Joe Posnanski has a great piece on Jimmie Johnson, in the 11/9 Sports Illustrated. http://ta.gg/3u1. He addresses the whole vanilla issue head-on.

WCK

Blame NASCAR for making the RACE vanilla! It was the most BORING Talledega I have EVER seen!! I have never seen it one-lined for so long!

You are definitely entitled to your opinion…Lord knows, I would NEVER enjoy watching a chess match!! LOL

Enjoy the off-season! It’s been a pleasure…

Can you blame me for my utter and complete disdain for Jimmie? Can you hold your head up high and enthusiastically say you liked his performance at Talladega? Yes, it was a smart strategy. It’s smart for the World Chess Champion to run off a string of draws to win a match. But we don’t necessarily enjoy watching them.

Step outside yourself and look at this from my point of view for a moment. EVERYTHING I dislike — not hate, but dislike — about this bland, robotic, vanilla driver was manifest in today’s performance.

Not looking forward to the next 10 month coronation of Mr. Vanilla Robot, aka Jimmie Johnson.

WCK

I will unfortunately have to work Sunday; but it will be DVR’ed and I will watch as soon as I get home. No one knows the outcome. I surely will have no nails when the race is over! Take care and happy race-watching! GO JIMMIE!

There’s room for all of us in the big NASCAR tent, I hope.

I like ‘em fiery, alright, but I also like ‘em fair. Your second driver Kasey has a little spark in him too. Smoke was outspoken and would trade paint with you, but I never got the sense that he’d put someone out just to gain and advantage or for spite. To send a message, maybe!

Juan-Pablo would be the perfect driver for me except I think he’s still just a bit too reckless. I’d like for him to drive with just a little more respect.

I like a good, reasoned discussion of differing opinions with someone who can disagree without being disagreeable. This is one of the features I like so much about Insiders; the readers are so knowledgeable and because of moderation, we can disagree strongly without being unpleasant! If we all said the same things, no one would learn anything.

Looks like I will be off on Sunday. I decided I will watch ‘Dega.

WCK — KennethFong on Twitter

I appreciate your honesty. It’s hard to get someone to argue (quietly)!

During JJ’s rookie year, he had a moment when things, in his perspective, were not going his way, and his finger waved big and proud. He mentioned this recently in an article I read and how “he was not raised that way.” Maybe he’s just better at controling his feelings, unlike the Kyle Busch’s and Juan Pablo’s of this sport.

A “steady diet” of JJ is just fine with me! I see I forgot to mention that I really like Kasey Kahne, too. Guess I just like the “good boy.” That must be why we are having this conversation. You like ‘em “fiery”. The only one of yours I agree with is Mark Martin. Stewart is a good driver, but I have noticed from statements in the past, he is quick to complain about something done to him, but let me mention he probably did it the week before! And, I won’t even discuss Danica with you. Hang her up on a wall and call her “centerfold”…that’s what she’ll be good at.

I don’t mind when someone has something to say, good or bad…I just hate it when the blame is always laid elsewhere…the car sucked, my pit crew sucks, I need a new crew chief! Jimmie complains and Chad is there to remind him of the big picture; then things are back on track (literally).

I appreciate that JJ is a great role model for kids. He may not have a spicy personality, but his driving certainly is!

Thanks very much for asking. I started out a Junior fan. I still am, despite his problems. In fact, seeing him in anguish makes me like him better. I relate to his problems, although I am not the son of a giant in sports.

About three years ago, Mark Martin became my second-favorite. He still is. He and I are both friends of Bill W. Tony Stewart is now my third-favorite. If Danica came to NASCAR, she’d probably jump to 4th or pass Smoke… I like her a lot, and not just because she’s easy on the eyes. She’s got a fiery personality and is very interesting.

No one is going to catch your guy. Mind you, he and Knaus deserve their success. I don’t begrudge them. They’ve earned it!

I don’t want your guy to end up in the fence, and I salute him, but I don’t have to watch him, and no amount of cajoling or rational conversation is going to convince me to change my position. Growing a Don Johnson five-o’clock shadow does not make JJ interesting to me. To me he looks and sounds too robotic. (You can try to convince me he’s not, but it’s a waste of effort. No sale here.)By the way, no one should try either. Who gives a hoot what I think?

Yes, any athlete should strive for perfection. I’m a Tiger Woods fan, although now I prefer Lefty (Phil Michelson) more. I am fascinated by Woods, though. What is great about him and what makes him so interesting is he’s not perfect. When he hits a bad shot, his recovery shot is SO good. (I also like the new kid with the sweet swing, Rory McIlroy.)

I grew up a Celtics fan. I was a Jordan fan but not a Bulls fan. I liked watching Jordan but I was much more a fan of the Celtics. I also liked Magic Johnson a lot, but it was his personality more than his play which I connected with. Magic and Larry Bird enjoyed the game so much and they enjoyed the competition with each other.

Let me ask you this, JJ_48_Fan. Do you like vanilla ice cream? Would you like it every night for the rest of your life? I like vanilla a lot. But I also like mocha fudge almond swirl and mango sherbet (though not together). I also like apple pie. A steady diet of vanilla ice cream is very dull to me.

I have to admit, JJ_48_Fan, that some of my NASCAR ennui has to do my current job, which is in a retail department store. About half the time I’m working during a race. For the previous 5 seasons, I had DirecTV HotPass. I subscribed to NASCAR Scene and NASCAR Illustrated, and I bought the Press Guide and Preview. I did not miss a single race for more than 5 seasons. Now it doesn’t seem so important to me.

I’m seriously wondering if I will have the energy to commit to spend ten months next year knowing full well that it will end with the 48 winning at 5th consecutive championship. Yes, I know it’s history. ZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

I pulled the plug on Cup for the rest of the season. I have a few sitcom, dramatic, and non-fiction TV episodes (“Ace of Cakes,” “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations,” “Mythbusters,” “Monk,” “Two and a Half Men,” “Doc Martin”) waiting on my DVR, along with a few foreign movies I want to see.

I can tell you this, JJ_48_Fan. I don’t know how any of them end.

West Coast Kenny
Alameda, California

Do you watch the NBA? I do remember a time when Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls gained the NBA’s highest TV ratings. The ratings didn’t slump for the NBA until the Lockout and Jordan’s retirement. Would you agree the NBA has quite a long season? So what’s the difference? The Bulls won quite a few titles during Jordan’s stint.

Are NASCAR fans just different? I may be a Johnson/Knaus fan, but I believe ANY athelete should strive for perfection. Team 48 just has it figured out. Don’t blame them, blame the rest of the teams out there…I wouldn’t say Martin, Stewart, or Gordan’s teams are far off that mark, though.

May I ask, who is your favorite driver/team and why do you not like…”in the literal sense”…Johnson?