Going Forward, Part II

Since my last post we have had some developments.


First, we have Ed Carpenter's announcement of his own race team, Ed Carpenter Racing, with a primary sponsor of Fuzzy's Premium Vodka. Co-owner of Ed's team is his stepdad, Tony George. That in and of itself is likely to cause some among George's "Legion of the Miserable," some level of apoplexy. More on those folks later.


Ed is no dummy. With a three year committment from Fuzzy and the help of whatever dollars TG brings to the table as co-owner, (and let's face it, like him or not, TG still has a pretty substantial fortune,) this is his opportunity of lifetime to really go racing. Full time. He's popular which makes him good for the series in a time when the series NEEDS good things to happen. Adding Derrick Walker to the equation adds another plus. The big question remains road and street courses, where Ed has never been strong.


Of course, with the good comes the bad. Having just won a race, Sarah Fisher Racing loses not only a sponsor, but a driver as well. As Trackside's Curt and Kevin have said, this probably puts Sarah in the position of needing a driver to bring dollars in terms of sponsorship to the team. There have been some rumblings that such a program might fit with Ana Beatriz, but this one stays in the "to be continued" category.


In the category of "OK that's settled," Penske Racing re-signed all three drivers. The more I've thought about it, the more unsurprising this is. In the final analysis, the only mystery was whether Roger was going to scale back to two cars, but with all new equipment, obviously, the more input the better. Consequently, a whole series of dominoes that were tottering, just got stable.

It has been decreed that we're going racing in China. I hope that INDYCAR is getting a pretty substantial fee for this endeavor, since the series ditched Motegi because it was a logistical nightmare. (And China isn't?) Look, I am all for developing new places to race and new INDYCAR fans, the more the merrier. I have no idea how they're going to do this so that you don't have the same dilemma of a race that is "none of your business" unless you want to watch it in the middle of the night. And, it's supposedly going to be a 3.6 mile (or so) street course. I know I am going to piss a few people off by saying this, but someone is kidding themselves if they think ANYONE on this side of the Pacific is going to stay up after midnight to watch another street parade.

It all gets down to money, in the final analysis.

Speaking of the green that makes the wheels go 'round, let's talk for a minute about Robin Miller's latest missive on the mystery of why the 2012 car isn't fast on the Speedway. Apparently, the new ride was lapping Indy at between 208 and 216 mph, hardly the rocketsled everyone thought we were getting. It also mentioned handling issues, unspoken up to this time. We all knew this was going to take some time to get dialed in to high speed ovals. According to Miller's piece, Dan Wheldon reported the car to be "wicked loose going into turn 1 and pushing badly exiting." Apparently he conveyed this information to Dario and TK prior to the Vegas race.

The fact that the new car is having some handling issues doesn't bother me too much: I figured it was going to take more time and development on real tracks rather than sim time. What floored me however, was the sheer number of posters who commented on Miller's piece about how typical this is of INDYCAR that they've produced another "crap" product, and we're in for more "spec racing," the usual CART-centric garbage that everyone is used to hearing.

What none of the computer critics and RAM rocket scientists seem to remember is that all this development costs money. Back in their "golden age," there was more money than sense tossed all around racing. Well, I hate to tell ya' fellas, but this is 2012 we're coming into, not 1995. There are not sponsors willing to throw around gazillions of dollars so we can all have the latest thing. Hell, the way some of the owners wanted it, we might have been driving '03 Dallaras for another couple of years. If you're not Penske, Ganassi, KV, or Andretti, just buying enough cars to start is a major expenditure. Even with Dallara helping, teams are going to have development costs.

Frankly, the old business model just won't work in the current economy. There are not the dollars coming in for teams to develop their own chassis or engines, nor are there the unlimited fountains of money that were available back in the heyday. Everyone can see exposed tin at places where we used to see fans and the tv ratings are laughable. Both of these situations need to be turned around before the coffers of others will open.

As a result, if you're going to move forward, you're going to have to do it differently, in small steps, careful not to turn these machines into F-1-esque "money gobblers."

Give Randy Bernard credit: He's trying anything and everything he can think of to regain the fanbase, but it isn't going to happen overnight. We're hearing murmurs about Phoenix, we're "offically" going back to Fontana, but it's going to take time. The series spent too many years on the Hulman-George teat, and now, with the new cars, we have what will, given development, be a more up-to-date and safer car. But, if you think we're going to see Reynards and Panozes, and Marches, and Lolas, well, you'd better go find yourself a few billion (with a "b") dollars to make that happen on a faster schedule.

In the meantime, the "Legions of the Miserable" need to relax. We have young drivers, lots of them trying to make "new" history. J. R. Hildebrand, Justin Wilson, Simona DiSilvestro, Graham Rahal, Josef Newgarden, and who knows, in another year or so, perhaps Katherine Legge or Conor Daly, ALL have the potential to be leaders of this series going forward.

We have a new car. Next year (2013) we'll have more variations of the new car.

We have two engines, maybe three if you count the "Lotudd." We have turbochargers back again, along with the possibility of (gasp) engine failure.

At least to me, that's not a bad start.

Just Another Guy Who Doesn't Get It...

If you happen to be a subscriber to Sports Illustrated, as I have been since high school, you probably came across a piece in this week's issue by Lars Anderson, staff writer and resident motorsports "expert," entitled "Up Against the Wall."

The piece details the horrific accident in Vegas and its aftermath, along with some opinions, I assume the writer's, on what needs to be done to improve ("save?") INDYCAR. Without getting into too much detail about Mr. Anderson's conclusions, (I'll touch on those later,) the one thing that the piece is missing is any input from anyone associated with INDYCAR. In fact, the only person cited in the piece REMOTELY connected with INDYCAR is Texas Motor Speedway's uber-promoter, Eddie Gossage.

What I saw were quotes from Jimmie Johnson, not the "revised" quotes he gave out after feeling the wrath of many INDYCAR fans, but the original quotes that got Mr. Johnson into the "doghouse" to begin with. Also quoted was that preeminent INDYCAR sage, Jack Roush, who noted that INDYCAR had just had its "Dale Earnhardt moment." (Of course, what was NOT mentioned was that if Dale, Sr. had hit a SAFER wall and been wearing a HANS device, BOTH pioneered by INDYCAR, he'd probably still be with us.) And, of course, there was a quote from the prodigal son, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

My initial reaction was to just write thie piece off as a typical NASCAR-slanted "hit" piece. Then I Googled "Lars Anderson." Most of the early listings about Mr. Anderson pertained to baseball. Then I saw a couple about NASCAR, so I did a little digging. As it happens, Lars Anderson has an extensive history on SI.com, most of it dealing with NASCAR. There was, however, one story that caught my eye. Dated May of 2011, was a tome entitled "Why the Indy 500 is My Favorite Sporting Event of the Year."

(http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/lars_anderson/05/24/Indy.500/index.html?xid=shareFB)

To give you the "Cliff's Notes" version, Mr. Anderson makes a case about his exposure to the Indianapolis 500, his first attendance being in 2003. He, like many of us who have been there, describes the emotions, the traditions, the rush of the race itself, acknowledging that even NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, Juan Pablo Montoya, Sam Hornish, Jr., and Robby Gordon consider Indy the preeminent race in the world. (Of course, what would they know: They just raced there and two of them won the 500, with a third coming within a lap of so doing.)

Okay, I understand that Lars' primary occupation is covering NASCAR for SI. But to propose ways to "fix" INDYCAR following the suggestions of NASCAR people is almost akin to asking the fox how to fix the henhouse problem.

Don't get me wrong: some of the things listed there are things that I am sure will be looked at. Suggestion one, however, gives you the skinny: Stay off of high banked ovals. (Again, this was at the behest of that famous INDYCAR expert, one Jimmie Johnson.)

Number two: Reduce the speeds. On this one, I'm kinda scratching the ol' melon. We just finished using cars that are significantly slower than the ones we raced back in the 90's (with turbochargers.) One of the results of this was that everyone was going about the same speed. Up until Kentucky a couple of years back, what did we have? Parades, that's what. No passing, no excitement, pit strategy races that NO ONE cared about. So, after that, we loosened up a little on the aerodynamic limitations and the racing got exciting, at least on the ovals. Now, assuming what we're talking about is reducing the downforce while adding back the turbos, that's fine. When the racing is boring, who's going to watch? (And, of course, sooner or later the engineers will find other wqys to make the cars go fast.)

Number 3: End the double file restarts. On street circuits, why bother? The drivers aren't abiding by them anyway. If we get three rows of two lined up at the "go" cone, we're lucky and we're going green. At Indy this year, they changed the rules to allow the cars to accelerate in the north chute. I was sitting at the end of the main straightaway, and I can tell you they were STILL going two and sometimes three wide going through turn 1. It is, after all, called racing.

Number 4: Raise the SAFER walls. At some tracks this might work. This was mentioned on "Trackside," this week. I'd sure want to look at the sight lines before going there, however, as Curt Cavin suggested. One of the great things about some of the mile and a half tracks is that you can follow the cars all the way around. Take that away at your own peril. We already have attendance issues.

Number 5: Cover the back wheels. Okay, this one is, assuming no changes in the DW12 design, going to happen, at least partially. While a lot of purists did not like that aspect of the design, most have acquiesced after the Vegas accident. If the new design keeps the cars on the ground, this will allow the SAFER barriers to do their assigned task of energy absorption and keep the cars out of the catch fencing.

Look, Mr. Anderson's suggestions are not without merit. What I don't agree with is his dependence on NASCAR drivers to make put forth these ideas. Why wasn't he talking to Roger Penske, Chip Ganassi, A. J. Foyt, or Mario Andretti? I saw no indication that he did in this piece. Seems to me, if he wanted to get the straight dope about INDYCAR, he should have talked to INDYCAR engineers or drivers. Therein lies the problem.

A lot of us who have followed this series were overjoyed when Randy Bernard talked about breaking the decade-old speed records at Indianapolis. We can do that, given the qualifiying format at Indy and the addition of the turbos. When the engineers can really "trim" the cars out (because they're going around the Speedway solo,) I think this is very possible. Dealing with the turbulence of running with 32 other cars, however, those same engineers are going to seek stability, at least if they want to be around at the finish.

