Jalan5000A's

NASCAR COMMENTARY

NASCAR Commentary and Observations from Jalan5000A, Founder of the AD NASCAR Family Community on America Online

Race Car Drivers ARE Athletes

Nothing causes my colon to evacuate it's contents quicker than some misaligned journalist who postulates that men and women who drive race cars are not athletes, but merely iconoclasts with a death wish.    And while education is converting some of these people over to the CSC (Common Sense Corps), there remains a few individuals who still believe that you have to dribble a basketball, throw a football, or swing a bat to be considered an athlete.   It is those few individuals that I direct my words to today.

First, let's take the word 'Athlete.'  Websters dictionary defines an Athlete as " a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina "  Well, who's to argue with the pencilnecks at Merriam-Webster?    Seriously, you'd think this would be sufficient evidence to suppress the uninformed press.   But think again.

Last year, I read an article from a "journalist" (I assign that term to this individual very loosely) in Southwest Florida, who spent days at his word processor cranking out a scathing review of motorsports that was nothing short of insulting to both those who risk their lives to participate in it, and those who spend a days' pay for a cheap seat to watch it. This yahoo could not understand why anyone would pay to see "a bunch of cars going around in circles."   He went on to criticize other aspects of the sport, and was finally silenced by thousands of racing fans who bombarded his E-Mail box with enough responses to keep him busy for the next week or so regretting that he ever wasted his time with such diatribe. To my knowledge, this jerk hasn't written about motorsports since.

Dr. Fran Pirozzolo once said  "An Athlete is an individual who has learned to master physical strength and endurance, flawless coordination, and an intense, competitive drive."   That's pretty heady stuff coming from one of the world's most respected sports psychologists.  And it eloquently and aptly describes a race car driver to a tee.

During the Daytona 500 a few years back, former NFL coach, Mike Ditka, was watching the event from the VIP suite.  Awed by the spectacle, Ditka, who knows a thing or two about what an Athlete is, could only shake his head, drop his jaw and mutter "These guys are tremendous athletes."   And who's to argue with him?

Fred Carter, a former NBA great with the Philadelphia 76'ers, once described an Athlete as "An individual who engages in any sport that requires stamina, agility, coordination, and physical and mental exertion."   Not only does Fred's description fit a race car driver, but also those men and women in the pits as well.  

The truth of the matter is that those who scorn the sport of auto racing, and the great athletes who comprise the competitors who risk life and limb every weekend, are those whose knowledge of sports are limited to what one learns or hears in your average sports bar. Jocks who feel the only sports (worth reporting) are Baseball, Basketball, Football or Hockey. Jocks who refuse to believe that NASCAR outdraws three of those four sports.

Professional Golfers are Athletes.  Bowlers are Athletes.  Skiers are Athletes.  And, by golly, Race Car Drivers are Athletes too!!   Don't let anyone tell you differently.

See you at the Top,

Jalan5000A

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