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Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Darlington "In The Dark" On Thursday
The NASCAR action starts at the famed Darlington Raceway on Thursday at 3PM. Both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series will be taking to the track for two practice sessions.
All of the stars of the sport will be on the newly-paved raceway trying to get their cars dialed-in for both qualifying and the two races. With afternoon and evening practice sessions, there should be some interesting stories for the NASCAR television partners to tell the TV viewers live on-the-air.
Unfortunately, none of that will happen.
As the exclusive TV network of the Nationwide Series, ESPN2 will not be televising any of the Nationwide practice sessions on Thursday or Friday. The network will also not be televising the qualifying for the series.
ESPN2 will be on-the-air at 7PM Friday for the Nationwide Series race. That is the total amount of the network's on-track NASCAR programming from Darlington.
The NASCAR on Fox telecasts of the Sprint Cup Series races are transmitted over the Fox Broadcast Network through the local Fox TV stations. This allows Fox-owned cable TV network SPEED to "partner-up" with NASCAR and show Sprint Cup Series practice and qualifying sessions.
The SPEED commitment to the on-track action has been significant. The SPEED Stage and the TV programs produced by The NASCAR Media Group have met with great success. One element of this presence that has been a big hit with the fans is coverage of selected practice sessions.
Analysts like Larry McReynolds, Jeff Hammond and Hermie Sadler have been outstanding in explaining what is going-on during this live coverage. Long runs, short runs, plug checks, qualifying trim and the myriad of adjustments taking place in the garage are almost overwhelming.
Once viewers have seen these sessions, they have a whole new perspective on qualifying. During practice, the TV reporters in the garage area can deliver the stories as they actually happen. Fans can know first-hand the issues and the struggles of the teams as they approach qualifying like never before.
On this Thursday at Darlington with speeds approaching two hundred miles an hour, those stories will once again be underway. Unfortunately, there will be no one on-the-air explaining them to the TV viewers.
Across the nation, the TiVo's and DVR's will not be humming. There will be no need to record the action to view after work. Darlington will be "in the dark."
During the early Sprint Cup practice session on Thursday, SPEED will be showing a mud race as Lucas Oil presents On The Edge. As the Cup cars take to the track under the lights in the evening, on-the-air will be another presentation of PINKS followed by Pass Time. That TV series is a drag-racing game show.
In the days before cable TV, professional golf was reserved for the weekends and the broadcast TV networks. With the advent of ESPN, TV golf veteran Frank Chirkinian brought live coverage of the Thursday and Friday rounds of PGA Tour events to the nation on cable TV.
Suddenly, America discovered that there was sometimes more drama in trying to simply make the cut than in winning the tournament. Sometimes, the favorites were in big trouble. Sometimes, an underdog was at the top of the scoring sheet.
This Thursday in Darlington, the NASCAR teams will be scrambling to make the cut and get in the race. They will be doing whatever it takes to get their car "in the show." Some of the favorites might be in big trouble. Someone no one expected might be at the top of the scoring sheet.
When SPEED finally comes on-the-air this Friday at Noon, the Nationwide Series practice sessions will have concluded. SPEED will televise the remaining daytime Sprint Cup practice and then transition into qualifying for both series.
What will be left on the TV table unseen is almost six hours of cars on the Darlington track at speed from Thursday in day and night sessions.
As both the sport and the TV technology that surrounds it continue to evolve, the fact that this on-track full-speed NASCAR action is not available to the public is quickly becoming an issue. With the NASCAR TV contract now in its second season, fans are starting to realize what they are missing with this "new" deal.
Over at NASCAR.com, there will be a live leaderboard during the Thursday practices. In the garage area, the NASCAR media will be walking around and looking to create their stories before raceday as they always do. The missing piece of the Thursday puzzle is television.
Whether the "dark" practices are uplinked by DirecTV, shown on ESPN Classic or put online at NASCAR.com, there will ultimately have to be a solution.
Discussing this topic in May when the Sprint Cup championship is still wide-open is one thing. Missing Cup practices at tracks like Charlotte, Atlanta and Texas during the height of The Chase in October and November is going to be quite another issue.
The Daly Planet welcomes comments from readers. Simply click on the COMMENTS button below and follow the easy instructions. The rules for posting are on the right side of the main page. Thank you for taking the time to stop by.
31 comments:
- Mary said...
Just put all Nascar programming on Speed - end of story.
- May 6, 2008 at 7:20 PM
- Anonymous said...
if only it were that simple. In *many* markets with cable you have to not only have digital cable to get SPEED but also have to purchase a higher digital sports tier.
Where I lived in Cali, Sacramento, we had it available as an analog channel. However my friends in the Bay Area (same cable company) they had to have digital to get SPEED.
Even this past week where SPEED/Classic stepped up to combine forces, not everyone was able to watch, many had to wait for the game to finish so they could watch on the Deuce.
I'm not sure how it's balanced on DirecTV/Dish as far as the packages (i.e. if say they charge $40 for a million channels what that includes how the other channels are packaged).
But in many markets to get the first level of digital it's at least $50-60 a month and to get those higher tiers easily adds $20 to the bill. And with folks paying $3-4+ for gas, it's hard to afford it all.
Every once in a while talk on the various boards comes up about having a NASCAR channel where everything will be seen on the one channel, regardless of which TV partner is in charge. However it's not plausible because most likely it's going to be a channel on digital that not everyone can get.
- May 6, 2008 at 8:58 PM
- stricklinfan82 said...
It would sure be a great time for an all NASCAR channel. We already have the NFL Network, NHL Network, NBA TV, Golf Channel, Tennis Channel, and the Big Ten Network. I would love to see NASCAR take that next logical step and follow the other sports in creating a network dedicated to the NASCAR fan.
This continues to be very frustrating losing TV coverage of practice and qualifying sessions thanks to ESPN's lack of interest in anything but the races themselves, and Speed's occasional pre-emptions of practices in favor of other forms of racing, car auctions, and the occasional paid programming.
With a NASCAR channel we could be guaranteed an outlet for live coverage of all on-track action of all three major series. No more pre-emptions or tape-delays due to scheduling conflicts, if they're on the track it will be carried live on the NASCAR Channel. On top of that they could add in lower-tiered NASCAR Series, open up their library of old NASCAR races, and sprinkle in some NASCAR Images original productions to fill up countless hours of programming the rest of the week. Plus we could get live, full-length, and uninterrupted coverage of the post-race news conferences for all the major series as well. The possibilities would truly be endless.
That would certainly a dream come true for this NASCAR fan that is tired of seeing less and less TV coverage of NASCAR as the years go by. I'm sure it will happen someday, I just hope I'm still around to see it :)
- May 6, 2008 at 11:57 PM
- Anonymous said...
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- May 7, 2008 at 7:09 AM
- AMS fan said...
Just another reason I don't watch ESPN except for the races and NHRA.
The most obvious for sure thing is, ESPN has not lost a thing by not having the Nascar viewer. They're not going broke nor losing money by not having us. Really I don't think they have time for the Nascar viewer. Speed channel is slack sometimes, IMO, but they do have a tremendous amount of Nascar coverage. Could they have more, sure, I guess the money just isn't there yet.
Like the other post, this isn't anything new, every week we complain, ESPN just isn't ready to change.
Please forgive my grammar; I'm only a high school graduate.
- May 7, 2008 at 8:04 AM
- Anonymous said...
As has been posted a million times..ESPN's practice and qualifying rights from NASCAR are limited to 1/2 of the Nationwide weekends - not the whole season.
The market place drives demand like any other business. Despite the few hundred of fans who post here weekly about this subject the reality is there is little market for practice and qualifying on a weekly basis - otherwise NASCAR would be "selling " them like they sell everything else.
- May 7, 2008 at 8:15 AM
- wilson said...
stricklinfan said: It would sure be a great time for an all NASCAR channel.
I'm sorry but NASCAR already gets enough money out of the fans. It's bad enough having to pay outragouse prices for ticktes,food etc at a race, but then to have to pay to watch the races? No Thanks!
- May 7, 2008 at 8:38 AM
- Anonymous said...
Sorry JD, but with the top 35 locked in I do not find watching qualifying worth it.
- May 7, 2008 at 8:48 AM
- chase said...
John: I agree with Stricklinfan -- we should have a dedicated TV outlet which is not considered a 'pay tier' to watch racing and all that entails -- the smaller series as well as occasionally an F1 race. SPEED would seem the obvious venue but of course the various TV contracts would preclude that. NASCAR, in its infinite wisdom (assuming it had infinite wisdom) SHOULD focus on giving fans what they want - if practice and qualifying is boring to some then switch to another channel, but those who can't get enough of racing should have the outlet at hand should they choose to watch. Saturation in some instances is a good thing! Thanks John, as always.
- May 7, 2008 at 9:18 AM
- Anonymous said...
"John: I agree with Stricklinfan -- we should have a dedicated TV outlet which is not considered a 'pay tier' to watch racing and all that entails"
Who is going to fund a NASCAR channel not on a pay tier? The cable companies? The satellite companies? None of the above. A NASCAR channel WOULD be on a pay tier, and I'm not convinced that every company would carry it, even on a higher tier. The NFL Network has been around now for several years and still can't get many companies to carry it because of the fee the NFL is asking for it. NASCAR would likely also ask for a high fee to offset costs - and also because it's NASCAR and they don't like to spend their own money.
I also don't understand why the subject of Nationwide practice and qualifying comes up so frequently. Couldn't it just be a ratings deal and practice doesn't get good ratings? I've never seen information which indicates NW practice and qualifying are watched by a medium to large sized group of people. If a limited amount of people are watching, the network(s) has justification not to air it. Plain as that.
