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Monday, June 9, 2008
Waltrip Finding His TV Comfort Zone
This season SPEED and the NASCAR Media Group have been working hard to restore the luster to the Monday night franchise now called This Week in NASCAR. The task of leading this charge has fallen to host Steve Byrnes.
On this Monday, Byrnes had Greg Biffle and Michael Waltrip along for the ride. These three have know each other for a very long time and alternate back-and-forth between handling the TV duties and sneaking-in jokes and references that give the program some flavor.
Waltrip is a mainstay on this series, with Biffle and Chad Knaus rotating in the other spot. The result is that now, four months into the new show, Waltrip knows the ropes and is beginning to feel comfortable. That is a big deal.
Like it or not, Michael Waltrip is the franchise and the show is not the same without him. The bonus for both the show and the fans is that when Waltrip is at ease, the fun begins.
Biffle takes the role of the straight man and handles the questions and issues with a thoughtful approach that has become his trademark. He is the set-up man.
Waltrip handles the same issues with a reckless abandon that in this show included claiming his Canadian heritage and harassing Jimmy Spencer about his continuing challenges with certain driver names.
It was this eclectic mix that made Inside NEXTEL Cup work and the same dynamic has begun to develop on TWIN. The show is clearly missing a third panelist, and had a very different feel when SPEED chose to expand the panel for a recent program.
While veteran fans may long for the dry sense of humor of Kenny Schrader, it could be a Chad Knaus that takes his place to round-out the panel to three. That would not really present a challenge to Byrnes, who handles Trackside for SPEED all season long.
Luckily, with the sheer boredom of Pocono it was a lot easier for fans to swallow the extended preview of Michigan for the first half of the show. Add-in the fact that Biffle had a strong record of winning at that track and things just fell in place.
As usual, the pace and humor of the show picked-up when the Pocono highlights rolled. Both Waltrip and Biffle had experienced problems in the race, and did a good job of recapping their issues. They continued to do an outstanding job of recapping the rest of the race and the strategies involved.
Even though these two are not close in their personal lives, Biffle and Waltrip have found a way to work together effectively on-the-air. They have also managed to keep the sense of humor and casual atmosphere established by Byrnes.
Each program contains an outstanding feature from the NASCAR Media Group called Scanner Chatter. It uses the exclusive footage that this company captures to relay sounds and images to the viewers that perhaps they did not get a chance to see on the live telecast. It has proven to be the most effective feature in the program.
As the show winds-down, there is a choice to be made. Either let the panelists talk about an issue for several minutes or show another pre-produced feature. After seeing an outdated segment on "sand cars" this week, perhaps the production team will consider picking some current topics and just letting the panel talk.
There has been a lot of time and effort put into this program as it had been tweaked and changed since February. It continues to pick-up steam and the most obvious change is the comfort level of the panelists with each other and the host.
Now that Chad Knaus has been a semi-regular panelist, Monday's episode seemed to be lacking the crew chief perspective that Knaus has brought to the show. Knaus was a new wrinkle and it is interesting that now the analysis of two drivers seems to leave a little something lacking.
Despite one poor choice of words from Waltrip, the show kept good humor and provided good information. Michigan will not be a Pocono, and Biffle having a strong performance is a good possibility. Next week's episode should be a good measuring stick of just how far this TV series has come in four months.
The Daly Planet welcomes comments from readers. Simply click on the COMMENTS button below and follow the easy instructions. The rules for posting are located on the right side of the main page. Thank you for taking the time to stop by.
30 comments:
- Anonymous said...
I remember seeing the sand car feature before, like the week after the Las Vegas race.
I heard the Kenny Schrader taped a piece at The Prelude, that supposedly ran on The SPEED Report. As much as people complain about re-running features, that would have been more appropriate and topical to what went on this week. Of course, I am biased, since I would have liked to have seen this feature, but missed The SPEED Report. I thought that the feature was supposed to air on TWIN, so I didn't tape the Sunday night shows.
- June 9, 2008 at 10:04 PM
- Anonymous said...
Yes Schrader had a piece that aired during TSR and he opened the "wrap up" that they do at the end :). I've seen Schrader play reporter a few times and he always does a great job :)
- June 9, 2008 at 10:23 PM
- SophiaZ123 said...
I found the sand car tape odd.
I agree, if they want to junk up the show with canned video make it RELEVANT like Schraders piece on SR (Thanks Gymmie for letting me know he has done this before...I was hoping it was a new gig and a place to SEE KS every week but I take what I can get)
We went out to a new ice cream place (Creamy whip) and I just caught about the last 20 minutes or so. I enjoyed Biffle but wondered if he said HOW he coped on such a hot day with no air cooled helmet or did that get fixed? I thought I taped this show but for a few minutes in the middle of the tape the local weather station came on (!? Cats messing with my remote? LOL)
I had to google the words MW said. YIKES! In the old days, INC woulda probably filtered out that comment with a blank audio pause like they used to if they said a name they should not have)
The show was ok but I did check the first 3 minutes but they again RUSHED to the next race. And just because Pocono is too long is no reason to expect me to be ready for Michigan. TWIN has missed way too many action packed races with their "Flipped" show... Flip being an appropriate word that jockey's and bulimics practice.
Didn't seem worth taping and I might catch the repeat so I can catch the halfway thru mark but if nothing was mentioned about Biffle get heat exhaustion, I will probably skip it. Not sure what made the tv go to weather channel but there was some digital cable glitch...still, rather that then what happened to many DIRECT TV folks at end of NW race...from folks here to Dale Jr watching BK or not watching BK;s win..
Oh, MW acted like the safety guy by JPM did NOT have a fire extinquisher...I was pretty sure more than one guy had one.
- June 9, 2008 at 10:40 PM
- Dannyboy said...
As I type this it is after 11 pm on the west coast and ESPN2 has had an ARENA FOOTBALL game on since before 9pm.
This allowed me to watch all of TWIN, which I enjoyed more than usual despite its deficiencies when compared to the old IWC/INC show.
JD: Mikey and The Biff have always gotten along in my recollection. On the old show they often kidded each other about their run-ins with various antagonists, often with Schrader providing sage wisdom with a chuckle attached.
Nobody mentioned when all were remarking about Kasey Kahne's and the Evernham organization's newfound speed that Michael quipped, "Maybe they have some trick new swaybars?" to the chuckles of Byrnes and Biffle.
I still think the scanner segment is hampered by overproduction. Please turn down the music! I've played loud rock & roll for over 30 years and still I find it distracting when I'm trying to understand a distorted scanner audio.
Is anybody listening to this stuff over a regular TV set, or do they just listen on $500 headphones?
- June 10, 2008 at 2:02 AM
- jfs-va said...
I wonder if they will continue to do the long preview of the next race when the same tracks come around a second time. Particularly Pocono, where its a short time between the two races.
- June 10, 2008 at 7:09 AM
- Anonymous said...
I am finding my "comfort zone" with this show, accepting the odd format and enjoying the laid back style of the host and MW and whomever joins him. MW is a class act, he just dropped out of the top 35 in owner points with the #55 and he kept the disappointment of that situation to himself. With this tight economy not impressed with the boys and their toys in the sand.
- June 10, 2008 at 7:32 AM
- Deborah said...
Maybe JD has some sort of inside information about them not liking each other but I've always been under the impression that Greg and Michael were fine with each other outside the show. Sometimes it seems like fans and others take comments or reactions on this show very seriously and read into them, but this is just a TV show like any other where the panel members are playing roles to a degree and some things may be exaggerated for effect.
Has Michael found his comfort zone on this show, or has the show found it's comfort zone with him and the other panel members? Maybe it's just my imagination but it seems to me that the format has been tweaked a little to where the panel members have a little more freedom to discuss things and they're more comfortable with that as a result. In general, imo, Michael has always been very comfortable in front of a TV camera which is why we see him on so many shows (and commercials).
