Sunday, July 31, 2011

You gotta know when to hold 'em

Just when you think I'm a goner, here I am, back for more! I can't say I'll consistently update again, but every once in a while I feel the need to pop off about something or other, so I probably won't be able to let this completely die out.

Anyway...all year long, I haven't been able to believe what I've been hearing.  To put it simply, I guess there's been a lot of speculation that Jimmie and Chad's relationship is on the rocks (wow...and they wonder why NASCAR appeals to women...you can't get this kind of bromance drama in chick flicks, let me tell you). One article I read wondered if they might split at the end of the year if things don't go swimmingly.


Can I just say that I'm glad Rick Hendrick is smarter than the media?  I don't care if they do end up having an awful year (which I don't think they will); you don't just dismantle a team for having a bad year when they've won the championship 5 TIMES BEFORE THAT. IN A ROW. For example: while some of Junior Nation might not agree with me, I think Mr. Hendrick has handled the 88 team's situation quite gracefully. He's had patience and waited to see how the team would mesh, and when he hasn't got the results he wanted, he's made a change. The key word here is PATIENCE. You can't make a long-term decision based on a short period of time. You need a good sampling of races in order to see a pattern. The 48 has quite a pattern. Are you going to mess with that based on one (possibly) less than stellar season? Or are you going to look at the 5 other years and make a decision based on that? That's what I thought.

That said, I know they've been snippier than usual this year, but honestly, I'd be a little weirded out if they weren't. There's no way you can be that close to anyone, no matter what kind of relationship it is, and not get sick of each other at some point. I have three friends who I've known since 3rd grade, and trust me, there have been multiple times where we all didn't want to see each other's faces for a while. What do you do then? You take a break, you re-focus, you re-group. You have some milk and cookies, if need be. It's happened before.  And you know what? That makes me even more confident that they can work it out...this ain't their first rodeo, and they know how to deal with that kind of stress. These guys are nothing if not professional, and I don't think a bit of high school-style smack talk is going to break them.

In another fear-mongering move, the media has also been throwing this ominous prediction around: "This can't last forever." You're right. It can't. As much as I'd like them to just keep reeling in those Cups until they retire, I know it's more likely that they won't (but, of course, who would've guessed they'd win 4 more in 2006?). If the time does come when a change seems necessary (and I repeat, that is not now), I trust Mr. Hendrick to make the right move. There's no point thinking about "what ifs." You just go on the information you have and hope for the best. I hope the near future gives Mr. Hendrick all kinds of information that persuades him to keep them together until one or both retire, but like I said, I don't think that's a decision anybody, especially the media, needs to think about at any point during this season.