Since it involves extra hours (six, as you said, and an additional day) and extra manpower, it may not be worth it to the networks financially to carry practice and/or qualifying for NW.
We ARE getting final Sprint Cup practice and qualifying along with NW qualifying on Speed Channel this week. I see no reason to complain. Getting all practices on air for either series isn't going to happen -it's unrealistic. Whether we like SPEED programming (PINKS) or ESPN programming (poker) or not, they've put it there for a reason, they attract viewers with it. Neither network is the NASCAR-only channel and therefore have no responsibility to air every NASCAR activity unless contracted to do so. Unless and until NASCAR can show that practices bring in viewers, practice won't be a priority.
- May 7, 2008 at 9:50 AM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Anon 8:15AM,
I appreciate your comment, but this has nothing to do with the current TV contract with ESPN.
In the old contract the cable TV networks chased every live lap that was available.
I understand very clearly that between ESPN and SPEED the rights to practice were divided in the existing TV contract.
That does not solve the problem that so many of you are just throwing your hands up and walking away from.
As Anon 8:48AM tried use the Top 35 rule for not finding qualifying worth a darn, things in NASCAR have taken one of the most dramatic turns in the 50+ year history of the sport.
We now see historic NASCAR teams outside the Top 35 thrashing in practice to get to qualifying speed and at the same time we see the top teams desperately trying to get track position on circuits like this one at Darlington.
We saw how valuable track position was on many tracks last season because of the tire issues.
I guess my point is regardless of the issues currently associated with TV rights and contracts and schedules, even a two camera shoot with no announcers and only the natural sound streamed on NASCAR.com or put up on DirecTV's NASCAR channel would be better than keeping those who want to see the product in the dark.
I appreciate your comments on this issue. It is not the last time you will be hearing about it.
- May 7, 2008 at 9:51 AM
- glenc1 said...
I still think people need to get a life...
just kidding (really, I am). I do watch it if it's on sometimes, but...there are only so many hours in a day, ya know? Practice can be *somewhat* interesting depending on the track, but...most of the time, you don't gain a lot of knowledge. I do think qualifying should be available, even if it's not live. But I agree with anon 9:50...if there were that much untapped viewership, they'd be there.
I don't think any of the 'league' channels show *everything* (only one I watch is NFL network--but I have a dish), but NASCAR is unique. What do F1 fans have in Europe? I mean, F1 is huge there, do they get everyone on Eurosport or something, or do they have their own 'channel'? Just curious. I also agree with those saying we don't want to pay extra for that. Our Speed is on digital tier only also, that's why I got my dish (and I believe it's part of the lower tier, gymmie.) I think the difference in locations is, if they already had Speed before digital came around versus 'after' when they automatically put it on digital (we didn't have it at all until 2001 or so, so it automatically ended up on the digital tier.)
- May 7, 2008 at 11:25 AM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
I would invite you to think about two points.
First, the ability to record TV shows and play them back exists in the home, at the cable system, and in the VOD areas of the cable dial. What we are simply talking about is live "at speed" action that is being wasted. It is not an issue of ad sales or marketing or anything else. That stuff comes later. These practice sessions were on-the-air back when TNN has this TV package. Things have not progressed, they have gone backwards.
Second, there is simply no stick-and-ball sport to compare to NASCAR. BTW, F-1 has every lap on global TV but that is a bit different than the Yankees taking BP for their over one hundred games. There is only a limited amount of NASCAR product that features cars on the track, it is up to NASCAR to figure out how to make it available to those fans who want to see how their driver is doing and what the new Darlington raceway looks like with cars at speed.
As I said in my golf analogy, people laughed at Chirkinian when he brought the Thursday and Friday rounds to cable TV, now that practice is standard. It will be up to NASCAR to figure out how to let you watch all their "race speed" content on any device you wish.
- May 7, 2008 at 11:44 AM
- Anonymous said...
Thursday and Friday golf no longer airs on the big cable channels except for the major tourneys. Thursday and Friday golf action is now mainly on the Golf Channel. NASCAR may have to wait until it has its own channel to have the luxury of having all practices aired.
It is not an issue of ad sales or marketing or anything else.
Yes, it is; they go hand in hand. TV is driven by ad sales, especially in this era of specialized channels. The TNN era is a thing of the past. If a company wants to step up and stream the NASCAR practice content online without announcers, that's fine (and probably the most reasonable solution), but that seems to contradict the original notion stated here, which is that practice is about telling the stories of the day from announcers, reporters, and drivers.
These practice sessions were on-the-air back when TNN has this TV package. Things have not progressed, they have gone backwards.
Again, viewers had fewer cable options then. Now they can change the channel to another of 100 or more options, or more importantly, they can turn the TV off and entertain themselves on the PC or with a Wii or video game (The new Grand Theft Auto sold half a billion dollars worth of copies last week). Execs don't have the luxury of putting something on the air which doesn't attract eyeballs. TV Viewership in general is decreasing quickly; why air something which doesn't retain viewers (and advertisers)?
- May 7, 2008 at 12:17 PM
- glenc1 said...
JD, I think I get what you're saying but...just trying to think it through...(I was referring more to the Nationwide coverage than Cup, but I probably didn't make that clear.)
But in either case, if I am ESPN/Speed I'm asking myself which gets higher ratings/revenue *when* I am showing it (the numbers would say there are probably time periods where they have more/fewer viewers, plus considering what it on the other networks as competition). If it's just time-shifting that makes it a wash, then why *aren't* they showing it live (or at all)? I'm just thinking if it was ecnomically advantageous they'd show it instead of the programs, so I'm figuring there's more to it that I don't know. I know sometimes networks intentionally take a loss, like the Olympics, in order to use programming for promotional purposes. And as far as recording goes, there is also the issue of skipping ads, which most of us do. Does that affect ad prices for an afternoon event that's taped by many? I just don't think we can dismiss the marketing aspects of this. But in general, your comment "It will be up to NASCAR to figure out how to let you watch all their "race speed" content on any device you wish" I agree with. I just don't know what the best way to do that is (and apparently, neither do they...)
Speaking of the Yankees, I do actually have YES--but I never watch it, so I have no idea what they show. But you're saying the volume of what they have is way more than the limited amount NASCAR has available to share (even if it were deadly boring to watch hundreds of hours of batting practice...) I'm just kind of rambling here but I guess I just don't get it.
Was it worth more to TNN for some reason? Could it have been another way to increase ratings for the actual race itself? Are ESPN and Speed just being dumb? I just gotta believe there must be some kind of logic behind it. These are big companies that must have some reasonably intelligent minds behind them...
- May 7, 2008 at 12:30 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
The problem is that you both are believing that in 2008 cable TV is driving the bus. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The sports TV industry is in a time of turmoil, and NASCAR is right there in the mix.
It is going to be up to NASCAR to remember that they only have thirty eight opportunities to showcase their talented drivers "at speed" on the tracks.
38 is less than one half of a baseball season before the playoffs for one MLB team.
As I said in my column in February of 2007, we all knew ESPN and ESPN2 were "full" of existing programming when NASCAR made the deal. Our first question was what will happen to practice and how will Nationwide races get shown in football season?
The answer was practice is going to be dropped and Nationwide races will get moved to ESPN Classic. That is the bitter pill that NASCAR swallowed to get the Cup races on ABC.
Now, a year and a half later, teams like Petty and Woods and Ganassi are out of the Top 35 and all of a sudden practice is just not practice anymore.
Top teams with multi-million dollar sponsors are thrashing to save their futures and NASCAR fans are in the dark...literally.
Rise above the concerns that are upsetting you and think big picture. Maybe a nice first step would be streaming practice on NASCAR.com along with a live chatroom to see how it goes.
Thanks for all the views, it certainly does show very clearly the current state of cable TV and the economy.
- May 7, 2008 at 12:41 PM
- JHD said...
I still don't get all the hoopla surrounding whether or not the networks air Cup or Nationwide practices. I usually find it incredibly boring unless I'm actually at the track.
Perhaps that has more to do with the TV coverage then actual practice. I still do DVR practice while I'm at work, but I can watch 5 hours worth of practice in under a half hour. Unless they're showing my driver out on the track, or interviewing him or his crew chief, I don't really feel I'm missing anything by not watching. And when they do manage to show my driver on the track, the analysts aren't usually even talking about him. (Usually they're droning on and on about his 3 teammates...)
So the point is, while it's great the networks have the opportunity to air practice, it's not must-see TV. And until the networks can figure out a way to make it consistently visually and audially interesting to someone sitting on the couch, I'm fine with the way it currently is.
- May 7, 2008 at 1:07 PM
- Anonymous said...
The problem is that you both are believing that in 2008 cable TV is driving the bus. Nothing could be further from the truth.
But you've given no indication otherwise. If it's not the truth, what is the truth? Glenc1's thoughts and speculation about the situation are fairly right on, in my view.
In your original column and past columns you seem fixed on the point that ESPN and SPEED aren't carrying the practices. Those are cable channels last time I checked. So if these cable channels aren't important and driving the bus, what difference does it make if they carry practices? Why write about it? You said
The missing piece of the Thursday puzzle is television.
If TV isn't driving the bus, then take the practices straight to online and mobile content, without announcers, and then no one will have to worry if they're on the TV airwaves.
Rise above the concerns that are upsetting you and think big picture.
I'm not the least bit upset about practices not airing live (or at all) because I DO know the ad market and the big picture. I'm just puzzled why it has been the complaint so frequently the past few weeks when ESPN2 is making it very clear it has no interest in carrying most Nationwide practices or qualifying, at least while they're not carrying the Cup series. I'd guess they have their reasons (ratings, revenue, expenses) for that decision. Big picture, NASCAR practices are not high priority for TV. Whether they were in the past is immaterial.
