorsports may take positions at Germain.

The # that Musgrave will have on the side of his truck is somewhat undecided. Though Musgrave doesn't really care what number he gets they are going to try to get the #1 from Jim Smith and Ultra Motorsports because there are apparently some perks that go along with a Championship number such as being able to line up to go out first during practice. If they can't get the #1 Musgrave will use #9.

Of course my first thought was whether this effects Steve Park at all but I would think that it doesn't. This close to testing if Steve is going to end up in a truck it's likely that the deal is almost in place. My only thought is that it might make it less likely that Steve will be in a Toyota truck if he signs with a truck team because I'm not sure how many more drivers Toyota is looking to add to their stable. That's a shame because I would love to see Steve in a Toyota. They are strong trucks for the most part and with Toyota likely to enter Busch and Cup in the future it might present a good opportunity for Steve to get back into one of the higher levels.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:29 PM | Comments (0)

Bobby Hamilton, Sr. Comes Through for His Son

From Jayski's:

Hamilton Jr. yesterday said he has arranged to race this season in trucks fielded by his father's Bobby Hamilton Racing. Hamilton Sr. will have a busy year. The 2004 truck series champion will drive a full schedule while fielding trucks for his son, Timothy Peters and Scott Lagasse. Peters raced for BHR last year, while Lagasse will be a rookie. Hamilton Jr. said that in addition to running the full truck schedule he plans to race some at Music City Motorplex. He also owns and operates a restaurant in Springfield, TN.(Tennessean)(1-10-2006)

Not much of a shocker here. I figured all along that Bobby Hamilton, Jr. would end up in one of his father's trucks this season once he got released from the #32 car. Unlike a lot of other drivers who when they get released have to rush off to find a ride immediately, since his father has a successful truck operation, Hamilton, Jr. had the luxury of being able to wait to see if any competitive rides came his way rather than take just anything. Then if nothing surfaced to his liking he could hop in one of his father's trucks. I think that down the road Bobby Hamilton Racing might eventually expand to Busch or even the Cup series with Hamilton, Jr. behind the wheel.

ETA: Apparently the update to this on Jayski's is that Hamilton, Jr. won't be full-time for his father and will run at least one race, Daytona for Green Light Racing.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:29 PM | Comments (0)

Good Vibes...

Currently I'm collecting all the virtual four-leaf clovers, lucky horseshoes, Kokopelli's, and anything else that might create good luck and good vibes. Not for myself but hopefully in a few days there will be good news to be excited about. And hopefully there will also be a clarification of whether or not there is a medical issue in Michael Waltrip's family to be concerned about.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:07 PM | Comments (0)

Ford: Ultra Motorsports Was to Field Two Teams

Not surprisingly Ford is firing back at claims by Ultra Motorsports that they were forced to close down because the contract that Ford sent them was for less money than originally agreed upon. However, Ford says that the deal that they originally discussed with Jim Smith and Ultra Motorsports was contingent on them fielding two trucks and when that didn't happen they reduced their level of support to bring it in line with what they would give other one-truck teams. Greg Specht, performance operations manager for Ford said,

"When we first started speaking with Jim last year, the plan was for them to have a two-truck operation, and we were prepared to support that level of operation. When it became clear that there would be only one truck for this year, we did propose to cut that support back proportionally to help them with a one-truck operation. Our support for the Ultra Motorsports program was going to be equal to our other factory-backed teams in the series."

Which does make sense. If Ultra is only going to be fielding one team it doesn't seem quite right for them to get two-team money if that's not what Ford does for other teams. But Specht also said something else that I think is very key. From the article (and Specht also made comments of this nature on XM),

Specht stressed that Ford is not a team sponsor.

"We provide manufacturer support in ways that a traditional sponsor would not, and we were very willing to provide that support for this year," he said.

Ford should not be expected to give as much financial support to Ultra Motorsports or any other team as a primary sponsor might. It seems like Toyota throws quite a bit of financial and other resources at their teams but the other manufacturers may not be able to provide that kind of support. They do provide a certain amount of money and then plenty of technical assistance but it seems to me that if Jim Smith was depending on two-truck money from Ford without running two trucks to keep Ultra in operation then he might not have had a great business plan for 2006.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:56 AM | Comments (0)

Al Leiter Signs Minor League Deal With Yankees

This actually happened last week but I'm just getting around to blogging about it now. Really that Al Leiter signed a minor league deal to go to Spring Training with the New York Yankees really isn't a big deal by any means. After all, at the end of last season it appeared that Leiter didn't have much left, in spite of how well he pitched in the one game against the Red Sox when he first joined the Yankees. So Leiter is just one of many players who are signed to minor league contracts by teams who don't really expect much but figure it's worth a shot or that they could be insurance in case of injury.

Or as I think it is in Leiter's case as a favor. Apparently Leiter would like the opportunity to play in the World Baseball Classic and this would offer him a way to not only get in pitching shape but to also show that he can still be useful on the mound. Leiter said of playing in the WBC,

"This could be really exciting. Maybe before I die it ends up being a rival to the soccer World Cup."

In the face of all the negativity about the WBC it's nice that someone is excited about it. While I think the timing of the WBC isn't great and there are some other issues to work out I think that it has the potential to be a good event that could really promote the game of baseball internationally. I hope that everything works out for Leiter and he does get to play in the WBC.

Even if Leiter doesn't go to the WBC and he doesn't make it onto the Yankees 40-man roster, he might still end up in the Yankees organization as part of the broadcast team for YES. I'd be pretty happy about that. I've always enjoyed Leiter as a broadcaster. He's also a good guy who is committed to charitable causes through his foundation, Leiter's Landing. Definitely someone that I'd like to see remain with the Yankees in some capacity.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:18 AM | Comments (0)

January 09, 2006

Photo of the Day - Harbor

Kittery, Maine. July, 2005. A view of a harbor near Fort McClary in Kittery, Maine.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:48 PM | Comments (0)

The Clock Continues to Tick...

It's January 9 and Steve Park still doesn't have a ride for 2006. Of course he could announce his new ride tomorrow and I would be thrilled but as of the time of the writing of this post Steve doesn't have a ride. I was concerned enough in December when there was no news of a new ride, and even more concerned when December turned into January. Since the writing of the last post I've heard a few things but one thing seems certain - as of now Steve doesn't have definite plans for 2006. And despite Steve's appearance at the Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge which was attended by a number of fans, Steve's name has continued to not show up in the rumor mill definitively connected to any specific team, not on Jayski's, not on fan forums and especially not from fans talking about Steve optimistically talking at the Bodine event about 2006.

