Tuesday, March 22, 2016

COMMENTARY: No Player Is Bigger Than The Game

Kyle Busch is unhappy with NASCAR today, roughly 72 hours after a no-call by the sanctioning body at California’s Auto Club Speedway deprived the Joe Gibbs Racing driver of what could have been his fourth consecutive NASCAR Xfinity Series victory of 2016.

For those who missed it, Busch dominated Saturday’s race, until an exploding left-front tire on the final lap forced him to limp his way home, losing the lead (and the win) to Austin Dillon, literally within sight of the checkered flag. Busch was upset with NASCAR after the race, believing officials should have displayed the yellow flag for debris from his exploding tire, thereby ending the race with him as the winner.
NASCAR saw it differently, prompting Busch to unleash a brief, post-race verbal tirade over his in-car radio, during which he declared (among other things) that the sanctioning body is guilty of “fixing races.”
Those are fightin’ words in the world of sports, where the 1919 Chicago Black Sox scandal threatened to destroy “America’s Game” and allegations of betting impropriety continue to make the great Pete Rose persona non grata at the Baseball Hall of Fame. It’s one thing to say the umpire blew the call, and quite another to accuse the referee of intentionally manipulating the outcome of games. Busch’s allegations were clearly a case of the latter, and will almost certainly result in a substantial fine when NASCAR makes its weekly penalty announcement on Wednesday afternoon.
NASCAR made a judgment call on the final lap of Saturday’s race, just as they did during Busch’s three consecutive NXS victories in Atlanta, Las Vegas and Phoenix. Why, then, did Busch wait for his first loss of the 2016 campaign to air his race-fixing laundry?
The answer is simple. Busch’s comments were made because he was angry about losing a race that should have been his.
The 2015 Sprint Cup Series champion has a ferocious, competitive nature that is well-known, both in and out of the sport. His refusal to accept anything less than first place has helped make him a champion in NASCAR’s premier division, and the all-time winner in the Xfinity ranks. Unfortunately, it has also manifested itself in periodic outbursts of boorish post-race behavior.
Anger and disappointment are powerful motivators. They are not, however, good excuses.
NASCAR didn’t blow Kyle Busch’s tire Saturday. It just happened, as it happens to racers all across the nation, every single week. NASCAR responded to that exploding tire by doing what they always do; making an instantaneous decision about whether the race should continue uninterrupted, or be ended prematurely with a yellow flag. You may agree or disagree with the decision NASCAR made Saturday. Kyle Busch clearly disagreed. But disagreeing with a call does not give Busch – or anyone else -- the right to impugn the umpire and slander the integrity of the sport.
Like the rest of us, Kyle Busch can say and do anything he wants, if he’s willing to face the consequences. Call your boss a jibbering idiot if you like. Cuss out that Highway Patrolman when he pulls you over for speeding. Just be prepared for the consequences that almost certainly will follow.
On this matter, NASCAR’s rulebook is plainly written, in black and white. Its 2016 Code of Conduct calls for fines of between $10,000 and $50,000 and/or probation for “comments disparaging the sport and/or NASCAR's leadership.” Busch’s comments were clearly disparaging of both the sport and those who run it, which explains the five-figure check he will almost certainly be cutting in the next few days.
That’s called personal accountability, and it’s the price you pay for venting your spleen in a flickering moment of anger.
Words have power. And if you say it, you own it.
NASCAR is not Kyle Busch’s sport. It belongs to all of us; you, me, every driver, owner, crew chief and fan. And when someone says or does something that damages our sport, we all suffer. Freedom of expression is a wonderful thing, but your right to swing your arms ends at the tip of my nose. We deserved to spend this week reveling in a spectacular Fontana Sprint Cup Series finish. Instead, we’ve spent much of the last two days listening to an endless series of light-thinkers tell us how NASCAR manages to “fix” races, while somehow keeping it secret.
They know it’s true. The champion of the sport told them so. And that’s a crying shame, for all of us.
Great racers come and go with time. They retire from the sport and eventually pass away. NASCAR, though, lives on, just as it did without Red Byron, the Flock Brothers or Raymond Parks, without Tim Richmond, Davey Allison, Dale Earnhardt or Buddy Baker.