- May 7, 2008 at 1:25 PM
- glenc1 said...
I won't belabor the point (thank you anon 1:25), but in my limited business knowledge--a business doesn't do anything unless it's somehow monetarily advantageous for them to do so. I once worked for a retail company that had a flagship building full of history. It was costing the company millions to keep it open--when we closed it, the community hated us. They cared about tradition, and the outpouring was heartwarming--but it didn't pay the bills. Selfishly on my part, I would like to see as much programming as possible, but I try and be realistic about how that can feasibly be done.
I have limited speed DSL and can't watch things online without 'choppiness'. And I think a lot of NASCAR fans don't even have that, but it would at least be something to appease the fans who do, it's a good idea. But again, it would have to have enough use to pay for itself in some way.
- May 7, 2008 at 1:52 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Your comment about lack of broadband is a key to this discussion. The current broadband technology is quickly bypassing cable TV and moving video content directly to the end-user with the network middleman.
That is one reason the cable TV companies are crazy to get their broadband into your house.
Other than HD, there is simply not too much missing, especially when many desk tops can now feed a big screen as a monitor.
We have seen the DIRT and NASCAR and F-1 Series embrace live broadband presentations of racing and we can only expect this to grow.
If one sponsor like Bud or Office Depot steps-up, it might be interesting to see them take all the non-televised practices and stick them on NASCAR.com for next season.
- May 7, 2008 at 2:51 PM
- Anonymous said...
Like I said before. In the TV contract it does not state "ESPN AND SPEED WILL CARRY EVERY NATIONWIDE AND CUP SERIES PRACTICE."
I don't know where you guys think that the networks are going to be carrying every practice session every weekend. Its not possible.
- May 7, 2008 at 7:20 PM
- Anonymous said...
ESPN and SPEED aren't non-profit public television networks. They are businesses wanting to make money, and lots of it. If there was a market to air practice sessions on a general sports network, ESPN would pick them up. If there was a market to air them on a specialty network, I have no doubt SPEED would spend the production money to have everything in place when the N-Wide haulers arrive.
The fact remains that neither ESPN nor SPEED feel that carrying every practice session from a LONG 10 month NASCAR season is a worthwhile investment.
There may be a small contingent of NASCAR diehards that want this content, but if a specialty network like SPEED doesn't want to air all the practice sessions, then there just isn't a business case to carry them.
Throwing them on the Internet isn't a panacea in itself. Check out Mark Cuban's latest blog entry (blogmaverick.com) for his take on streaming video content. The production costs aren't any cheaper, though its much harder to generate the revenue to cover those costs for a variety of reasons. Again, the problem isn't the lack of a delivery medium. If SPEED or ESPN wanted to find the airtime, they'd do it in a heartbeat. You already stated the current programming, at least in your opinion, is rather light. It all boils down to the lack of demand.
- May 7, 2008 at 9:36 PM
- stricklinfan82 said...
Anonymous said...
Like I said before. In the TV contract it does not state "ESPN AND SPEED WILL CARRY EVERY NATIONWIDE AND CUP SERIES PRACTICE."
I don't know where you guys think that the networks are going to be carrying every practice session every weekend. Its not possible.
May 7, 2008 7:20 PM
Sir or ma'am, what we are doing is simply stating that we would like to see these TV blackouts of select practice and qualifying sessions removed.
No one is accusing ESPN or Speed of violating the terms of their contract. And no one is saying that ESPN or Speed are not justified in not covering these sessions, for financial reasons, ratings reasons, or whatever the circumstances may be.
We are merely expressing that there is an interest on our parts to have an outlet for these currently untelevised sessions. I suggested an all-NASCAR channel, someone else suggested NASCAR.com, and I'm sure many others have their own ideas.
You may not care for qualifying and/or practice sessions and find them "boring". You are certainly entitled to your own personal taste. But I hope you can respect the fact that others feel differently.
We are not "wrong" for having a desire to see these sessions on TV and there is nothing unrealistic or impossible about adding coverage of these events in some way, shape, or form.
TV coverage of NASCAR is an evolutionary process.
People laughed at the thought of a 500-mile Cup race being televised live and flag-to-flag. That laughter stopped in 1979. People laughed at the thought of the entire Cup schedule being televised. That laughter stopped in 1986. People laughed at the thought of the entire Cup schedule being televised flag-to-flag. That laughter stopped in 1989. People laughed at the thought of the entire Cup schedule being televised live. That laughter stopped in 1994. And people laughed at the thought of Cup qualifying being televised every week. That laughter was silenced in 2001.
On this date you are laughing at the thought of every Cup and Nationwide practice and qualifying session being televised. But someday that laughter will stop as well, when NASCAR TV takes the next step in its evolutionary process.
Nothing is impossible or unrealistic.
- May 7, 2008 at 9:51 PM
- Anonymous said...
stricklinfan82 said... On this date you are laughing at the thought of every Cup and Nationwide practice and qualifying session being televised. But someday that laughter will stop as well, when NASCAR TV takes the next step in its evolutionary process.
Daly Planet Editor said... These practice sessions were on-the-air back when TNN has this TV package. Things have not progressed, they have gone backwards....
Stricklinfan, You can't have it both ways! I guess the only people that were laughing where the executives in charge of the recent TV contracts when a suggestion was made to air all practice sessions live. TNN tried it, and after a careful evaulation, nobody felt it was worth while to follow them up on it. Its been done already, and there are some very good reasons why it hasn't been repeated.
- May 7, 2008 at 10:30 PM
- Anonymous said...
I'm ticked at DISH network for not having Hi-Def. I probably will not watch the Winston this year.
- May 8, 2008 at 12:01 AM
- Anonymous said...
@glen--thanks for the info!
I agree with strckinfan that the fans are hungrier for this information then they might have been when TNN was doing it. No, not every fan will tune in to *every* thing but for those of us who *do* want to watch as much as we can, it would be nice to have the choice.
Sure it might flop, but it would be nice to give us "new" fans a chance.
- May 8, 2008 at 1:14 AM
- Anonymous said...
Operating profit at the cable division that includes ESPN and the Disney Channel rose 14 percent to $1.09 billion as pay- television operators paid higher fees to the company to carry its channels. Sales gained 9.3 percent to $2.11 billion.
- May 8, 2008 at 5:45 AM
- Anonymous said...
Operating income at the television unit rose to $419 million on a 15 percent jump in sales to $1.8 billion. Cable network sales gained 27 percent to $1.27 billion on higher fees collected by Fox News, while operating income jumped 17 percent to $330 million.
News Corp. today reaffirmed its projection that operating income will rise about 15 percent this year.
- May 8, 2008 at 6:07 AM
- Anonymous said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- May 8, 2008 at 9:54 AM
- Anonymous said...
I have wondered why there is no televised practice on either speed or espn2. I do believe that Speed does a better job, but question why ESPN even bothers with NASCAR. I agree with Mary who says ALL NASCAR programming should be on speed the entire season. I am not looking forward to TNT and ESPN2 for the Cup races, it is bad enough for Nationwide.
Thanks for having this blog. I know that they are being read by those who make the BIG decisions.
- May 8, 2008 at 11:23 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Well, it certainly turned out that this six hour period was one of the most memorable in recent NASCAR history in terms of practice sessions for both series.
Again, the technology to bring life to full-speed on-track sessions exists for a low cost. What fans missed at Darlington, on the first day of practice with the new pavement will never happen again. It is gone and that is a shame.
- May 10, 2008 at 11:15 AM


text:
Posted on January 5, 2010
I would like to greet you all in this new year, and talk about the Book Fair, but I am going to exploit my position as columnist to speak of something almost entirely unrelated to both, just to note a date of some importance.
Today, I have been informed, is the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum, a poet and philosopher who had a lot to do with my view of the world. I speak of him as I do though I am familiar with almost none of his work except one role he played on television. See, Lumpy Brannum was the original Mr. Greenjeans on Captain Kangaroo.
I am fully aware that there are those who will speak of the important contributions to modern society made by Barney or by Sesame Street or even by Davey and Goliath, and I will not pause to debate any of those. But my generation learned a lot about life from Captain Kangaroo. Much of this we learned from the Captain himself, who maintained his cheerful and even optimistic attitude despite his experiences with the world. We learned that even after your best effort, sometimes the carrots disappear, sometimes the ping pong balls fall. We learned that no matter how hard you try, the Bunny Rabbits and Mr. Moose's of the world would always beat you, and you just had to accept that.
What we learned from Mr. Greenjeans, though, was how to forgive the world even when our best ideas collapsed. He taught us that sometimes the world just isn't ready, just won't cooperate, no matter how many excellent bells and whistles you attach to your invention. When the Scotch tape wouldn't hold that broken vase together for me, I understood that my theory was perfectly acceptable. The world just wasn't cooperating with it. I got that from the affable Mr. Greenjeans. And the way he kept bringing his marvellous machines to Captain Kangaroo, the least futuristic Captain on television (he admitted he hadn't quite accepted electric light bulbs). It taught me to work with the audience I have, even when it can't quite keep up with my brilliance. (You have NO idea what a comfort this has been over the years.)
So my hat is off on January 5, 2009 to Mr. Greenjeans, the philosopher of early morning children's TV. (Some people make this claim for Mr. Moose, but he was more the sarcastic onlooker…the blogger, if you will.)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
MIDFIELDER James McArthur believes Scotland can show they play football the right way when they take on the world champions after Germany striker Lukas Podolski claimed they would play a "dirty game".
Podolski gave a withering assessment of Scotland's strengths when speaking to BBC Scotland after Germany's 4-2 defeat by Argentina on Wednesday night.
