No Respect

[fatcat]

The interview of Langdon being the 1,000th top fuel champion also had Don Garlits there having been the 1st. I was enraged at the lack of respect shown to Garlits in those few moments. He was totally ignored. Just watched an online interview of Garlits and his wife from years ago called "Don Garlits Close Calls", how I have never seen that interview is beyond me, but, what a piece of drag racing history, impossible to describe. There are things about Garlits that give me pause, but what he did while active, there is no one, that advanced top fuel racing, which would not even exist today without his innovations, like he states in the interview, the body count would have killed TF racing. I subscribed to the series, it can't possibly get any better than what I watched, but I'm hooked.

 

[James]

Don is deaf now ( not sure entirely or not, but needs help, I've seen at autograph signings) and I'm sure that came into play

 

[Nunz]

The interview of Langdon being the 1,000th top fuel champion also had Don Garlits there having been the 1st. I was enraged at the lack of respect shown to Garlits in those few moments. He was totally ignored. Just watched an online interview of Garlits and his wife from years ago called "Don Garlits Close Calls", how I have never seen that interview is beyond me, but, what a piece of drag racing history, impossible to describe. There are things about Garlits that give me pause, but what he did while active, there is no one, that advanced top fuel racing, which would not even exist today without his innovations, like he states in the interview, the body count would have killed TF racing. I subscribed to the series, it can't possibly get any better than what I watched, but I'm hooked.

Give Langdon a break, can you imagine being in his shoes at that very moment? It wasn't like any other win, I'm sure he was a bit overwhelmed. Remember, you literally watched "a few moments", there's an awful lot of banter down there that is not captured on camera. And James is correct, Don's hearing is pretty bad, not surprising given the life he's led!

 

[Dennis]

Give Langdon a break, can you imagine being in his shoes at that very moment?

If I'm reading it correctly, he's talking about the lack of respect from NHRA and/or Fox, not Langdon. But if the comment was directed at Langon, I agree with you. The win was his moment, and he has every right to celebrate it.

I'd bet every driver out there respects and is in awe of Don Garlits. The man IS drag racing.

 

[sammi]

To have him around in his 90's and the worst we can say about him is his hearing is nearly used up is amazing. His sharp mind and boundless energy shame all of us.

 

[GumbyWVU]

If I'm reading it correctly, he's talking about the lack of respect from NHRA and/or Fox, not Langdon. But if the comment was directed at Langon, I agree with you. The win was his moment, and he has every right to celebrate it.

I'd bet every driver out there respects and is in awe of Don Garlits. The man IS drag racing.

I agree. Garlits just being there spoke more itself than what anyone else said.

 

[twostep]

Myself, I would have liked to have seen the interviewer show more deference to Garlits than he did ON AIR - not just before or after when the camera wasn't rolling. And I certainly don't blame Langdon for anything.

Garlits may not be able to hear well, or at all, but the rest of him looked stout as an oak tree - more like a physically fit 40 or 50-something rather than 93.

 

[Just Paul]

The interview of Langdon being the 1,000th top fuel champion also had Don Garlits there having been the 1st. I was enraged at the lack of respect shown to Garlits in those few moments.

As noted above, Big is really hard of hearing these days, and relies heavily on a phone app that records voices and converts them to text for him to read for communication. If someone stuck a mic. in front of him and asked him a question without him being prepared, it’s doubtful he would have known what was asked. Especially down on top end with all the commotion down there. The show was running late anyway, and perhaps (likely) they knew the situation and kinda protected Don if that makes sense by not doing it. I could listen to Don talk for hours, and would have loved to hear his opinion, but it may have been for the best right then and there.

I love the fact he looks pretty damn healthy otherwise, and can probably remember exactly what nitro % and blower overdrive he ran on his final round win at that first race.

 

[stitcherbob]

Gee I thought Langdon acknowledged Don and said "This is, uh.....(turns to Garlits) and to have Don down here "......

