You infer what you infer, I'm having no part of this ridiculous discussion. I don't know why I keep clicking on these threads, or indeed keep coming in GD. One would think I'd have learnt better by now. And for the record, I'd oust the whole lot 26-down (I like round numbers). NB: In case it's not clear, I'm not calling you stupid. I said people are stupid, and they sure as hell are.
Comparing Jackie Robinson to Danica is one of the most ******ed things I've ever read. I was done with this thread but had to respond to this moronic statement. This is just beyond insulting to Jackie Robinson wow.
How did I compare them? I compared their exposure. They are both athletes in their respective sports who were/are controversial because they aren't the typical player. On an athlete level they don't compare, obviously. It's called reading comprehension. Learn it.
I would offer some bit of insight, but all I got is...she is a rookie. It took Michael Waltrip over a decade to see success. Sterling Marlin waited 9 years to see victory lane. Bobby Labonte was 19th and 21st in his first 2 seasons with only 2 top tens in 1994. You can be a better judge by he third year.
Danica Patrick hasn't done shit. Period. End of story. She's nothing special driver wise and is not even the first "women" behind the wheel of a race car in any of the top tiers of racing. She is one boob job away from being pretty damned hot It's all marketing bullshit and obviously its working. Nascar has pretty much sucked it since Earnhardt died, because everyone else left is a politically correct douche with a few exceptions, but they lack the pull that Earnhardt had to bring all the drivers together. Then they went to the abortion that is "the car of tomorrow" and that made it even worse. At least they are somewhat addressing this now and have gotten away from the pure twinkie look with different stickers. It is still way too politically correct, especially from what long time fans that are walking away are used to. Now u want to see awesome, crack open a Cup motor and take a poke around. Cylinder heads alone are phenominal plus one. Cutting edge shit there for being mere "pushrod" motors.
This really should've been in the NASCAR thread. We could've had a better discussion without the "left turn" jokes.
Yeah, I really don't watch any sports on tv anyway. Golf is even less appealing to me than NASCAR. Read my comment again, chief. I said that I don't get (understand) the appeal, not that it doesn't or shouldn't appeal to anyone besides myself. For what it's worth though, I appreciate the explanation in your second sentence. It honestly helped me a little.
No you're not; because this is exactly what I thought too until I re-read the thread title. If you're ever the child of someone who did something fucking amazing in a certain field, I would never under any circumstances go into that same field; just too much damn baggage. As for NASCAR itself; I think it just suffers from being visually boring but technically interesting. I prefer watching the Bathurst 1000, if only because Mt. Panorama is an interesting course, and there's more than one race. A good one is the Touring Car Masters; all the old classics from pre-1976 come out to play. As for Danica Patrick.....well, I'd concentrate on trying to be the better racer, but I won't fault her for doing the magazine spreads and what not; extra cash doesn't hurt and in case the racing thing doesn't work out she's got a half decent modelling portfolio to fall back on.
Why sure I could, as long as I only had to turn left. Just playing. On a recent episode of Mythbusters there was a myth that the drivers lose 30 lbs (I think that was the amount) during the average race. They tried to recreate it and I think one of them lost around 15 lbs just from racing around a track with 2 other cars. They said the rest of the weight loss could be from the stress of trying to win and having a lot more cars to tend with. Even though I don't watch NASCAR, I would have to admit it is a sport and just as challenging as any other sport. As for the Danica business I can see why true fans are urked with her. As I said, I'm not a fan of NASCAR but even I know who she is; the only other drivers are are Gordon (because he was good from what I heard), Earnhardt Jr. (because of his dads death and he might be good?), and Dick Trickle (because he has a funny name. Only reason I know of Patrick is because she is a hot girl. The few races I've watched she caused wrecks, was paying attention to the race because I heard "a girl was driving" and wanted to see how she did. Lost interest after her wrecks. Had NASCAR on another day after that and I turned to my girlfriend and I even said (not a fan, so I don't know much about it) I don't know why she races, she always wrecks. What happens? She wrecked in that race also (announcers said she caused it) So what does all that have to do with this? No freaking clue. Wait a minute, I think I know where I was going. The guys whose average finishes are below hers, no one knows about or cares about, while she is in your face. She draws attention because she is unique and not good, the guys slower then her are worse but blend in together. Umm, I think that's why she takes so much flak.
He has a point. Her performance is mediocre and she gets attention because she is a slim woman (who I think is rather average looking at best and isn't very classy). It does annoy me that she gets the attention because she exploits her sex appeal. I think other drivers are right to be frustrated and annoyed at her gaining sponsorships, but that's life I guess. I hate the fact that any woman in any sport is judged on appearance more than talent. It tells me that the world we live in places an arbitrary value on women (her body is worth this much in sponsorships) without the woman's inherant worth itself increasing.