I have maintained that since Indianapolis will be the first exposure of the new cars to an oval track, there should be some extended multi-car testing before we get to the "15 days of May." Failing that, perhaps the Speedway should consider extending practice for this year only. We all know the havoc that weather can play with Indy's schedule. Wouldn't it be wise that all drivers get as much exposure to the conditions there as possible?

Going Forward, Part I

This will be part one of a two (or maybe three) part blog on going forward. I've made it perfectly clear, I am no journalist, just a fan who loves to write, particularly about INDYCAR racing. Good thing, because as a journalist, I missed an information avenue (or at least the first half of it,) by missing part of "Trackside" this evening. I'll probably listen to the podcast tomorrow morning to catch the first hour.


I'm going to, over the next two or three posts, cover a lot of areas in brief. Much of it will be opinion, and some will be things that will work themselves out over the next few months. Some of it will be fact based and some will be purely speculative "wishful thinking."


First, I'm going to climb on my soapbox for a minute. I have made it no secret in postings to OPB's (other people's blogs) that INDYCAR needs to do some serious, mutli-car, multi-venue testing before the upcoming season. Let's face it: what Dan Wheldon told us from stage one testing of the new chassis is that the new car is stable, but do we know how they'll handle in packs? Engine performance will offer a potential variable in speeds, but, particualrly as it pertains to ovals, everyone is going to be a proverbial "rookie" in this chassis.


When you consider that a number of the drivers in this series are limited in their oval experience, their next "shot" at an oval will be at Indianapolis, and you add in the usual number of one-offs, let's just say, the more experience, the merrier. These guys need to be as comfortable as possible with all the characteristics of the new cars. Anyone who has followed the Indianapolis 500 for any length of time knows the propensity for things to go wrong at the start.

2012 is one year that that simply must not happen, especially since that will be the first exposure to a large number of potential fans subsequent to Las Vegas.

Speaking of that new car, I have found it amazing how a lot of the controversy about the wheel enclosures and the rear "bumpers" has quieted since the accident. Before, there were many who felt that these features were an unwelcome addition to the car; Now, I suspect almost everyone gets that they are there for a reason.

One thing about which I heard Curt and Kevin speculating tonight on the tail end of "Trackside" was who will end up in the #7 GoDaddy ride. Obviously, GoDaddy is an important stack of sponsor dollars, dollars which this series needs to keep involved. With that ride goes a lot of marketing responsibility, so it's not for just anyone. A listener had suggested that it might be Conor Daly, but both Kevin and Curt think young Mr. Daly is a year away, at least. I'm not entirely certain that Conor doesn't have more F-1 leanings than INDYCAR, but maybe next summer, if he runs a full season of Lights, we'll know more.

If Michael Andretti does NOT go outside the "family," maybe either Ryan Hunter Reay or Marco wind up in the ride; More likely, in my opinion, is that Michael holds off until Penske makes a move as to his stable. If Penske should cut a driver loose, (presumably Ryan Briscoe,) then you have a whole "domino effect" to look at. That's all speculation for a few months down the road. And there's lots of time for "Silly Season."

The one part of this off season that is not going to be silly is the investigation of the accident at LVMS. As that investigation continues, my hope is that it will be thorough and open. While I, for one, have no desire to see all the gruesome photos, it is important that this investigation not be in any way "swept under the rug." The more we, and more importantly IICS officials know about what happened, the more steps that can be taken to avoid a recurrence.

And finally, I ask that everyone consider this: INDYCAR has come a long way in the pursuit of safety. Some of the "old guard" of fans, (of whom I consider myself one,) remember when this sport was much less safe than it is now, and the lessons learned under tragic circumstances, often serve to bring about more innovations in the area of safety. Whether that innovation comes in the form of improved catch fencing, changes in the cars, or in some other area, this is racing and it will never be 100% safe.

We as fans and followers have become complaisant, lulled to "sleep" by watching seemingly horrific crashes from which our heroes walked away or recovered. This has been a wake-up call for all of us. I have used the analogy of Indianapolis after the ill-fated 1973 race. Two driver deaths and one critical injury in one month of May (that everyone except Gordon Johncock would like to forget,) led to some innovations that, while bringing the speeds down significantly, led to one of the safest months of May in Speedway history the following year.

Let's hope that we can write a similar story this time next year.

To Tomorrow and Beyond

Tomorrow we will say our public goodbyes to Dan Wheldon. Everyone who follows IndyCar racing has had some time to remember, looking back fondly, cherishing our "family," and pouring out our sympathies to Susie, Sebastian, and Oliver; Dan's parents and brothers.

The family serivces today, as covered by USA Today ( http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/indycar/story/2011-10-22/dan-wheldon-funeral/50869962/1) are available here.

Most of my fellow bloggers have had beautifully written pieces talking about our grief, sense of loss, and personal thoughts. I strongly recommend the piece written by "The Ragin' Canadian," Meesh, (http://meeshbeer.wordpress.com/) normally an R-rated (for language) blogger who's not ever afraid to express an opinion. Her very personal take on feelings at this time I found very moving. Ditto for George Phillips at Oilpressure.com.

Personally I want to thank several of our friends in NASCAR for the condoleneces and gestures during this period of loss. They too, lost a brother driver, and I noticed in Talledega qualifying that many were subdued, effected by racing's loss.

Looking forward, perhaps Dan's greatest legacy will be the new chassis, which will bear his name in some form or fashion. Much work was done in the design phase of that chassis to lessen the potential for just the type of accident that we saw last Sunday. It is my sincere hope that The IZOD IndyCar Series will go forward with some sort of group testing of the new chassis, before we go racing again to understand what the traffic characteristics of this new chassis will be. This will allow time for any "tweaks" needed to ensure as much stability in the chassis as we can find.

While next year's schedule is still not finalized, it is apparent that all of our racing prior to Indianapolis will be on road or street circuits. Before we approach the month of May and the speeds of Indy, we need to know how these cars will operate together. In addition, because we have a significant number of drivers with limited oval experience, it might be wise to expand practice for Indy somewhat.

Please, let's make sure before we're going three wide down the main straightaway toward the green flag on Memorial Day Sunday that everyone is as comfortable as possible with that new chassis and engine. We all know how fast the start at the Speedway can go wrong, particualrly when there are some drivers who try to win the 500 on the first lap. To many who do not follow our series regularly, that first lap at Indianapolis will be the first INDYCAR race they have seen since the tragedy of last weekend. It is imperative that it be safe.

Finally, several have pointed out that there has been a significant amount of irresponsible journalism during the period following last Sunday. I suspect that in the coming weeks, a few of those who put their names to such pieces are going to be called out and I know at least a couple of my fellow bloggers who have withheld their viewpoints until the immediate shock of this has mitigated, at least to some degree. As many blogger-friends have expressed, this has NOT been the week to forward an agenda: time will come for that. And frankly, some of the folks who will be singled out just flat did not do any homework before spouting their bile. (Hint: If you call it the IRL, you've been asleep for two years.)

The next few months should be interesting....

Requiem

It's been a little over 30 hours since the tragedy in Las Vegas that took the life of Dan Wheldon. Many of my fellow bloggers have come up with beautifully worded tributes, far better than I can express.

Personally, I feel for everyone in the INDYCAR family. Obviously, Dan's widow and children top that list along with his immediate family. Deeper than that, it was clear to me in watching yesterday that our sport IS a family. The pictures of Tony Kanaan, Dario Franchitti, Danica Patrick, and Sarah Fisher in obvious emotional distress are burned into my mind. My heart goes out to all who mourn this loss, be they fans, drivers, crew members, owners, or media.

I sensed from the hushed tones of the announcers early on during the red flag yesterday that the result was not going to be good. I've often been highly critical of Marty Reid as the lead announcer for the ABC/ESPN coverage. Yesterday, however, Marty must have been channelling his inner Sid Collins, as his words were very reminiscent of Sid's impromptu eulogy of Eddie Sachs during the red flag of the 1964 Indianapolis 500. In fact, the entire ABC crew deserves credit for their respect to the gravity of the situation. Very well done, gentlemen and ladies.

The five lap tribute was heart wrenching. I was dealing with the whole of the reality fairly well until I heard "Amazing Grace" being played over the PA. I'm not ashamed to admit, that was the end of my composure for the day. Most of last night was spent reading tributes, many from media sources, others from the bloggers I follow. I even tried to write my own last night, but when I pulled up my blog, all I could see was my earlier post (that never got published) about the great anticipation of the race to come. After that emotional downdraft, there was no way I was going to be able to put coherent thoughts together. Again, my hat is off to those who could and did.

Those who have been a fan of racing as long as I have, have experienced this before. Back in the 60's and early 70's, death was a far more common visitor to our sport. Perhaps because of the advances in safety and medicine, we have recently become accustomed to horrible looking accidents from which drivers walk away or, at the very least, recover. Only the night before, there was an accident in the NASCAR race in Charlotte that was eerily similar to the one that took the life of Dale Earnhardt. Big impact, but thanks to the SAFER barrier and the HANS device, no serious injury.

The irony is lost on no one that Dan Wheldon spent this summer testing the 2012 Dallara, a car designed to lessen the likelihood of the car getting airborne. That initial testing program will be a legacy for which he will be remembered as 2011 becomes 2012 and beyond. More than that we will remember the joy of this May past, when he captured his second win at Indianapolis by leading about 1/8th of one lap.

Rest well, kind soul.

Al Unser, Jr.

In the news tonight, it was disclosed that INDYCAR official and ex-driver Al Unser Jr. has slipped off the sobriety wagon again. Apparently, in the haze of his inebriation, Mr. Unser thought it would be a good idea to have a drag race with another motorist at speeds in excess of 100 mph, all of which while having a blood alcohol content of .16, twice the legal limit in New Mexico.

I know Mr. Unser's demon: It is one I face every day. I make no judgements about Al, Jr.'s relapse: They happen all too frequently for all too many alcoholics. Recently, Al had said in several interviews that he had beaten his problem. That very statement should have set off warning bells for any member of his family or friends. This is not a disease that is EVER beaten; rather it is held at bay on a day to day basis.