This was an okay episode - the best part for me was when the panelists got to talking about this past race. I didn't pay too much attention to what they said about the upcoming race at Michigan. I also caught the trick swaybar comment and thought that was pretty funny as was Michael's shtick about being 1/8 Canadian.
- June 10, 2008 at 8:50 AM
- Jo from SC said...
I'm not sure what kind of prescriptions MW is on, but his statements about Pocono being an exciting race, seeing lots of passing, and that the race was not too long all suggest to me that either his carbon monoxide filter wasn't working on Sunday and he was still hallucinating on Monday, or that he was severely overmedicated. While his mispronunciations (and the implied insults to Patrick Carpentier) were very distasteful to me, I am still more disturbed that no one calls him on his blatant brown-nosing in support of NASCAR's corporate view that "everything is fine with the COT and racing." Clearly it's not! And Sophia, wish we had that new ice cream place around here--the heat is brutal!
- June 10, 2008 at 9:01 AM
- Lou,Kingston,NY said...
After reading the comments this morning, I decided to watch the last half hour of the reair this morning. I did enjoy Greg, He came through very knowledgable and was good to listen to.
- June 10, 2008 at 9:05 AM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
What I said was:
"Even though these two are not close in their personal lives, Biffle and Waltrip have found a way to work together effectively on-the-air."
Never suggested there was a problem or they did not like each other. They just travel in different circles of friends. Both have been around a long time and know the game very well.
- June 10, 2008 at 9:23 AM
- Anonymous said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- June 10, 2008 at 10:41 AM
- Rich said...
I agree, the show is not the same without that cat Mikey--it is, in fact, much better without him.
- June 10, 2008 at 11:24 AM
- Tracy said...
I thought the whole thing was just . . . sad. No spark like the old days. Byrnes acting like an indulgent pater familias. Biffle trying to give good info, getting waylaid. Waltrip trying to keep up his on-screen persona with huge cracks showing. Watched it twice to try to put my finger on what felt 'off,' and aside from the lack of good info (who won how much money, where the points stand after Pocono, and in-depth discussion of the duties of the rescue personnel in light of Montoya's flame-out), there just wasn't enough time given to the past race. The re-use of the desert buggies was inexcusable, especially since Biffle said he owned one. If you want to talk about sand buggies, show Biffle with his. But what that had to do with THIS WEEK in Nascar is beyond me.
Sad, sad, sad.
- June 10, 2008 at 11:25 AM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
If you want to know what that term means, you can drop me a line privately at email@example.com ok?
- June 10, 2008 at 11:45 AM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Latin on TDP! I think that gets you extra credit with the management.
- June 10, 2008 at 11:54 AM
- SophiaZ123 said...
odd that nobody asked Biffle about the heat since it was mentioned by a handful of drivers on tv and I read about it in a few columns. If INDEED Biff's cool air did not work, that was a long, hot race for him. He must have drunk a lot of fluids to have survived.
I still think they show bad canned video in this show in the last half.
Still not enough talk about what happened in the Sunday race...nobody mentioned the COT car being so hot..do they EVER address COT issues on the show or are they not allowed to. Course I realize that's where MW always toes the line...but I get the feeling the drivers are still 'discouraged' to vent on the car.
Then I read Darby saying there will be no changes due to all the money R&D did for the car, etc. Most folks know research and reality in how things do in everyday life are often different.
This show and N Now have yet to address one of the biggest problems this season. The COT. Shame.
- June 10, 2008 at 11:56 AM
- Anonymous said...
This show just does not cut it anymore. First Fox-i-fied and now, I guess, NASCAR Images has destroyed the franchise.
Whats so weird, at least to me, is how the top level executives at NASCAR allow this to go on and on with changes. I recall that the head tv guy from California left last year, so maybe they have not filled that void yet and they need to!!!!
Is anyone in Daytona Beach watching, listening or reading fan blogs??
Bray Kroter
- June 10, 2008 at 12:27 PM
- JHD said...
I only watched TWIN this week, because I heard Casey Mears would be on it. I didn't realize it was the same Sand Car piece ESPN showed on Nascar Now after the Vegas race 3 months ago. The only thing missing was the "I am. Casey Mears." tag that ESPN does with most of their driver pieces.
While I liked seeing it again, I don't understand what it was doing here on this show, and on this network for that matter. I could see ESPN rerunning it since they recycle their pieces. But I don't have a clue why SPEED chose to present it like it was a brand new and recent piece. Any response from SPEED about this, JD?
And all this means I guess is that the Schrader Eldora piece (which I would have love to have seen - sorry I missed it) will be shown on TWIN about September, right?
- June 10, 2008 at 1:14 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
It is simply a format issue that SPEED execs continue to ask the NASCAR Media Group producers to follow.
After all the solid shows from the SPEED Stage that the same two groups produce, it has always seemed curious that this show began to struggle when the DD era started.
The best part is that with three panelists on the set and one tweak of the format, they would have a pretty darn good show.
- June 10, 2008 at 1:54 PM
- Anonymous said...
After watching every tue. night for
11 years except the year that Speed took the show off, we don't
watch any longer.Dont understand the flip flop show,cant stand Mikey
his ownership of a cup team has went to his head.
Tks.JD Ron Il.
- June 10, 2008 at 3:07 PM
- GinaV24 said...
Waltrip may be comfortable, but I'm still not. I don't watch the show live any more, it's not worth it to me to waste the hour when I can save it to the DVR and FF through the commercials and stuff I've seen before. I just can't deal with Mikey's "everything is wonderful in NASCAR" shtick any more. It's gotten old and it makes me feel like he will say anything no matter how inane as long as NASCAR pats him on the head. That's not "funny", it's stupid. I'd have liked to have seen Schrader's piece, but I missed TSR this week.
- June 10, 2008 at 4:18 PM
- Jerry said...
I used to look forward to Monday nights. Now I TIVO past the first 30 minutes to get to what happened. Not interested in what might happen and am not interested in the various videos and interviews they trot out to fill time. Shows the weekend of the race are the ideal place to talk about what is about to happen this week.
I think Speed is looking for an excuse to cancel this traditional Monday night time slot for something else. Chasing viewers away is a sure fire method to assure failure.
- June 10, 2008 at 4:21 PM
- Newracefan said...
It doesn't appear that many who posted liked the show. Granted it wasn't as funny as last week but I still enjoyed it. I am not sure if any of the video from the sand cars was new but either way it definitely didn't belong, otherwise it was an OK show. I've given up on the backwards aspect, I would be fine with it if it was only the first 15 minutes and not the first 30+ (give the guys more time to have fun and lose the video filler too)I was glad to see Michael was able to make the sway bar crack for a laugh especially since he is now out of the top 35 and there are going to be 46 cars at the next race.
- June 10, 2008 at 5:11 PM
- Tracy said...
Wow, my four years of Latin haven't gone to waste, LOL. Extra credit, yes!
- June 10, 2008 at 6:03 PM
- Anonymous said...
Anytime Sophia :)
Yes I had to yell out a MICHAEL CURTIS! When I heard that term!
- June 10, 2008 at 8:48 PM
- Vicky D said...
I could not understand the re-airing of the sand buggy segment either. If they don't have enough info and stories to fill an hour - devote more than 30 seconds for a recap of the truck and Nationwide races!
- June 10, 2008 at 10:05 PM
- darbar said...
Knauss was here in Milwaukee doing testing at the Milwaukee Mile with Jimmie Johnson. From what I heard in interviews from the track, it sounds like Knauss will be off from the show a lot because the 48 car will be doing a lot of testing in the next few weeks.
- June 11, 2008 at 10:05 AM
- Anonymous said...
I love This Week in Nascar and wish you would get over the format already. You sound like a broken record. Oh, boo hoo, the producers have made a decision you don't like and now you're going to beat the horse to death every show until the end of the chase? Some of us LIKE the preview first, and I'm guessing that even those who don't aren't having to "swallow" the preview-then-review format.