You know, I just thought of something. And it will sound like I'm trolling and I expect to take some flack for it. For what it's worth, yeah she ain't in the top 10 in every race. Yeah, she's a woman with a thin body. Yeah, she's got a lot of sponsorships along with a lot of haters. They say that if you don't have a lot of haters, you're not doing it right. In that regard, she is successful. And naturally, she's being hated on. My question in turn to all the haters is....... Is her success really bothering you that much? Not to say that there are more important things in life to worry about (because there are), but honestly like I said in another post, sex sells. She lets herself be objectified on purpose. Why? Because she probably knows that people all around who would want to ostracize her for whatever reason will still sit there and do so while she laughs all the way to the bank. Think about it. Let's say, I'm a hater of Danica. I'm sitting here making a real heated post, talking to all my friends about how terrible of a driver she is and blah blah blah. Hell, I'm arguing with people over the internet as to why and how she sucks! I'm gettin' all worked up over someone who has little to no effect on my life (let's face it, if you're on national TV talkin shit....yeah you're worked up over her. If you're soooo damned happy someone talked shit about her.....yeah....you got worked up over her even if it was a minor amount). Her on the other hand, she's probably on a chair, out by the pool of her very big house, thinking which car she should take out on the town tonight, and which very expensive restaurant she wants to go eat at, while where to go shopping at. If she was a TF fan, she would even be debating which TF to buy first.....regardless of cost. While getting a massage might I add. Hmmmm......is it worth it?
I am not a Danica hater, I hate the fact that society has put her in the place where she had to subject herself to getting photographed half naked just to "make it". People may say she laughs all the way to the bank, and she probably does....but from a social standpoint, her objectification has only helped to perpetuate the idea that women have no inherent worth and that her success is entirely dependant on how well she appeals to the male ideal of what is "sexy". Believe it or not, but my worth as a woman is not dependant on how sexy men find me....everywhere I go I see examples of that. Case in point: I was on a Facebook page where a woman was discussing her body image issues and being overweight. So many people (who mean well) were saying things like "it's ok...lots of men LOVE bigger women...you will find a man who thinks you're sexy" and it struck me as so disturbing that the only thing people could think of to bolster this woman's self esteem was to assure her that there are men out there who find her sexy. Since when is being sexy to men the yardstick with which we measure worth? I get it all the time as a woman. I am constantly being appraised by men on a continual basis and men either approve of my appearance, at which point they decide that what I am saying is valid, or they decide I am not appealing visually and pretty much dismiss me as irrelevant. It's a fact that more attractive women get employed more easily, and often get paid more. Their worth as a human being is intrinsicly tied up in how attractive they are....and further to that, how attractive she is to men.....I am guilty of subscribing to that notion as I deliberately make efforts to appeal to men...often on a subconscious level and I am one of those women who isn't that comfortable without make-up and I agonise over clothing that makes the most of my body shape. I know that my life is easier as an attractive woman, and as a result I do seek to make myself as attractive as possible. I still think its unfair that I bear that burden as a woman.... This is the perfect example of that.....
Apparently, a lot of men still have that way of thinking. Meaning, a woman's worth is based upon her looks and willingness to be objectified. Unfortunately, corporations also still use this tactic to appeal to the masses and it's still working largely because too many people are "allowing" it to work. Though I can understand part of the ire as a desire to stop this way of thinking, unfortunately it also becomes a matter of "to each their own" in all regards. In this case, if Danica wants to take advantage of this way of evaluating women (for whatever reason she sees fit), then that's her choice. If she's doing it to get hers from all those who would never look even in her direction otherwise, or if she doesn't realize what she's actually doing, then it's still on her and nothing anyone else will say will change that (unless your opinion just so happens to matter to her). Obviously she can live with herself just fine and hold her head up high. *shrugs*......That tells me she doesn't care what other people think. On the other hand, we men do this too. How come no one slams the men for this?
You misunderstand me. I don't blame her...I think she is a victim of sexual disempowerment like every other woman. I admitted to doing the same thing - using my appeal as a woman to survive life the best way I can. That women NEED to use their sexuality to "get ahead" is a sad testament to society as a whole. You might see what she is doing as empowerment, because she is gaining money and applause....but, it's really a good example of disempowerment, because it illustrates that the ONLY real option for women to succeed in a male dominated world is to either fit into to the mould of a "good woman" ie, become a nurse or a teacher or get married and have babies OR become a sex object. There is little scope for women to deviate from either the maternal image, or the sex kitten image.... Men are similarly disempowered by their strict gender roles.
No, I understood you just fine My whole post was just that she chose to do it for whatever reason and apparently, she has no qualms about it. Everyone has a choice. She could have tried to focus mainly on driving to earn her way into the cash flow, but instead she chose the easy way out. Now....if someone put a/several multi-million dollar contract(s) in someone's face, its hard to say that someone would say no. Right? Whatever the case may be for her, she's doing just fine and the haters will continue to hate.
