Steve Chrisman, Grant Downing VS John Force's scooter (3 Viewers)

[BaldyLochs]

I'm trying to think, what if FOX did a feature on the odometer on Tony Stewart's scooter.... would that cause as much uproar as this has? Well probably not - since dealing with more than say, 2 numbers at a time tends to throw those people off kilter . It's really about who's your favorite I guess. If this was about Jeff Arend, safe to say Chris Wilt would have no problem with it .
John and his entire organization truly is very high profile. Another example: 2 weeks ago in Denver, on Sunday during the rain/sun/drying delays... only one pro driver (I know because I was watching every moment) went out to look at the 500' mark of the racing surface with the crew chiefs.... and the crowd went wild at the sight.... and that one driver waived his ball cap in response. And his firesuit was zipped up & logos were fully visible. Is that a standard practice on raceday of this driver? ? Does this driver make any decisions regarding car setup & track condition?? I'll never know - and really who cares? It is what it is. Heck, I wish we had more drivers like that in NHRA.

 

[You!]

Where's Skuza???

This post has nothing to do with anything, it's just that this picture always makes me leak a little every time I see it!!

 

[Ugly one]

Sweeney-YOU owe me a keyboard, shorts, shirt and another Pepsi
RG, So what's with the new odometer in Chrisman' funnycar, is it certified?
I also heard that Grant was getting the bugs sorted out of his new snowmobile.
Any word on the Underwater Basketweaving Championships on ESPN 3 running overtime into the bamboo shoots from Neff's trailer?
How's the golf game? Mine's still in the bag.

 

[PJ]

that right thre is damn funny sweeney





I didn't have an issue with the scooter...one time. I was surprised at how many miles he puts on it and him saying how since the accident this has been more of his legs was interesting..for a minute. Telling that once, then at the end of the event show how much he put on it is fine. Going to it often, having where's scooter sightings and such just seemed to much. Plus then having the girls do their fung shei deal(which just didn't work) But having two fluff pieces on the same group in the same coverage is over the top.

Force is the man, life's not fair so not everyone is going to get the same amount of coverage, I'm fine with that. When you have won as much as John has PLUS can throw a wild interview out there again that means you get more tv time. Unfortunetly they go to him so much that they are wearing it out. I'm not sure if they are expecting him to save every episode or what. At 60 years old though they really need to start cultivating others, I'm not saying John is hanging up the golves any time soon but when he does people will fear the big hole it will leave in the sport. Much like the NBA did when Jordan, Magic, Bird all left.

So whats it mean, Have Force coverage thats fine, just balance it out a bit better. I expect that he will likely always get more then others. It shouldn't be this much more though.

 

[clwill]

Stop making sense, PJ.

 

[rocketman]

I got a good laugh out of Darr Hawthorn's column over this scooter fiasco. He said something like "what's the meeter reading now Zippy?" I'm sure Force is not comfortable with the backlash ESPN has been getting this last few weeks.

 

[force fan]

I'm trying to think, what if FOX did a feature on the odometer on Tony Stewart's scooter.... would that cause as much uproar as this has? Well probably not - since dealing with more than say, 2 numbers at a time tends to throw those people off kilter . It's really about who's your favorite I guess. If this was about Jeff Arend, safe to say Chris Wilt would have no problem with it .
John and his entire organization truly is very high profile. Another example: 2 weeks ago in Denver, on Sunday during the rain/sun/drying delays... only one pro driver (I know because I was watching every moment) went out to look at the 500' mark of the racing surface with the crew chiefs.... and the crowd went wild at the sight.... and that one driver waived his ball cap in response. And his firesuit was zipped up & logos were fully visible. Is that a standard practice on raceday of this driver? ? Does this driver make any decisions regarding car setup & track condition?? I'll never know - and really who cares? It is what it is. Heck, I wish we had more drivers like that in NHRA.

Would you be refering to Robert Hight by chance?

 

[force fan]

Say, did you hear Gilby got his stuff back?

.

Why yes I did. That is great!!!!! Was you trying to derail, Randy?

 

[force fan]

Where's Skuza???

I've been wonderin' the same thing!!!! Man, I loved it when him and John would line up together. Always made for a great race!!!!! I remember listenin' to his fishin' stories in Gainesville. He was very fan friendly. I miss him and wish he would come back!!!

 

[twok4hd]

Hey my Spree has more miles than Force's scooter. Where is that ESPN camera? Hell it has more trailer miles than Lynn's car?

This isn't about bashin Force, it's about getting the low budget teams more air time. RG you rock dude !!!

 

[Tim5636sc]

This post has nothing to do with anything, it's just that this picture always makes me leak a little every time I see it!!

YUP. Looks like we have ourselves a good old fashioned well deserved thread derail. Choo Choo! All aboard.

 

[Terry]

YUP. Looks like we have ourselves a good old fashioned well deserved thread derail. Choo Choo! All aboard.

