jzinger34

I was really looking forward to the Brickyard 400. There is just something about the race thats intriguing. It's not really an exciting race at most times. The Sprint cars just seem to be moving in slow motion down the exceptionally long straighwaways. There were a few interesting  moments, and most were not caused by drivers. They were caused by tires. When I turned on the pre race show, I heard mention of a competetion yellow after 10 laps. Competition yellow? To make things fair and so that pit crews could check the tire wear, as this was a problem in practice the day before. Competition yellow? Every team knew there was going to be a problem with tires. NASCAR and Goodyear knew there were going to be issues with tires. Thats why tires were brought in by Goodyear from the Pocono race. But competition yellows? This is a race, let the drivers race. I believe the right guy won the race. he was fastest in practice and qualifying. But more and more, NASCAR is not about drivers. Competition yellows, restrictor plates, smaller fuel cells, Lucky Dogs. The Lucky Dog I don't get. If you go a lap down in a race, why should you get a free one back? Restrictor plates? If a guy wants to go around Talladega at 230 mph, then why don't they let them? The only thing the restrictor plate does is cause the "Big Ones". The smaller fuel cells have made it so guysg o around the track fewer times so it involves the pit crews more. Don't even get me started on pit crews! Yes I understand how important it has become to get your driver out of the pits in under 14 seconds. I understand that strength and physical fitness and lots of practice are required. When I see the pit crews personal trainers stretching them out on pit lane during the pre race? I know its not as much about the drivers anymore. Give me one race!, Thats all I ask! One race, preferably at Daytona or Talladega. Take out the restrictor plates. Put in a 25 gallon fuel tank. No "Lucky Dogs"! Thats a race I want to see!

Competition yellow! NASCAR is getting to the point where it's like little leagues that don't keep score. Let them race. I know it's all about the safety of the drivers. The way these cars are designed is there more of a risk factor then when Bill Elliott, Cale Yarborough and Richard Petty were screaming around the tracks in lap belts with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths? 

I'm sure NASCAR fans are very disappointed with the way the events unfolded at The Brickyard yesterday. More oft, I bet there are quite a few people in the stands that won't be purchasing tickets to next years race, unless something changes!

Let them race! 

In watching a series with the Reds and Marlins this year, I could have not seen worse umpiring from a crew in a long time. Again in the Reds last series with the Nationals, there were calls made that just didn't make sense.

Scaenario: Man on first with Paul LoDuca at the plate. LoDuca attempts to sacrifice pitcher to second. He successfully bunts the ball about  feet up the first base line. David Ross fields the ball and throws to second to Jeff Keppinger, who throws to first to complete a double play. But Wait! The first base umpire, Bruce Dreckman, was running around first base with hands in the air. He was calling the play dead from the first base area. He was saying the ball hit LoDuca coming out of the box. This in turn made the runners slow up and the Reds completed the double play. It was obvious on replay that LoDuca had no contact, or even close to any contact with the ball coming out of the batters box. And why was Dreckman making this call from 100 feet away anyway? Was he sure? So the umpires congregate near the pitchers mound. It was obvious that Dreckman had made a mistake. The play was completed and should have resulted in a couble play. The umpires decide to call the runner out at second, and award LoDuca first base. A happy compromise I guess.

With all the technology today, I would be interested in seeing a game with just one umpire. That umpire would be behind home plate. His only purpose there would be to speed the game up, and listen for foul tips. We now have this technology called K-Zone. I would just let K-Zone call the balls and strikes. The batter can look up at the scoreboard and see what the pitch result was.

There would be other umpires on the field, but their only purpose is to make initial calls of fair or foul. safe or out. The official scorer in the booth would then post the offical score on the scoreboard. I am all for instant replay in baseball. I give umpires credit. They make the correct call almost 99% of the time. But there have been some bad ones too.

I would be all for the challenge rule too. You give managers two challenges per game. I just wan't to see the correct call made.