Scotland boss Gordon Strachan attributed the quote to a mis-translation as he described the Arsenal forward as a "gentleman".
And McArthur was also diplomatic as he stressed the Scots would continue to produce the football that has shot them up the FIFA rankings under Strachan.
Scotland will take the field in Dortmund on Sunday protecting a year-long unbeaten record which has seen them record wins in Macedonia, Norway and Poland.
McArthur, who completed a reported £7million move from Wigan to Crystal Palace on Monday, said: "We'll go over there and try to play the way we want to play. Under the new manager we have been trying to get the ball down and play, and we will try and do that over there as well.
"The manager has done a hell of a lot for us. He has got us playing the right way, we look organised and the team spirit is excellent. We work really hard for each other.
"Those are traits of club football and he has taken that on to the international scene. We have come a long way."
Have Scotland got any chance of winning in Germany?
Scotland have also won in Croatia under Strachan, a result which breathed confidence into the squad.
And there is a belief in the camp that they could upset the World Cup winners.
"It's going to be a great test against the world champions," McArthur said. "Every player wants to play against them.
"We'll be going there to try to get a win, there's no doubt about that.
"We know it's going to be tough but you want to win every game you play in and if you don't you shouldn't be playing football."
The absence of the injured Scott Brown could give McArthur a chance to make his first international start since the 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Croatia in Zagreb in June 2013, although Darren Fletcher has already been named captain and Charlie Mulgrew has performed well in central midfield in recent games for his country.
The 26-year-old, who has 15 caps, said: "Everyone wants to play but I understand there are top players here as well. I just need to keep working hard and hopefully get the chance.
"It's up to the manager who he chooses, all I can do is try and make it hard for him."


text:
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IFSC Code - SIBL0000266 of bank South Indian Bank and MICR code - 400059004 of bank South Indian Bank is use to do any online transaction or transaction related to the Mumbai Girgaum branch of South Indian Bank Greater Bombay Maharashtra. an Invalid use ifsc code or micr code will lead to failur of the transaction.
Map Location for 400059004
MICR Code: Magnetic Ink Character Recognition MICR CODE is printed on cheque book to facilitate the Process of cheques.
National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) is a nation-wide system that facilitates individuals, firms and corporates to electronically transfer funds from any bank branch to any individual, firm or corporate having an account with any other bank branch in the country. NEFT transfers are also referred as e-cheques as the funds are not transferred in real-time and the funds are settled in batches.
'RTGS' stands for Real Time Gross Settlement, which can be defined as the continuous (real-time) settlement of funds transfers individually on an order by order basis (without netting). You need the IFSC Code to identify the Branch for which you will want to transfer funds using RTGS. Note all branches don't have IFSC Codes.
'IMPS' is Immediate Payment Service and it is commonly known as Interbank Mobile Payment Service. IMPS uses IFSC codes to offer a number of fund transfer services instantly in a round the clock environment. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which is an organization that regulates the retail payments in India, has provided this facility.


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text:
Breed freaky creatures in this foul fridge
to reign supreme in arena battles!
Bachelor Fridge Features
Like any self respecting bachelor, you've never taken anything out of your fridge: the Indian takeaway that you'd get back to six months ago; the block of cheese that's been there since the Titanic went down. Lately though, you've noticed that some of the food is getting a little frisky. The ancient bacon has started grazing on the lettuce, the kebab from Christmas 1999 is feeding on the fried egg sandwich and something is moving mysteriously in last year's yoghurt. Your fridge is evolving new, rather aggressive and somewhat disgusting life-forms.
Bachelor Fridge is a management and battle game allowing you, the owner of a truly appalling fridge, to evolve creatures from rotting food, and enter them into combative multi-player strategy matches.
Mutate your deceptively cute creatures until they have the dirty attacks you thirst for, and then take them into the arena to crush players from around the world. Each creature can be heavily customised by feeding it the right kind of food. Three arenas await you along with three battle modes, so prepare to be disgusted and entertained by the vicious creatures you create!
1. In the arena battles what turn structure does the game use?
The arena game uses a system of plotted turns, where each player plans the movement of their creatures simultaneously and then all creatures move in order of their speed. This is then repeated for the attacks a creature wants to perform. The trick in this game is understanding when your creature is going to move, and then trying to anticipate where your opponents are going to move to.
2. How do I give my creature more attacks and moves?
You can develop your creature by feeding it new foods. Hints about what food type the creature is craving can be seen look out for their bubbles picturing the food category of their desires! After feeding a creature, you can see what new features it has by right-clicking on it or picking up the magnifier and clicking on it. To use any new moves or attacks, equip them by clicking on them. Right-click any unwanted features to remove them from your Equipped Actions.
3. How do I earn more money to buy food for my creatures?
Money is earned by battling other players' creatures in the multi-player arena. There is a £5 reward for a win and £1 for a loss. This loot can be boosted by many battle titles worth 20 pence each, and can be won by anyone in the match. The money prizes are given in both Rated and Unrated games.
4. I have filled my fridge with eight creatures but I want to breed more. What can I do?
Five freezer spaces are available to store your creatures this is boosted to 50 places for paying members. When your freezer is full, create space for new creatures by dragging unwanted fridge fellows onto the bin to destroy them.
5. I made a creature using the same foods as my friend but theirs look different. Why is this?
A creature's appearance is dictated by both the foods used and the order they are fed in. The first food creates the central creature, and further foods will unlock features and change the appearance of it. Feeding the same foods in a different order will create alternative looks experiment to see what you can create!
6. I have only one awesome creature. Can I play multi-player matches?
Multi-player battles can be fought with three to six creatures. Using your strongest creature to 'Take the Grub' or 'Capture the Fly' could be a winning strategy for you.
7. What do the numbers to the left of the creatures when in battle mean?
The numbers are the order in which the creatures will move or attack. The fastest creature is assigned the lowest number and will move and attack first in the multi-player battles. The 'Speed' statistic can be viewed in the fridge by right-clicking or by using the magnifier. Where there are ties in the 'Speed' statistics, the appropriate rankings will be randomly allocated.
8. Fisticuffs, Flingstuff, Stamina and Speed... which creature feature is best?
The statistics of each creature can be seen by right-clicking it or left-clicking when using the magnifier. The Fisticuffs rating shows how strong your close-range attacks are. These attacks are shown in red to the left of the statistics. The Flingstuff rating relates to how strong your long-range attacks are (shown in blue). The Stamina rating equates to how much health your creature has. The Speed rating decides how soon your creature moves and how far it moves to. All of these features are useful in battles. You could try having a team of mixed abilities, or a specialised team who are all strong in one area. Try out different teams to see which suits you best.
9. What do the different in-game power-ups do?
The Fisticuffs, Flingstuff and Speed power-ups boost your statistic for that area to the next ranking for five turns, unless you are already at the top level. The Stamina power-up boosts the health of the collecting creature by two segments, which is worth 40 hit points. This boost does not have a turn limit. If you pick-up a power-up when you are at the top ranking for that statistic it will not increase your ranking, nor will it hurt you. It will stop another player from picking it up, though! Choose your power-ups wisely, as you can only use one at a time.
10. What am I supposed to do in the different game types?
Annihilation is a classic 'last creature standing' battle to the death. A Take the Grub game is won by taking and holding control of more than half of the key points on the map (marked by grubs) for three consecutive turns. Ownership of these points is gained by standing a creature on them. Capture the Fly games balance attack and defence collect a fly from another team and return to your own to capture it. Your fly must be there for you to get credit for your efforts, so defend it well! Flies are returned to their starting positions by killing the creature that is holding them. The player who has the most captures out of five will win.
11. What are the minimum specifications for this game?
The minimum specifications we recommend for this game are:
The recommended specifications for getting the most out of this game are:
Below is an explanation of the terms in our technical specifications.
Megahertz (MHz) / Gigahertz (GHz) is a measure of how fast your computer's processor is. This affects how quickly you can run things like games and applications.
Megabytes (MB) are used to measure how much memory your computer has. This affects how quickly your computer runs when using large programs such as games, or when you run a lot of programs at once.
Click here to get the latest version of Sun Java.
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text:
Thursday, November 10, 2011
TV/Media Question And Answer Session
It's getting down to that time of the year. Two more weekends of racing and then the whole thing starts over again before we know it.
As usual, there are lots of questions out there about the NASCAR TV partners and media issues associated with the sport. This is your time to ask them.
Here are some issues that have been asked about this week to start:
The current NASCAR TV contract runs through the end of the 2014 season. Negotiations on a new deal, possibly with new TV partners, will be done in 2012. We should know what TV networks will begin to televise the sport in 2015 by the end of next year.
There are currently no plans for NASCAR on FOX to offer side-by-side commercials or RaceBuddy for the 2012 Sprint Cup Series races.
The suggestion has been given that the Nationwide Series add a RaceBuddy application at NASCAR.com and also stream post-race interviews live from the infield media center. We will keep you posted on that one.
Wednesday NASCAR announced Kid Rock will perform his hit "Born Free" to open the Dec. 2 Sprint Cup Series banquet at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, NV.
Click on the comments button to ask your questions and we will try to get them answered on Thursday. Thanks for taking the time to stop by.
34 comments:
- Anonymous said...
Your initial thoughts on how the TV partners will pan out for next deal ?
Two networks ? Three again?
Nastionwide ? Trucks ?
- November 9, 2011 at 9:07 PM
- starrcade76 said...
I'd wonder if it would be best for the Sprint Cup TV deal to be paired between two networks over the whole year. Say between Fox and TNT. Fox would get the major races with TNT picking up some near the end of the year when conflicts with football arise. Otherwise they could split the tracks that get 2 races a year.