Each day that goes by that I remain sober, I consider it a personal victory. And, to be sure, when the stresses of business or personal setbacks take hold, it is a serious temptation to grab a beverage. Fortunately, my personal record is 486 and 0. (486 days, no slips.)  There is, however, no such thing as 486 and 1. Any "loss" on this won-loss record returns the "win" side to zero.

Medical and psychological professionals can all tell you the gory bad news about this disease: It gradually kills the liver, degrades mental capabilities, and ruins family relationships, just to name a few. And, to be sure, we ALL know the statistics about the mixture of alcohol and driving.

This isn't "Little Al's" first rodeo with drinking and driving. Regardless of how well he could control a vehicle at 100+ mph on a city street, even drunk, to engage in a drag race against another driver is an invitation to a tragedy. But then, there's an old saying: "God looks after fools and drunks." Apparently, in this case,  He did.

For its part, INDYCAR immediately suspended Mr. Unser and relieved him of his duties. But the loss of his job is only the beginning of his battle now rejoined. We have all seen success stories from these periodic battles, as well as failures. Only Al, Jr. can determine how his story will be told going forward.

Remembering 9/11/2001: A look Back

Today marks the 10th anniversary of my generation's "date that will live in infamy." As I was preparing to put thoughts to electronic "paper," I reflected on exactly what I was doing on that occasion, as well as where I was relative to the life-journey that was the "before and after" of this day in history.


It was a billiant Myrtle Beach morning, with the promise of left over summer heat and humidity as is often the case during the post-Labor Day doldrums on the Grand Strand. My now-wife, Tis, had just moved in to my humble abode a month or so previously, and, as yet, she had not gotten a job. I recall, that as I headed off to my office/warehouse, (all 1200 square feet of it,) she was just beginning to stir. Just before leaving, we watched the "Mancow" segment on "Fox and Friends," part of our morning "ritual."


When I left for work that morning, I had little expectation that my business, which was one month past its first anniversary would have a lot going on; the end of summer historically leads to about a one month period of "ghost town" here, (although retirees have subsequently "discovered" that it is a GREAT time to come here.)


I am sure of one thing, I was probably anxious, since Tuesday was, even back then, my "big" day for ordering inventory from my suppliers. It was not uncommon for me to complain to Tis, "I HATE Tuesdays!"


What is strange (and I had to revisit some sales reports for that day to recall,) was that that particular Tuesday was busier saleswise than the day before, which, with my little company, was extremely rare. Normally, our niche clientele of that time, (bars and small restaurants,) would all place orders on Monday to replenish from the weekend.


I got into my office about 8 am, and started my regular morning routine of processing the previous day's invoices, calling a few clients to determine their needs for the day, particularly the small "country cookin'" type breakfast and lunch places that always needed pre-lunch deliveries.


Just as I was getting ready to take a walk around my tiny warehouse to make notes of what I needed to order, my instant message tone went off on my computer. It was a message from Tis saying that they were reporting on FoxNews that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. As I recall, I asked a couple of questions via IM about the weather, size of the plane, was it terrorists, that sort of thing.


About the same time, I turned on my portable radio that I kept on my desk. I remember my frustration that almost no radio signal was strong enough to counter the steel structure and sheet metal walls of my little office. The only programming that I could get without static and interruption was the local carrier of "The Howard Stern Show."


Say what you will about Howard Stern, on that day, Howard truly was a journalist. Knowing that his audience was probably unable to view the pictures of the disaster that was slowly playing out on television, Mr. Stern created word pictures from what he was observing on his studio monitors, and in his inimitable fashion, mirroring the outrage that we, as a nation were feeling as events unfolded.


Then, suddenly, another IM from Tis: "OMG there's ANOTHER one!" as she observed live, and in real-time, the second plane augering into the other tower. I recall sending back, "Well, now we know it's terrorists," or something to that effect.


Stern picked up on this on-air about 5 seconds later, as Tis's IM's were confirmed by Stern, clearly taken aback by the horror of what we all were seeing.


My business software indicates that sometime during that day, I placed orders with at least two of my suppliers. While I can remember snippets of the IM's I received and the words of Howard Stern, I have zero recollection of having entered or called in any orders.


The next moment of clarity came when word came that there were several hijackings of commercial airliners. If my memory is correct, that word came down shortly before the first of the two towers collapsed. I clearly recall that in describing the collapse of the first tower, Stern's voice took on some of the unadulterated anger that many of us were feeling.


I believe during this time I probably had two or three brief phone conversations with Tis, and it was obvious to me that we were both in some kind of shock. I made a plan that I would pick her up once I left the office to go out on my deliveries.


Once the second tower fell, almost every client I talked to was running on adrenaline and in something of a fog. This is clear from the fact that many orders for the next day, 9/12, were from the same clients who had ordered in the chaos of that Tuesday morning.


According to my files, I must have completed my ordering and hit the streets with a few deliveries about noon. I stopped at the townhouse and picked up Tis, who was almost visibly shaken. My first stop of the three or four I had that day was at a little bar called Hano's, owned by John Haney, whom I had known since before I ever started my business.


John's significant other, Jane, was working the bar that day, and I doubt if during the time we were there (Tis and I ordered lunch, and I had the first of SEVERAL cocktails I would consume that afternoon and evening,) ten words were spoken in the whole place. I think there were two or three other people at the bar, but the entire place seemed to be operating in silent mode. Hand gestures ordered drinks, requested tabs, and waved goodbye semi-wordlessly.


In my case, it was the first opportunity to see the replays of the disasters that had befallen our nation that morning. What many had seen all day, I had only heard on the radio, and seeing the images for the first time burned many of them into my mind forever. As I ordered my second drink, I saw, for the first time, the towers falling, and the devastation that the terrorsts had wrought seemed, to my mind, to be complete.


Out next stop was at a relatively new client, Planks, across the street from the ocean at 38th Avenue South in North Myrtle Beach. Tom, the owner, had been sampling his own wares, and I don't think I had ever seen him have a drink in his own bar before. After having lunch and a couple of drinks at the last stop, I was getting to the point where I wanted to get this route done and get to my home. Tom quickly signed his invoice, and returned to his rather loud and boiterous conversation with one of his patrons in general detailing all the asses that were going to get kicked after this.


One other thing: Planks was predominantly a game room. Lots of video games, ski-ball, pinballs, and such, but I don't recall any of them being played when I was there that day. Although there was a decent crowd there, probably 15 or 20 folks, just as at Hano's everyone seemed to be operating in silent mode, (except for Tom and his pals who were working up the alcoholic courage to go hunting Osama Bin Laden that very afternoon.)


Next stop was Crawdaddy's, one of my charter clients I had been dealing with since the days when I was "selling air," waiting for my first truck of inventory to be delivered. Bob Hall, the owner, his wife Bev, and their two "kids" Mike and Mickey not only owned the place, but at least one of them was there pretty much all the time. They all hailed from Plattsburgh, New York, and one look at the faces I saw when I walked in there that day, told me they were as shocked and outraged as everyone seemed to be. Again, this was one quick signature, and on to the next stop.


As we got to our last stop, Eddie's Cafe, the feeling that overtook me was one of emptiness. All I really wanted to do was get home to my own little safety zone. As I completed my business there, I suggested to Tis that we order pizza delivery and just settle in for the evening. Normally, all I have to say to Tis is the word "pizza," and everything gets better instantly. Not on this day, however.


Today is ten years from that day. I still own the company that was in its infancy that day, and of course, Tis is now my wife. Hano's has closed and reopened four or five times as four or five things. Bob and Beverly sold Crawdaddy's and moved back to Plattsburgh, while their kids, Mike and Mickey bought a bar of their own, though, sadly, Mickey passed away from an asthma attack, several years ago. Bob and Beverly occasionally come down for a visit, and I've run into them a couple of time at Mick and Mike's, which is still a client.


Planks has also ceased to exist, Tom having gone moderately mad on the gambling boat one night, losing most of the money he had in the bar and trying to kill himself. I've never seen him again. Eddie's Cafe has also gone away, and I have no idea what has happened to the couple that owned that place.


All things considered, I've struggled to keep my business alive, just as our nation has struggled with war ever since that day. In 102 minutes of a bright sunny September morning, life changed forever: A generation's innocence was lost, and while we have persevered as a nation, we no longer have the single-minded unity that we had in the days immediately following Spetember 11, 2001. Who knows if that feeling can ever be recaptured.

OK --So She's Leaving: What Now?

There are three reasons why I have not taken to my blog to cover the exit of Danica Patrick from the INDYCAR scene: First, living in South Carolina, we've been a little concerned about another "woman" who's been "flirting " with the East Coast: Irene. She has, for the most part, passed my area with minimal damage, although I will have to spend most of tomorrow cleaning her "droppings" (mostly leaves and small pine boughs,) from my swimming pool.

Second, I've been making some changes to my business to try and streamline it and make it run more efficiently. As summer winds down, I have to put in place the systems and people that will allow me to move quickly when things pick up after the post Labor Day "snooze." This is also why I don't post too many pieces during the summer, when, in a tourist market, I'm just a bit busy.

The third reason is that I've been having too much fun reading what has been posted in the blogosphere, since the "official" announcement confirmed the worst kept secret in sports. Let's just say, LeBron James' "Decision" it wasn't. Everyone who knows anything about racing knew this was coming, and, as they would say on CNBC, "The markets have factored it in."

The way some have reacted to this no-news announcement is reminiscent of a guy who's been dumped by a pretty girl. "I'm glad she's gone," and "Don't let the doorknob hit ya'," I've seen more than a few times. "Maybe this will give Simona (or Pippa) more air-time," has been another common theme. Oh, yeah, the INDYCAR "haters" have been out there too, predicting this would be the death knell of the IRL (which hasn't been the IRL for a couple of years now.)

There have been others who have spent volumes decrying her talent as a driver (or lack thereof,) bemoaning the fact that she has only one win and that because she won that race by conserving fuel, she was somehow undeserving of that. (Sounds an awful lot like the jilted lover, claiming that, "She really wasn't any good in bed, anyway.")

So, you get the message. Here's my take.

