Matt Hagan Is An ******

[DanTheFan]

Yep, Doug and Clay swinging at each other. That’d be worth the price of admission.

 

[4onthefl4]

I don't think he meant faking things. For a long time now, many on here have complained about the boring corporate laden, cliche fest interviews many of the drivers give.

Of course once a driver shows some emotion, then we rip on them for that.

Thank the sponsors, that's a must, but also be human. Yeah I don't need a wrestling level promo (although I just had a vision of Doug Kalitta trying to go all Rick Flair and now can't focus ) Anyway, I don't need that level of "energy" but your pissed on a run, it's ok. Tear up, fine, get excited and dance, go for it. The drivers that seem to get the most followers are the ones that you can see the humanity of...good, bad or ugly.
I think Antron is one of the best examples of this. He balances how to be corporate and sponsor minded but also being real with the highs and lows or racing. Probably why he's one of the most popular drivers out there

I think Ron Capps and Greg Anderon falls in the same caterogy as Antron.

 

[Jim]

WWE also has personalities and personas. Matt and many others want drivers to be less corporate. I get that sponsors pay the bills but if these drivers give just a fraction of what they're like around family and friends on camera, it would help the sport grow. We already have personalities in the sport. The problem is only a few of them are drivers.

Most of the personalities and personas in WWE are phony and have been scripted out by writers.

It's bad enough now to watch some of the drivers playing a role by talking fast and making trash-talk statements. The phony conflicts are tiring and make some of them look like stooges. Those drivers are not being themselves. They are being what they think plays well on TV.

 

[Jim]

As someone once said, the empty seat doesn't buy a hot dog.

A butt in the seat is not buying a hot dog. The person buying a hot dog is at the concession stand, not sitting in their seat.

 

[Jim]

Yep, Doug and Clay swinging at each other. That’d be worth the price of admission.

I was at that race. At the time, it was an honest expression of emotion by two drivers. However, that was 21 years ago and Doug is not on the tour anymore. Yet, NHRA continues to hype what happened. It's time to let it go.

 

[Jim]

I think Antron is one of the best examples of this. He balances how to be corporate and sponsor minded but also being real with the highs and lows or racing. Probably why he's one of the most popular drivers out there

When you hear a post-race interview with Antron, you are much more likely to hear what happened in the race or what he thinks he needs to do in the next round than fast-talking cliches and hysterics.

 

[AJSMapleGrove]

NHRA needs to be the NHRA. I honest think all you need to do is promote the NHRA as 11,000 horse power ground pounding, rip roar, who can get from point A to point B the quickest. That is what I love about NHRA and that's why I pay to go to the track. There is enough there to promote to make this sport big. I like Matt H a lot, but if I wanted to watch WWE, ill watch WWE, dont make that reference. What I could agree on is, anymore I am a little diluted on the top end interviews were everyone is nicey nice. Hugging and carrying on, saying that team over there is top of the line best team out there blah blah blah. Go back 30 years to the days of Snake, Mongoose, CHUCK ETCHELS,. Don't I recall Chuck Etchels and Force didnt get along? or was it Al Hoffman? Remember Warren Johnson, Glidden, Geoffrion? Them guys never put on an act. It was always business, straight shooting, attitude, and that is what I think Hagan may be getting at after all.

 

[mick]

When you hear a post-race interview with Antron, you are much more likely to hear what happened in the race or what he thinks he needs to do in the next round than fast-talking cliches and hysterics.

everyone can not be antron. he is in upper echelon of his craft.

 

[Jim]

and that is what I think Hagan may be getting at after all.

If that was what Hagan was getting at, fine. But he should not have used WWE as an example because WWE is all phony.

 

[Scoe]

Most of the personalities and personas in WWE are phony and have been scripted out by writers.

It's bad enough now to watch some of the drivers playing a role by talking fast and making trash-talk statements. The phony conflicts are tiring and make some of them look like stooges. Those drivers are not being themselves. They are being what they think plays well on TV.

And some of the drivers have natural personalities away from the cameras. That's what Hagan is getting at. Call the WWE phony all you want. Nobody is arguing that. But some of their best most memorable moments have come by the way of shoot promos where they took real life heat and put it on camera.