If you want to criticize TWIN, why not criticize them for wasting an entire segment every show so they can show "highlights" of the SPEED coverage -- which is rarely little more than a quick-cut montage of Kenny Spencer jumping on tables, making sound effects and acting like a horse's rear. It's the MOST pointless segment on the show, but you never mention that. Instead you have some chip on your shoulder about the preview.
Get. Over. It.
- June 11, 2008 at 12:13 PM
- Anonymous said...
Er, I mean Kenny Wallace, not "Kenny Spencer". Kenny Wallace and Jimmy Spencer have morphed into a two-headed court jester that I cannot stand.
- June 11, 2008 at 12:15 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Anon 12:13PM,
I think from your comments that you are taking care of the chip quite well.
No doubt I disagree with the format, but this is a forum where you can talk about what you like and do not like.
It seems you have missed that point entirely.
- June 11, 2008 at 12:17 PM


text:
A new year always brings about new changes-- Fresh feelings, resolutions, and most noticeably... a suddenly very open (and empty) house.
Does that happen to you all?? You take down all of your Christmas decor and feel like you've suddenly been left in a new, open house with tons more space.
Well that change brought about this change in the family room...
Early in December, I found these gorgeous tufted chairs at a local furniture store. I had seen similar ones all over the place online, but I knew there was no way I was going to buy chairs online without sitting in them first. So I was so surprised when I found these there and that they were exactly what I was looking for for this space! You may remember what we had in here before...
These chairs were totally fine, but way to small for the area. They remind me more of dining chairs anyway, and not of a soft, family room-ish chair that screams, "Hey you... You come here to me. No, no. You come here to me."
5 points if you know where that's from. ;)
But seriously, no one ever wanted to sit on them. I wanted something a bit more comfortable and substantial for the space since that side of the room always felt super unbalanced. These are SUPER comfy.
I love how well they work with the tufted coffee table/ottoman as well.
That shot gives you a better idea of how much better they sort of balanced the area.
Well, that, and my new pretty antique "library table".
This table belonged to my great-grandfather. He was a preacher, and used it as a desk where he would sit and write his sermons. There are still pencil marks underneath it where he would "sharpen" his pencils. Really special.
My Grandma used it in her house for years, then when she moved in with my parents, my mother used it in their basement. She recently gave it to me a few months back and I've been searching for the perfect space for it.
I wasn't originally planning on using it here actually. This came about in literally about 5 minutes.
We took down our tree and moved the chairs over to this space. Then, I put the little white tray table I used originally between them. You may remember (in this post) I had moved it up to the guest bedroom while the tree was up. Well, it was WAY too small. It worked fine with the smaller chairs, but it looked too tiny between these. Plus, it was just too many lighter shades. Using this table crossed my mind, but I was convinced it would be much too large. Turns out, it worked perfectly!
...and I still was able to use my little tray table! Well, a part of it at least. The prettiest part.
The little tray top detached from the bottom so I centered it on the table. I think it works perfectly!
As far as styling everything else, I kept what was actually in the tray exactly the same, and added some lamps from target I've had forever. They were packed up, all sad and unused. I couldn't bear to part with them at our last garage sale. Glad I didn't!
They actually match the lamps on the other side of the room pretty well! These are a bit smaller and not actually glass. The larger ones on the sides of the couch are a bit nicer, but I like the size of these for this space.
Here's a closer shot of the chairs...
Oh and it looks like I found the perfect spot for my new bargain pillows I found recently (more on that in this post).
I'm super happy with how things are coming together in here!
Are you guys in the mood to de-clutter and clean out like I am now that the new year is here?

subset: commoncrawl


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text:
1. Call Mom and try to talk her into having everyone over for Easter dinner.
2. Buy Easter candy
3. Talk to Mom about menu for Easter dinner
4. Buy that stupid plastic grass that sticks to every surface in your home and doesn't completely disappear until Christmas when it's replaced by tinsel
5. Talk to Mom about menu for Easter dinner
6. Complain to sister that Mom can't make up her mind about what to have for Easter dinner and is stressing out way too much
7. Buy more Easter candy to replace what I've eaten
8. Talk to Mom about menu for Easter dinner and suggest just ordering pizza
9. Talk to sister about what a bad daughter I am for suggesting pizza
10. Decorate the house and pull out the Easter Monkey and laugh about that tradition
11. Talk to Mom about menu for Easter dinner and make fun of her because of the Ham Saga of 1998.
12. Call Mom to apologize for bringing up the Ham Saga of 1998.
13. Buy eggs and dye and more Easter candy (don't ask)
Yep, that about sums it up.
I'm not Catholic and the whole "giving up something for Lent" has never really been stressed in my life. I considered giving up something, however. I figured I could give up coffee, but that would be too great a punishment for my friends and family and well, basically anyone unlucky enough to come in contact with me for the next month and a half.
I considered giving up chocolate, but let's be realistic here. I could give up meat - nah, not enough of a sacrifice as I'm not a big meat eater. Hmmm, perhaps I could give up Facebook or Twitter... BAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAAA HAAAAAAAA!!! Oh that's a good one! LOL!
I talked to one of my BFFs, Sue today and she said that her church encourages its members to do something for others everyday instead of giving up something. Hmmm, I decided I liked this idea. After all, look what Jesus did for us. I can do something nice for others every day. No problem!
While I was at the library,
I know it wasn't much. It's not going to change the world. Still, can you imagine if everyone did a small act of kindness every day? The world would be a much nicer place, wouldn't it? And the thing about doing something nice for others is it's contagious. The man standing behind me in line at the library made a comment about that being a nice gesture. Maybe the wheels started spinning in his head and he'll go out of his way to be kind to someone tomorrow.
So, if you're looking for something to do to prepare for Easter, consider giving to others in some small way for the next 46 days. Hold a door open, volunteer at your local food pantry, pay for coffee for the next person in line, donate your old clothes to a women's shelter. And think about the reason why you're doing it as you act. Oh, and blog about it too! Tell everyone what you're doing and leave a link to your blog in the comments here so everyone can check it out!
*****If you want an idea of someplace where you can make a donation, check out Peggy Larson's (Coleman & Caden's mom) page for the Cure Search Walk to help conquer kids' cancer HERE.
*****And I still have a giveaway for Goat's Milk Soap HERE.


text:
[This giveaway has ended] Congrats to intothere, Coletrain331, danzuke, D4m4ged, Broody19, chic fil a, Sd lightzout, anbilow, Fenring42, and ALostGrenade. Beta codes are in your ShackMessage inboxes. Thanks to all who entered!
[Original Story] The weekly Shacknews "what are you playing" post has been invaded by Locust and Thrashball enthusiasts this week. Shacknews has ten (10) early access Gears of War 3 beta codes available today and we want to get them out to our loyal readers.
Entering is simple. Reply to this WRUP post by telling us what you plan to do for the rest of the weekend. Why? Because your intricate, detailed plans might be dashed if a Gears of War 3 beta code drops in your ShackMessage box. You must qualify for the giveaway (see rules below).
Oh, and another thing... we're only running this giveaway for five hours to get codes to winners ASAP. (Ends today at 1pm PT).
Here's what the Shack Staff are playing this weekend. (Click any editor's name to visit their Twitter page. Follow Shacknews on Twitter for regular updates and contests.)
- Garnett Lee: I have a mountain of stories to get ready for next week but I'll also be trying to wrap up SOCOM 4, getting in a little time with the Gears of War 3 multiplayer beta, and kicking sci-fi mercenary ass in Hunters: Episode One HD.
- Alice O'Connor: I really must remember to play don't take it personally, babe, it just ain't your story, but then there's also Magicka: Vietnam, Sanctum, and Anomaly: Warzone Earth, and let's not forget the possibility of Portal 2 launching early.
- Xav de Matos: I would like to play the Gears of War 3 beta, Splinter Cell 3DS, and Portal 2... but I'm packing and all of my systems (and PC) are in boxes.
