What I know.

Sprucin’ Up The Park

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I can’t believe I am pretty much caught up at work. That’s not the shocking part though. The fact that I am caught up this time of year is amazing. I work for a major university in Texas and the fall semester starts Monday. Next week will be VERY BUSY! With that said I was able to squeeze in some time this afternoon to spruce up THe Park.

I am still trying to figure out some things with WordPress. I was very comfortable with making changes when I was over at Blogger. Several weeks ago I change my header from the #20 orange looking banner to the new #14 red in preparation of Tony’s change from JGR to SHR. It was just was pretty much a rush job. I wanted to make some changes. I really the layout of my current template, but I am not happy with the white background. I know there are limitations with the template and that is why I may bite the bullet and make the switch to wordpress.org. This way I can have my site hosted on one of those host sites and have a little bit more freedom with The Park. But until I make the decision I will just have to deal with what I have right now. And so, that’s why the new banner.

The Park is predominately dominated by NASCAR, but I am passionate about a few other things as well and I wanted those to be represented too. So as you can see the “new and improved” banner pays homage to Tony Stewart, the Dallas Cowboys, and most of my Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Why?

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That’s the question I keep asking myself these days. Why? I guess someone in great beyond has decided to test me on my patience and understanding. You know what, I am not going to pass this test. I am a “D” student when it comes to patience and understanding this week.

  • I really hate it when people ask for my opinion on something and then don’t like what I have to say. What’s the deal with that? If you didn’t want to hear what I had to say then don’t freakin’ ask me. I considered myself a very opinated person and I will speak my mind, but if you don’t like what I am saying don’t ask. Sound familiar? Kind of like Tony…they ask him his opinon and when he gives it, it isn’t what they want to hear.
  • People who argue over the little things.  I mean come on now.  Quit focusing on the little things in life.  I have been known to do this at times and I trying hard not to do this because well frankly it’s pointeless in the long run
  • Bandwagoneers really grate on my nerves. I don’t understand them.  Don’t you have a mind of your own?  Can’t you think for yourself?  As my momma always told me, “if you’re friends jumped off a cliff, would you?” 
  • My new phrase of the week…”Get on the train, or stay at the station!”.  If you don’t like something change it!  Don’t stand around griping about to anyone who will listen.  Plus, when you are asked to step up to get on board the train, don’t back down.  If you aren’t going to be part of the solution, shut your pie hole
  • People who you think are your friends, but really aren’t.  If you don’t want to be my friend that’s fine with me.  That’s your loss not mine.  

I wanted to post this a few days ago, but as with anything I wanted to get some perspective on my week last week.  I thought perhaps a couple of nights sleep and a few days away from the stress inducesors would help me gain some perspective.  Unfortunately it didn’t.  I am still a little upset and frustrated about things…so here’s the post…which will be followed by my NASCAR posting about yesterday’s race.

Dallas Cowboys

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Are you ready for some football?  I sure am.  I know NASCAR season is still upon us and let me state I will still be keeping tabs on all of it, but now I can also turn my attention to my other passion–FOOTBALL!  I told Postman last night there are only two major sports in our household…NASCAR and FOOTBALL.  That’s it.  Sure we like basball, basketball and other sporting events, but we don’t follow them as closely and passtionately as we do football.  Postman is gearing up for his fantasy football season as well.  He has about  6 fantasy football mags (the last count) sitting on the kitchen table by his laptop.  He is making his depth charts and spreadsheets in preparation for his league draft party next weekend.  But now comes the fun part of the football season, what sport gets HD TV screen time on Sundays?  Depending on when the Cowboy game starts and when the race starts is usually the deciding factor, but there are times where we have to flip back and forth during the two events.  I could go into the bedroom to watch NASCAR, but my recliner isn’t in there.  Last season there wasn’t much bloodshed.  I am hoping for that this season.  But to tell you the truth we all now who will win this “argument”.