Steve is talking to teams, I have no doubt about that, but time is growing short, especially when one considers that truck series testing begins later this week. While it's certainly possible that Steve could end up in a Busch or Cup ride one of his most likely landing spots in back in the truck series. So that it's the week of testing and there is still no news, not even a peep in the rumor mill concerns me that if Steve is on the track in 2006 it's not going to be in a full time ride.

On the other hand Ted Musgrave is said to be talking to several teams and I hope that his recent release due to Ultra Motorsports closing shop doesn't spell bad news for Steve. Because some of the teams that Steve might be talking to might want to turn their attention to Musgrave. A Champion is a hot commodity, not just because of his driving skills, but because, as someone on SPC pointed out, Musgrave will be able to take advantage of the champion's provisional. That's big, especially for team that might be a new one.

In an email to another Steve Park fan last week who shares some of my concerns I said that it's unbelievable to me that it's come to this for Steve - that testing is here and he might not have a deal for a new ride yet. A few years ago when Steve was considered one of Nascar's brightest young stars who many thought would win a lot of races in the future, I never would have imagined that Steve would end up in subpar rides and then struggle to find a ride period. I always figured that he would be racing in Cup but in retrospect that might have been setting my expectations too high. Not because of anything to do with Steve per say but because the reality is that just like in baseball how every player eventually goes through a decline where they can't play the game at the level they once could which leds to them no longer being considered for roles as starters, most drivers probably also inevitably fall from the top, not because their driving skills erode but because times change and if everything doesn't go right for them they aren't considered among the top drivers anymore no matter what their achievements might have been in the past. Things seem to eventually pass by even the best of drivers including some like Ricky Rudd, Terry LaBonte and Dale Jarrett who at various times when they've been on the track seem like afterthoughts. I just always thought that Steve's career would have many more bright spots than what the past few years have held for him.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:47 PM | Comments (0)

NFL Opts to End It's Sponsorship Deal With Erectile Dysfunction Drug Levitra

Viagra was a sponsor of Mark Martin's#6 for Roush Racing until the end of this past season when they ended their sponsorship agreement with Roush because it was thought that Martin was going to be retiring. Martin, Roush and Nascar has never seemed to have any qualms about having erectile dysfunction drugs as sponsors, despite some of the conservative attitudes that have led some fans to feel that kind of sponsor isn't 100% appropriate. MLB also has a deal with Viagra in which the drug is the sponsor of the Comeback Player of the Year Award. Cialis also works with the PGA. But the NFL, citing concerns over a change in the focus of commercials from impotence to ads that are more sexy and provocative, has decided not to renew an $18 million sponsorship agreement with the erectile dysfunction drug Levitra. That decision is puzzling to me. Prior to 2003 there had been a ban on health-care related sponsorships in the NFL but in 2003 it became acceptable to enter into those kinds of sponsorship deals related to eight different kinds of health-care products: allergies, cholesterol reducers, dermatology, diabetes, gastrointestinal, hair renewal and growth, prostate medication and erectile dysfunction. So there is no rule that bars the NFL from having that kind of sponsorship.

While I understand the concern that they don't want to associate themselves with anything that is too provocative, if the ads weren't advertising a erectile dysfunction drug, I have to wonder if the NFL would choose not to renew their sponsorship deal with another company whose ads were sexually provocative. Let's say it's a car company with half-dressed women draped over the car? Would they choose not to renew that deal? Then again the NFL wasn't happy with the Nicollette Sheridan/Desperate Housewives bit on Monday Night Football that featured Sheridan dropping her towel. That piece caused a lot of controversy so perhaps the NFL is looking to avoid that kind of situation happening again. However, it seems to me that perhaps Levitra would be willing to modify their ad campaign as it comes to the NFL since that deal probably gave them a lot of exposure.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:08 PM | Comments (0)

The "Flavor of Love"

Over the weekend I caught most of the first episode and part of the second episode of the Flavor of Love, VH1's new reality show starring Flavor Flav, formerly of the rap group Public Enemy. After various problems in his personal and professional life Flavor Flav dropped out of sight for a number of years only to resurface on another of VH1's reality shows, The Surreal Life. Any number of previously washed up celebrities have used The Surreal Life as a vehicle to jumpstart their stalled careers and Flavor Flav has followed suit. VH1 seems to know an um, good thing when they see it as this is Flavor Flav's third reality show appearance for them having appeared in Strange Love with another SL alum, Brigette Nielson, last year. The premise of FoL is similar to The Bachelor in that the show features twenty single women living in the house with Flav, having to perform various challenges, go on dates with him and in general try to impress him in the hopes of becoming his woman. Now, other than the whole 15-minutes of fame thing I'm not sure Flavor Flav would be my ideal man if I were single but I guess to each their own. On one hand the premise and behavior of the cast members is ridiculous but on the other hand it's also kind of hilarious to see both the women and Flavor Flav's antics not to mention how seriously they are all taking this process. Or at least how seriously some of them are taking it. A few of the women have acting backgrouds of various kinds so I suspect a few of them are also more interested in what appearing on a VH1 reality show can do for their careers than anything else.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:44 PM | Comments (0)

Sad and Troubling News

First, there is the sad news that Elizabeth Toomes Petty, wife of Lee Petty, mother of Richard Petty and grandmother to Kyle Petty passed awayyesterday at the age of 88. Condolences to the Petty family.

Next comes word that Michael Waltrip's family might also have some concerns of their own. Kyle ran in the Disney Marathon over the weekend and he said that Michael was supposed to have run it with him but had to drop out due to an unspecified "family medical problem." I hadn't heard anything about Michael planning on running for the Disney Marathon and it hadn't seemed like he was in training like he was prior to when he ran the Las Vegas Marathon so I don't know how long ago the family medical issue came up - could be something recent or could be something a while back that might have interferred with his training. But what is more worrisome is that according to The Sporting News Michael will be missing testing next week at Daytona which seems unusual for a driver joining a new team with a new manufacturer. So while right now there is nothing to say that someone testing for him is connected to the family medical problem that Kyle mentioned it seems that there has to be an important reason why Michael is going to be missing testing.

