Courtney Force's "story"

[Fast16Racer]

I'm saying that neither of the Force daughters possess any talent as a driver. None. They are simple another part of the transformation of modern racing going from "sport" to "entertainment business". Rookie mistakes are inevitable and happen to everyone. However, Mike Neff was a rookie a few short years ago, and was blazingly fast, remarkably consistent and performed well all season. Then he lost his ride for a year. Yet Courtney and Ashley Force, despite not having one iota of talent were and are treated by the media as is they invented funny car racing, or at the very least are the saviors of the class. Let's suppose that (God forbid) JFR closed the doors tomorrow. Who in their right mind would put either of the Force girls in a car? Would you if you owned the car? I'm sick of seeing quality drivers like Tommy Johnson Jr, his ex, Melanie Troxel, Larry Dixon and a ton of others that built this sport sit on the sidelines while talentless people with money waste perfectly good rides. Tell you what, print out this post and save it, then come back in a few years and tell me what sort of splash the Force kids made in drag racing. Other than a few marked-up walls, and ESPN highlight reels,I doubt it'll be much of anything. Then they'll move on. It has nothing to do with them as women, either. I admire the real racers, regardless of gender. I think Lyn St James was one of the best racers I ever saw or heard of, and not just one of the best women, either. I think Hillary Will has the right stuff, and not just because she's from my hometown. Look at her reaction times, plus the fact she raced all kinds of cars prior to T/F. Same with Leah Pruitt. She earned her way, and she knows cars and racing. But the Force's in particular have never been in sketchy cars, nor have either of them had to do without just to race. A measure of racer is how much they will endure just for the chance to win. Blowing up Daddy's parts and smiling for the multitude of brainless media is hardly sacrificing anything.

What Alan said, AND:

The difference between the Force girls and TJ, Melanie, Dixon, etc.? They are not John Force's daughters! They have every right to the spoils of John's hard work. As long as the girls work hard and "earn" their own experience from the starting point Dad has given them, there shouldn't be an ounce of shame in that.

As a parent, I feel one of the most valuable things I can do for my kids is to teach them everything I know and have learned through the years. Give them a head start in life. They will make enough mistakes on their own that if I can share some knowledge so they don't repeat some of my mistakes, that's a win as a parent!

I have two daughters and I intend to teach them all I have learned in 22 years in business, if they are interested. I can show them what to do and what not to do, lessons I spent a lot of time and money learning. If I only had a "tutor" show me the ropes early on, I can't imagine how much farther ahead I would be...

If they have other interests, fine. I will support those as well. But why on earth would I give Larry Dixon or TJ or Melanie a job before I would further the career of my daughter??? Even if the "pros" had more experience and were clearly better? I don't give a rip about them, my concern is the future and career of my flesh and blood and how I can groom them to take over my business. If they show interest and potential--they get the job!

Why would John Force's daughters be any different? They have shown potential and are quite good on the media end. Teach em' and let em' blossom!

 

[Muddy]

In my opinion we will look back one day on Courtney's career in drag racing and honor her as one of the more talented natural drivers to come down the pike. After 4 races she's shown she is aware of her situation well beyond her experience. Just give her a chance and she will win a bunch of rounds with her talent.

 

[G'ginna]

Jim, you want cheese with that? Just asking.

 

[Sandman]

I'm not whining, nor do I make any apologies whatsoever for my opinion. I'm entitled to my view just as all of you are. But for those of you who think I'm out of whack for feeling that kids should not get what they don't earn, here's a story of my commitment to my son earning his way: I coach my son's little league team and have for years. I love working with kids, I love baseball and I love my son more than life itself. Last year, he wanted to pitch and my wife was on my case to let him. But I insisted he earn the right. I told him and my wife both that he was no different than anyone else on that team and would not step on that mound until he was ready, period. Why should his happiness come before the good of the team that all work hard to win? Should one kid be allowed to do something he's not good at, just because he's my son? I say no, and I made him a promise that IF he showed me he was willing to work for it by practicing on off days, I would teach him and when and only when he met the same standards I made everyone else meet for pitching, he would be in the rotation. So he did. Every off day, we went out and worked out. For over 4 weeks, he worked tirelessly, listened intently and did all I could ask. The result was that he threw harder and more accurately than anyone on the team. We faced a tough team on his first start and he made a huge contribution to the team's win. Rather than all the other kids and parents on the team saying how "the coach's kid get's all the breaks", they all were proud of his accomplishments that day, and since then he has seen the results of hard work and is now willing to do whatever I ask to make it to the next level. He was given nothing, yet he earned everything and he is a better person for it. Go ahead and buy your kid's everything, give them whatever they want and we'll just see who's right 10 years down the road.

 

[none]

Jim,

I don’t expect you to apologize for anything, but your example isn’t really apples to apples. You are the coach of a team that has players that are and aren’t related to you and you don’t want to show favoritism. If you had a business would you hire someone else to do a job that your kid could do?

Keep in mind you told your kid to go to college and get a degree, she did. You told your kid to train at a lower level, she did. You now have an opening left by your older kid who followed the same path and had a good amount of success in the FAMILY BUSINESS. Would you really hire someone else to do the job? Or would you give your kid the chance that she had earned? I know what I would do.