NASCAR would never do it, but the Nationwide Series should not even be televised. Just use it as a carrot to get people to come out on Saturday to the tracks.
With many aspects of the sport, TV or otherwise, they may need to take a few steps back in order to go forward again.
- November 9, 2011 at 9:24 PM
- AncientRacer said...
Starcade76 wrote:
"With many aspects of the sport, TV or otherwise, they may need to take a few steps back in order to go forward again.
Like showing the races.
Ooops! (shuffles papers around on deskand looks confused Did I say a bad thang?
Reporting from a production truck tonite i am,
- November 9, 2011 at 9:44 PM
- Charlie said...
For example if FOX offers so much money to telecast races for 8 years, does FOX also make an advertiser sign an 8 year contract?
I know advertisers probably don't sign anything for 8 years but FOX has to know what revenue it will receive from season to season to make an intelligent bid.
How important is the advertiser and how much does the advertiser have to commit?
- November 9, 2011 at 10:13 PM
- Anonymous said...
Why does the ticker dissapear so often?It's way too small to read anyway.When it's gone and comes back,you never know where it's going to reset to.This applies to all networks.
- November 10, 2011 at 1:02 AM
- Anonymous said...
JD, do you know if the tv partners have been making less/more/same amount of money each year from the beginning of the contract to now? Have they charged advertisers more/less/same each year to keep revenue constant? Do they really charge race teams a fee to mention/show their sponsors on tv? What is tv's response to the idea that if they do not show/talk about the sponsors of the last place cars, those sponsors are likely to say it is not worth it and leave? Thanks JD for all you do. MC
- November 10, 2011 at 5:10 AM
- Buschseries61 said...
Will NASCAR Now live another year?
- November 10, 2011 at 9:23 AM
- Dylan said...
Will Nascar offer streaming services to Xbox/Playstation/Boxee devices similar to services provided by MLB/NHL/NBA?
- November 10, 2011 at 10:01 AM
- The Mad Man said...
I'm curious as to whether or not Faux and BSPN will actually hire some decent commentators for the new contract.Fans have complained constantly about DW, Larry Mac, Crusty, Brad, etc. and neither network has taken the hints.
- November 10, 2011 at 11:37 AM
- Sophia said...
Why in the name of car racing can we not get more wide shots of the track?
Why can't ESPN get rid of the bottom ticker. It's too many moving graphics on the screen. Arrogant to keep it during all the races. NASCAR & other sports, deserve better.
Bottom ticker is a huge annoyance & can spoil other races/games for folks DVRing.
- November 10, 2011 at 12:40 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Sorry for the delay.
Anon 9:07,
Brian France said he would welcome the return of the current NASCAR TV partners. Negotiations start shortly and we should know what will come in 2005 by the end of next year.
- November 10, 2011 at 1:13 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Originally NASCAR wanted to have the Cup races on broadcast TV. Hence, FOX and ABC. Now, things are a mess.
The real Cup races in play are the final 17 that include the Chase. They make little sense on ESPN and have almost no support programming.
You know NASCAR. If someone comes with the cash, who knows what will happen?
- November 10, 2011 at 1:33 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Advertisers are not tied to rights deals. National ads come in all kinds of ad packages. Some run all season, but many have "flights" that are much shorter like movie openings and CD releases.
- November 10, 2011 at 1:44 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Anon 1:02,
The tickers come and go. They drive me nuts. The scroll is computer generated, so it needs to be reset. I still think losing them and making the announcers update that info would result in better telecasts.
- November 10, 2011 at 1:48 PM
- GinaV24 said...
I'd like to know if NASCAR will negotiate to have to put a better broadcast out there.
for example, less hyperfocus.
- November 10, 2011 at 1:59 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
The networks rarely disclose profit or loss on a series unless there are PR points to be scored.
Ad rates are set by volume and ratings. No fee is charged for a mention, but rather a race or team sponsor may not be mentioned if TV ad inventory is not purchased.
- November 10, 2011 at 2:00 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
The writing on the wall for NN is not good. Bad timeslot, no re-airs and little support in-house. I don't expect it to return in its present form.
- November 10, 2011 at 2:03 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Not in the near future. NASCAR sold those rights and nothing has ever been done to distribute content through those platforms. It's a shame.
- November 10, 2011 at 2:06 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
MM and Sophia,
The networks who paid for the rights can telecast races using whatever production styles they choose.
- November 10, 2011 at 2:08 PM
- scarletandmaize said...
How do the Sprint Cup owners, drivers, crew chief, etc. perceive the coverage by FOX and ESPN?
- November 10, 2011 at 2:24 PM
- Dennis said...
Years ago, before the current contract was signed, I believe it was Kenny Wallace who asked Mike Helton about fans complaining about the number of commercials. And Mike said there was nothing they could do about it at that time. Doesn't look to me they did anything to address it in the current contract either.
It would seem NASCAR just wants to maximize it's revenues however it can. It would be nice if they could specify a maximum number of commercial minutes in a race and then let the networks bid on the races on that basis.
As little passing as there is in Formula 1, you still feel you have seen the race. And, I believe, part of that is the fewer number of commercials.
- November 10, 2011 at 3:51 PM
- Ken said...
Will SiriusXM get to broadcast 128 over their Internet App/Mobile Devices as part of the contract? Either with or without the MRN/PRN/Indy events?
- November 10, 2011 at 3:55 PM
- Dot said...
I want to know if it could be written in the next contract for advertisers to allow break ins during their commls when something happens on the track? It doesn't happen all that often, so I can't see why they wouldn't. I know I would be more inclined to buy/use their products if they did this.
What's VS up to regarding getting into the act? They could probably get a good deal on NW races. The way BSPN treats that series now, VS could do no worse. A high school A/V class could probably do a better job than BSPN.
I wish fox wasn't so arrogant and would allow side by side commls. Can't nascar demand they do that? As we know, racing doesn't have time outs except YFs. It's the nature of the beast and why doesn't fox get this?
I wonder how things would be if brian france was more like his dad and granddad?
- November 10, 2011 at 6:33 PM
- Anonymous said...
What will happen to Racehub once the season is over? Any chance that it will go through the offseason?
- November 10, 2011 at 6:58 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
NASCAR puts on a seminar in January that uses "data" to show the drivers that anything they say critical of the sport on TV has a negative effect.
That is why you NEVER see any of the Sprint Cup Series drivers talking about the TV coverage.
- November 10, 2011 at 8:14 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Talk about the tail wagging the dog!
It was NASCAR's high prices for rights to Sprint Cup Series races that resulted in the networks having to increase ad time to pay those bills.
Round and round the money goes!
- November 10, 2011 at 8:16 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
The Turner guys paid good money for those online rights. All they are asking from Sirius is some money and Sirius is saying no!
You want to play, you got to pay!
I see totally different approaches to all of the online content in the new TV contract.
- November 10, 2011 at 8:17 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
SPEED loves the Hub, but that network is once again in a state of flux as you can tell from other shows like Trackside.
No info yet on what the off-season will bring or what form this show might take for 2012.
- November 10, 2011 at 8:20 PM
- Anonymous said...
If one or more of the present broadcast networks are left out of the next contract, are any of their on-air personalities likely to show up on a new network? Or are they likely to be held in place by contract or another network's desire for a fresh start? In particular, I would be pleased to see Bestwick, Craven, and Joy working for new bosses who would let them do their jobs right. I also like the TNT broadcast team of Petty/Dahlenbach.
- November 10, 2011 at 8:32 PM
- Anonymous said...
Though it is fun for us to read this site, and hear the "If NASCAR survives this Network Disaster" type comments...There are 3-4 Million people returning to watch each week, and as far as I can tell there are maybe 20 people returning to the TDP each week.
Most of whom I assume are Industry Insiders (Radio folks who never got there shot at TV, ESPN folks who did not get hired at FOX, and etc) taking anonymous "Pot Shots" at each other. Ironically many of these people are probably eating lunch with one another today in Phoenix.
A quick Web Search will prove that there is a Daly Planet for every sport, even Woman's Softball, usually run by a "retired" insider, and I can tell you first hand that the producers and directors up here in Bristol do obsess on these sites. Look at DeadSpin. But never the less "Imperfect" rating systems or not the Advertisers and more importantly the fans are there in significant numbers and NASCAR as with all sports will survive without the few who claim the will never watch again. Though they seem to each week, and we love them and you too JD.
- November 10, 2011 at 8:54 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Anon 8:54PM,
There used to be 7 million watching. The big difference between then and now seems to be ESPN. Huh.
- November 10, 2011 at 9:02 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Anon 8:32PM,
When announcers are contracted for a specific sport, those contracts rarely extend beyond the current rights agreement.
ESPN has NASCAR through 2014, so they signed Rusty Wallace until then and made it public. FOX has DW until that time.
Some announcers, like Jerry Punch, find themselves with new opportunities when a sport changes channels. Jerry did football for years after NASCAR left ESPN.
It should be interesting to watch the scramble if one of the big TV partners changes.
- November 10, 2011 at 9:16 PM
- Ken said...
@Daly Planet Editor - That is what I was hoping for. I think SiriusXM NASCAR radio is more of an asset now to NASCAR and reaching the largest audience makes sense. I don't see NASCAR allowing the complete ownership of all online content again. I think that has really hurt the efforts of all broadcast partners.
- November 11, 2011 at 4:34 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Ken, it has been the #1 problem. NASCAR created this intricate network of rights of all kinds and now they can't get out of those deals for three more years.
Imaging not having live race video available online for purchase?
We thumped them so hard just to get side by side commercials.
It's been like pulling teeth.
- November 11, 2011 at 7:46 PM


text:
So here I am in Los Angeles and Sunday night after I flew in I was on the phone with my mother, talking about Monday's planned trip to Lukaro Salon in Beverly Hills.