Michael's mother hasn't been 100% healthy for a while now and I believe that she had a stroke a few years ago. So naturally there is speculation that she might not be well. There's also the possiblity that another family member is ill. I just hate to hear news like this. Michael's father passed away around this time in 2000 and I hate to think about another Waltrip family member possibly facing a health crisis now too. I hope that everything turns out in the best way possible for Michael and his family.

It seems like nothing can ever go completely smoothly for Michael. Family of course should be the priority over anything on the track but it's unfortunate that added into the pressures of joining a brand-new team that it going to face some challenges and all that he has to do for Michael Waltrip Racing, that Michael also has to worry about his family as well.

But it's things like this which is why I wish that some fans would give drivers a break once in a while. Over on Michael's site a number of people have taken issue with a number of things like news not being posted to the site fast enough, certain things with the fan club not happening yet or Michael not being on the site to answer questions often enough. Maybe if he does have a family member who is ill enough that he is missing testing perhaps Michael has more pressing things on his mind than posting or directing his publicist to put articles on his website. I don't think there's anything wrong with fans expressing their unhappiness with certain things but this is a good reminder to remember that we don't know what might be happening in a driver's life at any given time that might effect what they do or how they interact with people.

Michael is slated to be at "Speed and Sound" in Nashville this weekend, January 13-14. I don't know if he will be there or not if there is a serious medical issue with someone in his family but if he does appear I'm sure someone will ask him both about who in his family is ill as well as why he had to miss testing.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:25 PM | Comments (0)

January 08, 2006

Place of the Day - Rainbow Bridge National Mounument

Image courtesy of the National Park Service.

The National Park Service has a great feature on their website and that's an archive of public domain images for all the national parks and national mounuments. Naturally the image quality of many of them aren't great but it's good to have a place where I can go for images that I can use when I want to talk about one of the many beautiful areas that the NPS is in charge of. I've always been fascinated by natural bridges so when I saw a photo today of Rainbow Bridge National Mounument and found out that it's the world's largest natural bridge I was very intrigued! Located in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which contains Lake Powell, Rainbow Bridge is a sacred area to the Navajo Indians on whose reservation the bridge is located.

It's no easy matter to get to the bridge. Those who want to go must take either a 50-mile boat ride on Lake Powell or use a 14-mile trail accessible via foot or horseback. Those who hike must have a permit from the Navajo Reservation as well. I'd love to go see Rainbow Bridge but it sounds like it's a bit of a journey though there is a boat dock nearby to make it fairly easy to go via boat.

Posted by silverdsl at 06:35 PM | Comments (0)

Florida Wildlife Park Has to Change Approach Because Visitors Can't Follow Directions

When in a theme park, national park or any kind of managed area that encourages visitors it seems that there are some people who think that nothing bad can happen no matter what they do. After all, if visitors are allowed it must be completely safe no matter what right? Well, that's true if people follow the rules and directions of park staff. The Lion Country Safari in Loxahatchee, Florida used to allow visitors to drive through the park in which fourteen lions and other wildlife wandered free, occassionally going right up to visitor's cars. But the days of the lions roaming free are over as the Safari was forced to put the lions behind a high chain-link fence because visitors couldn't follow a few basic rules for their own safety. Apparently there were so many visitors who were opening the windows of their cars and sometimes their doors that due to fears of a lawsuit if a encounter between a rule-breaking visitor and a lion went bad, the Safari had to put the lions behind the fences. Of course visitors weren't all pleased but what choice did the Safari have?

I've been amazed at times by what I've seen in places like Walt Disney World, the Bronx Zoo or in National Parks. There are plenty of well-behaved visitors but there are also a lot of people who behave at places like that in ways that they wouldn't elsewhere. Accidents can and will happen in theme parks and in beautiful natural locales just as easily as they can happen anywhere else. Just because WDW is billed as "The Happiest Place on Earth" doesn't mean that some unhappy things don't happen occassionally as well. In addition, the wild is still the wild. Just because the national park service manages an area and has park rangers on hand doesn't mean that the danger from heat, the weather, falls or wildlife aren't still present. The unfortunate thing is that in comparision to overall visitors people who misbehave or can't follow the rules are probably in the minority but they ruin things for everyone.

Posted by silverdsl at 06:13 PM | Comments (0)

January 07, 2006

Photo of the Day - Broken Shell

Cape May, New Jersey, September, 2005

"Gather a shell from the strewn beach and listen at its lips:
they sigh the same desire and mystery,
the echo of the whole sea's speech."

-Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Posted by silverdsl at 08:30 PM | Comments (0)

Councilman in Hot Water for Comments on Message Board

This is why people have to be careful about what they say on any kind of online message board or forum. I'm all for being honest and expressing one's opinions openly. I certainly don't hesitate to speak my mind online. But it pays to be careful when the topic of discussion in any way relates to one's job or when the comments go from being critical to being insulting. Because that's when you can land in hot water as Michael Gallucci, a councilman in Teaneck, New Jersey is finding out. Apparently under an anonymous screen name Gallucci criticized Teaneck firefighters and said that they were responsible for the deaths of four children in a fire last year. It's the nature of his comments that were most troubling. Gallucci said to one specific firefighter,

"How many people did the Fire Dept. kill this year due to negligence, wasn't it 4-5?"

In addition, Gallucci referred to that particular firefighter, who is now suing the town of Teaneck for harassment, as a "pathetic psychopath" and a "terrorist." Those are the kind of comments that go too far in my opinion. I'm not perfect and I've been known to occassionally throw the term asshat around. And I certainly speculate on various things as it relates to the goings ons in Major League Baseball and Nascar. But I do take care in that I would never accuse an organization of criminal behavior or serious misconduct without some sort of proof. And I try my best to avoid name-calling and insulting language. There's a way to get one's point across in strong terms without crossing the line into bashing and inappropriateness. Unfortunately, for Gallucci not thinking carefully about what he was saying has led to his inclusion in a lawsuit and calls for his resignation.

Posted by silverdsl at 07:28 PM | Comments (0)

Ultra Motorsports Cites Insufficient Financial Support From Manufacturer As Reason For Shutdown

I continue to be shocked by the news that Ted Musgrave, the 2005 truck series champion, is out of a ride due to Ultra Motorsports shutting down. The reason cited by Ultra's general manager Eddie Thrap is that Ford was going to be giving them less money that originally agreed on which would have cost Ultra's owner Jim Smith millions of dollars out of his own pocket. Thrap said,

"Ford came up with an offer, Jimmy made a counter-offer and they met somewhere in the middle," Thrap said. "When the contract came it was not what they had agreed upon, and it was locking us in for five years at a ridiculously low price that would have cost Jimmy millions of dollars out of his pocket over a five-year period.