1. Danica Patrick is a pretty good race driver.
Here are some facts: In INDYCAR, she rarely fails to finish. In a series where any "contact" with another car is liable to be terminal, she brings the equipment home in one piece. (And if you don't think that is important, ask Kevin Kalkhoven or Jimmy Vasser, owners of the car driven by "Mr. Safer Barrier" himself, E. J. Viso.) On an oval, she's quite likely to be in the top 5-8 slots throughout the race. Her road/street skillls have improved dramatically, and she actually has a couple of top 10's this year. Her team at Andretti has figured ways to get her there with pit strategy and she has "held serve" when she's gotten there.

There are a lot of not-very-knowledgable fans out there who continually say, "If Sarah Fisher had had the luxury of Danica's equipment, she would have done much better." Absolutely NOT true. I like Sarah as much as anyone in INDYCAR and have rooted for her since Danica was a teenager. I suspect, however, that if you asked her in a moment of complete honesty, even Sarah might concur. My premise is that Sarah, when everything was perfect, could bring a car home in the top 10. Danica, when things go just right will put it in the top 3 and challenge for the win. My guess is that the determination, grit, feisty-ness, and "attitude" that grinds on some with Danica is precisely what makes her better.

2. SOME anti-Danica bias is gender based.
Does Danica have a huge ego? Sure, that's probably why she has had the success that she's had. When we all heard A. J. Foyt tell the crowd at Indy, "The car was crap, so I parked it," most of us loved it. If Danica says the same thing, she's immediately labelled a "whiner."

We have all heard male drivers throw their team under the bus at one time or another. Tony Stewart has done it, Kyle Busch has done it, Dario Franchitti has done it. Hell, A. J. Foyt did it, even when he owned the team. Point is, there are folks who react differently when it comes from Danica, (a/k/a "Whanica.")

When Kyle Bush and (insert driver here) go at it, no one even blinks. When Danica storms down pit lane after being knocked out of Indy by Ryan Briscoe's idiocy, everyone gasps and make fun of her. Hell, NASCAR guys come to BLOWS nd don't get that much attention. After their "spat" at Mid-Ohio, Milka Duno is lucky that Danica didn't knock her into next week: That's how seriously she takes racing. Had that been Smoke and Kyle Busch it would have been a non-issue, a quick 5 second blast on Sportscenter.

3. Danica will eventually do well in NASCAR.
In spite of what Kyle Petty says, Danica, based on her limited schedule, has done remarkably well in the Nationwide Series. Kyle Petty found his niche when he got out of the car and moved to the broadcast booth. (As an aside, a group of friends of mine and I used to have a "pool" that we ran weekly amongst the 5 of us. In that pool, the "nightmare scenario" was that you would get down to the end of the draw and get "stuck" with Kyle Petty. He has zero room to talk about people being out of their depth in NASCAR.)

Rusty "Know-it all" Wallace has said that the second tier series is Danica's limit for the foreseeable future, a statement with which his compadre, that seasoned NASCAR expert, Brad Daugherty concurred. Ok. Rusty Wallace has some credibility, but when was the last time that Mr. Daugherty was seen driving a race car? That's right, never. Neither has taken into account the fact that she has had 3 top 10's in the Nationwide Series in her last 7 starts, and easily could have won at Daytona in July, all while running a very limited schedule.

In NASCAR, she is still a novelty. No female has ever had any success running with the "good ol' boys." If she wins a race or two, "Danicamania" will be in full effect once again.

Her going to the Nationwide series is just what that circuit needs: an injection of excitement when attendance and tv ratings were on the slide. I have to admit, I have watched a few NNS races this year when Danica's been in the field and I NEVER used to watch the second tier series.
The question in my mind is, "How long will she be satisfied with running in 'the minors.'" She's going to run 8 or so Cup races the first year, Daytona being the first, (assuming she can qualify.) Bear in mind that Indy 500 champions and series champions Dario Franchitti, Sam Hornish, Jr., and Juan Pablo Montoya have had less-than-distinguished NASCAR careers, so the "bar" for success in the tintops is not exactly set high.

It would not surprise me to see her finish in the top 10 in points next year in NNS. Given the opportunity to run and practice in the cabs exclusively, her learning curve will be shortened considerably. 3 (and easily could have been 5,) top 10's in her last 7 starts is better than a LOT of NNS drivers. 'Nuff said.

4. Her next appearance at Indy will be in NASCAR.
Not necessarily. Consider this: The Indianapolis 500, in spite of what a lot of the haters say, is still the preeminent auto race in America. It is the one INDYCAR race that can move the needle. Randy Bernard knows this. And, believe me, so does Bob Parsons, "Mr. GoDaddy," (maybe more appropriately, "Mr. Sugar Daddy?")

The 500, for all its recent woes, consistently out-rates the NASCAR CocaCola 600, which is in prime time. With a starting time of noon, most of the west coast is still sipping coffee when the race begins at 16th and Georgetown. In Hawai'i they're still in bed, but Indy still draws steady (and improving) ratings and (with only one exception I can think of,) surpasses the 600.

At the same venue, the Brickyard 400 is so attendance-challenged that NASCAR has decided to run all of their weekend racing at IMS next year, and this years' Brickyard 400 was a festival of exposed aluminum.

The viewership and attendance of the 500 is much more diverse, and I can't imagine Bob Parsons willingly abandoning the exposure in that race that Danica gives him and his company. If, as many claim, "It's all about the money," look for Ms. Patrick to make at least one more try at the 500 in 2012. It's a win-win-win for everyone involved. Bernard, Danica, and Parsons ALL get something if she does run again, particularly if she's competitive. And when has she NOT been competitive at Indy?

Michael Andretti said, in his presser, that anytime she wants to come back, she's welcome, and we all know Michael is usually good for at least one "one-off" at Indy every year. He seems to be aligned with Chevy, as does Penske, but, (at least according to Michael Andretti,) she is contractually obligated to run for Andretti if she runs at Indy. Danica herself has not foreclosed the possibility, although the one thing that may work against her is the new car/enigine configuration. The new INDYCAR will be, as some have put it, "wicked fast," with the return of the trubvechargers, and it may be that she just won't do it because of the "bugs" that will have to be worked out with the new car.

5. Danica leaving is the final straw for INDYCAR.
Maybe, if she had left two or three years ago, that might have been true. INDYCAR, under Randy Bernard, appears to have developed some momentum, and the changes with the new car for 2012 and the optional aero kits the following year should help carry that momentum forward.

As many have pointed out, the novelty of women in INDYCARs is long gone, as is the novelty of having one be competitive, thanks in large part to Danica Patrick. There are, however, several storylines developing in the wings. Simona DiSilvestro put on the "guts" show for the ages at Indy this year, suffering a bad crash and then putting an ill-handling "pork chop" of a backup car solidly in the field on the first day of qualifying. Although her season has been marred by a seeming lack of confidence lately, if she can pull it together in the new car, she'll be someone to watch going forward, as will Pippa Mann, who already has shown she can handle a blog almost as well as she handles an INDYCAR.

In fact, Danica's departure may lead to INDYCAR becoming a "brand" again. By necessity, others will have to step up and establish themselves as stars, and the good news is that there are any number of young drivers in the wings to fulfill that promise, much moreso than a couple of years ago.

Finally, let's just put it out there. As long as there is a racing facility at 16th and Georgetown in Indianapolis, there will be some form of INDYCAR racing. But the big complaint about the INDYCAR series has been the lack of recognizable, particularly American, stars. With Graham Rahal now seemingly secure at Ganassi, Marco Andretti and Ryan Hunter Reay both grabbing a win at Andretti, and J. R. Hildebrand nearly winning the 500 for Panther, that future seems much brighter than it did a few years ago. Thus, Danica's overall importance to the series is somewhat diminshed.

A lot of us who are true race fans will be watching both Danica and INDYCAR.

A Moment of True Sport Legend

Ok, I know. Most of you probably don't care a rat's ass about women's soccer. Sometimes, however, you just get a look at history.

We saw that (those of us who can remember) when the 1980 American Olympic hockey team captured unexpected gold in Lake Placid, upsetting the Russians in the semi-final game.

It's been twelve years (actually, to the day) since Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Michelle Akers, Brianna Scurry, and all the rest thrilled a sellout crowd in the Rose Bowl bringing America it's last FIFA Women's World Cup title.

I remember watching that match, end to end, as the USA and China battled throughout regular time, and two overtimes scoreless. As happens in FIFA World Cup play, any tie at the end of regulation and two overtimes is determined by one of the more lame means in all of sport: the penalty kick shootout. In this snapshot of history, it is recorded that Bri Scurry saved the third of five Chinese penalty kicks, giving the Americans the chance to win the Cup. Those who watched will recall Brandi Chastain knocking in the clincher on the fifth (and then, parting company with her jersey.)

What I saw today, while "only" a quarter-final match, exceeded the excitement and emotion of that day.

It all started, innocuously enough, with Brazil giving up an "own goal" a minute and seventeen seconds into the match. This sort of thing is frowned upon, particualrly in Latin America, where players who have given up "own goals," occasionally get murdered, literally. (I recall a player from Colombia, I believe it was, who gave one up to the U. S. men's team in a World Cup match. Upon his return home, his car "mysteriously" exploded, with him in it.)

With the U. S. leading 1-0, Brazil gradually ratcheted up the offensive pressure, and, while the Americans gave the ball up a lot in midfield, the Brazilians seemed to be very closely "marked" by the U. S. midfielders and defense. The half ended at U.S. 1 Brazil 0. Now we get to the fun part.

Early in the second half, Brazil's superstar, Marta, (who had spent a large part of the first half flopping and whining at the referee,) made a run on goal and tumbled/was pulled down by U. S. defender Rachel Buehler. The result was a pretty questionable red card on Buehler (also known as "Buehldozer,") and a Brazil penalty kick.

Christiane, another of those one-name Brazilian players, attempted the kick and U. S. keeper Hope Solo saved it. Just as jubilation was breaking out among the Americans, the referee once again stepped in with a yellow card in her hand, claiming that Solo had moved off her line before the kick was struck. The Americans, the German crowd, and the announcers were dumbfounded. Replay after replay showed Solo moved laterally to her left, but not forward off her line. Accordingly, the Brazilians got another try at the penalty kick, and this time Marta, much to the disdain of the crowd, put it away to tie the match.