The late Bill France, Sr. had a way of bringing racers back to reality after they became overly enamored with themselves. “We’re going to be here next week,” he’d say. “But you might not.” It’s a valuable lesson that we would all do well to keep in mind.
No single player is more important than the game, and it is our duty – all of ours – to hand the sport off to the next generation in better shape than we received it. Comments like Busch’s damage the sport, and seem to place the player far ahead of the game.
Yes, Kyle Busch is angry at NASCAR today. He’ll probably be even angrier tomorrow, when the sanctioning body hands down that five-digit fine for his poorly chosen words. But Busch is not the biggest loser in all this.
Not by a long shot.

35 comments:

  1. Just as I was beginning to think that Kyle Busch has changed, he once again shows his immaturity.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Immaturity? Next time you are seconds from making all time race sports history and an official who chooses to not throw a yellow that would come out any other scenario and you walk away saying "well it was a good points day." PLEASE come back and tell us.

      Delete
  2. You absolutely nailed it.....again, Godfather!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are always fair, thought-provoking, and articulate Godfather!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If not I do believe Moody tries real hard. We appreciate him for that.

      Delete
  4. Unabashed if that is correct word Kyle Busch fan, but again I don't think some NASCAR fans and radio personalities see this at all like other NASCAR fans who are just as much NASCAR fans as anyone. No one bigger than sport but no one has right to say sport must be this or that. As a NASCAR fan we applaud Kyle for saying what we saw, the same week people wanted a bounty on him NASCAR collected by not taking away a win but probably a once in lifetime chance of 4 Ws in a row. I said before if NASCAR talks driver safety and protecting drivers from selves all the time how the hell can they justify racing 3 wheeled cars in traffic at 170 mph? Callers and Dave ranted today about Kyle saying ONE RACE was fixed, not all races. Again ask people with no interest what they think after talk of how tracks need offer a bounty, how many funky yellows fly other times FOR SAFETY and then no yellow this race. Granted Kyle more correctly should have whoever made the decision to not throw a yellow threw that race. NASCAR did not cause NASCAR is bigger and only a moron would suggest all races are fixed. Kyle did not say that. Tell me Dave please, how many people vote before yellow comes out? Others are instantaneous. It does not appear be a NASCAR vote. Kyle wrong for banding all NASCAR for the one guy (?) who sat on the yellow to save the holy grail if NASCAR from Kyle winning too many Xfinity races. I am still with Kyle he got screwed by a NASCAR official more concerned about the "sport " than being fair to the drivers and not choosing winners and losers. As for Kyle, if he takes all the penalties and says piss off NASCAR they will smack him again. So he will have to play contrite NASCAR bitch to appease those who hate him. But say he does take all the penalties like a man, what you all gonna whine about then? Give him more penalties? Fair is make a rule and live by it. Issue whatever penalties. .. let Kyle accept and move on. He has not asked for special treatment. You all yapping like he thinks he special. If he takes penalties and accepts where is it not fair everyone SHUT UP and leave alone and move on. For NASCAR I see they must penalize and like the way other sports get rid of refs who screw up, id who blew the call for whatever reason, get rid of him so next time an official screws up when it could look do intentional they do better job. Tell us Dave does NASCAR evaluate and punish or fire officials for bad calls like other sports or is NASCAR as blind to the bad call as so many have been in this case? Or do you want say they NASCAR is always perfect and bigger than that? ����������������
    You did not nail it again Godfather. .. one of few times you blew it bad as that NASCAR official

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NASCAR needs to stay out of conversations between drivers and crew chiefs! If the truth hurts, so be it, suck it up NASCAR, worry about safety not about the competitive spirit displayed during the heat of the battle by listening in to something that you shouldn't be listening to. Nobody is allowed to listen to my phone conversations, you all need to stay out of radio conversations also!

      Delete
  5. I thought Kyle had grown up, you nailed it Godfather no one is bigger than the sport. I lost what ever respect I gained last year after his first championship. Jimmie Johnson would never have acted that way .

    ReplyDelete
  6. What are your thoughts about that comment being on his "private" channel? If he was doing an interview where he made the same remarksize I would agree, however it was a team communication.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NASCAR needs to stay out of radio transmissions.

