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Re: Racing (Reply to this comment)
by kedsand1
Toiletoctopus,
Thank you for your comment.
The more I thought about NASCAR, the more I wondered if the casual fan really knows anything about racing besides the names of the drivers, their numbers, and the look of their cars. I am a passing fan and I must admit that I have no idea about the driving tendencies and pet strategies of each of the drivers. Does Jeff Gordon prefer to go high or low in turns? Does Kyle Busch like bumping people as a strategy (I'm not saying that he does)? Does Kasey Kahne prefer to draft or lead? I have no idea, and I'm sure more of those six-can holster-wearing yahoos you described don't, either.
Auto racing is one of those "sports" in which most fans are more drawn to the look of the cars and their drivers. I'm not saying that all racing fans are like this; my dad, for one, is very knowledgeable about cars and is seeing things about which I know nothing. But, most fans strike me as being completely oblivious to the strategies of each of the individual racers. Or, I may be wrong...
Anyway, it's hard for me to get involved in racing because I know little about the strategies and tendencies of the drivers. This is unlike, say, soccer, in which I like certain players for their work ethic, teamwork, skills on and off the ball, and how their personal tactics fit within the context of a certain team.
Thanks again!
KEDSand1
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Aug 19 '08
12:54 pm PDT
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Racing (Reply to this comment)
by toiletoctopus
Keds,
Come on over to the Commonfilth of Virginia, and I'll find you someone with big numbers on their car. It won't take long in Manassas Va, which is an interesting town by itself.
I'm with you on this. I've watched Nascar casually and finally went to a race in Richmond this year. It was an interesting experience, with the guys wearing no shirts and having six beer holder confederate holsters, and other assorted garb. It is an interesting group, and I think a sociologist would be fascinated by a weekend of camping at a NASCAR event. I wish I could say I was more adventurous, but it was good to stay in a hotel a ways off from the track.
Mike
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Aug 15 '08
12:40 pm PDT
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Re: Hiya (Reply to this comment)
by kedsand1
Smorg,
Thanks for your comment. I wish I were in Japan, even if it's 90 degrees F and 90% humidity. I miss summers there, oddly.
Anyway, your opera analogy is not out of place. Even performance arts are not immune to support based on external factors, though it's more difficult to just like someone on looks, colors, or personality. If you like a certain kind of music or a certain artist, you just like it without any kind of rationale. I like The Police for many reasons, but the most important is because I like the compositions, vocals, and instrumentation. On the other hand, I could like Jeff Gordon just because he is sponsored by Tag Hauer watches, has number 24, and has a red and blue car (or used to have one). I could know little about him or his driving style (and I don't), but I could just like him on those external factors.
That's where I think most NASCAR casual fans reside -- in this land where liking someone is predicated on things totally unrelated to racing. At least with opera, you can hear the singer and know if you like them or not. I don't know enough about opera to even say I "like" one singer; but, with NASCAR, I could know almost nothing about racing, but like Dale Earnhardt, Jr. because one of his sponsors is Amp, which is the brand of my favorite energy drink!
Thanks again, bro! It's nice to be someone's bro.
KEDSand1
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Aug 13 '08
8:57 am PDT
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Hiya (Reply to this comment)
by smorg
Your musing is always interesting to read, bro. I have sort of the same problem with some opera fans... Not all of them, but the type who are stuck with 'my diva is better than anyone else (even though I've never even met her)' attitude who then go around bashing other singers as a way of praising their own favorite. Sometimes I wonder if it hasn't warped into a kind of 'sport' all on its own...
But then that is rather different from real sports like Nascar and swimming and tennis, etc, since performance arts isn't a competition for me. :o)
And I'm starting to ramble... better take off before I catch any wind! Thanks again for another good read and hope summer is goin' well in Japan!
Cheerio,
Smorgy :o)
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Aug 11 '08
11:21 am PDT
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