Letter to Nitromater (2 Viewers)
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vegasnitro
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I will agree with Rex and Charles that we have our share of whiners here on the 'Mater, but it is a drop in the bucket compared to NASCAR message boards. I would love to know if this Charles guy took the time to send his letter to any other board other than this one. The NASCAR boards have always been vehemently anti-Danica in particular and anti-women in general. This board was neither anti-Danica nor anti-woman, this board's issue was merely how the story was presented to the public at-large with the wording "Danica first ever to win major motorsports event" when it has be de riguer in the NHRA for 30 odd years. I also love how Charles justified his position by waiting on the AP wire. Anyone who knows anything about motorsports and responsible journalism should have known better than to follow the lead of that story. Lastly, Charles, if all any newspaper editor has to do is reprint the AP wire, why in the world do they need reporters?
To personally attack Shirley was dirty pool. Shirley may be cantankerous, but that doesn't change the fact that she did it first, not only winning races but THREE World Championships. I have only spoken to Shirley a few times, and she has always been pleasant though I have heard the stories about Shirley as we all have. I have spoken to Danica twice, and neither time was she pleasant or interested, once flatly refusing to autograph the hostess promotional box that had already been autographed by Melanie. Danica is no walk in the park either for beat reporters, copy editors or in Charles' estimation, AP wire writers.
The bottom line is this, real motorsports fans know the names Muldowney, Seeling/Savoie/Sampey, Troxel and Danica. It is the casual observers that are going to be reeled in by this bad headlining, and that is the largest area of growth potential for new fans. Can't blame the IRL for trying to get all the pub they could out of her winning, while trying to hedge out a potential competitor for those very folks being targeted, though I am sure NHRA was not on the IRL's radar, as the IRL also has a bad case of NASCAR envy. It takes away a little bit of the shine off your star to point out others who did it first in other venues after all.
Is Danica owed an apology by the 'Mater? Emphatically NO.
Should Maters be forced to apologize for lazy/irresponsible journalism? Emphatically NO.
To personally attack Shirley was dirty pool. Shirley may be cantankerous, but that doesn't change the fact that she did it first, not only winning races but THREE World Championships. I have only spoken to Shirley a few times, and she has always been pleasant though I have heard the stories about Shirley as we all have. I have spoken to Danica twice, and neither time was she pleasant or interested, once flatly refusing to autograph the hostess promotional box that had already been autographed by Melanie. Danica is no walk in the park either for beat reporters, copy editors or in Charles' estimation, AP wire writers.
The bottom line is this, real motorsports fans know the names Muldowney, Seeling/Savoie/Sampey, Troxel and Danica. It is the casual observers that are going to be reeled in by this bad headlining, and that is the largest area of growth potential for new fans. Can't blame the IRL for trying to get all the pub they could out of her winning, while trying to hedge out a potential competitor for those very folks being targeted, though I am sure NHRA was not on the IRL's radar, as the IRL also has a bad case of NASCAR envy. It takes away a little bit of the shine off your star to point out others who did it first in other venues after all.
Is Danica owed an apology by the 'Mater? Emphatically NO.
Should Maters be forced to apologize for lazy/irresponsible journalism? Emphatically NO.
JL
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Okay, Danica's words speak for themselves... Does she have the class of Ashley? Not even close. Please read this story from espn.com.
ESPN - Car lets down Patrick a week after breakthrough victory - Racing
I will say there are whiners, but that is everywhere. I will also say that the best in race section of dragracestats.com is pretty cool.
ESPN - Car lets down Patrick a week after breakthrough victory - Racing
I will say there are whiners, but that is everywhere. I will also say that the best in race section of dragracestats.com is pretty cool.
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TAFC 5 81
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You know the gears have to be turning to get her in NASCAR. Imagine her greeting if she gets in someone's way on a short track.
D
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Exactly what I was thinking, why should I care what this a$$clown thinks?
S/F
D
Rexfiles
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How in the world did Jon Asher get brought into this?
Uhhhhhh............."Chaz" ahem Charles mentions him with much disdain in the "letter".
