Bleacher Report - Articles by Jonathan Reed

NASCAR: It's Time To Change

Jonathan Reed — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:47:39 -0400

I'm sitting here watching the Coke Zero 400 and I have decide it's time to change some things in Nascar. I feel the following list of suggestions would be good for ticket sales, TV ratings, and Rookie training.

No. 1 Distinguish Your Series From Each Other

This means different rules and requirements for each series. I'm not referring to the east and west series. I'm mainly talking about the top three divisions.

Camping World Truck Series

Truck racing is really exciting and fun to watch. It is good for Nascar because it gives them a different kind of vehicle to race. I like the fact they have the "tires or fuel" rule. It seperates that division from the others.

The main reason this rule is in place is because it allows the drivers to practice pitting skills in real time scenarios before advancing to the next division. In the short races they have, often there was only one pitstop in the whole race. As far as I'm concerned, leave this series be.

Nationwide Series

This series needs remolding. There is too many drivers from the Sprint Series involved in this series. I'll elaborate more later. I think it's time that the Nationwide Series goes to the COT. It's the car that these drivers will end up in, it's what they should be practicing.

I would like to remind you all why this series was created. It was made so that rookies could get experience racing on Sprint tracks before racing in the Top series. It has become anything but this.

Sprint Cup Series

There are a few things that I feel need to be tweaked in this series as well. They need to change the rule stating that Goodyear is required to give every team a chance to test tires. There should be a set list of drivers that go to the track with goodyear every week. And the same group should do it for two months. Then get a new list of dependable drivers.

The COT needs to be re-designed. Out of 50 drivers asked, 42 say the COT is harder to handle. and at least do something about the splitter. If you go through the grass once your downforce is shot. There has to be a better design out there.

Also, they need to go back to the Bud pole shootout. Not the top drivers from every manufacture.

Rule Changes For Every Series

The big change has been the double file restarts that every one like. But here something that needs to be done. Allow the drivers on the last lap of the race to race back to the line. Not the whole race, but when there going for the win.

I want you all to consider this because I want a sincere vote on this rule suggestion. I plan on sending this suggestion to Nascar soon. I call it the "One Series" rule

The rule would read: A driver is only allowed to run a full season in one series, and six races in one of the others.

This would mean, Brad Keselowski who runs full time in Nationwide, could only run six races in the Sprint Cup. It would also mean Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer and Dale Earnhardt Jr., just to mention a few, could only run six races in the Nationwide Series.

When I watch a race in the Nationwide Series, I want to see young new unknown drivers having a fair chance to get a good finish. Maybe even a win.

So I ask you in the author's poll for your opinion. Would you like to see this rule put into place or not?

Dale Jr: Most Popular Driver and Least Hated

Jonathan Reed — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 01:35:50 -0400

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last five years, you know Dale Jr. is by far the most popular driver in NASCAR. Yet, over this sadly disappointing 2009 season, I've come to realize another interesting fact that I feel has been overlooked. Not only is he the most loved driver in history, he's also one of the least hated. Allow me to explain.

In the 90's there was a young driver who was nearly unstoppable, Jeff Gordon. In this decade he had 49 wins, 30 poles, and 118 top fives. His fan support was a very healthy size. But for every fan he had, there was a Dale Earnhardt fan to hate his guts. It weighed itself out.

When Dale Sr. came into the league, he saw a extremely quick rise in fan base. But he had Richard Petty, and Bill Elliot fans who wanted him thrown out of NASCAR.

In history, the most popular drivers(often the most productive) have always had the scientific law, to every action there is always opposed and equal reaction. There always was this system of checks and balance. This rule does not prove true for Junior. Now, obviously the point to this article isn't to prove a science law isn't true. But, in the case it dosen't apply.

As far as Die Hard fans. Dale has roughly 40 percent of the total NASCAR fan base. Jeff Gordon has around 20 percent. Kyle Busch is listed under 5 percent. That means for every Bush fan you find, you'll meet eight for Junior.

If you took a poll of which driver you can't stand, the results would again be extremely different.