- Jeff Mattas: Other than doing my part to help Portal 2 release early by playing Steam indies this weekend, I'm very much looking forward to some more Crysis 2 and Motorstorm: Apocalypse.
- Steve Watts: I've taken advantage of some of the XBLA sales, so I'll be playing Bionic Commando and Magic, and plugging away on Ghost Recon for the 3DS. I'm also seriously considering popping Portal back in for another quick go-round, in preparation for Portal the Second.
- Ozzie Mejia: Taking it easy this weekend by playing the Stevie Nicks songs that hit Rock Band 3, before Portal 2 consumes my entire being for the foreseeable future.
Rules for entering this giveaway
To enter this giveaway, leave a comment telling us what you plan on playing (other than Gears of War 3!) You must have a registered Shacknews account. Winners will be contacted via Shackmessage. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the USA or Canada, excluding Puerto Rico and Quebec. Limit 1 entry per person (only your first comment will be counted). The entry period ends at 1:00pm PST on 4/16/11.This giveaway has ended. At that time, we will randomly select ten (10) winners to each receive one (1) code for early access to the Gears of War 3 Beta.


text:
Embrace the new season with SAA!
For many of us, we have entered the last mile and cannot wait to take our annual break. We know you deserve it! Holiday time is precious for so many reasons, so avoid the over congested highways this summer and fly in style with SAA. No other domestic airline offers you such a comprehensive schedule, flying to more destinations, more often.
Speaking of flying in style, why not spoil yourself and fly premium, enabling you to enjoy our signature dishes created by our local master chef, Reuben Riffel.
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Until next time, travel safe!
South African Airways has added two more travel options to our African route network as part of the airline's growth plans on the continent.
Effective 17 January 2012, SAA will commence operations from Johannesburg to Kigali (Rwanda) and onwards to Bujumbura (Burundi). The return flights will operate from Bujumbura to Kigali and onwards to Johannesburg's OR Tambo International airport. These flights are now available from your local travel agent or via www.flysaa.com
SAA is focused on strengthening its intra-Africa network in line with its Africa Expansion programme. Adding even more destinations to our already extensive Africa route network gives our customers more travel options to thriving destinations that were previously difficult to reach by air.
In addition to being the capital city of Rwanda, Kigali is also its economic, cultural and tourist transit hub. Bujumbura is Burundi's capital and largest city and is close to the country's main port, shipping coffee as its primary export.
The route between Johannesburg to Kigali and onwards to Bujumbura will be serviced three times a week by a SAA's A319 aircraft which is able to accommodate 120 passengers in a two class (business and economy) configuration.
SAA's most recent addition to its African route network was the start of flights to Ndola, Zambia on 2 October. The Ndola service is largely aligned to growth in demand from mining executives, especially those flying into South Africa from countries such as Australia.
Fly to Perth
Famous Chef Reuben Riffel
Prepares Special On-board Dishes
South African Airways (SAA) has partnered with the famous South African chef, Reuben Riffle (pictured), of the famed Reuben's restaurant in Franschoek in the Western Cape, to prepare some of his signature dishes for the airline's Premium Class customers.
Premium Class customers travelling on all longer regional routes (into Africa) as well as to international destinations will already be able to enjoy these dishes.
Reuben is working on the menus on routes out of Johannesburg and Cape Town only. The signature dishes Reuben has designed especially for the enjoyment of our customers will be identified by his signature next to each dish.
Reuben's food philosophy is that food doesn't have to be fancy and extravagant to be delicious. He burst onto the restaurant scene when still in his early 20s where he worked at Monneaux Restaurant where he quickly moved up the ranks from Assistant Sous Chef to Executive Chef. Monneaux was voted one of Eat Out's Top 10 restaurants for two consecutive years. From there he headed to Cambridge in England, to open Bruno's Brasserie with some friends. Bruno's received rave reviews and earned a loyal following of patrons.
In 2004 the lure of the Cape Winelands drew him back home to South Africa where he opened his Reuben's restaurant in Franschoek. Reuben's was an instant hit and within six months it won the prestigious Eat Out Johnnie Walker Restaurant of the Year Award. Reuben himself won the coveted title of Eat Out Johnnie Walker Chef of the Year. Reuben's was also voted one of Eat Out Johnnie Walker's Top 10 Restaurants in 2005 and 2006; and in 2007 Reuben Riffel won the invitation-only Unilever Chef of the Year title.
In 2008 he published Reuben Cooks - Food is Time Travel; and was awarded Best Chef's Book in South Africa 2009 at the international Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Spain.
"SAA's collaboration with Reuben Riffel is just one of the initiatives we are currently working on to take food and beverage to greater heights while at the same time improving our on-board product offering," says Bongi (Tshazi) Sodladla, SAA's Food and Beverage Manager.
Some of Reuben's signature dishes our Premium Class customers will be able to enjoy include:
The lure of a holiday in Cape Town lies in its spectacular setting and the beauty of its natural environment, as well as the rich cultural diversity of its people. It is a city with four distinct seasons, each working its particular magic on Cape Town and bringing with it a flood of associations - summer and white sandy beaches, autumn's crisp colours, the ferocity of stormy seas in winter, and spring's show of Cape fynbos flowers.
It's vast combination of culture, history and scenery leads to an unforgettable experience. This is a special place with much to contribute towards its growing reputation as a favoured travel destination.
Fly to Cape Town
For the first time in the history of the airline, SAA will introduce direct flights to Beijing, China; from January next year.
The inaugural flight is scheduled to depart on Tuesday 31 January 2012 from Johannesburg to arrive in Beijing, China; on Wednesday 1 February 2012. These flights are available from today for reservations in the global distribution system (GDS) and via SAA's website flysaa.com, the airline's on-line website.
Introducing direct flights to Beijing is in line with SAA's strategy to expand its network to Asia, the fastest growing market in the world. SAA will operate the route three times a week. The route will be served by the Airbus A340-600 aircraft, which have the capacity to operate the route directly all year round with no passenger payload restrictions. Flying time between Johannesburg and Beijing takes on average 15 hours.
Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world. The city is the country's political, cultural and educational centre and home to the headquarters for most of China's largest state-owned companies.
Johannesburg - Beijing schedule:
Flight SA288
Tuesday, Friday, Sunday
Depart Johannesburg 08h00
Arrive Beijing 04h40*(Following day)
Beijing - Johannesburg schedule:
Flight SA289
Monday, Wednesday, Saturday
Depart Beijing 06h40*
Arrive Johannesburg 15h30*(Following day)
*All times are local. Please note that these slots may change.
Flights to China
Cape Town Minstrel Carnival
Every New Year, thousands of minstrels take to the streets in a dazzling display of colourful satin uniforms, shiny parasols, painted faces and foot-tapping banjo tunes that accompany the traditional folk songs, many of Cape Malay origin. The parade is known colloquially as the 'Coon Carnival' ('coon' referring to a member of a minstrel troupe) among the predominately Afrikaans-speaking 'coloured' community who make up the majority of the performers. The traditional event has its origins in the 19th century when minstrel entertainers on American cruise ships stopped off in Cape Town; their sounds and styles were incorporated into the New Year festivals of the newly freed Malay slaves.
The Carnival begins in the new year and the festivities continue into January with extravagant street parades; singing, dancing, costume competitions and marches through the streets from the central city area of District Six.
J&B Met
One of the most prestigious and anticipated events on Cape Town's social calendar, the J&B Met is not only about thoroughbreds, but is a day of glamorous fashion, entertainment and sophistication, accompanied by J&B Scotch Whiskey. The R1.5-million prize money is in keeping with its status as the premier horseracing event in South Africa, and the Official After Party is a highly rated post-race event that continues the festivities well into the early hours.