Suave had arranged for us to spend the morning at this famous Hollywood salon run by celebrity stylists Luke and Rona O'Connor. Yes I said celebrity, as in Debra Messing, Lucy Liu and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
"Well what are you going to do if he wants to cut your hair?" Mom asked.
"Oh he's not touching my hair," I said. I expected that the trip was to be more of a consultation and besides, you have to be in a certain mood to switch hair styles–you know, kind of a depressed, I-need-a-lift, pass-me-the-Ben-and-Jerry's kind of mood. With the prospect of four days away from a chaotic house to play in sunshine and glamor I'm about as far from depressed as you could get. Life and hair are good–and I had no intention of coming home with anything remotely new.
Our driver (yes I said driver–he's chauffeured us around anywhere we'd like to go) dropped us off about 9 am and after walking through the beautiful wrought iron gates of Lukaro and up the tiled stairs into a light, open Spanish-style courtyard complete with a fountain, cushy chairs and a table of food I kind of lost all perspective on reality. I walked around thinking "Is this heaven? Is there anything better than this? Is that freshly squeezed orange juice? "
Somehow I ended up first in line and Luke grabbed me, plopped me down in the chair, whipped his fingers through my hair several times and said "You don't mind if I trim it do you?"
"Not at all," I said with this stupid, star-struck smile. Maybe it was the orange juice talking but I was sucked in by the glamor of the moment, he could have offered me a tattoo and a bagel and I would have taken both.
He had his lovely assistant shampoo me all up then he went to work, snipping and trimming and shaping all while he chatted nonchalantly about the previous day's photo shoot or his work with Julia Louis-Dreyfus' ever-changing hair or cast members of various t.v. shows that he'd talked with recently.
The funny thing is it seemed all so natural and unpretentious and while I didn't have a lot to say I was quite content to soak it all in, listening to him talk while the Suave team sat around us in the room to record and comment on the whole procedure.
He trimmed the ends, leaving me my length, then shaped it more around my face and in my layers that had grown out a bit but the thing that made it fun was that he used all Suave products.
Now I know what you're thinking, I was slightly skeptical too–I've had friends who are stylists who say over and over that you should use professional products on your hair but honestly? Twenty-five dollars for a bottle of conditioner is crazy–and if you're like me you're looking for ways to avoid wasting money.
I quizzed the Suave reps that were there to welcome us, I asked them about whether they really thought the products they were pitching were as good as the salon brands and whether they used them on their own hair and I was surprised to hear that not only do they use them themselves but I was surprised at how much effort Suave puts into research and development to test their products against the professional brands. According to what they're telling me you really are getting a quality product for a fraction of the cost.
Anyway, I haven't looked at the data but after Luke was done with my hair I was impressed. Impressed with the cut, with the feel of my hair, with the way the products held up and with how fast it all went together. Total styling time: fifteen minutes. I can do that!
See for yourself– here the steps he took for styling.
1. Wash with Suave Healthy Curls Shampoo, Conditioner.
2. Work Suave Healthy Curls Mousse through hair, focusing on applying the product to the roots.
3. Blow dry front of the hair first, going from the roots to the end to avoid creating a frizzy, flyaway look.
4. Blow dry as you run fingers through your hair until it's about 90% dry.
5. Finish drying with a large round brush, rolling the hair in a section that's as wide as the brush, wrapping it around the brush and blowing heat on it. Start with the front and roll upward and away from the face to create a gentle wave away from the face in an updated modern look (picture 1 and 2). Roll the rest of the hair under and up high on the crown of the head (picture 3) for volume.
6. To finish with modern waves once the hair is completely dry take a large curling iron and wrap the hair in 1 or 2-inch sections around the barrel.
7. Finish spraying with Suave Shaping and Finishing Spray, holding the can far away from the head and allowing the mist to settle on the hair gently to avoid clumping.
My bangs are a little short and need to grow into blending with the rest of the shaping on the side of my face but you get the idea. I liked how fast it went together and how easy it was to style–I'd have to try it again on my own and see if I could duplicate it.
Anyway, if you've got long hair give it a try and see what you think. If you want some other tips for other styles and lengths you might check out a couple of the other bloggers that were here with me who had completely different hair and their own wonderful looks. Liz Thompson at This Full House, Dawn Meehan at Because I Said So, Beth Feldman at Role Mommy, Amy Clark at Momadvice.com and Liane Farbes at The Makeup Girl are a couple of the other great bloggers I've been able to meet–check them out because I bet they'd have their own styling tips from the hands of Luke.
Congratulations to Tracie of Carlsbad, New Mexico, the random winner of the selection of books in last weekend's giveaway–there are enough books to keep them busy for quite some time.
Sponsored by Beauty Products Compared–Looking for the best wrinkle cream? Search the reviews.
Technorati tags: Suave, Glamour Reel Moments, celebrities


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Offering employment tips to all
Moberly Area Community College's Career Expo 2013 is right around the corner! Check out over 50 exhibitors and learn about job or education possibilities in the Moberly Area on Wednesday, April 10, 2013, in the MACC Activity Center on the Moberly Campus from 10a.m. to 1p.m.
Employers come to the Career Expo ready to recruit potential employees. Colleges and Universities are on-hand to provide information to students and the public about their programs. If you're looking for a job or higher education, the Career Expo is worth your trip on April 10. Admission is free. Students from area colleges, high school seniors, and the public are welcome to attend. It is recommended that attendees dress professionally and arrive with résumés and cover letters.
For more information about the event, contact Pat Twaddle by email firstname.lastname@example.com, by phone (660) 263-4100 ext 11232, or go online to www.macc.edu/careerexpo.


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* Dance Vision International Dancers Association
Wayne Eng
Member Since 2003
The Association:
ProDVIDA is a professional teacher organization that is open to all professional dance teachers and competitors. ProDVIDA encourages and welcomes active participation from its members in developing dance standards, promoting business innovations, and celebrating the art of dance. We offer one of the best certification program and have over 50 examiners throughout the country.
The Vision:
The goal of ProDVIDA is to provide the professional with top-notch service and valuable tools and to identify those teachers who exemplify the highest level of skill and ethical standards through training, experience and DVIDA® certifications.
The Philosophy:
CANI - Commitment to Constant And Never-ending Improvement.
The Founders:
In 1992, Wayne & Donna Eng founded Dance Vision, which has become the established world leader in the production and distribution of instructional dance videos and DVDs. Then in 2001, they created the Dance Vision International Dance Association, (DVIDA®). Through DVIDA®, they have developed and made available products and services for independent instructors and studios around the world. Their signature products are the DVIDA® Syllabus DVDs and Manuals in the American Style, International Style, Country Western, Night-Club 2-Step, Argentine Tango, Hustle and Salsa.. The DVIDA® Syllabus is being used by hundreds of studios and teachers in the United States and is recognized by the National Dance Council of America. In addition, the Canadian Dance Teachers Association recently adopted the DVIDA® American Style Syllabus as their official syllabus to certify professional instructors. The American Style Syllabus is also being used extensively in other countries such as Trinidad, England, Australia, and Greece.
ProDVIDA Manuals, DVDs and additional information available by calling 800-851-2813 or visit http://prodvida.com


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The days have been so incredibly dark and grey lately, and because of this much of the time I find it difficult to take photographs. But today I was putting together all of the many pages of many books, and I found myself cheered up by these little papers. I cut them from old exercise book covers to be placed inside of old little glassine envelopes which will line the pages of my notebooks.
While preparing them I had this nice thought visit me: That perhaps someday, somehow, these bright little bits will find their way to someone else out there who is experiencing a dark day, just like I have been. And give them a little bit of cheer, too.
I do hope so.
Will you help me? I will be binding up book covers over the next few days, and I am hoping for some assistance in deciding which colours to choose this time around. It is always interesting to me which hues people prefer best at different seasons of the year, and how this varies or changes from year to year.
Which colour would you choose?


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Wow, what a day. A Full Day of listening to Dr. Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL., FASG, FUGA, FNGS. That name may be familiar with many genealogist, and followers of this blog.
A group of folks in Second Life, did a study of a video presentation on FamilySearch.org about Inferential Genealogy and I then did a case study on what I learned from that study.
What an honor it was to be able to attend four classes taught by Dr. Jones.
"The Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS); What It is and What It is Not", was the title of the first class. He walked us through what the GPS is and why it is so important. He used "A Jigsaw-Puzzle Metaphor for Genealogical Proof". For me, he put that very scary term (GPS) into reality in a very clear way of doing our research. Other terms, in the genealogy community were made real and not so frightening. Will have a lot of reading to do, based on his Source List he provided.
"Using "Correlation" to Reveal Facts that No Record States" was the second class. This was a refreshing class for me, as the tools he taught in the Video series were reinforced. Tools being a Narrative, List, Timeline, Table, and Map. In my case study, I must have learned something, as I used 4 of those 5 items. Guess I need to go back to the Narrative, as I didn't do a very good job on that one. But, I am not sure that I could have answered the Question to my case study, without using all 4 of the items that I used.
A break for Dinner. Could have used a nap, but was not going to miss the next two sessions.
"Organizing Evidence to Overcome Record Shortages" He reminded us that we may not find the answer to our question(s), nor the records we are looking for, but may have to look elsewhere to find answers. Look into record sets that we might not normally use in our research. There have been discussions around the genealogy, blogging world, about Exhaustive Search. But he reminded us that we may NOT find all of the pieces to the puzzle, there may be some missing pieces or some damaged pieces. Dr. Jones provided is with six steps to overcome record shortages with a couple of case studies.