When the smoke cleared, Brazil was tied 1-1, and the U. S. would have to play the remainder of the match a person shorthanded after Buehler's removal.

From that point, the U. S. team seemed to rally, playing outstanding defense while shorthanded, but also unable to mount an offensive surge to break the tie. Regulation time ended with the match tied 1-1.

Two minutes into the extra time, however, Marta got loose after a pass that was seemingly offside, putting the Brazil side up 2-1 with 28 minutes of extra time remaining. Considering that the U. S. was now down a goal, down a person, this seemed to spell doom for the American side and the match remained 2-1 into injury time.

In the 122nd minute, two minutes into "stoppage time," Megan Rapinoe spotted U. S. veteran Abby Wambach in fronbt of goal and Wambach elevated striking a beautiful header past the Brazilian keeper for the last-minute equalizer. Bedlam ensued.

Once Buehler had been sent off, it seemed that the best the Americans could hope for was to get the game to penalty kicks, and Wambach's last minute heroics had gotten them there.

The first three Americans put the ball solidly into the net, as did Marta and Christiane, setting the stage for the third Brazilian kicker, Daiane, who had allowed the "own goal" in the second minute. Once again, Hope Solo rose to the occasion, getting the critical save against the now-uninsurable Daiane. (Talk about a bad day!) Still, the Americans had to make their last two to close the deal and Rapinoe and Ali Krieger, (who plays professionally in Germany,) deposited theirs in the back of the net to allow the Americans to come back from the brink and move on to Wednesday's semi-final against France.

Solo, with her save, redeems herself for getting bounced from the U. S. side four years ago, when she publicly disagreed with her coach who benched her in favor of Bri Scurry in the semi finals, leading to a 4-0 Brazil win and relegating the U. S. side to the consolation game.

Whether or not this American team can close the deal and clinch their third cup is yet to be determined. But the spirit with which the American side fought, outnumbered and outgunned, to come back and secure the win was epic. And just as was the case with the hockey team in 1980, it gave everyone who watched a moment of American pride.

Even though I've given the ending away, ESPN2 is rebroadcasting the game at midnight tonight and I plan to record it. It will certainly be an instant classic.

My Take on Texas

I went to bed thinking last night, "Would someone tell some of these IndyCar drivers to just shut up?" I think the last words ringing in my ears as I drifted off to sleep were those of Dario Franchitti, whining about the "unfairness" of the blind draw that determined the starting field for the second of the twin 275's.


Yes, Dario has a point. After pretty much OWNING the first race last night, Franchitti gets relegated to the next-to-last row while his championship rival, Will Power, draws the third starting position and wins fairly easily. To his credit, Franchitti ran his ass off to finish seventh from the back.


Dario even made a thinly veiled reference to NASCAR in suggesting that the blind draw was ok for an "all-star" race, but this is for championship points.


What hit me in the face at that very moment was the fact that, even though NASCAR has tried to shoot itself in the foot with some of its contrivances, that series isn't looking at so much exposed tin as I saw at this, the second most popular INDYCAR race after Indianapolis. AND, they're about to take INDYCAR's most recognizable and marketable "star." Into their SECOND TIER series.

Facing all of that, those purists like me who have been following since the USAC days, may decry the use of a blind draw to set the second half field, but our series needs new fans. There, I said it.


Hello, Mr. 800 lb. gorilla, pleased to meet ya'.

If the stands at our venues were AS full as NASCAR's, we would be reaching way more folks. And, like it or not, this gimmick could bring more interest. If, in a couple of years, you aren't showing half -empty venues, then we can refine this idea. But anything that is going to get and maintain interest (within reason) is what we shoud be doing. And besides, this format only happens once a year anyway.

Do we want the "lucky dog"? No? Well, like it or not, our "wave around" keeps some from getting lapped. Pretty much the same effect.

Randy Bernard was hired to give this series a pulse. So far, he's listened to the fans when it really matters, but until we're generating a bit more "buzz," we have to accept some things we might not like, IF IT WORKS.

We've come a long way from where we were a couple of years ago. But we have MILES to go.

As for the racing itself, there was minimal intrigue. Both "halves" were won in fairly dominant fashion, and I have to give credit to E. J. Viso and his teammate Takuma Sato for keeping their equipment together, as in not in contact each other, someone else, or a wall. Never saw that coming. For that matter, everyone deserves credit for keeping caution time to a minimum. We saw a lot more green flag racing last night than we have in the past at Texas, probably because everyone wanted to stick around for both races.

As to the production, I think Versus drew out the proceedings between races a lot more than needed. As a result, I am guessing that there were several viewers who fell asleep before the end. Hell, my wife did. They explained the prcedure from top to bottom several times, so let's get on with it.

Dan Wheldon should replace Wally Dallenbach any time he's available. I found him to be a breath of fresh air on the telecast, and he definitely knows his stuff on the series, the venues, and the cars. He's a keeper, at least until someone puts him behind the wheel. If I'm ABC, I am on the phone to Mr. Wheldon tomorrow first thing.

Now, it's on to the famed Milwaukee Mile, the oldest venue on the circuit. I'll be interested to see what type of crowd they draw after their absence from the scene. And, we purists can leave the gimmicks at the door.

A Very Special Trip to Indy

The purse for this year's Indianapolis 500 has been distributed, most of the checks have been cashed, the money has been counted at 16th Street and Georgetown Road. I have had a week or so to get my work "face" back on after a fairly hectic eleven day trip to Indiana. I have also had some time to ruminate about my trip to the 500 for the Centennial of the Speedway.

In all likelihood, this will be my last trip to the race that I love so much. That is not to say I would not love to go again were the situation right, but, in practical terms, the trip is simply too daunting to do with my wife and her physical limitations, plus my limited time and funds. I can safely say, if this is in fact my last trip, it was a special race and a wonderful experience.

We used our Carb Day trip, documented in an earlier post, to get all of our picture taking, souvenir buying, wandering, and exploring done. Once we set out for IMS on Sunday, we were strictly focused on getting to our shuttle pick-up point, getting aboard, and carrying as little "stuff" to our seats as possible. In my younger days, I would take backpacks, coolers, and basically enough stuff for a two day camp out. This time, we followed a minimalist approach, carrying only a couple of seat cushions, some sunscreen, and the morning paper. Anything else would be strictly bought on location.

Our first little "moment" actually occurred on Saturday afternoon, when I discovered that the Indianapolis Transit Company, "IndyGo," had been disallowed from operating the shuttles to and from the track. Fortunately, I had gone online to make sure that the pick up point had not changed, but there was the notice that the Federal Government had prohibited IndyGo from operating the shuttles. Something about not allowing a public transportation outfit to operate for a profit was the explanation given; regardless, it caused a moment of serious panic as we had ZERO desire to drive our car into the "Speedway Triangle."

Fortunately, a Google search turned up a posting from Pressdog, which explained that another outfit had stepped up and assumed the mantle of "transporter to the Speedway." Even better, the locations were the same, so no change of plans was required.


We arrived at our designated departure point at IUPUI around 7:30, though the first shuttles were not scheduled to depart for IMS until 8 am. Amazingly enough, we were on our way well before the 8 am time for the first shuttle to leave. That was the good news. The bad news was that unlike when the Indianapolis Public Transit Authority ran the shuttles (back in the METRO days,) there seemed to be no designation of special routes for the private enterprise shuttle system. Hence, while back in the day, you'd be at the main gate to the Speedway in virtually no time, this route was considerably slower and more circuitous.


Even so, as we entered the main gate, the bands were marching around the track. We began to make our way toward the Paddock grandstands, doing some "people watching" as we went. One observation that hit me almost immediately was that unlike my days of going to the Speedway in the 80's, the crowd seemed much more sober. I saw much more bottled water being consumed by the crowd going in than beer, the one-time official breakfast beverage of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. While there were alcoholic beverages available (my wife enjoyed a Bloody Mary on the way to our seats,) their sale (and use) did not seem as prevalent as in my younger days.

It didn't take long for me to figure out that the venerable old track has been well cared for. Friends and fellow bloggers who have been there during the Tony George era have never faulted the controversial George for anything to do with the physical plant at 16th and Georgetown, and had consistently told me that I would be blown away by the changes. They were not wrong. For what it's worth, if IMS wants to give Mr. George something to do, it would be well advised to put him in complete charge of the facility. His touches all around the facility are reminiscent of his grandfather's era, when "new and improved" was something that happened on a regular basis.

One of the best examples of this are the many "misting stations" found throughout the underside of the grandstands. In the old days, most of the individuals who presented at the track medical facility (aside from those who had been over-served,) were heat-stroke cases. Considering that this day was expected to be one of the hottest of the year so far, I was sure that these misters would see their share of use before the day was out.

During our Carb Day trip, we had discovered that our seats were in the next-to-top row of the Paddock grandstand, lower deck. This posed some distinct advangtages as well as disadvantages.
On the plus side, that high up we were assured that whatever breezes were blowing on this hot day, we'd at least get some benefit, plus we were under cover from the sun. Unlike in my younger days when a Speedway sunburn was almost a requirement of any trip to the track, my adventures with skin cancer have made me re-think that position.

On the other hand, we were so high up that it was apparent that we would be quite a while getting out of our seats at the end of the day, and that it would be a large pain in the ass getting downstairs to visit the restrooms or get food and drink. Additionally, we were high enough up that we could only see the video board across the track from a sitting position. Add to this the fact that our seats were in the very middle of the row, and any quick escape for any purpose was precluded.

The other thing that I noticed almost immediately was that the new construction (well, not exactly new) of the Tower Terrace suites limited the view from our seats to strictly the main straightaway. Time was when these seats would have had a view of most of turn one, and turn two, once the cars cleared the museum. Not so anymore. Once the cars disappeared into one. it was "video boards only" until they cleared turn four and headed down the straight.