Date: 28 January 2012
SAA Voyager Promotion
Rent between 01 October 2011 and 31 December 2011 and earn 500 Voyager Miles for weekend rentals on qualifying rates. You must book an Avis weekend car rental through www.flysaa.com, and you can stand a chance to win 1 of 5 Macbook Air notebooks.
Book now
*Terms and Conditions apply


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In topic: Meditation and Mindfulness
Mindfulness Sutra - Talk 1 - Metta Institute 2014By Zoketsu Norman Fischer | Apr 12, 2014
Location: Santa Sabina
In topic: Meditation and Mindfulness
Norman gives his first talk on the Mindfulness Sutra to the Metta Institute at Santa Sabina April 2014.
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02 September 2008
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Destination: It's time for Africa
If there was ever a month to feel proud as a South African, June would be it! Here at SAA, we are honoured about the role we are playing. From welcoming the world to our shores to transporting Bafana Bafana to their various soccer matches. You can count on SAA for all your local and regional flights needs. After all, there's a reason why we've won the Best Airline in Africa for eight years running...
From everyone at SAA, we wish you a festive 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and the very best of luck to Bafana Bafana!
Fare Specials
Johannesburg to
Maputo from R2675
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Vic Falls from R3564
Johannesburg to
Windhoek from R3295
More Special Fares
General News
Upcoming Events
Functionality (Did You Know?)
Partner of the month
Destination: It's time for Africa
Over June and July, more people than ever before will enjoy their first African experience. That's why we decided to highlight a few of Africa's gems...
The largest country in East Africa, Tanzania boasts the highest mountain on the continent, the exotic spice islands of historical Zanzibar, and the famous Serengeti National Park whose seemingly endless plains stage one of the greatest spectacles of animal behaviour, the annual migration of millions of wildebeest and zebra followed by their predators.
Kenya has a sophisticated tourism infrastructure, with two major cities controlling the majority of the tourism trade. Nairobi, the capital, is the safari and hiking hub, situated in the cool Central Highlands, while on the east coast the hot and humid trading port of Mombasa functions as the gateway to the resorts and pristine beaches of the area.
Zimbabwe offers an astounding variety of natural beauty and spectacular scenery. The country holds great appeal for active adventurers, outdoor enthusiasts and those with an appreciative eye for exquisite beauty - from the majesty of the famous Victoria Falls, to the giant marble-like boulders of the Motopo Hills. Highlights include the verdant mountains of the Eastern Highlands as well as the national parks teeming with wildlife.
Uganda is one of the continent's most beautiful countries, boasting a wide variety of scenery, culture and wildlife despite its modest size. Its reputation as 'Africa's friendliest country' is not only accredited to its likeable people, but also to its redevelopment as an eco-friendly environment, with the enlightened management of 10 national parks, and its introduction of eco-tourism projects, adventure sports and unique gorilla-trekking opportunities that have put the country back on the tourist circuit.
The big, beautiful country of Zambia is situated in the heart of the African sub-continent, untainted by commercial tourist development, but nevertheless well-equipped to allow visitors to experience the warmth, excitement, challenges and adventures of the real Africa. The country's prime attraction is the spectacular, breathtaking Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Flight Specials
*Above fares are on a return basis, inclusive of all taxes and are subject to change due to currency fluctuations.
Terms and conditions apply. For fares from other cities please visit
... and navigate to 'Plan Your Trip' >> Specials
General News
South African Airways voted for 8th consecutive year as Best Airline in Africa
Johannesburg, 24 May 2010:
South African Airways (SAA) has, for the 8th consecutive year, been voted the Best Airline in Africa. The South African national carrier has also been named winner of the category Staff Service Excellence Africa in the Skytrax World Airline Awards.
The awards were presented on the 20th of May 2010 at the 11th Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany. Some 40 different airlines from around the world gathered to receive their accolades, which were handed out by Mr Edward Plaisted, Chairman of Skytrax.
Mr. Michael Bentele, SAA Head of Europe received the two awards on behalf of the South African national carrier. "SAA is very proud to be the winner of the two prestigious awards. We want to express our appreciation to our customers who have consistently voted SAA the best in Africa," said Bentele.
Award winners are selected by the airline industry's most important audience - its customers.
"Winning in this year's World Airline Awards, which have gained worldwide esteem and respect, will always have a special place at SAA. The two prestigious awards were announced 21 days before the 2010 FIFA World Cup. They come at a time when SAA has confirmed its readiness for the greatest sporting event on the planet and the largest ever to be held on the African continent. Thousands of SAA customers can look forward to travelling onboard Africa's most awarded airline," said Mr. Fani Zulu, SAA Head of Group Corporate Affairs.
About the World Airline (Skytrax) Awards
The World Airline Awards™ are based on results from 17.94 million questionnaires completed by 100 different nationalities of airline passengers between July 2009 and April 2010, involving more than 200 airlines worldwide.
The survey measures over 35 different aspects of passenger satisfaction for each airline's product and service standards - evaluating the 'typical' travel experience across both Airport and Onboard environments. Operating since 1999, the survey is held in highest esteem for its clarity of process and rigorously applied rules of complete independence.
The awards are recognised around the world, renowned for being the only truly global, independent passenger survey of airline standards. The survey does not receive any outside or third-party sponsorship. The World Airline Awards celebrate their 11th anniversary in 2010, with representatives from airlines across the globe attending the Awards ceremony in Hamburg on 20th May 2010.
Past SAA World Airline (Skytrax) Awards
Over the years SAA has received several awards, making the South African national carrier the most awarded airline in Africa. Some of the past Skytrax awards include
Best Airline in Africa (8 consecutive years including 2010)
2009 SAA was ranked as being amongst the world's top 15 international airlines for both its Business and Economy Class products and service
2009 SAA moved up two spots for its Business Class product as number 11 in the top 15
SAA rated number 14 in economy class, again mostly topped by the Asian/Middle East carriers. Our economy class seat is now ranked number two in the world.
2008 SAA was awarded for the Best Airline in Africa and Best Cabin Crew in Africa
Issued by SAA Group Corporate Affairs.
Upcoming Events
The top names and seeds vie for victory in the final Grand Slam event of the season in New York each year. Singles, doubles, men's and ladies, and mixed doubles make up the five separate tournaments within the championship. Held annually at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, the event dates back to 1881 when it was played in the State of Rhode Island as a men's singles event only and it was not until 1968 that The US Open took the shape and structure that it has today.
Arthur Ashe Stadium, Flushing Meadows
30 August to 12 September 2010
Site of the final race of the Formula One season, the bumpy Interlagos Circuit is not a favourite with the drivers, but for spectators it is one of the most thrilling and vibrant of circuits. The stands are often filled with Brazilian green and yellows as locals of Sao Paulo cheer on their resident native and 2006 winner Filipe Massa. The track is 10 miles (16km) away from the city centre.
Autó dromo José Carlos Pace (Interlagos)
12 - 14 November 2010
2 - 4pm
89km - 56 miles
Various estates along the Vaal River.
5 June to 25 July 2010
12pm - 6pm
As the name suggests, this route is a casual, relaxed experience. Like a fine wine, it is meant to be enjoyed at leisure and taken in stride. 20 venues along the banks of the Vaal River are selected each year to showcase South Africa's most elegant wines, over a designated period of time. The route can be travelled by car, taxi or river cruiser. Game drives at the neighbouring reserves, golf on the nearby courses or a visit to the Emerald Casino (which has an indoor water world, bowling and miniature golf facilities) are optional side meanders for an enjoyable family outing.
Functionality (Did You Know?)
Mobile-Optimised flysaa.com Services
South African Airways has it's very own mobile portal allowing customers to access comprehensive travel and airline information from just one point of reference, anywhere, anytime, using your cellphone.
By visiting m.flysaa.com on your internet enabled device travellers have access to the mobile-optimised flysaa.com services:
check your itinerary
airline flight schedules
lounger finder
flight arrival and departure information
destination information
weather forecasts for any city in the world
currency converter
baggage tracing
view your Voyager Mileage status
The portal is also currently available in six languages; English, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Traditional Chinese.