"At this late date, he had no alternative and there was nowhere else to go in the timeframe that we had."

Unlike other teams who have had to close up shop or have struggled due to a lack of a primary sponsor, Musgrave's team had a primary sponsor in Team ASE who had sponsored a second truck for Ultra Motorsports last season for Jimmy Spencer. But apparently the sponsorship money that they were going to be giving Ultra just wasn't enough. While I understand that Smith can't run the team completely out of his own pocket indefinitely it's a little puzzling to me that he opted to close the team down completely instead of running some races without manufacturer support and looking for a new manufacturer to hook up with. On the Cup level Bill Davis Racing will be racing two cars without manufacturer support and in the truck series Orleans Racing will be running a truck without manufacturer support, and potentially without a primary sponsor as well.

In addition, I think it's a bit strange that Smith is available to shut down his entire operation and put countless people out of work but isn't available for comment to the media because he's out of the country. I suppose he left it to his general manager to do the dirty work of telling Musgrave and the crew members of the bad news. For other people finding out that kind of news not long before truck series testing in Daytona would be devestating news because the majority of teams are set for 2006 by now. But this team is coming off a championship season and not only will Musgrave's services be in demand but the crew's will be as well. In fact crew chief Gene Nead has already found a job at Kevin Harvick, Incorporated as rookie truck driver Burney Lamar's crew chief. That's a major coup for that organization to have their rookie driver working with a championship caliber crew chief.

Ultra Motorsports has been involved in the truck series for ten years since it's inception. I think it's an extremely bad sign about the health of the truck series that the 2005 championship team has been forced to shut down, especially when taken in combination with some other strong teams struggles in the sponsorship area. This is the second year in a row that the reigning champion has had to deal with the loss of sponsorship money, though with Bobby Hamilton he lost his primary sponsor after winning the truck series championship in 2004. Drivers such as David Reutimann, Brendan Gaughan and Jack Sprague are among those looking for primary sponsors. If the truck series champions can't keep primary sponsors or get decent deals for manufacturer support how much hope is there for less elite teams to find lucrative sponsorship deals? And without sufficient sponsorship more teams may be forced to cut back on the amount of teams they field, races they run or close up shop completely like Ultra Motorsports has done.

Posted by silverdsl at 06:01 PM | Comments (0)

January 06, 2006

In the News: Michael Waltrip (1/6)

Yeah, it's been a while since there's been an "In the News" entry about Michael Waltrip mostly because there hasn't been a heck of a lot of news that involves Michael as of late unless one considers about a thousand mentions of how he used to be Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s teammate or how the incident with Robby Gordon was one of the more memorable moments of the season news. Otherwise, it's been a pretty quiet off-season for Michael, though I'm sure he's been busy doing various things for his sponsors and enjoying time with his family.

However, Michael has also been busy when it comes to Michael Waltrip Racing. There was the previous news about the partnership with Fitz-Bradshaw Racing but now comes news that MWR will be fielding a second Hooters Pro Cup team in 2006. In 2005 MWR had Ken Butler, III in a Hooters Pro Cup car in the Southern Division, in 2006 his brother Brett will be in the #00 Dream Machine in the Northern Division. I can't say I know much about either of the Butler brothers other than that their father is Ken Butler, President of Aaron's and they are young. Could they be the future of MWR?

Posted by silverdsl at 04:29 PM | Comments (0)

2005 Truck Series Champion Ted Musgrave Loses His Ride

This is absolutely unbelievable to me. According to several reports, Ultra Motorsports has apparently closed their doors and 2005 Truck Series Champion Ted Musgrave is out of a ride. Details are still sketchy at the moment, other than it's known that Musgrave is shopping his services aggressively to find a ride before Daytona so I don't want to comment too in-depth without knowing all the facts. But one thing is for certain - even if there was a mutual parting of the ways for some reason Musgrave has been put in a terrible position. Just weeks before testing is a horrible time to have to find a new ride. Given that Musgrave is the most recent truck series champion I doubt that he will be out of work for long. There are likely going to be multiple teams who will be interested in his services but joining a team so late in the game puts everyone at a disadvantage.

I can't even imagine why Ultra closed shop so suddenly. They had lost Dodge support but had signed with Ford so that wasn't an issue and I believe that Musgrave had sponsorship for 2006. So they had money coming in. Perhaps Jim Smith after ten years in the truck series ran out of financial resources of his own but one would think that a team that just won a championship would have plenty of revenue coming in. Maybe Smith had been thinking about closing up anyway and decided that he wanted to go out on top as a championship winning owner but it seems so sudden. Perhaps the news at the end of the 2005 season that Ultra wasn't going to be fielding a truck for Jimmy Spencer in '06 was a warning sign that something was amiss.

There will definitely be more to come on this story. One things for sure - when a reigning champion's ride isn't safe then that speaks to some serious problems.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:30 PM | Comments (0)

Place of the Day: Rock Islands of Palau

Photo credit: Wu/Minden via Webshots.

As usual I really try to avoid using other people's photos in this space out of respect to most photographer's wishes not to have their photos used all over creation without credit. But since this photo is a screensaver on webshots, meaning that countless people including myself have downloaded it, I figure it's not so bad to use it here. This is the kind of shot that is very eye-catching to me - it's a beautiful, natural locale surrounded by water that appears to be very undeveloped. I immediately wanted to know more about where these islands were.

Much to my surprise since I stopped watching the show quite a few seasons ago, the rock islands of Palau were the site of last year's edition of Survivor. When Survivor: Palau was filmed in late 2004 the show was required to get permission from the Koror State Government and also work with Koror State Rangers to ensure that during filming they neither damaged anything nor left any trace of their presence on the islands, which are near Indonesia, in the Pacific Ocean.