As the stands began to fill, we made our last trips downstairs for food, (especially one of those delicious, uniquely Hoosier delicacies, the breaded pork tenderloin,) drink, and restroom visits. I felt the familiar restlessness as the formal ceremonies neared. As a matter of personal opinion, I know that Florence Henderson is a native Hoosier; Unfortunately, Ms. Henderson can no longer sing. In the future, it might be advisable to secure other talent for the "God Bless America" portion of the program. Seal and Kelly Clarkson did an admirable job on the National Anthem. "Taps," as usual, got me crying, and Jim Nabors did his annual thing with "Back Home Again in Indiana," although the PA system missed the first few bars.

I found myself missing the smooth barritone of Tom Carnegie on the PA system, although Dave Collabro does an excellent job. It's just that Carnegie's voice will echo around the four corners of the IMS as long as there IS an IMS. Mari Hulman George got the engines started and hopped into the pace car for a ride with A. J. Foyt. I wondered if Mari remembered that the last time a Hulman rode with A. J. was 1977, and it was her father's farewell appearance at the Speedway, as he passed away later that fall. Hopefully, it wasn't an omen.

Mari and A. J. pulled the pace car off and we were green! For once, no one decided to do anything stupid on the first lap of the race and everyone made it through the first lap. The next 25 or so laps were a succession of Dixon, Tagliani, and Franchitti battling for the lead. It was during this first segment of the race that the battery in my Walkman died. Communication with 1070theFan lost, along with the IMS network. I had not, until that moment, realized how spoiled I had been having the whole race unfold in my living room, (even if it WAS Marty Reid,) in all the years I had watched the race live on ABC.

This feeling was reinforced by the first caution and subsequent two-wide re-start. Even with the entire 5/8 mile of the main straightaway to get sorted out, everyone wanted to run two and three wide into turn one. That usually does not work at Indy. The first time I watched them fly into one and out of my view, I turned to the fellow next to me and remarked that something bad was going to happen. Miraculously, MOST of the time it did not, although on one re-start, eventual winner Dan Wheldon decided it would be prudent to use the pit lane to avoid the mayhem.

As the race played itself out, the Ganassi cars were dominant, but nowhere near running away with things. Even though they led a majority of the laps, they never seemed to be able to pull away to much more than a 3 or 4 second lead, and even then, either pit stops or a caution would bring everyone back together. I had the feeling with about 50 laps to go that there were still 4 or 5 cars that could take the race.

Oriol Servia, Ed Carpenter, J. R. Hildebrand, Graham Rahal, and Bertrand Baguette all took a turn on point while the red cars refueled, though Servia held the lead for more than a few laps. While he was never out front, Dan Wheldon maintained a spot in the top 5 most of the race, and it seemed as though he was quietly staying in touch with the leaders, waiting for the race to play out.

Danica Patrick seemed to move steadily forward all day, as did fan fave Tony Kanaan, although the former seemed to have terrible luck with two successive cautions catching her almost out of fuel, necessitating a "double stop" during the caution and costing her track postion that she had won by steadily working her way up. Still, with roughly 20 laps to go, Ms. Patrick was right there and as everyone else took on fuel, she took the lead for the second time in her brief Indy career.

Although she remains controversial, I have to say, some of the loudest cheers I heard all day were during the few laps that she led. Almost everyone knew that without the help of a caution she couldn't maintain the lead until the end, and I later learned that then last couple of laps before she was "inhaled" by Baguette, she was complaining of a vibration. Some of the "air" went out of the Speedway when she pitted, and we all wondered if the new leader, Baguette, had enough fuel to finish.

I consider myself to be pretty astute about most of these things, but I had no clue where Baguette was on his fuel load until I saw his crew laying out for a stop about 5 laps from the end. I knew that the last driver to pit during the last round of stops was Franchitti, and I assumed he would re-take the lead when Baguette pitted. Wrong again. In yet another fuel miscalculation by the Ganassi team, (What was up with the gas this month Chip?) Franchitti was left about one lap short on fuel and was not running quick enough to catch J. R. Hildebrand who took the lead when Baguette pitted on lap 196 or 7.

Unbelievable! A rookie leading the Indianapolis 500 with just three laps to go! Everyone was standing and cheering as the nnumber 4 Panther Racing machine took the white flag. Most of us were still standing when he came by the next time, obviously having tangled with a wall somewhere. In a moment of confusion, I believed J. R. had crashed and slid across the finish line first, until the nearby scoring strip told me that Wheldon had been posted the winner.

This revelation led me to two things: First, the Speedway needs to replace the PA system which, in the confusion at the end of the race, was worthless. Indeed, in times of ANY significant crowd noise, the PA system is woefully lacking. Second, it was apparent that we were going to have to hurry back to our hotel to see what had happened at the end.

That is not to say that I minded Wheldon winning the race by leading all of about 1400 feet at the very end of the last lap; I didn't. Gambler that I am, I had placed one of my race wagers on the previously unemployed driver at odds of 13-1. Since I had ZERO coinage placed on Mr. Hildebrand, the surprise ending was very pleasant, at least financially.

Due to our seats being at the very top of the lower deck, we waited for a lote of the crowd to disperse before heading to the exits. Even with most of the crowd leaving, we still couldn't hear much of the post race festivities coming over the PA system. Once the aisles had started to clear, we made our way back to the lot where the shuttles were supposed to take us back to IUPUI. Once on the bus, it was apparent that there was no air conditioning, a fact which did not help my wife's disposition. During the lengthy trip back downtown, she repeatedly made it clear that she was never going to the 500 again. Part of that, I attribute to her pain level, but frankly, as opposed to watching the race live at home with friends, attending the event in person is a large sacrifice.

During the ride, I tried to think about what we could have done differently to make the experience more enjoyable, but I was stumped to think of anything we could have done (realistically) to make it easier or more enjoyable. Obviously, having a working radio would have been nice, but aside from going to the track via motorhome and having a suite (neither of which is really a workable option,) I couldn't come up with anything we could have done to enhance the journey.

By the time we reached our car, all we could think about was getting some food and getting away from Indianapolis. We learned some of what we had missed in listening to the radio recap of the race, but I looked forward to the delay broadcast which we could watch from the comfort of our hotel later that night. We were so wiped out, however, that most of the race was lost to a nap. We did manage to wake up for the end so we could see what we had not seen from our seats, but it wasn't until we returned home and I was able to watch the DVR version that I really understood what we had seen.

I've now watched it 3-4 times and I came to some conclusions.

Whoever was making fuel calculations for Ganassi Racing should be working on their resume. In addition to screwing up twice on Pole Day, the miscalculation on Franchitti and Dixon definitely cost them in the race as well. For a top level team to have misplanned their fuel strategy so badly is not acceptable. Granted, I don't think ANYONE expected that the last 25 laps of the race would go caution-free, (it almost never does,) but with as much of an advantage as the red cars had all day, for them to finish so badly is just inexplicable.

Second, (and I can hear people gnashing their teeth at me for this one,) given two well-timed yellow flags, Danica Patrick is a two-time winner of the Indy 500 and we're probably NOT talking about her moving to NASCAR. I know, she's way over-exposed, over-covered, and virtually crammed down the throats of the viewing public, but the fact is she brings the car home in one piece almost every year, and she works her strategy to the best possible finish. It may be she'll get one more chance at Indy, assuming she'll still be running the Nationwide series next year, (and she sure is NOT ready for Cup yet,) but when you look at her Indy career, she's been in the top 10 every year save the one when she got taken out in the pits by Ryan Briscoe. There are an awful lot of drivers who would LOVE to have that kind of Indy resume.

Third, J. R. Hildebrand will be remembered forever for NOT taking into account the wear on his tires and the closing speed at which he was inhaling Charlie Kimball. Hopefully, he'll have a day to redeem himself and, to his eternal credit, he did not duck a single question posed to him by the media. For him to have saved enough fuel to make the finish is a credit to his team and his patience and he deserved better than he got for his efforts, in spite of his rookie mistake.

And, finally, whatever happened to Roger Penske? His team was a complete non-factor all day, something that has not happened to him since their "non-start" year of 1995. The pit "mistake" with Will Power early in the race, (Sorry, Will, but you gotta have FOUR tires on the car to go fast,) was very uncharacteristic. Already there are rumors abounding that there will be some driver shakeups for next year in the Captain's garage, and one name that is being mentioned prominently in the speculation is Simona DiSilvestro. That should make for an interesting "silly season."

As I said at the top of this piece, this was probably my last trip to the 500. I had wonderful experiences in the 16 or so 500's I attended, and, if I still lived in the midwest, I might look at it a little differently. But, from my home in South Carolina, it is an awfully long trip driving, and when you add in the incidentals (parking, motels, food, souvenirs, and such,) it is pretty expensive. Yes, the experience of "being there" is worth something, but to be perfectly honest, watching the race from home in high-def, without the hassles of getting to and from is just too easy.

2011 Indy 500 Handicap

Parity Rears Its Ugly Head!

The rustling sound you hear in the background is a whole lot of heads in dollar racing teams being scratched. This year has been strange for Messrs. Penske and Ganassi and downright scary for Andretti Autosport. Who would have predicted that the first three rows would be populated by names like Oriol Servia, Townsend Bell, Alex Tagliani and Ed Carpenter. Sure, Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti are nearby. Dixon starts second and Franchitti goes 9th, but how they got there is something of a mystery. How do two of the top cars in the series BOTH run out of fuel during a qualifying attempt?

And only one Penske car in the top 9? What's up with that? Will Power will start fifth, but his teammates Helio Castroneves (16th) and Ryan Briscoe (27th) are deep in a field that is seoarated (slowest to fastest) by about 4 mph.

The real stunner was Andretti Autosport and their struggles to get their entire team in the race. Only one-off John Andretti made the field on the first day, and at the end of qualifying boith Mike Conway and Ryan Hunter Reay were on the outside looking in. Of course, Michael Andretti wielded his checkbook and bought the ride qualified by Bruno Junquiera for RHR, much to the dismay of some.

So where do you put a nickel or two to take home some cake for Memorial Day?

Well, Roger Penske may have issues with qualifying, but you can't argue with his success in the Race, and his three drivers are all value odds plays with Castroneves at 11 - 1, Briscoe at 14 - 1, and Power, starting in the center of row 2, is 8 1/2 - 1 (17-2). Any of the three, particualrly Castroneves, would be a solid play for a unit.