Partner of the month
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Images: Krieger Conradt (boats); súgán (African Art); D4NDEL10N (Gorilla); vincent_schutte (Mombassa)
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Wednesday, October 31, 2007
"Chasing Glory" Missed By Most NASCAR Fans
Wednesday afternoons on ESPN2 have become an exercise in technology for true NASCAR fans. The DVR's and the TiVo's are humming at 5:30 Eastern Time for a below-the-radar TV series called Chasing Glory.
This week, perhaps the best show of the season was on-tap with an in-depth professionally done profile of Tony Stewart. Produced by NASCAR Images, this show features their signature deep-voiced announcer and lots of great footage from the NASCAR Images Library that has not been seen by most fans.
This included a rare look at a Roush Racing meeting featuring Mark Martin and Jack Roush talking openly about the superior car that Stewart's team often brought to the track. Pat Tryson and others were just scratching their heads about what and how the Home Depot team had done to get themselves in this position.
Since the transition to this new TV contract, the one thing sorely missing from the scene has been more in-depth and behind-the-scenes programming. NASCAR Images provides Survival of the Fastest to SPEED, and Chasing Glory to ESPN, but that is a dot on the landscape. Neither the Busch or Truck Series have any on-going program series that focus on the hard work of those teams and drivers.
This episode of Chasing Glory had a clear vision of how it should present the complicated Stewart, and it did a tremendous job. From chasing the early fiery days of Stewart's growth in the sport, to talking about his re-location to Indiana and his new found maturity, NASCAR Images put on a great show.
AP reporter Jenna Fryer provided the background information and the media perspective about Stewart. Her information helped to fill-in the holes in the story that could not be done with comments from Greg Zipadelli or Stewart himself. She has proven to be an interesting personality in her own right, with a cynical and yet supportive eye on the sport.
There may have not been a finer thirty minute "glossy" NASCAR TV program series on the air this season, with only ESPN's limited Ultimate NASCAR series comparing in overall quality to Chasing Glory. That is why the same question is being asked by NASCAR fans nationwide.
What the heck is this wonderful NASCAR series doing on the air at 5:30PM on a Wednesday? That is 2:30PM on the West Coast. What part of this timeslot says NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Chase for the Championship? ESPN is the exclusive provider of The Chase races. Can't they spare thirty minutes of primetime once a week for NASCAR?
Hopefully, the wonderful quality of this series as a whole will encourage ESPN to re-air the series on ESPN Classic during the off-season. Maybe, during the post-season meeting between ESPN and NASCAR Images, Chasing Glory might get a promotion to a regular night of the week in primetime so fans who do not have recording technology in their homes can also see this very nice series.
The Daly Planet welcomes comments from readers. Simply click on the COMMENTS section below, or email firstname.lastname@example.com if you wish not to be published. Thanks again for taking the time to stop-by and leave your opinion.
36 comments:
- Ally said...
I hope you don't mind, but I disagree that the footage on Chasing Glory hasn't been seen by most fans. IMHO the viewers who watch and seek out NASCAR TV in this category -would it be documentary/reality?- seek out and record all of this type of show; other fans like watching racing but don't like these shows and dont watch them.
When these shows have been mentioned on The Daly Planet before, I've seen several posters have mentioned seeing the footage before. It's a very devoted audience and one that has seen NASCAR Images produce many shows before without going to their library and using it so heavily. I didn't even know they produced so many shows until this year because they were all different. It's kinda hard to understand why they are repeating so much now with Chasing Glory and Survival of the Fastest. I am glad you enjoyed it, but the for the devoted fan who watches this type of show, it takes away the enjoyment and I don't think it's their best work by any means. Thank you for your time and for all the blogs I see here today I have a lot of catching up to do!
- October 31, 2007 at 7:57 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
I think you might be missing my point just a little bit. The percentage of TV households in the US without a DVR or TiVo is still quite high.
This is the first season of ESPN making a multi-million dollar commitment to the sport. Wednesday at 5:30 PM for the only NASCAR reality show on the entire ESPN network family is a disgrace.
I think the "re-purposed" footage that you are speaking about was Kyle Busch by the pool in his house, which was aired several weeks ago but apparently shot last summer for another series.
As you may be aware from watching these shows, they are mostly topical, with little opportunity to "cheat." If you saw the Tony Stewart show today, I would be interested in your opinion.
Since Survival of the Fastest is a show about the previous race on the 2007 Cup Series, I don't really understand your point about repeating "so much" footage this year.
Hopefully, with some more prodding, we can get some on-going reality style shows up and running again on the Busch and Truck Series. Thanks.
- October 31, 2007 at 9:00 PM
- Anonymous said...
I think ESPN should show Chasing Glory again. They show constant reruns of World Series of Poker. Maybe the can take a break and gain NASCAR fans if new viewers can become acquainted to the drivers.
It's so much easier to be a football or basketball fan. Everyday in the daily paper, there are articles regading the players. With programs like Chasing Glory, the general sports fan will find a connection to drivers.
I'm glad you give kudos when the are deserved.
- October 31, 2007 at 9:33 PM
- Ally said...
Thanks for your reply! I'm sorry but I still think these shows are below standard. I understood and agree with your main point that a show like this shouldn't be on in the daytime. But you also said at the top of the blog entry - and that is where I disagree - 'Produced by NASCAR Images, this show features their signature deep-voiced announcer and lots of great footage from the NASCAR Images Library that has not been seen by most fans.'
But we have seen it before, that is the problem and it has been brought up by other posters each time you've done a blog entry on these shows (Oct. 10, Oct.14, and also Oct.23 in 'Big Weekend for NASCAR Fans' entry.) People need to be aware that NASCAR Images is doing that kind of stuff and some fans don't like it. They should be open to criticism just like the other TV partners IMHO and hopefully they will respond to feedback like TV partners have done with comments in your other entries.
The Kyle Busch repeat footage was just one example of repeated footage; and they actually combined Kyle footage from two different old NASCAR Images programs. The Jimmie Johnson Chasing Glory episode was full of old footage and kept switching back between last year and this year. Same with Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, although Jeff's did the best job of presenting the footage historically, like a highlights package and less presenting him hanging out casually, which is where the reused footage is being used so much.
On Survival of the Fastest which is supposed to take us through the previous week, they always have segments on personal lives of the team featured. Each week a part of the show features the drivers or crews hanging out away from the shops/track. A lot of that footage- some almost every week- was taken from the program called 7 Days and placed in Survival of The Fastest. On the DEI show, Martin Truex's/Bono's fishing trip was from his 7 Days show. So it didn't happen the week they make it look like it was in, it happened last year.
Last week's Survival of the Fastest showed Carl Edwards trying to get his record company off the ground. That footage was a feature on NASCAR Nation from two years ago (and repeated on RaceDay/NASCAR This Morning back then, I think). I guess they ran out of 7 Days footage!
It happens all the time, not just once, and that's what I want NASCAR Images to know is that we notice it. They never used to reuse footage like that. I think it's a valid point to bring to their attention when mentioning the pros and cons of Chasing Glory and Survival/Fastest. We like these shows and want them to be the the best product they can put out there, and they should want that too. Thanks.
- October 31, 2007 at 9:37 PM
- Anonymous said...
@JD--yes you are correct. I'm not sure how basic of a service you can have, but I know with cable you have to have Digital for the DVR. There are a ton of folks who can't afford basic cable which in most areas is $20ish.
As I mentioned a few weeks back, I found this show accidentally. I was trying to locate another program that supposedly was coming on mid day that I never found. But I've been enjoying it. I haven't watched today's installment yet but look forward to it :)!
I agree, Survival is the previous week's race and short of needing to tell a back story (i.e. the other week when they showed Roush and highlighted Greg Erwin and showed video of his time with Robby) everything is pretty much fresh on that show.