I am so excited about the Cowboys season.  Zach Thomas is now with the Boys.  He is a former Red Raider and I was at Tech when he palyed for the Red Raiders.  I was watching him on the preseason game last weekend and it seemed he was either in on the tackle or if he wasn’t he was in the vicinity.  Zach Thomas isn’t the only Red Raider right now in camp.  Danny Amendola, is trying to make the team as well.  Danny Amendola is a Wes Welker type of player.  I am hoping he will make the team that way I can watch my fellow Red Raiders on Sundays.

 

One note that has nothing to do with NASCAR and the Cowboys…on second thougth I think I will save it for another day.  I am too emotional, or more to the point Tony Stewart pissed off.  I may say something I will regret.

The Bermuda Triangle

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Thank goodness…no more races at the Bermuda Triangle..oops Pocono. 

I am not a fan of this track.  It’s too long of a race and it’s just a weird racetrack.  And for some reason there is always a threat of bad weather.  But after last week’s race, I was looking forward to some racing.  Sunday’s looked very familiar (Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin were on the front row again for the second week in a row) and I thought for a moment perhaps I had had a nightmare and we were all watching the Indy race.  But alas the boys were definitely at Pocono.  Unfortunately Saturday’s practice sessions were rained out. 

Even though NASCAR was going to throw a compeotion yellow at lap 20, the first caution happened rather qucikly.  The boys didn’t even get a chance to finish a complete lap befor Joe Nemecek spins Kevin Harvick.  This put Harvick deep in the pack and he was going to have to fight his way to the front.  As with Pocono, when you have your “oops” moment will depend if you can recover for a decent finish.  Shortly after Kevin went spinning, Kurt Busch decided to try it for himself on Lap 7.   By the way, Kevin finished 4th, but Kurt wasn’t able to recover and finished 38th.

Weather tends to play havoc at Pocono.  Just ask Ryan Newman last year during the spring shortened race.  And this time rain did force soem fo the teams to show their cards.  SEveral teams decided to come in and get tires and gas while others chose to gamble with the impending weather and gambled.  Those who gambled included the spring’s winer Kasey Kahne and Mark Martin.  Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart chose to come down pit road to get gas and tires.  The race is red flagged on Lap 131 due to rain showers.  After a 41 minute rain delay the boys were back on the track with Kasey Kahne leading the way.  There was still a threat of rain in the area, however it never played a factor after the rain delay.

I have to say it was interesting to see who was going to try and play the gas mileage game.  Who was going to blink?  Unfortunately both Kasey and Mark decided to go in for gas because they were not going to make it on fuel.  Once this happened Carl Edwards inherited the lead.  And he too was playing the mileage game, his crew chief was telling him to conserve fuel.   Unfortunately, the points leader ran out of gas and was unable to refire once he hit pit road.  He finished 36th.  Of course this is better than the finish in the spring where he finished dead last.  Yikes!

Congrats to Carl for his 4th victory this season.

Tony Stewart had a decent day.  He came away with a 2nd place finish after starting 20th.  Kudos also go to David Ragan with his 5th place finish.  Some other surprises…Jamie McMurray (9th), Travis Kvapil (16th), Chad McCumbee (17th), and Tony Raines (18th), and how about Bill Elliott finishing in the top 20 with a 20th place finish.

Now the boys are headed to the final road race of the year at Watkins Glen.  I am crossing all my fingers and toes this week hoping for a victory for Tony Stewart.  If you told me at the beginning of the year that Tony would not have win by Watkins Glen I would have called you crazy, but it’s true.  The same would be said for Jeff Gordon.  It’s not for lacking of trying on the part of the two drivers, it’s just one of those things in racing. 