Both Ganassi "A" cars are 4 - 1, Dixon starting second and Franchitti going off 9th. The only way you can wager anything on these two is by playing 2 units. If you follow trends (and what gambler doesn't,) you almost HAVE to put cash on the dominant two teams. Only twice in the last two years has any other team won a race of any kind in the series.

That being said here are a few other players that might be worthy of your interest.

Dan Wheldon:
Wheldon who starts 6th goes off at 13-1. Almost any time you can get a former winner at 10 or better, you have to take it. Not only that, but Wheldon has had a history of coming second a couple of times to go with his previous win.

Vitor Meira:
The more A. J. Foyt turns his team over to son Larry, the better these guys do. After the sale of the 41 car to Andretti Autosport, Ol' Tex is playing with "house money." So, you know where the icon is going to be. Vitor has had a good year so far, and his times have been good hanging around the top 10 almost all month on the speed chart. At 20 - 1, he's not quite the buy that Kenny Brack was in 1999, but if you're a hunch player, this might not be a bad flyer.

Ryan Hunter Reay:
Speaking of the sale, Hunter Reay may have gotten into a better car than he was driving before. Bruno Junquiera had the car safely in the field before getting booted for Hunter Reay to have a shot. At 35 - 1, he's going off last, but he HAS won before in this series.

John Andretti:
Andretti is a one-off driving for his cousin Michael and NASCAR's "King," Richard Petty and was the only Andretti car to make the field on day one of qualifying. Does he have a chance to win? Nope, and Vegas doesn't think so either with odds of 100 - 1.

Danica Patrick:
Whether or not this is Ms. Patrick's swan song at the 500, (and it almost certainly is,) she has been known for keeping a car running and getting to the finish here. She wasn't particularly fast on Carb Day, but weather conditions tomorrow should be almost exactly the opposite of what there was Friday. If this crew stumbles on the right setup, and they have before, 20 - 1 is not a bad price for someone who's had her success here.

Townsend Bell/Ed Carpenter:
OK, you want a sentimental pair of picks? Try these two. Bell, a road racing expert, put Sam Schmidt's car on the inside of row 2, but you'll have to call your own "man" to get odds on him, since most sportsbooks aren't even listing him as an option. Carpenter, driving for Sarah Fisher Racing is at 45 - 1. If either of these guys come home first, it will be the "feel-good" story of the year. Fisher, long a driver of lesser equipment is in her third year as a car owner, but this year she retired as a driver to start a family and is expecting her first kid in the fall. Sarah was ne of the nost popular drivers in recent years at IMS and a win for her would be joyous for almost everyone around. Ditto for Schmidt, whose paralizing injuries ended his racing carer as a driver, but who has been a BIG winner in the IndyLights series. Townsend Bell is a very capable race driver who could make that dream come true for Schmidt.


Oriol Servia:
Remember back in the 90's when Newman Haas Racing meant Michael and Mario Andretti? Guess what: They're back with Servia putting up a front row start for the first time since then.
At 14 - 1, he's a quiet pick for a front row car and if he's around at the finish, who knows? This is one play I'm already on. Sometimes at Indy the "quiet" guy is the one who takes the bills at the end. This one would be no surprise.

Wherever you spend the race tomorrow, be well, be safe, and be reminded of the sacrifices of brave men and women to preserve the freedom we celebrate this Memorial Day.

Indy 2011 - The Run-Up

Last weekend's qualifying days proved both different and exciting, with a little panic and pathos thrown in. Weather was most assuredly a factor as rain on both days added to the drama in filling the field of 33 to go racing Sunday at Indianapolis.




On Saturday there were some heroes, some surprises, some unbelievable errors in judgement, and a pole winner that few expected. Let me first say that most of this information comes a bit second hand, as during last Saturday's festivities, I was at my 40th class reunion at Culver Military Academy and was unable to follow qualifications with my usual rapt attention.




Having said that, you have to give big props to Simona DiSilvestro. After being sideways, upside down, and on fire in practice, leaving her with painfully burned "Mickey Mouse" hands, she mustered the courage to become a first day qualifier, leading the four distaff entries to the 500 as the only "first day" qualifier, starting in the middle of row 8. Her guts in putting a ride safely in the show with her tender, medium-rare mitts is the stuff of legend.




If you had told me going into the Saturday Pole Shootout that two Penske cars wouldn't even make the "Fast Nine," I'd have questioned your sanity and suggested you seek shelter in a quiet place for a while. I don't think ANYONE saw that coming.




Nor would anyone have predicted that Target Chip Ganassi Racing would short fuel BOTH cars in the final pole shootout, costing Scott Dixon the pole and Dario Franchitti from posting ANY time in the "Fast Nine." Chipster, we all know you have a reputation for being tight with a buck, but this is ridiculous.




Kudos to Ed Carpenter and Mama Fisher. Their top-nine placing, along with Sam Schmidt's teams' efforts, had to be the feel good stories of the day. Vitor Miera also put together a solid run for the Foyt team, something that had been rare lately, although this year they seem to have come together so far. Newman Hass Racing also reclaims a front row spot with Oriol Servia.




And then, you have the strange Day One story of Andretti Autosport. Only the one-off effort of John Andretti kept the proud family from a complete wipeout on Saturday. Danica, Marco, Mike Conway, and Ryan Hunter Reay all failed to make the first day "safe" list. (More on their drama and trauma later.)




If you had Alex Tagliani in the "Pole Pool," you're a winner. Tags was fast all week in the lmited practice sessions, but most figured that one or more of the Penske or Ganassi cars would put their "stamp"on the top 3 or 4 spots. The Captain only got one in the pole shootout, and if Chip had put a couple more gallons of ethanol in either of his cars, it might have been different.

Sunday's drama was even more interesting. A mid afternoon shower put all subsequent qualifying in doubt, with the field full and Danica Patrick still not on the inside. Immediately, speculation began that Andretti Autosport would buy SOME ride to get Danica into the field. As it turned out, the rain stopped and the track got dry enough for one last frantic hour of high drama.

First off the line after the rain, Danica immediately posted two laps faster than Paul Tracy's best-of-the-day speed, but once she was looking pretty safe, Ms. Patrick coasted home in the 26th spot. Of course, as would prove to be the case for Andretti Autosport, this was a "good news - bad news" thing as the Go Daddy Girl's entry into the field put young Marco squarely on the bubble.

Several attempts came and went and, for a while, it seemed as though the day might end with a whimper rather than a bang. Suddenly, with a few minutes to go, Alex Lloyd found enough speed to put Marco on the sidelines, and leaving Ryan Hunter Reay on the bubble. With a mere thirty seconds to spare before the final gun, Marco bumped his way back into the field, leaving teammate Hunter Reay on the outside looking in. As Sunday ended, Mike Conway and Hunter Reay were looking like Andretti Autospectators for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

The first part of the "down week," however, had still more drama to play out. Michael Andretti, desperate to keep his sponsors in the race, opened up his checkbook and bought the ride on Bruno Junqiera from the A. J. Foyt stable. The Indy Star's Bob Kravitz and many others decried this "ride buying" move as "bad for racing," conveniently ignoring their history. Here's my take on the deal.

A. J. Foyt is an Indy icon and has, from time to time, raced a second car at Indianapolis largely out of his own pocket. When an offer to "share" expenses (details still being negotiated,) came from Andretti Autosport, who can honestly say Foyt should not step aside and help a full-time series participant, in addition to recouping his investment. This is not the first time this has happened, even as far as Foyt is concerned. Back in the early 80's, Foyt unseated his regular driver, George Snider, and put the late Tim Richmond in the car. And, as far as Foyt's logic is concerned, who gives him a better chance to win, a one-off who hasn't raced here in a while, or a series regular in RHR?

That drama resolved, we come to Carb Day, my first return to IMS since the early 90's. First, I was stunned at the number of people trying to get in for Carb Day. Back when I used to go regularly to the Speedway, Carb Day was on the Thursday prior to the race and was confined to the final practice and the Pit Stop competition. It was not something I ever attended. Nowadays, it's not only final practice and Pit Stop, there's the Freedom 100 for Indy Lights and a concert. This brings a whole new element into the equation and a whole bunch of people who otherwise would be paying zero attention to the goings on at 16th and Georgetown.

I chose to make my return to the Speedway with my brother and his wife. Having not been to the Speedway in almost 20 years, I had no clue how to negotiate all the construction, new streets and changes that have taken place in the last couple of decades since. Apparently, my brother's sense of direction near the track was not much better than mine, and by the time we got to the gate outside turn 2, INDYCAR practice had been completed.

We were wandering through the infield when the Indy Lights race began. First thing I noticed was how loud the cars seemed. Bear in mind, the last time I was there, a.) there were no "Indy Lights" cars, and b.) the cars that were there were the old turbocharged Cosworths, Ilmors, and Fords, and (though it may be my memory failing,) they did not seem to be as loud. My wife and I decided almost immediately that earplugs might be in order for the Race on Sunday.

We set out to find where our seats for the Race were located, so as to determine the best route for ingress and egress. I discovered that we're going to have a reasonable "hike" to get from the IndyGo Shuttle location to our seats in the Paddock. By the time we had gotten to the outside of the track and found someplace to sit, the Miller Lite Pit Stop Competition was underway. We sat and watched a few runs of that and then decided it was time for something to eat.

This was also something different from my previous experience. Back in the day, about all you could get at the Speedway were hot dogs, sodas, junk food and beer. Now, they offer something that you only find in Indiana: a WONDERFUL breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, something I had not enjoyed in probably 20 years. It was perfect. As the Pit Stop Comptetition wound to a close, we headed for the exits. Papa Roach and Staind might be great entertainment for some, but my tastes are, to say the least, a bit different.

The great thing about the day was that I got to get re-acquainted with IMS with a few people less than we'll encounter on Race Day. It got me absolutely jazzed to go to the Race itself, although, to be honest, it may be the last time we'll make the trip for the Race. It's roughly a 12 hour drive each way for us, and that's before you consider the time spent in traffic trying to get to IMS. It also gave me the opportunity to grab some souvenirs and pictures, which will save me from having to do those things on Sunday.

So far, the weather for Sunday is supposed to be hot, humid, and breezy, everything it was NOT for the Carb Day Festivities. This may cause some folks to be guessing what setup to put on the chariots for the 500, but after a week of rain and semi-cold, it will be welcome for those of us in attendance.