He is referred to as a liar, and Charles is referred to here as a left wing nut job. I was meerly pointing out that both of them are "left wing nut jobs".
So what?
Try preperation H
REX
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Do we have Charles Everett's email address, so we can reply to the comments he said about Nitromater???? I think it would be nice to be able to have a discussion with him on the subject.....
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Who is this guy?
I take it he must read here. To bad he didn't have the stones the start his own thread.
Do we want the media to show us some love, of course. Do we "whine", sure do I guess. Turn on sports talk radio in any city across the country. People debating and discussing whatever sports issue there is. Is that whining? Thats what we do here but its about the sport we love.
Really all we want is honest coverage. Sure it would be nice if every Monday the front page had whatever that weekends race winner but its not going to happen. All I ask is that MR Charles and his contemporaries actually do a little fact checking and report the facts.
I take it he must read here. To bad he didn't have the stones the start his own thread.
Do we want the media to show us some love, of course. Do we "whine", sure do I guess. Turn on sports talk radio in any city across the country. People debating and discussing whatever sports issue there is. Is that whining? Thats what we do here but its about the sport we love.
Really all we want is honest coverage. Sure it would be nice if every Monday the front page had whatever that weekends race winner but its not going to happen. All I ask is that MR Charles and his contemporaries actually do a little fact checking and report the facts.
If this guy wants an apology he sent the letter to the wrong place. Yeah i seen his name in the letter but i choose not to give his name the time of day. We are all entitled to our opinion and that’s all it is. I don’t like what he writes but you don’t see me crying for an apology.
PJ, I don't think it is the whining he is alluding to.
It is the mob mentality of publicly berating those who disagree with a certain point of view if it doesn't align with theirs.
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turbo ken
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A quote by Ashley Force.
“It’s an exciting time, you know, with Danica winning. There are a lot of women in a lot of different motor sports and we’re getting our practice, we’re getting our experience and we’re making our way toward those wins. It’s a good week for women and it’s exciting for the fans to finally have a woman winner in Funny Car".
Will Danica "return the favor?" as the saying goes.
“It’s an exciting time, you know, with Danica winning. There are a lot of women in a lot of different motor sports and we’re getting our practice, we’re getting our experience and we’re making our way toward those wins. It’s a good week for women and it’s exciting for the fans to finally have a woman winner in Funny Car".
Will Danica "return the favor?" as the saying goes.
Rexfiles
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Greg......sit down for this,
I totally agree with you.
I have done it before in the politics section, rationalizing that that was a place for the s&%t to fly, then after time realized that I too was part of that mob.
Usually I stick up for the underdog, and frankly, realizing that I was in on the pig pile, decided to refrain from commenting there anymore.
You are right. A particular point of view should not open the door for a person to be humiliated by others publicly.
And ya' got a right to your POV........
REX
Wes
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Whats next? Tom and Jerry (the cat and mouse) agreeing?
Hey...they DID get along from time to time! Then one of them would do something silly to the other and the battle would be on once again. Those two ended many an episode buddies. Why do I know so much about Tom and Jerry? Could it be the countless hours of building Lego (R) dragsters and after-school cartoons? Hmmmmm. Of course, a certain TV personality once argued that I didn't know anything about building race cars, either.
I'm still awaiting a private message from the author.
Rexfiles
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Why?
You cannot teach a pig to sing, it wastes your time, and annoys the pig.
REX
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I thought the thread in the lounge congratulating Danica was us showing our support for what Danica had done? The part that made some people upset was when some in the media was stating she was the first female winning a major auto racing event, I see nothing wrong with our views.
downtime
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Shannon and others,
This is a message board and as such is populated by many people with strong opinions. I have seen many such opinionated folks on many message sites over the years and in the BBS world prior to the acceptance of the web as a viable medium.
I have been involved with news and press people as long as I can remember due to some close family members being in politics and a few national politicians being family friends. I moderate several message sites and am highly involved in internet based cultures and technology, in addition to drag racing.