One more thing…in case you missed it NASCAR made history on Saturday.  The boys in the Nationwide Series raced in the rain up in Montreal.  It was interesting to watch them drive in the rain with the rain tires and windshield wipers.  I am still a little bit confused about why some didn’t install the wipers.  I know when I am behind someone in traffic during a rain storm, I get their back splash.  But I guess there was enough visabilitiy for them.  Unfortunately the race was eventually called due to the rain.  Congrats to Ron Fellows!

Pocono and MTV

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Just a few notes from The Park….

The Cup boys are back at The Bermuda Triangle aka Pocono this weekend.  Pocono is one of those races that I usually have on in the background while I am cleaning house.  I am not a fan of races at Pocono.  For one thing if the field gets spread out, then it makes for a boring race.  However, after last weekend’s “race”, I am looking forward to some decent racing.  I was happy to see NASCAR apologize for the weekend.  Poco

NASCAR announced this week, the Nationwide Series will not be running in Mexico next year.  The series raced in Mexico the last 4 seasons.  This announcement does not surprise me however.  This race saw lagging interest and what had to be the biggest logistical nightmare for many of the teams.  However, NASCAR was able to expose their sport to a new audience and I hope build a bigger fan base.

Jimmie Johnson will make his Truck series debut on August 5 at Bristol driving the #81 for Randy Moss Motorsports.  When I first heard that Randy Moss was going to delve into the world of NASCAR I was a little skeptical.  And my skepticism does not have to do with the fact that I am not a fan of Randy Moss, it has to do with the history.  Several others from the world of NFL have tried to venture into NASCAR and have not been successful (excluding Joe Gibbs).  There was Terry Bradshaw who has come and go as well as two hall of fame quarterbacks from the Dallas Cowboys (Staubach and Aikman).  I don’t know a whole lot about Bradshaws venture, but with Hall of Fame, they were trying to start out in Cup immediately.  Perhaps Randy has his eye eventually fielding a team in Cup, but starting out in Truck is a smart move.  Plus to have two-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson to drive your truck isn’t  too bad either.  It will give RMM a big step towards legitamacy into Truck.

Best kept secret alert…Ryan Newman will drive the #4 for Stewart Haas Racing next year.  But don’t tell anyone.

And one final note…HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MTV!.  It was 27 years ago today (August 1, 1981), MTV made it’s debut into homes across America.  I was only…11 years old.  I still remember coming home every day from school and tuning into see the latest music videos.  I wanted my MTV.  I watch MTV now and I can’t even recognize it now.  I really wish they would go back to a more music video format, but hey a girl can dream can’t she. 

Here is a picture of the original MTV VJs (Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, J. J. Jackson and Martha Quinn)

In case you are wondering what the first video was MTV played…here it is.

My Favorite Number is 14

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It’s official…Tony will be driving the red and black #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevy next year.  Tony chose the number in honor of his racing hero A.J. Foyt.

“A.J. has always been my hero and will always be No. 1 on my hero list, with the best part being that we are really good friends,” Stewart said. “We obviously have a tremendous amount of respect for one another. I remember him calling me after I won my first Cup championship in 2002 and I remember how much it meant to have him call that night and congratulate me. We really do have similar pasts and carry a lot of characteristics that are the same. He is one of the greatest icons in racing worldwide and to be compared to him in any way is always a huge honor.

Now what to do with all that orange in my wardrobe, on my car, fleece blankets that adorned by recliner, etc?  I guess I will have to buy new stuff!  That’s right…for those of you who don’t know what to get me for Christmas, birthday, or just because I will needs lots of new Tony stuff!  I am going to like his car colors as well…red and black!  I am so conditioned to those colors.  I mean after all I am an alum of Texas Tech University and what are their colors???  Plus he will have Office Depot as one of his sponsors.  Talk about a match made in heaven for this Tony fan.  I will definitely be able to support this sponsor more.  I am an office supply junkie.  Oh…for all my male friends and family members guess what brand of cologne, shampoo, etc you will be receiving in your stockings for Christmas?

Now that the number and sponsors question has been answered, next up will be the driver to become Tony’s teammate.