Naturally, the rock islands of Palau feature many beautiful sights to photograph as photographer Dan Heller did when he spent two weeks there. His site features some beautiful photos of his time there as well as shots from other places around the world where he's been.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:07 PM | Comments (0)

Questions Still Linger on Media's Actions in Mine Tragedy

Editor and Publisher has a fascinating article which gives more details on some of the timelines in regards to how the inaccurate news spread that 12 miners had survived the mine explosion in West Virginia when in fact only one actually had. It appears that at no one time was there any official word from anyone from the mine company that confirmed that 12 had survived, instead everyone from the governor to the media relied on what some mysterious person told the families. It also appears that at some point reporters at the scene should have started asking some questions when no more than one survivor was actually brought out of the mine after the initial news as well as when no one from the mine company confirmed that there were 12 survivors. Of course thus far no reporters who were on the scene seem willing to talk to E&P to offer an explanation of the chain of events. But it will be interesting to see as time goes on if E&P or another media outlet is able to determine who actually told the family that incorrect information and how it spread so far, so fast without anyone putting the brakes on.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:42 PM | Comments (0)

January 05, 2006

Photo of the Day - Disney-MGM Studios

Disney-MGM Studios, Walt Disney World, Florida, January, 2004. I don't think I ever knew why there was paint splashed on this statue. It just made for a neat shot.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:03 PM | Comments (0)

Place of the Day - Pine Island, Florida

So I pulled out a map and opened to a random page and looked up the first place that caught my eye - Pine Island Florida. Not surprising that an island got my attention because I'm often drawn to places and things that involve water. At any rate, Pine Island is off of the West Coast of Florida near Captivia Island. Naturally one might assume that an island must have a lot of beaches but not Pine Island. Instead Pine Island is ringed by mangrove trees. The lack of sandy beaches is probably what has contributed to it remaining as rural as it apparently is. So what is there to do on Pine Island? Fishing, boating, wildlife spotting, bird watching (25 pairs of bald eagles make Pine Island their home) and relaxing. Apparently there are manatees, sea otters and dolphins that hang out in the waters around Pine Island - I would love to see a manatee in the wild some day!

Posted by silverdsl at 09:15 PM | Comments (0)

Terry LaBonte to Retire and Qualifying Worries for Michael Waltrip

Doesn't seem like Terry LaBonte retiring and Michael Waltrip qualifying have anything to do with each other, but they do...

I had thought that Terry LaBonte had already decided to retire but perhaps his "retirement" was actually more of a forced retirement because Hendrick Motorsports had to make room for Kyle Busch in Cup. In any event, LaBonte, who is a two-time Cup champion, will apparently make it official in November when he races his final race at Texas Motor Speedway. LaBonte will be in the #44 for Hendrick for ten races starting April 9, also in Texas and will also race seven races in the #96 for Hall of Fame Racing. So in total LaBonte will be in 17 races this season which is good news for LaBonte's fans but bad news for any of the drivers like Michael, who aren't guaranteed a spot via owner points, at least not initially.

Unfortunately it's not just LaBonte who can take advantage of the champion's provisional. Bill Elliott will be in the #36 for MB2 Motorsports at Daytona and I imagine there's the possiblity that he could race for them in the future as well. So needless to say, Michael will have to be given an excellent car for the first five races at least to ensure that they qualify on time otherwise he may end up missing a race. The competition for just a few spots is going to be immense. Unfortunately, while Michael will be fine if he has a good car, he's not as strong of a qualifier as some drivers so it does make me a little nervous that he will miss a race early on which could put the #55 team behind the game for the entire season. It will be essential that they remain in the top 35 in owner points which I don't think will be a problem if they make all the races early on. But they will have to qualify well and hope that qualifying isn't rained out for any of those first few races.

Michael has said in the past that he gets the most nervous before qualifying because he knows he only has a lap or two to do well as compared to an entire race. So worrying about making the first few races is sure to be on his mind. That could compound things because as much as drivers talk about focusing only on what they have to do on the track and not letting any outside distractions get in their way of trying to achieve their goal, I think it's only natural that emotions, including nervousness and a desire to prove themselves, can effect what they do on the track and it's not always in a good way. So hopefully they won't have any problems in Daytona and it will be smooth sailing from there. If they are able to qualify for the first two races, both with very different qualifying procedures, I think it would take a lot of weight off of everyone's shoulders with the #55 team.

I think Michael understands that this is a reality of joining a newly created team and if he wasn't prepared to deal with having to qualify on time for those races or else, he would have looked at joining a team that had the owner points to guarantee them a spot in every race. 2006 may be a season with some struggles for Michael and the #55 team but realistically everyone involved with the team has to expect that. But somehow I suspect even if 2006 is a struggle for Michael, the future is going to be very exciting for him if he hooks up with Toyota as expected.

Posted by silverdsl at 01:00 PM | Comments (0)

Project Runway

When there's no baseball or Nascar on both I have a very hard time finding much of interest outside of the news and Discovery Channel to watch. Many of the shows Jim likes to watch are also in repeats right now as well. I had watched a couple of episodes of Bravo's Project Runway last season and enjoyed it but never got around to finding out when season two started. So last night I discovered that it was on and watched a couple of previous episodes from this season and since I had to get up early for work this morning, recorded the latest episode to watch tomorrow. Now that's how to do a reality show that isn't a documentary!

The idea behind the show is that it gives sixteen aspiring fashion designers the opportunity to showcase their talents and compete against each other to win $100,000 to launch their own fashion line, a big spread in Elle magazine and mentorship from the design team at Bananna Republic. Each week the designers must complete various challenges in which they have to design and create items of clothing and a "look" completely from scratch on a limited budget. The results are then modeled in a runway show and afterwards a panel of experts led by the executive producer of the show Heidi Klum, chooses one designer are the winner and one as the loser. Naturally, the loser is eliminated from the show.

On this show the participants must have actual talent, unlike on American Idol where sometimes they don't even have to be able to carry a tune. Many of the participants have entensive backgrounds and education in fashion and some were already working as designers prior to the show. They must all have the ability to design, sew, create patterns, select fabrics, put together a look and everything else that comes with being a fashion designer. All of this must happen under extreme pressure as there are very tight deadlines to complete the challenges. It's fascinating to watch the process of how the designers come up with their ideas and then impliment them. Sometimes the results are outstanding, the talent of the designers shines through and it's very believable that we might one day see a line of their clothes on a real runway. Other times the ideas are poorly implimented and the results are laughable.

While no reality show is truly "real," this show feels more true-to-life than most other reality shows and less scripted. The designers are there to work and it's serious business. While there are definitely some dramatics and inter-personal conflicts between the participants, it is a TV show and a competition after all, there isn't a lot of the nonsense that one might find on a show like The Real World where the cast members are drunk and trying to have sex with each other all the time. It also feels like a semi-actual true test of talent as opposed to American Idol which sometimes seems like little more than a popularity contest.