When Dale Sr. was first racing, 48 percent of fans said they hated him. When Gordon was first racing, 53 percent of fans said they hated him.

Now here is where I pose the currently unanswered question.

Do you HATE Dale Earnhardt Jr.

I feel most people will say no. Why? Because almost all NASCAR fans sympathise with him. The boy had to become a man overnight. He went from a rookie to D.E.I's lead driver in four tenths of a mile(The distance between turn 4 and the finish line at Daytona).

He handles the most intense media pressure since Elvis Presley. He is one of the most humble men at the track. He stood up for his fans when Kyle Busch insulted them all.

So I ask you all to consider this question I've laid before you and answer in the author's poll.

The Genius of Eric Mangini and a Quarterback Controversy

Jonathan Reed — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:35:43 -0400

You can smell it in the air. It's summer. The kids are out of school. However, so much more importantly, the Browns are on the practice field.

Anyone who says Cleveland isn't a football town has obviously never been here. Cleveland lives, breaths, eats, and sleeps with the Browns on their mind.

The most popular subject in Cleveland by far is the "Quarterback Controversy." The fan favorite, Brady Quinn, is loved by Browns fans by a fan vote of eight of 10. No one needs to point this out anymore. It has been well voiced that "WE WANT QUINN!"

Meanwhile, you have Pro Bowl QB Derek Anderson who is still considered by all Browns fans to have a good shot at the starting job.

You may be saying right now "No he doesn’t, he can't touch Quinn," which proves my point. If something is not a threat, why would you even worry about it?

You're all worried that DA will beat Quinn for the job. Otherwise this QB controversy wouldn't be the talk of the town (no pun intended).

This is where the "Mangenius" does his work, and I will do my best to open it up to you all. A few thoughts you should have in your mind as you read this: Mangini's coaching career since the ball boy days.

1. Ball boy ('94) 2. PR ('95) 3. Off. Assist ('96) 4.Def. Assist ('97-'99) 5. DB Coach ('00-'04) 6. Def Cord. ('05) 7. NYJ HC ('06-'08)

Keep in mind the record of the Jets from '05 to '08: (4-12), (10-6), (4-12), (9-7).

Also in the '07 year, Chad Pennington had a injured ankle in preseason that haunted him through the full regular season, resulting in his release in '08.

Having this in mind, remember about Mangini being in public relations? You have to understand that nothing he says is without a purpose.

When he said the QB competition is close, he said it for a reason. The question is, "What reason?" Is it because the competition is really that close? Is it because he wants other NFL teams to feel one QB is as good as the other?

I have another theory in mind. I feel that Mangini wants to make sure both QBs have a firm grip on his game plan and offensive strategy. If right now he was to name the starting QB, the runner-up may feel less urgency to learn every detail possible. Why would you go the extra mile to learn the starter role if you feel there's no chance at advancement?

The thought comes to mind that the loser may want to compete for a trade if he's been labeled the second string QB. It would give others the impression he's a fluke, especially when you consider him as worse than the other. Neither QB has good enough numbers to get excited about.

The reason I think this is the more plausible answer is because it takes care of multiple issues. It really is a win all the way around.

Remember the '07 year when the Jets went (4-12) because of Chad Pennington's injured ankle? Kellen Clemens was unfamiliar with Mangini's system, thus forcing him to use an injured QB. If both QBs would have known the system, Pennington could have been relieved of his duties long enough for the ankle to heal.

Also, if Mangini can use his PR experience to con other teams into feeling both QBs are evenly matched, the trade value would go up or down (depending on the performance of the starter).

Lastly, if you can hold off announcing the pick till the night before the first game of the year against Minnesota, then DC can only guess which of the two he will have to face.

Mangini said on June 4, "One of the problems defensively is not knowing who the starting QB is going to be. I hated when I didn't know who their starting quarterback for the other team was. It's a huge, huge headache."

Again, nothing he says is without reason.

Personally, I believe that Mangini has already mentally made up his mind. Unless the underdog has an outstanding performance in preseason, the QB position has been selected.

I feel that with the knowledge and experience Mangini has learned in his coaching career, he will make the announcement at the perfect time.