 

[5150 mechanic]

Matt's alright. And yes he did put on about 20-30lbs after he was hanging out with Mr. olympia Phil Heath a few years ago. Very puffy faced, but I'm sure he has a trt prescription. Looks like he cut it back a little.

 

[Professional Fan]

I don't think he meant faking things. For a long time now, many on here have complained about the boring corporate laden, cliche fest interviews many of the drivers give.

Of course once a driver shows some emotion, then we rip on them for that.

Thank the sponsors, that's a must, but also be human. Yeah I don't need a wrestling level promo (although I just had a vision of Doug Kalitta trying to go all Rick Flair and now can't focus ) Anyway, I don't need that level of "energy" but your pissed on a run, it's ok. Tear up, fine, get excited and dance, go for it. The drivers that seem to get the most followers are the ones that you can see the humanity of...good, bad or ugly.
I think Antron is one of the best examples of this. He balances how to be corporate and sponsor minded but also being real with the highs and lows or racing. Probably why he's one of the most popular drivers out there

Your post had me imagining Doug coming out for driver intros in one of Flair's robes!

 

[5150 mechanic]

Your post had me imagining Doug coming out for driver intros in one of Flair's robes!

Wooooooo!

 

[LoPony]

Disagree that Hagan is an ass. He’s a little scripted, yes, and emotional. Amp up the personalities and create drama!

 

[megadeth]

NHRA needs to be the NHRA. I honest think all you need to do is promote the NHRA as 11,000 horse power ground pounding, rip roar, who can get from point A to point B the quickest. That is what I love about NHRA and that's why I pay to go to the track. There is enough there to promote to make this sport big. I like Matt H a lot, but if I wanted to watch WWE, ill watch WWE, dont make that reference. What I could agree on is, anymore I am a little diluted on the top end interviews were everyone is nicey nice. Hugging and carrying on, saying that team over there is top of the line best team out there blah blah blah. Go back 30 years to the days of Snake, Mongoose, CHUCK ETCHELS,. Don't I recall Chuck Etchels and Force didnt get along? or was it Al Hoffman? Remember Warren Johnson, Glidden, Geoffrion? Them guys never put on an act. It was always business, straight shooting, attitude, and that is what I think Hagan may be getting at after all.

The Bazemore Force rival got very heated sometimes and Ed the Ace was a legendary hot head only he got physical! I like that kind emotional rhetoric! Steve Torrence had it until that time he put his hands on another driver and was lambasted for it! It happens in NASCAR all the time!

 

[Scoe]

The Bazemore Force rival got very heated sometimes and Ed the Ace was a legendary hot head only he got physical! I like that kind emotional rhetoric! Steve Torrence had it until that time he put his hands on another driver and was lambasted for it! It happens in NASCAR all the time!

Steve still gets ish for that. Even after him and Ferre buried the hatchet.

 

[ZWeinstein]

Steve still gets ish for that. Even after him and Ferre buried the hatchet.

The only thing that really rubbed me the wrong way about that whole deal was the fact that Steve shoved him and then ran away before Cam could counter. I was taught and believe that if you are going to shove/hit someone then you square up and fight like a man.

 

[TSK]

The only thing that really rubbed me the wrong way about that whole deal was the fact that Steve shoved him and then ran away before Cam could counter. I was taught and believe that if you are going to shove/hit someone then you square up and fight like a man.

One of Torrence’s crew pulled him back after he pushed Cameron.
Torrence then looked like Fred Sanford saying “hold me back” while he was backing up. Cameron advanced toward Torrence with the crewman in between them.
At the time I thought Cameron was going to really thump Torrence. But the crew guy saved Torrence.

 

[Jim]

He’s a little scripted, yes, and emotional. Amp up the personalities and create drama!

Scripted = phony.

 

[GumbyWVU]

The Bazemore Force rival got very heated sometimes and Ed the Ace was a legendary hot head only he got physical! I like that kind emotional rhetoric! Steve Torrence had it until that time he put his hands on another driver and was lambasted for it! It happens in NASCAR all the time!

recall that Bazemore's own teammate decked him. Capps. The Don cut Bazemore off pretty quick too. Not sure that Force was the only one to get "heated" with Whit.