This is definitely a show that I will keep watching.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:47 AM | Comments (0)

Tragedy Compounded

The story was horrible enough - thirteen miners trapped in a coal mine in West Virginia after an explosion with high levels of carbon dioxide, meaning that their survival was unlikely. But that tragedy was made even more horrific by a grave error which led to the families of the trapped miners believing that twelve of the thirteen had been found alive, when in fact only one man had survived. The media, breaking one of the biggest rules of good journalism which is to ask questions and get confirmation from official sources, ran with reports from jubilent family members, only to have to retract the story three hours later when the truth was revealed. Some newspapers literally had to "Stop the Presses!" at 3 a.m. in an effort to ensure that the correct story was in their paper.

How did this happen is going to be a question that is going to be asked for a long time to come. First, there's the question of how the erroneous information that the miners were alive was leaked to the families. I can't even imagine the heart-break, distress and anger that those families had to feel to think that their fathers, sons, brothers and husbands had miraculously survived only to learn that was far from the truth in almost every case. There's going to be a lot of finger pointing because it appears as if quite a few people assumed that this information was true, maybe because of how much everyone wanted it to be true. Maybe everyone assumed that someone else had gotten official word from someone else but it appears that at no time did the mining company make any kind of official statement that the twelve miners were actually alive.

Greg Mitchell from Editor and Publisher blasted the media's coverage as "disturbing" but I think the media at the scene were put in a position where it was difficult not to go with the story that the miners were found alive. There were church bells ringing in jubilation and family members celebrating. Furthermore, the governor and at least one other elected official were also talking happily about the miners having survived. To some members of the media the governor probably consituted an official source because they likely assumed that he had gotten word about the miners directly from the mining company officials. That was an incorrect assumption and if there's one mistake that the media made it was to not be more cautious in the tone of their stories while they attempted to get a more definitive official confirmation, which any of them would have known was necessary if they had asked the governor where he heard the news from. So instead of cautiously reporting that the miners might have survived and doing some further checking to be sure they reported the story as if they had confirmation that it was true, when they didn't.

The media at the scene are also in a difficult position because when they know that their colleagues are running with a story it's hard not to follow suit. No one wants to fall behind on a major breaking news story because viewers or readers will turn to the competition to get the most timely information. However, there was one newspaper with a reporter on the scene who held off on reporting that the miners had survived because they are familiar with the area and were skeptical that the news was true. Of course that decision was much easier for the Inter-Mountain News from Elkins, West Virginia because they have an afternoon deadline, as opposed to an early morning deadline like many newspapers. Both Linda Skidmore, the newsroom editor and Becky Wagoner, the reporter on the scene, say that they were skeptical to begin with because there was no official announcement such as a press conference or other official briefing by either mine officials or the governor. But also they have covered stories in the area in the past and according to Skidmore,

The editor noted that part of her skepticism about the miracle rescue stemmed from a history in the area of people passing on information they believe to be true with little or no sourcing. "We get a lot of people here who sometimes believe they have an inside story because they hear it on a police scanner or listen to a conversation," Skidmore said. "We know to be cautious of those situations."

Which is why being a local publication can often be an asset. Aside from potentially having access to local sources that media from outside the area wouldn't, they are also familiar with the mindset of the people who they are covering. I don't think that people jumping to assumptions on the basis of scanty information and shaky sources is unique to that area by any means - it's certainly widespread on the internet. But apparently they knew that a lot of news, some of it false, passes by word-of-mouth in the area like a game of telephone. And often at the end of a game of telephone what you end up isn't what you started with.

I can understand why someone would be overwhelmed with excitement at the prospect that the miners survived but considering the consequences of a mistake like that, consequences that are being dealt with now, it was imperitive that the person who first spread the word keep it to themselves until someone in authority stepped forward to make an official announcement. That didn't happen and the awfulness of this story was made even worse. What I think was also problematic is that at some point mine officials became aware that the families were celebrating when in fact they only knew that one miner was alive. Mine officials say that they were holding out hope that the other miners were also alive or could be revived, then that they needed to confirm which miners were among those that didn't survive. But it seems to me that they could have made some sort of statement that clarified that the status of the miners was still uncertain so that people didn't get their hopes up, only to have them dashed.

Just an awful story all around which highlights the dangers of mining particularly in a mine with hundreds of safety violations since 1999 that had been closed eighteen times last year due to safety problems by the federal agency in charge of mine oversight, the Mine, Safety and Health Administration. Only time will tell what the actual cause of the explosion was but the volume of safety violations at the mine, including some that relate to a lack of proper ventilation which is one thing that can led to an explosion, indicates that this mine might have been an accident waiting to happen.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:36 AM | Comments (0)

January 03, 2006

Photo of the Day - Flower

Posted by silverdsl at 10:04 PM | Comments (0)

Weird New York

It started with Weird New Jersey, a newsletter first published in 1989 that evolved into a magazine that covers weird and unusual people, places, things and events in the Garden State. That was such a huge success that the "Weird" empire, founded by Mark Sceurman and Mark Moran, eventually expanded into covering the weirdness in other states and parts of the country. Though WNJ covers a lot of stories and urban legends about supernatural events, UFO sightings and satan worship, they also feature a lot of fascinating stories, information and photography about abandoned, old or forgotten places in New Jersey that are really interesting and give some insight into the history of the area. Reading WNJ is how I discovered the Paulinskill Viaduct that I enjoy visiting so much.

Lately I haven't enjoyed reading WNJ as much as in the past because there seems to be a lot more focus on the creepy stories that can't be verified as opposed to some of the great photography and intriguing stories about exploring the far corners of that state that I've always enjoyed so much. But that hasn't stopped me from picking up a couple of the "weird" books such as Weird New England that came out recently. I have to be honest and say that I didn't enjoy WNE that much, maybe because I was familar with a few of the sites and felt that they left out some key pieces of information. But there's another "weird" book - Weird New York which features places throughout New York including some weird places on Long Island. I might check it out and see how many places I recognize are weird enough to get into WNY.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:19 PM | Comments (0)

Empowering the Audience

The internet has changed the way people get, analyze and react to the news that media outlets provide. No longer does the audience have to be passive and rely on only their local newspaper or nightly news to find out what's happening locally, nationally or internationally. Instead they can take matters into their own hands. Via links on Yahoo or a quick search on Google, countless sources of information on any subject or event are easily available. Not just from official sources or from the media either. There are hundred of blogs on every topic imaginable, plus fan sites and personal websites on which people post all sorts of opinions and information on everything that interests them. And they aren't going away either. So it's essential for companies and individuals to learn how to use those resources themselves, how to work with bloggers and individuals and how to use those resources to benefit themselves.