"Inferential Genealogy: Deducing Ancestor's identities Indirectly" was the fourth class. I remember that title. It appeared that this case study is what the Video Study that was done in Second Life was based on. A couple of the details of this case study were in the Video, but it was even more interesting is listening to the details that Dr. Jones went through to answering the question that he asked for this case study.
Through out the four classes, Evidence or citing sources was very important. But, more than just citing the source, but evaluating of the information that is presented from that Source. Being able to make to recognize that a source may be negative, and to be able to resolve conflicts.
I was reminded that what I do is not about collecting names, but really attempting to know who this person is and what their story might be. Or, the use the puzzle metaphor really worked for me, understanding that the end result may not be a complete puzzle. He also illustrated when you might have 'enough' information to answer the genealogical question that WE establish for our specific research project. He also reminded us that there may be other ways to find information when a specific document does not exist. Understanding the records that we are looking at, what they mean, what their limitation might be in that document. Record, Document, and EVALUATE the information that is gathered to answer the research question.
Thank you, Dr. Jones.


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Don Kinder on the Role of Race in the 2012 Election – Today
Posted by The Situationist Staff on November 1, 2012
"He's Still Black: The Role of Race in the 2012 Presidential Election"
With Dr. Don Kinder, University of Michigan Political Science
Thursday, Nov. 1, 12 pm
Austin North
Free Chinese food!
In 2008, Americans chose Barack Obama to be the 44th president of the United States. The following morning, The New York Times proclaimed that Obama had succeeded in "sweeping away the last racial barrier in American politics with ease." With ease? No. There are good reasons to believe that Obama was elected president in spite of his race. But that was then. Four years later, are we any closer to post-racial politics? What role will race play in the 2012 election?
Related Situationist posts:
- Race and Implicit American-ness
- Racial Attitudes in the Presidential Race
- The Situation of Being '(un)American'
- The Racial Situation of Voting
- On Being a Mindful Voter
- Implicit Associations in the 2008 Presidential Election
- Political Psychology in 2008
- The Psychology of Barack Obama as the Antichrist
- Why Race May Influence Us Even When We "Know" It Doesn't
- The Situation of Presidential Death Threats
- The Situation of the Obama Presidency and Race Perceptions
- Racial Attitudes in the Presidential Race
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This entry was posted on November 1, 2012 at 12:01 am and is filed under Events, Ideology, Implicit Associations, Politics, SALMS, Social Psychology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


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Four Corners - New Zealand's Complete Travel Guide
It seems you've stumbled off the beaten path!
Were you looking for a place to stay? Or perhaps something to do? Maybe you were trying to find some transport, or read some travel advice?
Whatever the reason, we're real sorry to hear you got lost, and we'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again. But if all else fails, perhaps you should just head home.


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Thursday, December 18, 2008
Despain Inked For Two Years By SPEED
The Wind Tunnel franchise is apparently safe on SPEED for two more years. Thursday, it was announced that the network has signed host Dave Despain to a new TV contract through 2010.
The shrinking amount of content on SPEED that relates in any way to actual sanctioned racing has been a concern as the network plows ahead with multi-million dollar "lifestyle" shows at full speed.
Wind Tunnel is part of a three hour block of highly visible and successful SPEED programming on Sunday nights that includes The SPEED Report and Victory Lane.
Despain originally hosted Wind Tunnel five nights a week or more and it became the home to great discussions of various racing topics with fantastic guests from all over the world of motorsports.
Now, Despain presides over a very quick hour of programming that tries to tie-in live guests, co-hosts, email and viewer phone calls. The program essentially has taken-on the persona of adding additional content to the stories featured on The SPEED Report.
TDP has many times compared Wind Tunnel with Despain to CNN's Larry King Live. The combination of the show and the host has become one of the strongest brands on SPEED. No other show carries the journalistic weight of Wind Tunnel on the network.
With the global economy affecting racing like never before, SPEED would perhaps be wise to consider cranking-up Wind Tunnel in January and providing the only connection on-the-air to race fans other than the SPEEDtv.com website.
Waiting until Speedweek in February to start the program may cause SPEED to completely miss-out on the biggest stories that will be shaping the face of racing in North America and around the world for 2009.
Please give us your thoughts on Wind Tunnel and what you like and perhaps dislike about this program series on SPEED.
The Daly Planet welcomes comments from readers. Just click on the COMMENTS button below and follow the easy instructions. Comments will appear shortly after they are submitted. Thank you for taking the time to stop by.
35 comments:
- David said...
I would love to see it go back to nightly not once a week. NASCAR needs to take a queue from the NFL where they made the season 12 months long with draft and news coverage. Glad Dave will be back but in order to grow NASCAR needs to take a hard look and how it has shyed away from WEB and TV by letting someone else deal with it. Cancelling Daytona testing was economically good but they should have had at least that to get some buzz going. As it sits there is nothing. Just follow the NFL's lead and learn to market your league year round. Want proof there is not buzz list the the morning drive on sirius. They where talking Kareoke this morning...
- December 18, 2008 at 11:42 AM
- Anonymous said...
I've always enjoyed Wind Tunnel and wished it was on nightly like it used to be. Speed needs to get it's head out of it's rear end and show racing. Any form of racing. Livin' the Low Life has to have what, 10 viewers an episode?
They could do so much with this channel (again like they used to) but choose not to. Only thing I might watch during the 'weak' from Speed is Pass Time because my 3 year old son likes it. Other than that Speed in our house is a wasted channel except when racing is on.
- December 18, 2008 at 12:34 PM
- Anonymous said...
Not a fan of Despain, but really want to hear form people inside NASCAR so would be very happy to see wind tunnel back on in January. As an aside, now the Mansfield not hosting the trucks this year story has disappeared from the Jayski site, did they retract it, or am I in the 'zone' again, although, the countdown clock worked again without my doing anything on my end after I mentioned it over here... How much if any control does ESPN have over there?
- December 18, 2008 at 1:08 PM
- photojosh said...
While I wasn't a fan of Despain's on INC, I do like Wind Tunnel. It's a shame that they can't even expand the show to 2-3 nights a week. Keep the Sunday show. Add a wednesday show for news items, in-depth conversations, or non top-tier racing reports. Then add a friday show for upcoming races (across all motorsports) over the weekend.
- December 18, 2008 at 1:18 PM
- Anonymous said...
Well, he is not shy about saying what he thinks. There was a time when Despain was mad that Speed had left its roots and was going too, too much NASCAR. I'm not sure if it was because of Speed not doing World Rally Championship anymore.
- December 18, 2008 at 1:26 PM
- majorshouse said...
I personally would love to see Wind Tunnel back five nights a week. It is by far one of my most favorite racing shows going. Dave Despain has been around motorsports forever it seems like and he does a great job where many other outlets could really learn from him.
- December 18, 2008 at 1:35 PM
- Arthur said...
I would like to see Speed add a mid-week Wind Tunnel to compliment the Sunday broadcast. Despain does a great job with covering breaking motorsports news, and we often miss things happening during the week.
And if this post-season doesn't convince Speed to keep some sort of news program on, nothing will. They've missed important stories, and could return to their roots. But no, they'll keep showing "lifestyle programming" and fall further into insignificance...
- December 18, 2008 at 2:06 PM
- Lou said...
I happen to enjoy the show when Robin Miller in on the show. He gives me a no holds bar and is not afraid to express his opinions on what ever the flavor of the day is. It is always a pleasure to see Robin on the show.
As for the NASCAR stuff I get enough from other places and take it for what it is worth.
I remember Dave Despain from years ago and I am glad he is still around to share his experience of all motorsports not just NASCAR.
Look forward to WT for 2009.
Wish I could get a bobble head of DD. Keep up the good work Dave, thanks.
- December 18, 2008 at 2:12 PM
- toomuchcountry said...
Not sure why WT takes time off from mid Nov thru Feb. Not sure if its Speed's call or in DD's contract. But off-season in all of motorsports is hardly lacking in news - this year or even the past 3-4. DD already does a great job covering a multitude of storylines with all forms of motorsports, but having no significant races to debrief would allow even more time to explore those subjects.
- December 18, 2008 at 2:18 PM
- Daly Planet Editor said...
Robin Miller is SPEED's most undervalued "brand."
He should be a co-host for Wind Tunnel, appear on SPEED Report and sometimes drop by TWIN to shake things up in Waltrip-land.
Having his content on SPEEDtv.com without even one on-air TV outlet during the racing off-season is a big strategic mistake for SPEED.
- December 18, 2008 at 2:50 PM
- Vicky D said...
I too enjoy DD but sometimes I think he prefers open wheel to nascar. I am a Robin Miller fan he needs to be a regular on WT and agree with some posters about starting the show in January. Once the new year starts we have Grand Am racing at Daytona coming up it would be good to get a head start. I find WT perhaps being 90 minutes on Sunday nights would be better.
- December 18, 2008 at 3:59 PM
- Richard in N.C. said...
I have a real difficult time trying to figure out the logic behind most of the decisions made by the real special folks in programming at SPEED. It is almost like twins do the programming - and the evil one handles Monday thru early Friday.
While I do like Windy Tunnel, I have to question Dave's "passion" for racing since he is on only about 40 weeks per year, with no repeats or guest hosts. Eli Gold's MRN radio show is on at least 50 weeks per year and Jay Leno is on live about 46 weeks per year with, I understand, repeats the other weeks. Wind Tunnel's schedule, timewise, is about like that of a congressman.
In a sense it would appear that SPEED takes race fans more for granted than EESPN does since it appears that SPEED is going to have about 10 to 12 weeks with no racing coverage except A1 GP.
- December 18, 2008 at 6:20 PM
- Sophia said...