Yes they used that footage of Kylie on 7 Days.
- October 31, 2007 at 9:57 PM
- Anonymous said...
If "Chasing Glory" really is mostly a re-edited mélange of old footage, then that would help to explain ESPN's lack of promotion and enthusiasm for the show.
Then again, maybe it's just another result of ESPN's "misunderestimation" and disrespect for NASCAR content in general.
It's hard to know for sure!
- October 31, 2007 at 9:58 PM
- Anonymous said...
Well, count me in as a viewer who frequently sees the "repurposed" video during Chasing Glory (and Survival of the Fastest). If you don't know it's repurposed, it's easy to be fooled in the way they edit it. Yet and still, Chasing Glory shouldn't be on TV at 4:30 Central when it doesn't repeat during the week - that's insulting.
I'll live with the "library" video, though I'm not impressed. But I'll just say it right now: If SPEED or ESPN brings back a new season of NASCAR Drivers 360 (my favorite) and I see old footage from another show? Somebody's gonna be in for a hurtin'. ;)
- October 31, 2007 at 11:23 PM
- Anonymous said...
I'm relying on two-week-old memory here, which may be faulty. But In regards to the Jeff Gordon episode of Chasing Glory, I can recall seeing scenes in it at Jeff's apartment from NASCAR NonStop-the Casey Mears episode. Also a scene from Jeff's DVD I recorded when it was on TNT this summer.
I guess I'm like Ally and I watch most of these shows, so it does pop out a little at you when it's presented as new in the context of the program.
- November 1, 2007 at 12:35 AM
- ruddrpm said...
My only thoughts on the "re-purposed" footage would be that these chase drivers/teams just don't want to be followed around during what is for them the most crucial time of their entire year. So to make shows about chase drivers & teams without their complete participation you need to fill the holes with something. Nascar personalities can be quite finnecky(sp?), especially at crunch time.
- November 1, 2007 at 12:40 AM
- Anonymous said...
Chasing Glory is good but confusing. At the very beginning it was mostly a race show about the week's Chase race. Then the past few weeks it's more a biography of a driver with some current race footage towards the end. Seems like the former would be easier to produce than the latter, but perhaps the race concentration made it too similar to Beyond the Wheel. Maybe they wanted to add something that would make it different by adding the older footage.
- November 1, 2007 at 7:20 AM
- Anonymous said...
Previous shows (7 Days, Beyond the Wheel) used all-new material--why, suddenly, are we seeing old video in new shows? Cost-cutting?
It's too bad, because, until they started doing this, the NASCAR Images shows were VERY good.
- November 1, 2007 at 7:44 AM
- GinaV24 said...
John, you keep saying they should show these again on ESPN Classic, well, just like the folks that may not have DVR or Tivo capability, many cable companies don't provide ESPN Classic. Things shown on channels that most of us don't get do not do us any good. I do agree with one thing -- why show it at 5:30 p.m. east coast time? The times I'm home from work at that time of day each month can be counted on 1 hand. I would love to see these shows, but ESPN's random scheduling of shows doesn't make me want to tune in.
- November 1, 2007 at 9:46 AM
- haus20 said...
Replying to ally...
I have TIVO and I don't have EVERY Nascar show set to record. In fact, I only have two that record weekly. Most people do not have time to watch everone of those shows.
- November 1, 2007 at 10:12 AM
- Anonymous said...
Not on Topic but:
Explain This...Speed is not doing truck qualifying today, but is doing Busch practice & qualifying on Friday. You would think they would do their own series qualifying, but it does not show on their website. Maybe JD can get some sort of reason
- November 1, 2007 at 10:44 AM
- Anonymous said...
---"I have TIVO and I don't have EVERY Nascar show set to record. In fact, I only have two that record weekly. Most people do not have time to watch everone of those shows."
There's only two NASCAR reality-style shows on right now, and one just started a few weeks ago. That's an hour a week- there's plenty of time to watch that every week. Last year there was 7 Days, Beyond the Wheel, and NBS 24/7 for part of the year. So, that was 90 minutes a week. I think that's what Ally's talking about (correct me if I'm wrong) because that's what I try to watch every week too. Or DVR because they're both hard to find.
And just like you, I don't watch *every* NASCAR show - I don't watch shows like NASCAR Performance and Tradin' Paint and INC every week (I do sometimes) - not everybody favors those types of shows, just like not everybody likes reality-style shows. You've got your two shows, I've got my two shows. That's why it's good to have a variety available and that's why people may not like seeing the filler footage if they are regular viewers.
- November 1, 2007 at 11:06 AM
- Anonymous said...
I agree with those that have issues with the repurposing of footage. I have missed an episode or two but all of them I have seen have included footage from different seasons that were used in various other programs. The most annoying part of the repurposing is that they aren't putting the footage in context, but acting like these are things that are going on with those drivers currently when they are over a season old.
Also agree with the poster about being confused about the focus of this show. When it first started it seemed to focus more on that week's Chase race (sorta like Beyond the Wheel), while now the episodes are more geared to a single Chase driver.
- November 1, 2007 at 12:48 PM
- Anonymous said...
ruddrpm hit the nail on the head. the teams and drivers are not being cooperative and therefore older footage is used to fill in the gaps.
- November 1, 2007 at 5:22 PM
- Anonymous said...
Anonymous said...
ruddrpm hit the nail on the head. the teams and drivers are not being cooperative and therefore older footage is used to fill in the gaps.
November 1, 2007 5:22 PM
If that is the case, why is there no indication to the viewers that old footage is being used? Was there an assumption that viewers wouldn't notice the old footage if it was "melded" with the new footage filmed during the week? Because the implication Chasing Glory and Survival of the Fastest give is that we are seeing events that unfolded recently.
- November 1, 2007 at 5:39 PM
- Anonymous said...
@anonymous 10:44--despite promises from several years back we *don't* get Pick 'em Ups qualifying every race, why I don't know. So it's not just this week it's almost every week.
- November 1, 2007 at 5:57 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Hey Gang,
I have dropped an email to my senior management contact at NASCAR Images and brought-up the points you made. He is going to be reading your comments and getting back to me...I will update on this thread and also on a new column when I hear back...great comments!
- November 1, 2007 at 6:45 PM
- Anonymous said...
Anonymous said...
ruddrpm hit the nail on the head. the teams and drivers are not being cooperative and therefore older footage is used to fill in the gaps.
November 1, 2007 5:22 PM
It's understandable that these drivers are too busy to provide off track footage and want to remain focused on the championship at this point. That's fine - focus on the stuff at the track. Don't use older footage and pretend it is current.
- November 1, 2007 at 7:10 PM
- Anonymous said...
"This episode of Chasing Glory had a clear vision of how it should present the complicated Stewart, and it did a tremendous job. From chasing the early fiery days of Stewart's growth in the sport, to talking about his re-location to Indiana and his new found maturity, NASCAR Images put on a great show."
I'm sure Paul Menard is ROFL at the "Stewart's new found maturity" comment. That may have been true earlier last season, but this year he truly digressed.
- November 1, 2007 at 7:49 PM
- Ally said...
'Daly Planet Editor said...
Hey Gang,
I have dropped an email to my senior management contact at NASCAR Images and brought-up the points you made. He is going to be reading your comments and getting back to me...I will update on this thread and also on a new column when I hear back...great comments!'
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you have a contact there, but I shouldn't be surprised.
A new episode of Survival of the Fastest for Joe Gibbs Racing was on SPEED tonight. I paid more attention to the detail of the captioning which I didn't before - before I just knew in general they were acting like the footage was new when it wasn't.
This show was from the Atlanta race. They had a caption that said 'Huntersville - 4 Days before the race'. The footage shown there of Denny Hamlin and JD Gibbs was taken from each of their episodes of 7 Days.