And I wasn't even responsible for it this time!!! Alan Loder would be so disappointed in me... Now if I can just figure out why no one is saying "just give Antron time, his driving will come around when he gets some more experience...." Just can't leave it alone, can I? Last time my scooter got any attention was when I got busted riding my Honda Express to the showers at Brainerd and didn't have my 5072 SG number plate properly affixed..Guess I should have gotten that odometer fixed before the race too.

 

[Al smith]

YAWN: glad i don't bother to watch the events on TV much anymore. Just the sportsman series. There is after all nothing new in drag racing from the top ten. Same old same old. which is why they show so much fluff. God forbid they take attention away from their pet "'stars" by showing the up and comers, the fillers. the story behind the story of those sometime spoilers who make due with used parts. Like sands through an hourglass. so are the days of the force team. lets show cats doing what cats do. Lets show some trailer park feng shui, It's so late nineties. And Lynn you are the NHRA equivalent of a rabid Jeff Gordon fan. Is it any wonder people are laughing at you like we all did at the Poconos to the Jeff Gordon fans? Do you have the matching Force hat and lunchbox with seat cushions and life size posters of the force girls all over your bedroom walls? You leap to their defense so often. Do you draw a publicity check from Mandie Yorio? After all its all about marketing

 

[force fan]

Hey Al,

 

[Randy]

Do you have the matching Force hat and lunchbox with seat cushions and life size posters of the force girls all over your bedroom walls?

Ouch!

Just noticed how you put the latest DVD in junior's hand in your picture.

.

 

[HEMI6point1]

Holy sh!t, this bashing of Lynn and any Force fan has got to stop.

We get it - you think the coverage of Force's scooter was crazy. Sure ESPN could have shown more of other things but as I've said in the past until John Force retires or has to pull out the TV crew is going to focus on him and his team (and daughters).

Now, back to the 2 people mentioned in the title of this thread:

As far as Chrisman, he seems like a nice guy. But, he insists on keeping his damn car in the stone age (Just get a lockup clutch already and be done with it!) and thus needs to rely on his competitor breaking something or smoking the tires in order to advance to round 2. Maybe that's why ESPN doesn't really give him TV time. May sound harsh, but I'm not exactly off-base here.

As far as Downing, we as the hard-core fan know him as a great chassis builder and a guy who sometimes races in the funny car class. But to Mr Average TV Viewer, I bet the biggest question was "Who the flying balls is Grant Downing?" That's why ESPN didn't give him a lot of TV time.

 

[clutchflite]

But to Mr Average TV Viewer, I bet the biggest question was "Who the flying balls is Grant Downing?" That's why ESPN didn't give him a lot of TV time.

And with that terrific ESPN coverage they may never find out.

 

[brewmaster]

This was posted by Jeff Burk on dragracingonline.com yesterday. Maybe someone is listening in Glendora.

"NHRA meeting to discuss content of ESPN2 TV broadcast?

It’s totally unofficial and just a rumor at this point, but a normally reliable source tells the Agent that after the broadcast of the Seattle race the NHRA brass in charge of their TV show actually had a meeting to discuss the lack of pertinent info their viewers are getting from the TV show.

Does that mean we will be seeing less of Ashley Force Hood’s cat, John Force’s scooter and Mike Dunn’s Hannah Montana tattoo and instead we might see more information on new cars and teams?

The Agent will be glued to his massive 19-inch, black and white RCA television just to see if, indeed, the order goes down that the ESPN2 crew actually covers the races instead of it being just another vaudeville show."

 

[Ron]

and what makes you an expert in the opposite??? You honestly think that Jack and Snake would criticize her on TV??? Lord knows i am the biggest Ashley fan around but there is room for improvement and she'd be the first to tell you so

You are wasting your time trying to have an intelligent discussion with a groupie. If groupies had any analytical ability they wouldn't be groupies.

 

[Raconteur]

Now, back to the 2 people mentioned in the title of this thread:

As far as Chrisman, he seems like a nice guy. But, he insists on keeping his damn car in the stone age (Just get a lockup clutch already and be done with it!) and thus needs to rely on his competitor breaking something or smoking the tires in order to advance to round 2. Maybe that's why ESPN doesn't really give him TV time. May sound harsh, but I'm not exactly off-base here.

As far as Downing, we as the hard-core fan know him as a great chassis builder and a guy who sometimes races in the funny car class. But to Mr Average TV Viewer, I bet the biggest question was "Who the flying balls is Grant Downing?" That's why ESPN didn't give him a lot of TV time.

And there you go, exactly the same kind of elitist thinking that the NHRA/ESPN2 show has been delivering. It is clear to me that if you are not part of the NHRA good old boys country club elite, your pro team will get the bum’s rush on TV, being abruptly dismissed as a novelty act to make time for even more trivial stunts from the rich and famous of drag racing royalty.

With this kind of treatment from ESPN2, what’s a team to glean except to be treated as cannon fodder until all the other good old boys return to the NHRA Full Throttle tour with lavish sponsorship, if they ever do.

Any wonder why over 200,000 households have stopped watching the NHRA Full Throttle weekend TV Show on ESPN2 this season?