You gave your kid the blueprint for success. If he followed it and showed the commitment you would give him a shot. He did. And you did, right? It sounds like he made the most of his opportunity. Did you pull him after the first wild pitch? Or the first walk? Or did you give him a chance to work through the mistakes and succeed? How is that different than what John did? And shouldn’t Courtney be given the chance to capitalize on the opportunity?

Alan

 

[Fast Al]

Ya nailed it Alan! Thanks for saving me the time to type the same message./al

 

[Sandman]

Jim,

I don’t expect you to apologize for anything, but your example isn’t really apples to apples. You are the coach of a team that has players that are and aren’t related to you and you don’t want to show favoritism. If you had a business would you hire someone else to do a job that your kid could do?

Keep in mind you told your kid to go to college and get a degree, she did. You told your kid to train at a lower level, she did. You now have an opening left by your older kid who followed the same path and had a good amount of success in the FAMILY BUSINESS. Would you really hire someone else to do the job? Or would you give your kid the chance that she had earned? I know what I would do.

You gave your kid the blueprint for success. If he followed it and showed the commitment you would give him a shot. He did. And you did, right? It sounds like he made the most of his opportunity. Did you pull him after the first wild pitch? Or the first walk? Or did you give him a chance to work through the mistakes and succeed? How is that different than what John did? And shouldn’t Courtney be given the chance to capitalize on the opportunity?

Alan

Alan, I gave your post some serious thought and I have decided (...wait for it...) you are 100% correct. I sincerely mean that. John is a parent who loves his kids, just as I am a parent who loves my kid and wants him to succeed. I made my kid work for it, so did John. Maybe I let my idea of what a drag racer should be cloud my judgement on what I perceived to be the right way to do things. Maybe it's my traditionalist, often nostalgic, rose-colored glasses of how things used to be that caused my uncalled for disdain of the Force girls. Maybe I'm jealous because my Dad never was in the position to offer me a F/C ride. Whatever the case, I was wrong. Hmmm, who knew I could even type those words? I'm still not sorry I posted this originally. Had I not done so, I would have let my narrow minded thinking ruin my enjoyment of the sport as a whole. Jeez, who knows what else I'm wrong about?

 

[G'ginna]

Jim, this makes more sense and (not that it matters to you, I'm sure) I appreciate that you can see it this way.

What we see, of other peoples lives, is usually from the outside looking in. You and I never sat around the Force dinner table to listen to whatever bar was set to achieve before any of the Force daughters were given the opportunity to drive. IMHO, that Alan was able to point out some of it should really make no difference, because we honestly don't walk in their shoes. My view of it is more the one that John Force built his business and there is no one in this country, that is supposedly a free country for the time being, should have the right to tell him how to run it.

Of course, being a free country and one of our Constitutionally derived rights is that we have the right of free speech, and you are of course free to exercise that right as we are to express our opinions as well. NHNF.

 

[Dave]

Wow. Your kid had to work 4 whole weeks to become the best pitcher on the team? Poor Courtney had to drive S/C and A/D for years and test a F/C for a year before dad let her drive the family car.

 

[Fast16Racer]

Alan, I gave your post some serious thought and I have decided (...wait for it...) you are 100% correct. I sincerely mean that. John is a parent who loves his kids, just as I am a parent who loves my kid and wants him to succeed. I made my kid work for it, so did John. Maybe I let my idea of what a drag racer should be cloud my judgement on what I perceived to be the right way to do things. Maybe it's my traditionalist, often nostalgic, rose-colored glasses of how things used to be that caused my uncalled for disdain of the Force girls. Maybe I'm jealous because my Dad never was in the position to offer me a F/C ride. Whatever the case, I was wrong. Hmmm, who knew I could even type those words? I'm still not sorry I posted this originally. Had I not done so, I would have let my narrow minded thinking ruin my enjoyment of the sport as a whole. Jeez, who knows what else I'm wrong about?

Jim, very honorable of you to consider someone else's viewpoint and then admit on a public forum that those opinions changed your mind. You have my respect.

I wouldn't be sorry either, it has prompted a worthwhile discussion.

Like you, I make my kids earn even the smallest of rewards. One of the hardest things of being a parent is letting your kids fail and learn from it when you could easily swoop in and save the day. My wife and I firmly believe in letting our kids make mistakes now when the consequences are small so they will be ready to make big decisions with big consequences when the "parental safety net" isn't there any longer.

The same basic theory applies to taking over my business, they must earn it and there will be period where I can guide them and help them learn the ropes before turning over the keys.

Bill

 

[toffer]

Jim,

I don't think you're entirely wrong, and I don't think there's a SINGLE "right" way to succeed.

I hold the most satisfaction from the things I've achieved without (much) assistance, but through pure hard work and desire. I learn more and more every day how much I was gifted by my parents and grandparents, even if I didn't know it at the time, that influenced that success.

The lesson you taught your son is your legacy to him. We all stand on the shoulders of giants in some form or fashion.