 

[fatcat]

Give Langdon a break, can you imagine being in his shoes at that very moment? It wasn't like any other win, I'm sure he was a bit overwhelmed. Remember, you literally watched "a few moments", there's an awful lot of banter down there that is not captured on camera. And James is correct, Don's hearing is pretty bad, not surprising given the life he's led!

Langdon is an innocent in this debacle, but what took place, was a sad travesty.

 

[fatcat]

As noted above, Big is really hard of hearing these days, and relies heavily on a phone app that records voices and converts them to text for him to read for communication. If someone stuck a mic. in front of him and asked him a question without him being prepared, it’s doubtful he would have known what was asked. Especially down on top end with all the commotion down there. The show was running late anyway, and perhaps (likely) they knew the situation and kinda protected Don if that makes sense by not doing it. I could listen to Don talk for hours, and would have loved to hear his opinion, but it may have been for the best right then and there.

I love the fact he looks pretty damn healthy otherwise, and can probably remember exactly what nitro % and blower overdrive he ran on his final round win at that first race.

 

[fatcat]

thankyou, you are better informed than I am, he holds a very special in my heart, any perceived affront of the King, trips my trigger at light speed

 

[LasVegas87]

I doubt the slight was intentional or personal. Difficult situation with the aforementioned hearing issues and just the excitement of the moment with Shawn winning, etc. One thing not thought of was whether Don or his wife asked for him not to be put on the spot or if he didn't want to steal the spotlight so to speak. I agree that just his presence was enough to make the moment special. Of all people, I'm sure Langdon knows the importance of Don to the sport and the class.

 

[Butch]

What would've been cool, if the Greek came out from behind and said
STEP ASIDE KIDS I'll HAND OVER THE TROPHY.

 

[twostep]

What would've been cool, if the Greek came out from behind and said
STEP ASIDE KIDS I'll HAND OVER THE TROPHY.

What would have been cooler still is to have Calvin Rice, winner of the very first NHRA national event, hand it over. Unfortunately, cancer took Rice at age 46.

I'll settle for Don Garlits.

 

[TSK]

As noted above, Big is really hard of hearing these days, and relies heavily on a phone app that records voices and converts them to text for him to read for communication. If someone stuck a mic. in front of him and asked him a question without him being prepared, it’s doubtful he would have known what was asked. Especially down on top end with all the commotion down there. The show was running late anyway, and perhaps (likely) they knew the situation and kinda protected Don if that makes sense by not doing it. I could listen to Don talk for hours, and would have loved to hear his opinion, but it may have been for the best right then and there.

I love the fact he looks pretty damn healthy otherwise, and can probably remember exactly what nitro % and blower overdrive he ran on his final round win at that first race.

I noticed when Garlits and Shirley were on Tony Stewart's show there was a laptop in front of Garlits and whenever somebody spoke it converted everything to text.
His mind is still sharp, and he looks pretty darned good for being 93 years old.

 

[z28]

I noticed when Garlits and Shirley were on Tony Stewart's show there was a laptop in front of Garlits and whenever somebody spoke it converted everything to text.
His mind is still sharp, and he looks pretty darned good for being 93 years old.

He (Don) usually uses his phone to convert verbal to written words. In an outdoor situation with lots of noise around it would be hard for the phone to pick up the conversation. If you watch the behind the scenes video from NHRA Don and Langdon were talking either before or after the TV interview:

 

[Randy]

It was Langdon's moment, not Garlit's. Congrats.

 

[65 Goatboy]

thankyou, you are better informed than I am, he holds a very special in my heart, any perceived affront of the King, trips my trigger at light speed

Bob, at 67 I'm way behind you and Don but please don't place your opinion of disrespect for the biggest living legend in all of drag racing on a 3 minute ? clip on Fox Sports. Most of us here are not all that young and KNOW Don Garlits will always be #1. John Force maybe #2 and Don is his hero.

 

[fatcat]

Myself, I would have liked to have seen the interviewer show more deference to Garlits than he did ON AIR - not just before or after when the camera wasn't rolling. And I certainly don't blame Langdon for anything.

Garlits may not be able to hear well, or at all, but the rest of him looked stout as an oak tree - more like a physically fit 40 or 50-something rather than 93.

you got it right