I'll be back later tonight with my handicap of the race itself.

The Journey Begins...

Our car is packed and we're ready to hit the road somewhere around 0 dark 30. We're both very tired from trying to get all the stuff we probably won't wear into our various pieces of luggage. My God, life back in the day was so much simpler. A few tee shirts, a couple of pairs of jeans, two pairs of shoes and there you have it. Nowadays, you'd think we were packing for a freakin' trip around the damn world.

The big event of this evening was that my wife, in going through her jewelry found something she thought she had lost or had been stolen long ago: her Culver ring. I had not seen it in the entire time we've been together, so this was a momentous occasion (and also eases my mind for not having replaced it for a Christmas, birthday, or anniversary long before now.) We both appreciated the irony that it was only through a return trip to Culver that she found her ring.

I haven't worn mine since we got married, primarily because I always wore mine on my left hand which now holds my wedding band, and it didn't fit nearly as well on my right. But, since she found hers, well....

At the moment we are in the, "where's the (fill in the blank)?" stage. You know the one where you're sure you're forgetting something, but you're not certain, and even if you found it, you might not need it, but then again, you might want it. (There's a George Carlin story in there somewhere.)

All that's left is to stow the last few items in the chariot in the morning and we are northbound. We'll push as far as we feel tomorrow.

To CMA Class of 1971: Some Stories...

I guess you could say that my first trip to Culver was before I was born. My parents used to take weekend getaways to Culver back in the days when the Culver Inn was comprised of the old front desk building, East Lodge, and West Lodge. I was told that they had gone there a couple of times the summer of '53 when my mother was pregnant with me. Dad had gone to Naval School at Culver, and was supposed to be in the CMA class of 1935, but the depression intervened leaving his Culver experience confined to summers. After graduating from high school, he spent his college summers on the Summer Naval School faculty.


Up until I was 11, we'd spend a couple of weekends every summer at Culver, enjoying the lake, taking cruises on the O. W. Fowler, or the Yarnell, with breakfasts and lunches at The Shack. Dinner was usually a trip to the Three Sisters for deep fried walleye. For a kid, it was a BALL.

In the summers of '64 and '65, I went to Woodcraft Camp. It was around this time that the Culver Inn expanded to include the motel. (I'm sure Bob Hartman could probably tell you exactly when the motel was built; all I know is that when I was in "Tick Camp," that's where my parents and brothers would stay.) Sure, it was kind of a drag spending 8 weeks away from my friends at home, but it was still fun. As I recall, our classmate, Bob Pentzien, was my bunk mate in '64.


My next Culver experience happened in the fall of '65 and '66, although strangely, it was from the other side of the playing field. During my 7th and 8th grade years, I attended Park School in Indianapolis. I was already slated to go to CMA come the fall of '67. (In fact, I had a little "pre-admission" certificate hanging on the wall of my room at home, signed by, I believe, John Henderson (Jim's dad,) who was head of admissions at Culver when I was a kid.)


Anyway, my two years at Park I started playing soccer. I believe it was Park's first organized middle school soccer team, if memory serves. I strongly suspect that the soccer program at Park was designed for parents like mine who did NOT want their kids playing tackle football. The first year, fall of '65, our middle school team had a bunch of 8th graders and we were ok, by Park standards.


Let me stop here and say that soccer for kids was nothing like it is now. There were not very many schools playing soccer in Indy; in fact, we were, to my knowledge the ONLY middle school that had a soccer program.


As a result, each year, we had three games: a "home and home" with CMA and a road trip to Divine Heart Seminary, just up the road from CMA in Donaldson, Indiana. That first year, '65, loaded with 8th graders, we salvaged a tie at CMA, then lost 2-1 to CMA at home. Our last game, our lone victory, was played in a late fall concoction of freezing rain, sleet, and cold at Divine Heart. I only remember a couple of guys from the CMA team that year: Mario Fernandez, '70, who would later harass me mercilessly my plebe year and this rather large guy named Deutz, who was no longer at CMA by the time I got there.


1966, however, was another matter. With all of our 8th grade talent from the previous year gone, there were only 3 of us with any playing experience on the middle school team. Though I had played wing the previous year, I was drafted/selected/cajoled into being the goalkeeper. Suffice it to say, I was less than sterling as a keeper. Above that Park School, the Panthers, should more appropriately have been named (as my brother Dan would later call them,) "The Fighting Science Fair Guys." We were the "Geek Squad" before there was one.

I will never forget the two games with CMA that year, mostly because I had Johnny Tucker, (who looked about 8 at the time,) Ken Kredens, and George Tanner in my "grill" the whole of both games. George had just a bit more hair than he does now. If they'd had Rogaine back then, he'd probably have been a user. I suspect Johnny Adams may have been involved in my "mugging" that day as well. As for Kenny, as poetic justice would have it, he'd later end up as 'keeper for CMA, and a damn good one.


Not to throw my Park teammates under the bus, but our defense in front of me would best be called "matador." I think, in the second game, I got my nose broken (not the last time that would happen,) and I remember saying to my parents after the second of the two 3-0 losses, "Well, you didn't want me playing football..."


The next fall, 1967, I was a plebe in A Company. Our counselor was one Elzie Kemp Moore, who, interestingly enough, had been on the Culver faculty when my Dad worked on the Naval School faculty back in the late 30's. My Dad thought the WORLD of Col. Moore. That should tell you all you need to know about Kemp Moore. Poor man had ZERO chance of keeping up with the bunch of miscreants who were a part of A Company. Hell, the poor man couldn't even make it up to the third floor of West Barrack without a substantial "rest" on the second, so you can imagine some of the hijinks that were going on up there. The class of '69 had the distinction of sending "ol' Blob" off to his retirement in mid-year, but not before leaving us with a couple of memorable quotes, most notably his accusation that there were some up there on 3rd floor West who were, in his words, "smoking LSD."

I believe that class also convinced Bob Hartman NOT to be a counselor anymore, because after that year, Company A was merged with Company E. Some guys like Mario Romine opted for other units and he joined the merry band in C Company. Those of us who stayed would fall into the clutches of Carl Eckert, also know as "Carp." And we all know what Carp eat. 'Nuff said.


What Kemp Moore could NOT do, Mel Estey could do in spades. My second year at CMA, Mack Rau and I had the room at the head of the stairs on 2nd floor West and quite often we would see Col. Estey, call sign "Viper," sneaking up the stairs after Taps or just before Reveille in the hope that he would catch someone on third floor doing something naughty. Considering the crew that lived up there, his pursuits were quite often rewarded. The strangest thing about Commandant Mel was that I do not recall ever seeing the man smile. I'm sure he must have, particularly when handing out E.D. or putting someone on citizenship probation, but I cannot recall it.


It would be unchivalrous of me not to mention the first time I met my wife, Kris, who, I did not learn until we reunited in 2001, was also called "Tisser." During my plebe year, we took that oddball poli-sci type class called "America's Challenges in the Contemporary World" taught by Alfred Myers, also known as "Wild Thing," (speaking of oddballs.) I suspect that was my first real awareness that there were ANY females in school at CMA, although I knew they were there. It's just that with the plebe system, getting used to classes, and learning more stuff than you can imagine getting crammed into your head before "3 minute bell," there were just some things that you forgot.


I also have several memories of Tisser's Mom, Florence, who was one of the Academy librarians back in the day. She always struck me as a stern, no-nonsense woman who, quite frankly, intimidated the Hell out of me. This was still true later, during our junior year, when Tis and I dated for a few minutes. And, when Tisser and I got together in the early 2000's she had the same effect on me during my rare and feeble attempts at playing bridge with the Tanner clan, although otherwise she was a delightful person.



The last reunion I attended was our 25th. During the all class dinner in the Lay Center, I ran into George, and I inquired how Tis was doing. He said that I ought to call her and catch up. That night, my lady-friend and I passed on the class party and went out to the "Tick Camp" to party with the younger classes. I really did not want to deal with the potential for charitable "arm twisting" that I'd heard transpired there. Besides, Pierce Ward was, what we call in the south, a "big ol' boy," back in the day.

At any rate, we all went our own ways after that weekend. I returned to my new home, Myrtle Beach, broke up with the lady-friend, and spent the last of the 90's building and running a video poker casino on a piece of land I bought on the North Carolina/South Carolina state line. I had two condos, one in Laurinburg, NC, which was home base, and the other on Shore Drive in Myrtle Beach which was my "getaway."

One day, while I was down at the Beach, I got a voice mail on my Laurinburg phone from Tisser. It was garbled and I didn't get much of it, other than that she was in Michigan and could be reached at a phone number there. By the time I got back and returned the call, she had left Michigan for parts unknown (to me,) though I left a message with the fellow who answered the phone and told me she wasn't there anymore. (As it turned out, it was her son Chris.)

More time passed and I never had heard back from Tis. So finally, I called, you guessed it, the CMA alumni office. They gave me her email, and we began communicating online in early 2001.
One thing led to another and as May approached, I invited Tis and her "significant other" down to spend a weekend at my place on the Beach, as it turns out, the same weekend that our class was celebrating our 30th reunion. I guess I picked the "right" reunion, because shortly thereafter, she shed the "significant other," and 6 months hence we were together. We got married in April of 2003, at our favorite Beach Bar, Ocean Annie's.

Our wedding was a mini-reunion of sorts. I had a picture taken of the "Culver Crew" which included George, Florence, my two brothers Dan ('74) and Alan (CMA '81), my friend and old Indy "running buddy" Randall Hilbolt (CMA '72) and Pritt Bardes, (CGA '72), and which, if I can find it, I will have with me at this year's reunion.

Tis and I were last back at Culver in the summer of 2004, for a Tanner family reunion. As fate would have it, while we were getting together on the shores of Lake Maxincukee, Hurricane Charlie was coming ashore in Myrtle, the only hurricane to make landfall in Myrtle Beach, since I moved here. We were both amazed at the changes that had taken place, as I am sure we will be this year.

All of that makes this trip, our first to a reunion since we've been married, kind of a closing of the circle, as it were. We're looking forward to it!