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Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Little E now on big team
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
Mooresville, N.C. — Let’s start by squashing any lingering concerns that Dale Earnhardt Jr. might still struggle to distinguish himself from his legendary namesake and others on the NASCAR circuit.
Because the only way Earnhardt could distinguish himself any more right now is if he was dipped in dayglow orange.
He is leaving the company started by and still named for his father. He declared himself a free agent with six months left in the season. And after five weeks of playing footsie with competing teams, Earnhardt said Wednesday he is going to race next season with his current chief rival.
I realize several things are unique to NASCAR. (One guy owning four competing teams. Nice.) But I hear Earnhardt — in June, with 22 races left — speak of how much he’s going to love driving for Rick Hendrick and palling around with Jeff Gordon next season and I think of Tom Brady announcing in Week Six, “I’ll be with the Jets next season. Hey look, we play them this week!”
Junior wanted to move out on his own.
Junior wants to stand on his own two feet.
Junior, you are so far out there now. OK, let’s see what you’ve got.
It’s easy to forget, amid Earnhardt’s popularity and $20 million in annual earnings, that he has won only two races in the last two and one-third seasons (zero this year).
Yes, it comforts his legion of fans to blame the evil stepmother, Teresa, because, well, she’s not on T-shirts. But two weeks ago, Earnhardt’s obscure teammate, Martin Truex Jr., won a race in Dover in only his second season. Dale, the lesser Jr., finished 22nd.
Was that Teresa’s fault, too? Did she sabotage Dale’s tires again?
Junior: Say goodbye to excuses.
Hendrick spoke Wednesday of the pressure he felt he was going to be under to supply the best equipment and atmosphere for three of the sport’s marquee drivers — Earnhardt, Gordon and Jimmie Johnson (also on the team: Casey Mears, in the role of Zeppo Marx).
That might be true. But nobody should feel more pressure than Earnhardt. This shouldn’t be about making money or pleasing sponsors or displaying a cool, easy charm for fans, all of which he does extraordinarily well. It’s about winning a race.
Earnhardt acknowledged he feels some pressure but said, “I’m excited. I feel comfortable. I don’t think the pressure will get to me.” That was the right answer.
But when alluding to expectations and competing for a championship, he could’ve used a speechwriter.
“I’ve always said I’ve done more in this sport than I’ve ever anticipated,” he said. “I just wanted to be able to pay my bills. Once I got past that, everything was a bonus.”
He said he would “cherish a championship on my mantel when all is said and done.” But it almost sounded forced and lacked conviction.
It’s not like Earnhardt has been devoid of any success. He has won 17 races.
But now he needs Mapquest to find victory lane. He has been there only twice since winning six times in 2004. He has only one top-five finish this season. He has led only one lap in the past six races, three laps in the past eight. He also was docked 100 points and his crew chief was fined $100,000 and suspended six races for an illegal modification to the rear wing (read: cheating).
Right now, Earnhardt has brand recognition and nothing else. If not for that, you wonder if anybody would fight over him.
We can’t begin to know how this will work until Daytona next season. Fans have some time to decide which direction to go, following Junior or staying with DEI. There are no divided loyalties in NASCAR (at least not outside of ownership).
Earnhardt fans so despise Gordon, his impending Hendrick teammate, that they threw beer cans at his car after he won his 77th career race in Talladega because he passed the elder Earnhardt on the all-time wins list.
This isn’t to suggest that if Earnhardt doesn’t start winning, he will be pelted by his own fans. But as targets go, he won’t be hard to find.
He stands out.
Permalink | Comments (19) | Categories: Auto Racing, Jeff Schultz
How do ya like Jr. now?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
Mooresville, N.C. - So I’m here just off I-77 in a city that I didn’t know existed, just down the road from the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame and Gift Shop, which I also didn’t know existed.
And here’s my question: If you were a Dale Earnhardt fan, what do you do now?
Dale Jr.’s has just held a press conference to announce that he will be joining the Hendrick Motorsports team.
This might actually be a stranger move than leaving a team started by his late father and run by his stepmother.
So, Joe Fan, what do you do?
Pull for whoever will be driving for DEI?
Pull for Dale Jr.? How about his new Hendrick bunkmate … Jeff Gordon?
Earnhardt and Gordon - teammates?
Or is that just enough to turn all of you into Kyle Busch fans?
Permalink | Comments (56) | Categories: Jeff Schultz, Quick Hit
The Stark Truth - Andruw’s not overrated
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
The best center fielder I ever saw on a consistent basis was Cesar Geronimo, the Gold Glove king of Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine.
Well, that was before Andruw Jones came along. And, no, he isn’t overrated. He is underrated by those who only see the Braves’ Gold Glove king on occasion.
Like Jayson Stark, for instance.
Stark is the author of “The Stark Truth: The most overrated and underrated players in baseball history.” Let’s just say Stark doesn’t place Jones among those receiving hugs and kisses in his book.
According to Stark, Jones gets low marks for having fewer putouts each season for the last several years. Thing is, Jones still accumulated more putouts after each of those years than most of his peers, and we haven’t even mentioned the other stuff involving Jones.
His ability to play shallower than nearly anybody in baseball. His knack for diving after flyballs only when necessary, which means he generally positions himself well on batters. His habit of making the spectacular catch look routine.
Yeah, that sounds like an overrated center fielder, but only if you’re watching Jones with your eyes closed.
Permalink | Comments (58) | Categories: Quick Hit, Terence Moore
