ESPN List Includes A Major Flaw
Written by David Lamm · June 26, 2007
Anytime a sports columnist puts together a list, any list, undoubtedly someone will have a beef with it. Well, color me red as a T-bone because I have a beef with Jim Caple of ESPN.com. His ‘101 things all sports fans must experience before they die’ list has a glaring omission; the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.
ESPN.com: 101 things all sports fans must experience before they die
Yet again, the NHRA was left off the list in favor of such events like the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the hot dog eating championship and even the Wife Carrying World Championships in Finland. Apparently Caple failed to get the memo that NHRA POWERade Drag Racing is a must see event at least once in your life. It is not as if Caple snubbed all of auto racing. Very much to the contrary. Caple seemed to mention all of the big name racing events with the exception of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. Caple lists the motor sports events you must see before you die including The Indy 500 (No. 32), Daytona 500 (No. 45), 24 Hours of Le Mans (No. 68), The Dakar Rally (No. 77) and The Baja 500 (No. 98). You could even lump in the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (No. 71) as a motor sport event that was listed by Caple and still not find the U.S. Nationals in there. What a major oversight!
How can you say that a sports fan would be remiss in his or her sports watching life if they failed to attend the Calaveras Frog Jumping Jubilee (No. 97) and not the U.S. Nationals? Standing at the fence at O’Reilly Raceway Park as two 8,000 horsepower Top Fuel dragsters leave the line is something everyone should take in. Walking the pits and standing right at the edge of the ropes as a Funny Car warms up prior to a qualifying run should be done at least once. (Those that voluntarily stand at the back of the pit without a gas mask or ear protection are just plain crazy.) Any sport fan’s resume would not be complete without an autograph from John Force just moments before he leaves for the starting line on Labor Day.
Many of the 101 things Caple listed I would have to agree with. I am not just a fan of drag racing but of all sports. I am happy to say that of the 101 things on his list, I have done nine of them. Some of those events I have been a part of was the NCAA subregional (No. 5) in 1998 held in Oklahoma City. College basketball fans will remember that regional as the game that 13-seeded Valparaiso beat the fourth seeded University of Mississippi on Bryce Drew’s buzzer beating 3-point shot. I attended the 2003 Rose Bowl (No. 12 on Caple’s list) where the University of Oklahoma beat Washington State 34-14. Most recently I attended the first four days of the College World Series (No. 14) two weekend’s ago and a friend took me to a Stanley Cup Playoff Game (No. 20) in 2003 when Anaheim played Dallas. I’ve taken in a Green Bay Packers Game in the snow (No. 53) in December of 2003, I’ve been to numerous Midnight Madness events (No. 61) while in college, Beach Volleyball (No. 75) and a Monday Night Football game (No. 87) when the San Diego Chargers played the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2005. I have even seen a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley Field (No. 22) even though my seats were not in the bleachers as Caple suggests is the true experience.
Despite the fact that I have attended less than 10 percent of the 101 events that Caple lists as ‘must see’, I still believe I am qualified to say the U.S. Nationals’ omission from this list is a major oversight. Maybe the NHRA media department needs to mail Mr. Caple two passes to this year’s U.S. Nationals so can experience it for himself. I highly doubt Caple has even been to a drag race. If he has and still left the U.S. Nationals off the list, he must have something against drag racing because we sure know he respects all other forms of motor sports. I am sure that the moment Caple gets a whiff of nitro and the ground shakes under his feet he will never forget that experience. Once that happens rest assured that the All-American Soap Box Derby (No. 96) will get bumped from next year’s list.
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5 Responses to “ESPN List Includes A Major Flaw”
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AMEN!!!!! If you haven’t experienced the US Nationals you are missing one of the greatest events of a lifetime. If at all possible, go this year and witness for yourself the “hair raising up on your arms” when the nitro cars fire on the line and run along the ability to get “up close” in the pits.
With the pending “purchase” and start up of PRO, there will be many changes. I believe we will loose the ability to watch these drag racing events on a channel included in whatever cable package you may have, AT NO ADDITIONAL COST.
Once PRO is intrenched, your only options will be to go to the race and pay a “sure to increase dramatically price” or watch it on PPV.
PRO will bring that side of drag racing to “big business”, just like NASCAR. Pretty soon, fans won’t be allowed in the pits without proper (very costly or very un-attainable) credentials, just like NASCAR.
Witness for yourself the pounding thunder that is the US Nationals.
Isn’t it something that a sport like drag racing gets snubbed - NOT. I’ve been down this road one too many times but the PERCEPTION of drag racing, way out weighs the actual facts. When I tell people (for marketing purposes) that drag racing has a more diverse, intelligent and wealthier base than say Nascar, they’re surprised. Why? PERCEPTION. And about going?! Nobody can describe what it’s like unless you’re there. The entire experience going to ANY major drag racing event is so far from being able to express or depict the feel, sound and smells of drag racing - it is impossible.
The occurence of bringing someone to a meet for the first time and stand in the stands and watch their reaction when two Fuelers roar by - priceless. Go to a professional drag meet, you won’t believe it.
My friend you are 110% correct. When big money comes in, the true sport is destroyed. I’ll give it five years and NASCAR and others will be pay for view
How can this guy call himself a sports writer if, experiencing ANY NHRA national event, is not on his list. How about standing in the tunnel at Sonoma when the top fuelers go over head! I’d bet that on a list of the 101 best sports writers of all time, he’s not on it so don’t worry!! NITRO RULZ!!
David,
Jim Caple’s obvious omission is most likely because ESPN2 usually airs the NHRA events after his bedtime.
The TV show is pretty lame, and I suspect even if he hasn’t hit the sheets he’s fighting to stay awake during the broadcast.
If not for Mike Dunn I wouldn’t watch it at all.