Although some here will certainly differ and tell me to locate my tail pipe, I absolutely believe the "problem" is not the string opinions, not Danika, Askley, or any other successful racers. The problem is not NHRA or IRL, or NASCAR or other series. It is not even money, which is often the root of much coverage (for better or worse).
The problem is quite simple and is a concentration of the following:
For decades the term Drag Racing has been utilized by mainstream news and media interchaneably with street racing.
Drag Racing, for better or worse, has been associated with stereotypical "bad boys" and absorbed into mainstream America ala "American grafitti".
Drag Racing has been, and for years was, sponsored by tobacco companies and tobacco is the current whipping industry of everything bad (according to the news media).
I believe that the simple introduction of Mongoose and Snake Hotwheels did more for the acceptance of drag racing in the average American home than any other single factor since the inception of the sport, (I can justify this position but not in a brief message board post).
What we need is:
Letters of encouragement to our local news and media outlets. If they "missed" something there is a much better reason to check it out than insinuating that somebody screwed up.
Perhaps the Force camp might want to contact a national morning new show as a follow up to Ashley's victory and even invite Danika along? Perhaps these two ladies can place the history of women in racing in the proper perspective, and reveal the real history to the general public while promoting participation in sanctioned motorsports. Certainly the two of them combined make an all star cast and any morning show would be lucky to have them.
What is said on message boards should stay on message boards, in general. It is a place for all of us wannabes and armchair QBs to throw the bull, have some fun, and spout off a bit. Nitromater is a wonderful site, well run and well attended. To dis Nitromater in light of opinions (or e-pinions), is simply non-productive and unfortunately diminishes the experience for us all.
The entire news industry is in turmoil with print advertising rates dropping and antiquated publishing procedures being usurped by new technology.
This is a great site and I thank Shannon for publishing this letter and hopefully something good will come from this current "flap".
This is a message board and as such is populated by many people with strong opinions. I have seen many such opinionated folks on many message sites over the years and in the BBS world prior to the acceptance of the web as a viable medium.
I have been involved with news and press people as long as I can remember due to some close family members being in politics and a few national politicians being family friends. I moderate several message sites and am highly involved in internet based cultures and technology, in addition to drag racing.
Although some here will certainly differ and tell me to locate my tail pipe, I absolutely believe the "problem" is not the string opinions, not Danika, Askley, or any other successful racers. The problem is not NHRA or IRL, or NASCAR or other series. It is not even money, which is often the root of much coverage (for better or worse).
The problem is quite simple and is a concentration of the following:
For decades the term Drag Racing has been utilized by mainstream news and media interchaneably with street racing.
Drag Racing, for better or worse, has been associated with stereotypical "bad boys" and absorbed into mainstream America ala "American grafitti".
Drag Racing has been, and for years was, sponsored by tobacco companies and tobacco is the current whipping industry of everything bad (according to the news media).
I believe that the simple introduction of Mongoose and Snake Hotwheels did more for the acceptance of drag racing in the average American home than any other single factor since the inception of the sport, (I can justify this position but not in a brief message board post).
What we need is:
Letters of encouragement to our local news and media outlets. If they "missed" something there is a much better reason to check it out than insinuating that somebody screwed up.
Perhaps the Force camp might want to contact a national morning new show as a follow up to Ashley's victory and even invite Danika along? Perhaps these two ladies can place the history of women in racing in the proper perspective, and reveal the real history to the general public while promoting participation in sanctioned motorsports. Certainly the two of them combined make an all star cast and any morning show would be lucky to have them.
What is said on message boards should stay on message boards, in general. It is a place for all of us wannabes and armchair QBs to throw the bull, have some fun, and spout off a bit. Nitromater is a wonderful site, well run and well attended. To dis Nitromater in light of opinions (or e-pinions), is simply non-productive and unfortunately diminishes the experience for us all.
The entire news industry is in turmoil with print advertising rates dropping and antiquated publishing procedures being usurped by new technology.
This is a great site and I thank Shannon for publishing this letter and hopefully something good will come from this current "flap".
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