Sunday, February 14, 2010
Silence!
So, apparently the Silent Pagoda is getting flack from criticizing the DeltaWing. With all due respect to its creators, Hobbson makes a point, albeit a humorous and rather fantastical point. In typical fashion, Hobbson poked fun at the personalities of the IICS using the medium of the DeltaWing design that all but invites a bit of humor. Do your sense of humor and the Silent Pagoda a favor and leave a comment on the most recent entry. You can do so HERE!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
The re-emergence of Danica Mania.
Let the Danica-mania ensue! Or not.
Twitter-sphere was alive and well since, of course, it is race day. Great comments all around from bloggers and fans.
Important news items:
1. Milka was true to form; she managed to race full speed into a smoke cloud, crash, and finish last.
2. Nelson Piquet Jr. will now know the wrath of Nascar nation; he got into Danica.
3. Danica finishes 6th.
4. DW is swooning over Danica.
So, what does all this mean? One thing that surprised me was the feistiness that Danica displayed while racing. I was also surprised by her car control. Do not glean from these comments that I thought poorly of her driving ability previously. You're wrong. Danica has displayed talent before, but never this aggressive style. She did seem to lack a little discipline, but that will be learned.
Steph (@99forever) from planet-IRL.com tweeted this, "Okay, kids.. the end of that was actually pretty good. And you gotta hand it to Danica. She looked good at the end. But what does that mean?" She has a point and a good one at that. There are a couple ways to interpret this. First, indycar skeptics can claim that she hasn't made a display like this in indycars. Point taken. The other point is more relevant, though. Danica achieved a top-10 finish in her first ARCA start. That, readers, is good work. The best thing I see is that she won't be the latest laughing-stock in the string of crossovers. Sure, she hasn't run a Busch, err, Nationwide Series race yet, but this result should shut up the Nascar skeptics for the first few races. Now, if we could get the over-zealous commentators to mention more IICS statistics.
The commentators annoyed the crap out of me. If you didn't know better, you'd think Danica had never driven a car before the way they talked. WRONG! That would be yet another reason I was glad to see that save of hers; DW freaked out because she controlled her car like an indycar driver. Hmm, that's probably because she is one. Who knew?
Recall the Piquet Jr. reference? I have a theory on this one. One indycar fan, Brandon (@bmnehls) had this to say, "Poor Piquet is going to be hated forever now..." He's got it right, you know. Danica is driving for JR, the beloved of Nascar Nation. Combine that with her popularity and plenty of fans will get on the Danica bandwagon. I pity the driver who wrecks her and arouses the wrath of Nascar Nation. Hey look, that former F1 driver, Piquet Jr, wrecked her. That should inspire a bit of fear. If not, just remember that Nascar Nation is much bigger than IndyCar Nation, tends to be much less illogical in its arguments and is just as unforgiving. I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole. Note to Piquet: Quit now before you piss off anyone else. Just do it.
That's all I've got for now. It hasn't been a surprising day for IndyCar Nation. The way I see it, we got some good publicity today. Thanks, Danica.
Oh wait, one last question: how long do we have to wait for an IndyCar race?
Twitter-sphere was alive and well since, of course, it is race day. Great comments all around from bloggers and fans.
Important news items:
1. Milka was true to form; she managed to race full speed into a smoke cloud, crash, and finish last.
2. Nelson Piquet Jr. will now know the wrath of Nascar nation; he got into Danica.
3. Danica finishes 6th.
4. DW is swooning over Danica.
So, what does all this mean? One thing that surprised me was the feistiness that Danica displayed while racing. I was also surprised by her car control. Do not glean from these comments that I thought poorly of her driving ability previously. You're wrong. Danica has displayed talent before, but never this aggressive style. She did seem to lack a little discipline, but that will be learned.
Steph (@99forever) from planet-IRL.com tweeted this, "Okay, kids.. the end of that was actually pretty good. And you gotta hand it to Danica. She looked good at the end. But what does that mean?" She has a point and a good one at that. There are a couple ways to interpret this. First, indycar skeptics can claim that she hasn't made a display like this in indycars. Point taken. The other point is more relevant, though. Danica achieved a top-10 finish in her first ARCA start. That, readers, is good work. The best thing I see is that she won't be the latest laughing-stock in the string of crossovers. Sure, she hasn't run a Busch, err, Nationwide Series race yet, but this result should shut up the Nascar skeptics for the first few races. Now, if we could get the over-zealous commentators to mention more IICS statistics.
The commentators annoyed the crap out of me. If you didn't know better, you'd think Danica had never driven a car before the way they talked. WRONG! That would be yet another reason I was glad to see that save of hers; DW freaked out because she controlled her car like an indycar driver. Hmm, that's probably because she is one. Who knew?
Recall the Piquet Jr. reference? I have a theory on this one. One indycar fan, Brandon (@bmnehls) had this to say, "Poor Piquet is going to be hated forever now..." He's got it right, you know. Danica is driving for JR, the beloved of Nascar Nation. Combine that with her popularity and plenty of fans will get on the Danica bandwagon. I pity the driver who wrecks her and arouses the wrath of Nascar Nation. Hey look, that former F1 driver, Piquet Jr, wrecked her. That should inspire a bit of fear. If not, just remember that Nascar Nation is much bigger than IndyCar Nation, tends to be much less illogical in its arguments and is just as unforgiving. I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole. Note to Piquet: Quit now before you piss off anyone else. Just do it.