      Delete
  7. Our sport has continued even with the passing of Bill, Sr... Bill, Jr... which makes your point more eloquently than any other argument.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Amazing commentary as always. I think back to last year, when NASCAR bent over backwards to accommodate Kyle Busch after his injuries at Daytona. They said he could run for the championship, even though he missed several races, if he managed to make up enough points. And dammit, the kid did it. And I, among many other fans, was shocked but impressed. He's not my favorite driver, but he earned my respect. Saturday he threw that respect under the bus by his fixing races statement. Could the same be said by others about fixing last year's races just so that he could make it into the Chase? I bet someone said it, somewhere. Because everyone hates a winner. No one likes a sore loser either. I hope NASCAR makes him write that big fat check. And the next time he opens his mouth like that, park him. Thanks for letting me vent Dave!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And the next time you say something in private that you believe is true and it ticks somebody off, you should be fined also!

      Delete
    2. lol "Say something in private". Clearly not having ANY idea that drivers already know they're hot-miked to the general public, perhaps you should brush up on some facts before just putting words to a screen. It was just several years ago it was revealed that drivers have a "back-up channel" to go to for private conversations with their crew chiefs". No, Kyle WANTED the officials to hear his displeasure.

      Delete
  9. John Robnison6:44 AM

    Driver / crew radios are private and we are so blessed to be able to listen in. There are few teams whose communications are PG rated. The comments are often raw, obscene and yes, incorrect. Case in point, Martin Truex, jr.'s spotter stoked the flames of anger when he told Truex that Logano hit him when it didn't happen. At the speed of NASCAR drivers and team members see milliseconds of a incident and just as quickly they make decisions on what has happened.

    Carl Edwards takes a higher road path and rarely shows anger in response to incidents. That's not the "real' Carl. Kyle blows up like a bad elementary science experiment. I would like to think that that's not the "real" Kyle either. Still, this is what we see and I am happy to have the access even when I don't like what I see.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Using his line of reasoning I guess causing your own late race caution to guarantee the win is ok?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not for nothing is there a rule about this you can not or do you just choose to make these up as you go along pbk? Dang guys be consistent and anyone tell me letting crippled cars race back to checker in traffic is a good idea? PLEASE...

      Delete
    2. Crippled cars? Kyle's? Oh please. Crippled cars do not run a full lap at more than 120 mph.

      Delete
    3. It just shows that having 4 wheels is superfluous

      Delete
  11. Emotions, emotions, it gets the best of everyone, even champions, Kyle has a past record of his out bursts of his emotions getting the best of him. Will he get fined by Nascar? We won't know until Nascar annones their penaltys. People are saying that Kyle can afford it, that's nothing for him. Well we don't know Kyle's bank account, and it doesn't matter what ever the penalty is 10,000 to 50,000 (per Nascar rule book) that is a chunk of change to take out of the bank account. Did he act as a Champion representing Nascar? My opinion is NO. Was he being Kyle Busch, YES. When he was out with injuries last year, most of Nascar fans was missing him on the track, he brought excitement to the track. He will always bring him exciment to the track may it be winning and dominating a race, or Kyle doing what ever what he needs to do to win, that's what he gets paid for winning, be it in xfinity or Nascar Sprint Cup. Oh by the way winning will help pay for any penaltys he may receive.

    ReplyDelete
  12. In car radios should be the property of the team but not showing up for post race news conference should be punishable. A time out in other sports gives the coach time to calm his people down with out some one listening in. The same should happen between the driver and his crew chief. Teams should have the right to scramble the signal if others are afraid of what's being said but the NASCAR banned scrambling.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous11:53 AM

    Kyle is the last person who should complain about NASCAR given that they gifted him a season championship for running 2/3 of a season.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NASCAR Didn't give him anything, he earned it!

      Delete
  14. Anonymous12:15 PM

    NA$CAR should have reacted immediately. Looks like they
    are now doing their perfunctory procedure of waiting for the team owner and sponsors to add their contribution to
    the adjustment of the rule book.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Totally disagree, Moody. All any driver asks is that NASCAR be consistent in throwing cautions and enforcing its own rules. As Kyle said last season in defense of his teammate, "It all depends on whose name is above the door." The fans and media have a double standard as well. Any display of temper by Busch automatically brings the haters out in force. A fan favorite would simply get a bye.

    And I remember a certain 16-time MPD who routinely walked away from interviews, sometimes in mid-question, when he was angry. Obviously, it never bothered the fans a bit. And that driver knew that saying nothing was better than having to apologize ad nauseum afterwards.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Totally disagree, Moody. All any driver asks is that NASCAR be consistent in throwing cautions and enforcing its own rules. As Kyle said last season in defense of his teammate, "It all depends on whose name is above the door." The fans and media have a double standard as well. Any display of temper by Busch automatically brings the haters out in force. A fan favorite would simply get a bye.