These days when a company or individual takes exception to the coverage they receive in the media they might state their case in a blog or on their website. When someone is misquoted or they think that a reporter took their quotes out of context they can correct the record. Or if they don't agree with an opinion piece they can respond. And sometimes it's in a way that reaches more of an audience than the original piece, both because the audience is more aggressive now than ever before about finding information and news on particular topics but also because the power of blogs and personal websites is that the information they contain is often more lasting due to search engines and archives. As The New York Times article says:

But the power of blogs is exponential; blog posts can be linked and replicated instantly across the Web, creating a snowball effect that often breaks through to the mainstream media. Moreover, blogs have a longer shelf life than most traditional news media articles. A newspaper reporter's original article is likely to disappear from the free Web site after a few days and become inaccessible unless purchased from the newspaper's archives, while the blogger's version of events remains available forever.

Which is certainly one thing that I've found with my blog. Entries from months ago sometimes get read because someone does a search on a particular topic and comes across an entry I might have made.

It's also incredible what a simple Google search can uncover. I've found quite a bit of information on all sorts of things, including some things which I'm quite sure that some would rather I not see. Most of the time I keep sensitive information to myself but not every blogger is like me. Some take it upon themeselves to act as investigative reporters and seek out as much information, particularly exclusive information or breaking news as they can. So not only do they search for information on the internet but they develop their own sources. Unfortunately not all of them suscribe to ethical journalistic practices either because they feel that as bloggers as opposed to newspaper reporters that code of ethics doesn't have to apply to them. That's a problem because it can lead to unreliable information being posted without collaboration or completely inaccurate and unfactual information being posted. I'm not perfect but I do make every effort that I can to be as accurate as possible and correct the record when need be.

There are a lot of bloggers and those that run individual websites that are also like me and while we believe strongly in sharing our opinions openly and honestly, we also feel that it's important to be as accurate as possible. Some even have more resources than I do through industry connections to have insider knowledge to make their blogs as much of a source for accurate information as any media outlet. So there are a significant amount of blogs out there on all sorts of topics that are worth-while sources of information and opinions. I don't break news, I only offer commentary on topics that interest me but as I've continued to do this blog, even though I do it primarily for myself, I've been surprised at how many people end up on my site looking for real news on certain topics. I think that's true for a lot of blogs and it's a reality that PR professionals need to take advantage of whether they like it or not.

Increasingly I think it's in the best interest of PR professionals and others in various industries to reach out to bloggers just like they would any other media professional. And if they choose not to go that route for some companies having a blog or their ownl or at the very least some area of their website where they can post transcripts of interviews, press releases, statements from those in the company and in general as much information as possible on the company or individual and what they are involved with as possible. It only benefits that company or individual. When the audience can go to the official website as a source of information the company or individual can control the message that the audience is exposed to. Otherwise they will go elsewhere for information and there's no telling what the message might be at those other sites. But if companies or individuals have good relationships with bloggers and websites that cover their industry then again, it's another way to control the message because those people might be inclined to work with PR professionals to feature the information they provide in a positive way, which again could stick around a lot longer than a piece in a newspaper. Bloggers and the internet in general aren't the enemy and those who think that they are might be missing out on a key resource to publicize their message.

Posted by silverdsl at 03:33 PM | Comments (0)

January 02, 2006

Photo of the Day - Flowers

Hempstead, New York, 2001. I recently discovered one of the first patches of photos that I took five years ago with one of my first digital cameras. I was definitely a lot more into taking photos of flowers and close-ups of various things than I am now, though I am still partial to close-ups to some degree.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:43 PM | Comments (0)

Place of the Day - Lake Palace, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

I saw a photo of the Lake Palace at Udiapur in Rajasthan, India, the reason being that this huge palace isn't just near a lake, it's in the lake - completely. The palace was built on a small island in the middle of the lake way back in 1746 as the summer residence of a royal family. However, it's since been converted to an 80-room, five-star hotel. Of course as a five-star hotel everything is very fancy, and I imagine staying in one of the suites is a particularly incredible experience.

Posted by silverdsl at 08:35 PM | Comments (0)

The Clock Continues to Tick Ever Closer to Testing...

So the final week of 2005 passed with no announcement from Steve Park about what his plans for 2006 are going to be. I hate to harp on the same subject over and over again but then again it's not like there's much other news in Nascar to talk about. I really didn't expect any kind of announcement last week since my guess is that a lot of the race shops are either partially or completely shut between Christmas and New Year's. Maybe we'll get lucky and this week will bring news of a new ride for Steve - my fingers are certainly crossed that will be the case. Unfortunately though, in spite of some items on Jayski's about existing teams planning on making announcements and new teams that have been formed Steve's name still hasn't been mentioned in conjunction with any kind of rumor for a while now. I hope that's simply because there isn't as much interest in the rumor mill in the truck series as there is in other levels because sometimes no news is not good news.

Otherwise, I couldn't help but notice while I was looking over Truckseries.com's 2006 Truck Series Team Chart that Orleans Racing's #62 truck is still listed with Scott Lynch as the driver. I was under the impression that OR was only planning on being a one-truck operation next season with Brendan Gaughan as their only driver but this is the second or third place where I've seen the #62 truck listed as being on the track in 2006. More than likely it's simply a mistake that has been repeated as similar lists get copied and pasted from site to site but I can't help but wonder, especially since the OR site still features Scott Lynch as the driver of the #62 as well. While it's taken OR forever and a day to update their site at times, they didn't seem to have too much of a problem replacing Steve's information with Scott's. Visitors to their site certainly might come away with the impression that Scott is still driving for them but I suppose only time will tell.