You can read 5 message boards and I have found one thing in common mentioned.
ONE HOUR of Wind Tunnel is NOT ENOUGH. I love Dave but too much is jammed into his little 1 hour show.
LOVE Robin Miller..they should do a second night of WT and let Robin have a segment each week. TWO of my fave guys. :)
- December 18, 2008 at 7:10 PM
- Anonymous said...
I always enjoy WT, even when I don't like what DD has to say. It is the only show on TV that covers all forms of racing. Since it's only on once a week, it doesn't allow much in depth coverage of anything. Too bad. and Robin Miller is just too much fun to have on so seldom.
- December 18, 2008 at 7:19 PM
- Nan S said...
Wind Tunnel is great and I'm glad that Dave is back for 2 years. Count me among those who miss it being on many more nights a week. At least they could make it a 2 hour show if its only once.
Its about the only place that you can hear some in depth discussion about open wheel and motorcycles.
- December 18, 2008 at 8:10 PM
- Anonymous said...
Love Despain and Wind Tunnel. The season's last show -- with DW and Dick Berggren -- I could have watch that go on for hours. Think of all those times over the season that Despain asked if the automakers really got value out of their NASCAR relationships. That seems so prescient now.
Wind Tunnel and Speed Report are my favorite shows on Speed. It's funny that Speed is so heavily invested in their lifestyle programming. If I remember correctly, ESPN went down a strange path a few years ago, producing original movies and even a fictionalized series about football players and such. Seems they got out of that fairly quickly and went back to live sports and sports news/commentary. Speed's reality programming is probably cheap to produce and I imagine it's supposed to garner a younger audience but, holy cow, is it unwatchable. If they could just work in 30 minutes of motor sports news per week somewhere in between all those Unique Whip reruns. As it is, there's no reason to turn over until February.
- December 18, 2008 at 8:58 PM
- Newracefan said...
WT has grown on me over the past few years from laughing at the outrageous comments of others to the inside scoop from those on the inside or in Robin's case pressed up against the window listening. It's a fun hour, and Dave's vacation is way too long.
- December 18, 2008 at 9:49 PM
- Anonymous said...
Despain seems to be treating NASCAR with a bit more respect on WT than he did previously--and I loved last year's documentary where he looked back at the history of Daytona--so I think this is good news.
It definitely ought to run all year long, as there's racing news to be discussed all year.
- December 18, 2008 at 11:01 PM
- Nick Doyle said...
In a nutshell, a week without Despain and Miller is agony for this long-time fan. Wind Tunnel needs to be longer or more frequent during the week, and it should be on all year. Dave and Robin will never run out of interesting things to talk about.
Instead, Speed gives us Eunich Whips. Sample episode -- lets find some basketball player, get his Escalade, add 24" chrome wheels, an annoying "sound system," make the interior fit for a pimp, and put it all on TV. Repeat weekly. Oh, and let's add lots of hugging and fist-bumps.
And the network is called "Speed?"
I thought that name had to do with racing, not recreational medications.
Not a fan of "life-style" programming on what could be a terrific racing network.
More Dave and more Robin. The sooner the better.
- December 18, 2008 at 11:44 PM
- Lesley said...
Dave comes from the two wheeled side of things! This is important in that the best racing in the world comes from Mile Flat Tracking,World superbike and Motogp!! He knows real racing..Why is Jimmy Johnson fast? Bikes!! He does a great job tolerating the four wheeled crowd,and I enjoy It to.. But make no mistake!! Rossi,Edwards,Roberts,Hayden,Carr..are the Bravest of the brave when It comes to, I can go faster than you..Good job Dave!!
- December 19, 2008 at 2:06 AM
- Anonymous said...
Mr Despain is the only motorsports journalist on SPEED, with the rare exception of Robin Miller showing up from time to time.
Like NASCAR of late, SPEED has taken the simple route to perceived "hipness" with reality rubbish programming.
This "island" called Wind Tunnel will be buried where no one can see it through the smokey haze of Pinks........and as we all know, Pinks Stinks!
Congrats to Mr Despain
Happy Christmas all!
Bray Kroter
- December 19, 2008 at 8:06 AM
- Anonymous said...
I've always had a hot/cold reaction to Despain. He's what I call a "big picture" guy-he can talk knowlegeably about many forms of racing. While he seems to especially like bike and dirt racng, I don't don't think he's especially knowledgable about Nascar or the mechanics of race cars. At times, there's a certain arrogance to his delivery that puts me off. As far as INC goes, that was a terrible fit.
- December 19, 2008 at 9:39 AM
- earl06 said...
It's interesting that SPEED kept DD under contract and Wind Tunnel on the air. It would be easy to justify getting rid of an expensive holdover from the old SPEED. My question is why?
There doesn't seem to be any crossover from Wind Tunnel fans to the other shows on the channel. It's almost like producing a football show on Lifetime. SPEED's 3 hours of programming on Sunday nights are a concession to the old guard that are ignored for the remainder of the week. Let's face it, nobody surfs over to SPEED to see if something good is on anymore.
- December 19, 2008 at 9:49 AM
- diane said...
I don't think Wind Tunnel is expensive to produce. In fact its probably very cheap. Just a simple set, one host, free guests and some phone line technology and screeners.
That's probably what has saved it, its a low cost show. You're right about it appealing to the old guard. Its one of the few remnants of SpeedVision, a great network.
- December 19, 2008 at 10:45 AM
- Anonymous said...
I'm tellin' you guys, Unique Whips has GOT to have a PLC (program-length commercial) deal with SPEED, i.e., they pay-to-play. If you've ever actually watched the show, it is literally a commercial for the Unique Whips company, complete with contact phone number.
SPEED's undoubtedly allowing this show to air because the company pays them to run it.
- December 19, 2008 at 10:47 AM
- Kevin in SoCal said...
I agree with most of the above comments. We would love to have Wind Tunnel on more often, at least 90 minutes on Sundays. And Robin Miller is awesome and should be on more often, too. His style and opinions are always great and he never gives you B.S.
- December 19, 2008 at 1:42 PM
- JD said...
NASCAR definitely needs a recurring TV news program during the off-season for those of us who need a 'fix' from time to time. Three months off is entirely toooooooooooo long. Wind Tunnel would be an excellent tool to satisfy the 'need for news' of the NASCAR variety.
I'm sure they could find willing sponsors for one hour/week. They could even take off two weeks around Christmas/New Year like the rest of the world does.
I don't know how Despain would handle the demand, but I know many NASCAR fans that aren't really stick and ball fans and would love some added coverage during the off-season.
Another JD
- December 19, 2008 at 1:52 PM
- Anonymous said...
I like Despain, even though I disagree with him a lot. I like anyone with strong, well-thought-out opinions.
But I really don't get the whole headphones thing. Really, I don't get it. I mean, I understand that it's an homage to radio, but in my opinion it just looks goofy. He can have the big old fashioned microphone and get the same thing across. But it is 2008, almost 2009 and even in most modern radio stations they use smaller, more modern headsets than those old giant black earmuffs WITH A CORD. (It was weird when Jimmie Johnson is being interviewed by a guy wearing headphone yet he is just sitting there without them.
It makes me start to wonder if he is reliant on the headphones to maintain the steady deep broadcaster voice he does.
- December 19, 2008 at 10:02 PM
- Rockin Rich said...
And, we have yet another winner in the TDP's new acronym contest!
I think Nick Doyle's comment, (12/18 @11:44PM), was a hoot.
Unique Whips is now Eunuch Whips. Great new acronym, right up there with Sophia's BSPN.
- December 20, 2008 at 7:22 AM
- Nick Doyle said...
I had no idea that there was a contest involved. Should I happen to win the grand prize, please forward it to the "Old Time NASCAR Drivers' Home." They deserve it far more than I.
and . . .
Rockin Rich,
Glad you liked it, and thanks for the compliment and for correcting my spelling to the proper "Eunuch" if such a thing can be called proper -- certainly not the show.
Cheers to all,
- December 20, 2008 at 6:15 PM
- The J said...
i remember when WT was 2 hours long a few years ago. it was great. as for speed, their weekend nascar coverage is the best in all of nascar. but once WT goes off the air on sunday, speed becomes horrible. and right now theyre doing 7 hour marathons of pinks and unique whips. whoevers watching that right now probably cant change the channel or turn off the tv. at least theres only about 50 days to daytona.
- December 20, 2008 at 7:59 PM
- kyle said...
David has a good point. NASCAR is dead after Homestead and until the Shootout now, because of the elimination of testing. Not much going on at all this year.
I am not sad or happy about this. I really have never liked the wind tunnel. But, I can't deny that it is good for the NASCAR world.
Now, I just wish SPEED would work on Getting their HD channel on my cable co. (Mediacom), but I have a feeling that its more on the side of the cable co.
- December 21, 2008 at 8:31 AM
- Zieke said...
Good for Despain. His show is usually fun, but not being a 2 wheel fan, I do turn it off from time to time. I do like Miller and his passion for open wheel racing- he adds alot to WT including humor, with no BS intended.
- December 21, 2008 at 11:55 AM
- Anonymous said...
I LOVE (cue John Robert's impressionistic voice) Dave Despain! Nightly would be sweet, but I always love unwinding after a race by watching his show. SPEED knows what they are doing. If only they could be in ESPN's spot when it came to covering races.
- December 22, 2008 at 4:23 PM
- Anonymous said...
We want more Wind Tunnel!! More time, more nights, whatever we can get. I, too, hate the U Whips and that other junk they show.
I am primarily a NASCAR fan, but also watch IRL, and I like that Dave reports on those series as well as others like drag racing or motorcycles that I don't watch regularly. The variety is nice.
- December 23, 2008 at 6:31 PM