    And I remember a certain 16-time MPD who routinely walked away from interviews, sometimes in mid-question, when he was angry. Obviously, it never bothered the fans a bit. And that driver knew that saying nothing was better than having to apologize ad nauseum afterwards.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The problem that always debunks the argument "the drivers just want NASCAR to be consistent" is the individual circumstances simply don't allow "consistency." The blown tire by Kyle Busch, whether it warranted a caution is debateable; that Kyle Busch felt it somehow his right to be automatically declared the winner because of it is laughable - if anything the no-yellow call showed anew the folly of NASCAR's no-racing-to-the-yellow rule.

      You're correct about the double standard that exists regarding Kyle Busch blowing off media appearances. The sport realistically does not need as many driver appearances as it demands and frankly the sport needs more Bill Belichick-style driver reactions - give curt answers that show up the media to be less important than it thinks it is and just go on about one's business.

      Delete
  17. All of this just goes to show that Kyle Busch is the best thing that has happened to NASCAR in last couple decades. If it wasn't for Kyle's driving abilities and personality no one would have much mid-week interest in what is happening in NASCAR. He keeps the media busy either talking about his amazing car control or over analyzing his every comment and he keeps the NASCAR community's interest by putting on a show for his fans and giving his haters a person to cheer against. You can say whatever you want about the guy, but I'm glad he is part of NASCAR. I can really care less what he says in moment of rage. I'm a big boy and I can come to my own conclusions on whether or not NASCAR is rigged without Kyle Busch’s input. I have no doubt in my mind that in some cases NASCAR decides whether or not to waive a caution throughout a race based on of it will increase the entertainment value of the show. I don't think they do it to favor one driver over another, I think they do it to make the race more entertaining.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Dave, that no call on Saturday when compared with the call on Sunday that ultimately cost Kevin Harvick the race makes me side with Kyle on this one. I think that all cases should be handled like they did on Saturday. A caution was not necessary and the fans got a great finish organically. On Sunday, however, the caution with 2 to go was unnecessary. It was used as a tool to manufacture a close finish and prevent a runaway win. If safety is the only reason for throwing a caution, I think you would be hard pressed to successfully argue that a GWC restart is safer than finishing a race under green for 2 laps with a small chunk of rubber on the track. It seems as if a dominant leader is at a disadvantage in today's NASCAR due to the inevitable late race caution, legitimate or otherwise. I personally love racing and NASCAR is my favorite form. Last year's race at Auto Club was the first time I have ever seriously considered tuning out. If you can't trust the race to be called in a fair and consistent manor, how can you devote time, energy, and money to it? Look no fryer than the finish of the 2011 Coke 600 to illustrate me point. If a caution wasn't necessary there, it certainly want on Sunday. Only difference? The driver leading. Hard to defend.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Jerry Venne8:38 PM

    Mr. Moody that was a very well thought out statement from you. But I have two points to bring to your attention. First is when speaking about the Flock boys you should also include his sister. As a friend of Tim I can say he could get mighty ugly when she was left out. Secondly I have to remind you that 2 very important words have echoed through the halls of NASCAR from the first full year. It's happened throughout our great sport. From Daytona to Lee and Bryar and most short tracks across the country. Those two important words are (THE CALL). For those not enlighten read up on the history auto racing and you'll catch my drift.
    Great job as ever Mr. Moody. You are among the few people in this sport that I am envious of.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Rand Thompson10:48 PM

    I agree with Dave 100%. If Kyle had been upset because a caution was not issued for existing debris that caused his cut tire, that would be understandable. Demanding a caution thus giving him the win for his OWN DEBRIS, is pretty ridiculous.

    Let's suggest a different scenario with a driver, say Brennan Poole, cutting a tire causing rubber debris with 2 laps to go. NASCAR displays the caution which leads to a GWC restart. Does anyone think Kyle wouldn't have had the same tirade, but this time saying that the race was 'fixed" because the caution was in fact thrown? Finally, there is no reason a Cup champion should get so bent out of shape over something at a Xfinity race.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous9:49 PM

    A bottle gets thrown out of a window by a driver and NASCAR calls a caution. Kyle blows a trie spewing debris and metal everywhere and NASCAR is looking around whistling like nothing happened. Consistency, the best part of NASCAR. In another dimension maybe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Preaching to the Choir! And for the true NASCAR fans, we all know why things like this happen! Total BS!

      Delete