And yeah, I have no plans to stop talking about Orleans Racing or Brendan Gaughan just because a certain someone took exception to some of what I posted in this space and said something about it somewhere else. Contrary to his belief discussing these related topics has nothing to do with any kind of effort to paint Orleans Racing or the Gaughans as villians or because I'm a Steve Park fan. Sometimes there are topics that I wonder about that I will continue to ponder for a while, especially when there are things that don't necessarily make sense to me. I will always ask questions, even when I know that the answers aren't always going to ever be answered. Someone who I believe is a former journalist should certainly understand what asking questions and wondering about various topics is all about. Not to mention if Brendan feels free to say what he wants whenever he wants, then fans should be able to as well even if it might not be what someone wants to read. Maybe if conflicting statements weren't made by those at OR at times (or by Steve for that matter) there wouldn't be so much speculation about the organization and the moves that they make.

As long as it's done in a respectful way without insults, anyone is more than welcome to comment in this space or email me privately to discuss anything that they might come across here. This space reflects my opinions and the things that I'm thinking about and I could be wrong just as much as I could be right. When information surfaces that runs contrary to what I've posted previously I make every effort to correct the record since accuracy is important to me. But I have no plans to suspend blogging because someone might not like what I post here at times.

Posted by silverdsl at 07:31 PM | Comments (1)

Kasey Kahne Appointed to President's Council

From Jayski's (in part):

President Bush appoints Kahne: President George W. Bush announced his intention to nominate three individuals and appoint seventeen individuals to serve in his Administration: .... The President intends to appoint seventeen individuals to be Members of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, for two-year terms, including Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Dodge for Evernham Motorsports.(White House site)(12-31-2005)

I'm just wondering what makes Kasey Kahne qualified to be appointed to the Council on Service and Civic Participation? Apparently the mandate of the council is

to recognize the important contributions Americans of all ages are making in our communities every day through volunteer service

Kasey has a foundation which he does a lot of work with to raise money for charities that benefit chronically ill children particularly the Ronald McDonald House in Charlotte. But any number of the drivers also have foundations and are very generous with their time when it comes to volunteering to help a variety of causes. So I'm just wondering what makes the things that Kasey has done stand out in comparison to others? The appointment, while being a great honor, suprised me because I had never know Kasey to be particularly vocal about volunteering or about much of anything most of the time.

Posted by silverdsl at 04:46 PM | Comments (0)

Sick of Hearing About...

A few celebrities that I'd like to hear a lot less about in 2006: Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, The Olsen Twins, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, Lindsey Lohan and Donald Trump.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:16 AM | Comments (0)

January 01, 2006

Photo of the Day - Pit Stop

Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania, July, 2005. There's not been much in the way of Nascar news or anything too newsworthy about Michael Waltrip or Steve Park. I miss racing! So because I've been thinking about how much I can't wait for some on-track action, even if it's just testing, here's a photo of Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s pit crew waiting for him to come in for a pit stop. This is Michael Waltrip's old crew from 2004 who I had such a great time meeting at the Dover race so I made a point of spending some time watching them at work at Pocono even though I spent most of the time near Michael's pit. Now that the #15 team is barely even a part-time team I wonder which of the guys from both of these teams are no longer with DEI. Both teams seemed to be outstanding at what they did so they would be an asset to any team that they end up working with.

Posted by silverdsl at 10:19 PM | Comments (0)

Place of the Day - Goodsprings, Nevada

So this year I might try adding a new feature to my blog and that's to do a periodic, if not daily, "Place of the Day" entries. I've always been interested in the history, background and in general information about various places that I encounter or catch my attention. A lot of times I just look at a map, pick out a town, park or place at random and Google it to see what I can find. I've come across a lot of really fascinating information about all sorts of places that way. Or I might visit a place and want to find out more about something there or just the area in general.

So tonight I pulled out my Nevada Atlas and Gazetteer and looked at the map of the area around Las Vegas. A town called Goodsprings caught my attention because there's a lot of mines in the mountains in that area. What I discovered is that Goodsprings is a semi-ghost town. I wish I had known when we visited Las Vegas last year because it seems like it would have been an interesting place to check out. In any event, Goodsprings is named after a cattle farmer, Joseph Good who had a ranch in the area. Later it became a mining town, which is no surprise considering how many mines are in the area but apparently that changed after World War I. But before then the mines produced more than $31 million in gold, lead and zinc. Currently there are some residents left in Goodsprings and the saloon is still in operation as it has been since 1913.

Posted by silverdsl at 09:36 PM | Comments (0)

Some Donations More Worthy Than Others?

Donating to charity happens for a wide variety of reasons and it often happens not just because people are prompted to help others but also sometimes because there are deep personal reasons for it. That's why I've become committed to doing certain things over the past few years. But regardless of why someone donates to charity I don't think there's anything negative about it nor do I think someone should be judged for the reasons why they donate. However, apparently to some charities some people's reasons are better than others and if someone wants to ensure that they recieve tax benefits from donating then their charitable donation isn't as meaningful as someone else's.

"The gifts are for the taxes, not from the heart," said Elsy Rivera, the store manager at Englewood's Salvation Army. "When people donate from the heart, they don't ask for a receipt."

Nonsense. Someone can still be concerned with the benefits that might come from declaring it on their taxes and still be making a donation from the heart. For a donation to be truly worthy, it doesn't mean that the person making the donation has to be so selfless that they ignore a way that the donation might help them as well.

Posted by silverdsl at 02:43 PM | Comments (0)

New Year's Resolutions

First of all - Happy New Year!

Now that's out of the way I figured I would share what my New Year's resolutions are. Normally I don't make New Year's resolutions because often people make lofty goals that are either hard to obtain or difficult to stick with and I don't like to buy into anything that helps set myself or others up for potential failure or discouragement. But this year I came up with two resolutions that I'd like to try to achieve. I think they are pretty simple goals.

First I would like to participate in helping to raise money for another cause similar to how NYYFans.com teamed with Curt Schilling last year to raise money to benefit the fight against ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease. It's very important to me to try to help others in a variety of ways whether it's just by being kind to someone or if it's through helping a charitable cause by making a donation. I really felt good after we were so successful last year and I'd like to see us do something similar again this year. Maybe there's another player out there, preferably a Yankee, who might be willing to team up with us to raise some money to benefit their favorite cause.

Second, is that I would like to learn how to cook at least one new thing this year. Now, I barely know how to cook at all and I don't really enjoy it. So I'm not going to say that I'm going to learn how to cook and start cooking elaborate meals every night because that's not going to happen. But I do want to learn how to cook a few selected items and I'm sure Jim will appreciate that!

Posted by silverdsl at 02:33 PM | Comments (0)