They had a caption that said 'Holden Beach - 4 days before the race'. That was footage of JJ Yeley at the beach from one of his episodes of NASCAR Drivers Non-Stop last year. That switched to old footage of JJ Yeley's hauler driver Peter Jellen getting ready; he had a 7 Days episode too, to demonstrate the life of a hauler driver.
Later in the episode they showed Jellen again because he won an award, but that was definitely new footage because I read about it on Jayski last week or this week.
Just a weird and disappointing thing and I hope you can shed some light on it. Your new blog on NASCAR Now that mentions Ethics classes kinda hits home on this. Thanks again!
- November 1, 2007 at 9:48 PM
- Anonymous said...
The NASCAR Images folks may have already been reading these comments this morning. The new SOTF had, to me, briefer amounts of the old footage and it was all bunched together at the beginning (which still doesn't make it acceptable for them to say it was from a few days before the race). Usually there's also a stretch in the middle of the show with the old footage. (Like normally the Yeley footage at the beach would have been much longer instead of a few seconds, like the length of the part with Carl Edwards visitng the music executives last week.) Last minute editing?
A caveat: perhaps the footage in the middle tonight with the JGR athletic trainer was actually old footage and I simply don't remember it from a NASCAR Images show episode. But I've pretty much seen them all...they've had some great shows.
- November 1, 2007 at 10:31 PM
- Ann_Ominous said...
I did see the Tony Steward Chasing Glory episode. It was the first Chasing Glory episode that I had seen. I missed maybe the first 3 minutes. The whole episode had a "been there, done that" feel for me. I was bored.
I would guess maybe 5 minutes tops was new footage that I had not seen before. The only old footage that I did not remember seeing before was the stuff at Roush. Maybe I hadn't seen the stuff of Tony at the dirt track, or maybe I had. I know I've seen footage of him doing stuff like that at dirt tracks. It was rather generic "Tony at the Dirt Track" footage, nothing special about it.
The narration was the same old Tony story. No new insights. Maybe new interviews with some people, but I nothing they said jumped out as something that they hadn't said before.
It just seemed so rehashed "same old same old" Like I said, I was bored.
- November 1, 2007 at 11:31 PM
- Anonymous said...
I haven't see Chasing Glory because of the scheduling, but I often watch Survival of the Fastest. After Ally and others have pointed all this detail out, I'm really rather disgusted with what I've seen now. I saw that fishing trip with Truex and remember thinking it was nice that he was relaxing a little bit during the pressure of the Chase. And now I find out its from last year? And the record company deal with Carl Edwards, my boyfriend and I were surprised that he had time to devote to a meeting about a non-racing business during the Chase and also running the Busch series. Turns out he didn't!
I just find the entire idea of slipping in this footage inherently offensive. When I watch a reality series on VH-1 or E!, I know it's fake upfront. They'll come out and tell you in interviews that these shows are "docusoaps" or "scripted reality."
I don't expect and won't accept my behind the scenes racing shows to be "scripted reality"-especially when they do their best to hide it.
- November 2, 2007 at 2:58 AM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Please keep adding the footage issues that you see on this series to this post. NASCAR Images will be reviewing your comments and getting back to me shortly.
The senior managers from Images will be answering our questions about use of older footage. If it was re-tagged as fresh, that changes the dynamic of this discussion.
Thanks for letting me know about this issue.
- November 2, 2007 at 5:07 AM
- Anonymous said...
I watched the late showing of Survival of the Fastest on Speed last night and can also confirm the Denny Hamlin and J.D. Gibbs office clips were from 7 Days episodes I'd seen last year - even though the graphic said before the race. The Denny clip is a little funny because the scheduler is telling him he needs to carve out a week for vacation. That statement applies when the program is supposed to be from midseason (which it was in 2006), It doesn't apply if the program is supposed to be from four weeks left in the Chase. In fact, the closeup on the paper calendar pages Denny was looking at said "may 2006" and "June 2006".
Both last week's and this week's episodes of Survival of the Fastest are on Speed again today. 3-4 ET.
- November 2, 2007 at 8:17 AM
- Anonymous said...
SPEED was just made available to us this year. Going through these comments, sounds like they need to renew this 7 Days show as it sounds like the most interesting footage in NASCAR programming this season stems from that.
Anyone mind explaining exactly what 7 Days is and why it's not on the air?
- November 2, 2007 at 8:32 AM
- Anonymous said...
Anonymous said...
Anyone mind explaining exactly what 7 Days is and why it's not on the air?
November 2, 2007 8:32 AM
Best way I can describe 7 Days is the half-hour version of NASCAR 360, if you've seen that show. They follow one person around from Monday-Sunday all the way to the next race, so part of the show takes place at the track. The first part is showing their personal life at home and/or their job duties away from the track.
The main difference from 360 is that it follows one person - not three - and it's not always a driver featured. Several drivers and owners have been featured (and that's the source of most of the repeated clips this year), but there were also episodes featuring:
Crew chiefs -Doug Richert, Bootie Barker
wives - Shana Mayfield, Buffy Waltrip, DeLana Harvick.
Reporters -Marty Smith, Lee Spencer
People working with NASCAR - the president of Texas Motor Speedway, the #18 hauler driver mentioned above, the man in charge of the grounds at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Kyle Busch's spotter, and a married couple in charge of the main #24 souvenier hauler. There were others, too. It was on most weeks of the season, so I'd estimate 30 - 32 episodes.
VERY good show and very high quality filming. I'd say one of my all-time NASCAR favorites. I still have several of them on tape. I have no idea why it's not on the air anymore. I assume the ratings weren't good, but it didn't get very good promotion when it was on.
May be missing one or two, but drivers who had an episode were Jeff Burton, Kyle Petty, Elliott Sadler, Boris Said, Robby Gordon, and the aforementioned Yeley, Edwards, Truex, Hamlin.
- November 2, 2007 at 9:05 AM
- Ann_Ominous said...
Since the NASCAR Images folks are suppose to be reading this, I would like to ask why they have never put out boxed DVD sets of shows like NBS 24/7, NASCAR Drivers:360, 7 Days, Beyond the Wheel, etc.? I would of been very likely to purchase them. Did they not do it because then people who had not seen the shows would know when they were using recycled footage this year?
- November 2, 2007 at 11:39 AM
- Anonymous said...
anonymous 9:05, thanks for answering about 7 Days. Sounds like we missed a good show.
- November 2, 2007 at 11:46 AM
- ruddrpm said...
The reasoning behind no DVD's from NASCAR Images stems from the fact that the airing network (SPEED, ESPN, etc.) own the shows themselves. NASCAR Images is only hired to shoot/produce them. From there its up to the networks to determine what to do with them. Thus, SPEED Channel, ESPN, etc. would be the one to distribute the shows on DVD. Still, I agree that a box set of Beyond the Wheel at the end of the year would probably sell pretty well.
- November 2, 2007 at 3:00 PM
- Anonymous said...
Since you want additions, JD, regarding this afternoon's repeat of Survival of the Fastest Martinsville, they labeled the Carl Edwards music company footage that many here say is two years old as "4 days before the race".
I've seen the footage mentioned as old several times upthread, but I don't think anyone has said that the episode, like the Atlanta episode that's on now, specifically labeled it new.
- November 2, 2007 at 3:39 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Hey Guys,
I have been exchanging emails with the NASCAR Images folks, and I think that this is going to be a good topic for a column next week.
There are a lot of issues surrounding this "re-use" of footage and I hope to get them all out in to open so we can clear the air.
- November 2, 2007 at 7:50 PM
- Anonymous said...
I hope NASCAR Images gives a full explanation of why they led fans to believe they were watching currently filmed footage in their programs. They need to do explain this fully. Otherwise viewers will look at any of their future programs with a skeptical/critical eye instead of simply looking forward to an "insider" show about NASCAR and its personalities. I'm sure they don't want that.
The sooner their explanation comes, the better. Looks like they were hoping to get through the season without any viewers noticing their actions.
- November 3, 2007 at 8:20 AM