That's all I've got for now. It hasn't been a surprising day for IndyCar Nation. The way I see it, we got some good publicity today. Thanks, Danica.
Oh wait, one last question: how long do we have to wait for an IndyCar race?
Friday, February 5, 2010
Change is a good thing.
With a title like that, one would think I was a really bad Lutheran. Ha. :)
The IICS Series world has been turned on its ear since I last blogged. Here's a recap:
1. Tony George stepped down from his remaining official positions. Like him or hate him, this was and will be a big deal. He was a force in the American Open Wheel Racing and had a tremendous impact on it. I don't care where that infamous event from 14 years past hit you... that's a moot point now. He served as a figure-head and has become the scape-goat for the division that deprived young fans like me of growing up with a strong open-wheel racing series of which I could be proud. No, this is not a stab at TG. Rather, think of it as a blunt delivery of uncomfortable facts.
2. Vision Racing suspends operations due to lack of sponsorship. I'll probably catch hell for this, but I wasn't ever a fan of Vision Racing. That being said, I'm saddened that the team and its employees are in this position. You know all those posts and tweets about the letter-writing campaign? Go do it.
3. The IICS has a new CEO. You know, arguing about whether or not he's qualified is rather senseless at this point: he hasn't had time to get anything going yet. Let's do ourselves a favor and pass judgment after he has time to set things in motion. His resume looks good. Besides, the IICS is looking for the casual fan; it seems to me that a CEO that is currently in that category would best understand that fan's mindset.
4. Silly season keeps getting sillier and sillier. Justin Wilson to D&R Racing, Coyne to field two cars, NHL possibly down to one car (with Hideki driving)? What is the world coming to? We don't have long to wait for answers; they'll come with the the season opener. With all these announcements, I have my concerns especially given the fact that I'm a Rahal fan. Let's hang tight, though, until we have our answers.
5. The Dallara concepts are posted. Let the debate ensue. I advocate waiting until we see all options before forming an opinion. Why? I'm not an engineer-y type and as such, I don't know what is best. I'll be cheering anyway.
As I look at this list, there are some big happenings. We've had quite a bit of drama over the course of the offseason. Honestly, I can't wait for the real buzz to begin. All the change has given birth to a heightened sense of anticipation in me. Let's get this party started!
The IICS Series world has been turned on its ear since I last blogged. Here's a recap:
1. Tony George stepped down from his remaining official positions. Like him or hate him, this was and will be a big deal. He was a force in the American Open Wheel Racing and had a tremendous impact on it. I don't care where that infamous event from 14 years past hit you... that's a moot point now. He served as a figure-head and has become the scape-goat for the division that deprived young fans like me of growing up with a strong open-wheel racing series of which I could be proud. No, this is not a stab at TG. Rather, think of it as a blunt delivery of uncomfortable facts.
2. Vision Racing suspends operations due to lack of sponsorship. I'll probably catch hell for this, but I wasn't ever a fan of Vision Racing. That being said, I'm saddened that the team and its employees are in this position. You know all those posts and tweets about the letter-writing campaign? Go do it.
3. The IICS has a new CEO. You know, arguing about whether or not he's qualified is rather senseless at this point: he hasn't had time to get anything going yet. Let's do ourselves a favor and pass judgment after he has time to set things in motion. His resume looks good. Besides, the IICS is looking for the casual fan; it seems to me that a CEO that is currently in that category would best understand that fan's mindset.
4. Silly season keeps getting sillier and sillier. Justin Wilson to D&R Racing, Coyne to field two cars, NHL possibly down to one car (with Hideki driving)? What is the world coming to? We don't have long to wait for answers; they'll come with the the season opener. With all these announcements, I have my concerns especially given the fact that I'm a Rahal fan. Let's hang tight, though, until we have our answers.
5. The Dallara concepts are posted. Let the debate ensue. I advocate waiting until we see all options before forming an opinion. Why? I'm not an engineer-y type and as such, I don't know what is best. I'll be cheering anyway.
As I look at this list, there are some big happenings. We've had quite a bit of drama over the course of the offseason. Honestly, I can't wait for the real buzz to begin. All the change has given birth to a heightened sense of anticipation in me. Let's get this party started!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Not again...
Scott did it AGAIN! This time, the line was, "you are the caretaker of the music." Damn it, Scott, why did you have to make me think RIGHT NOW?!?!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Affects of social media on fan perception of drivers
As I was pondering what to write about, I started listing off the possibilities in my head. My train of thought went like this:
1) favorite drivers
2) what about them
a) skills
b) how they conduct themselves
3) why do I care about how they conduct themselves
4) effects of social media on fan's perception of drivers
5) wow, that could be a blog entry possibly worth reading
6) my list looks like a rough outline for a paper.
I feel that it's safe to make the assumption that most fans have a favorite or few favorite drivers they cheer for. (If this is not the case, I EXPECT a crap-ton of comments telling me that so I won't make a faulty generalization about that again.) My favorite happens to be Graham Rahal. I can't tell you how that started, although I think it had something to do with him being young and showing some promise. What can I say, I was a 17 year-old girl. :) However, I didn't really toss all my "fan-eggs," to coin a new term, into his basket until the Indy 500 last year. Since then, I've been hooked. I've watched his progress and, thanks to the internet, gobbled up every bit of info about him that I can. Before anyone informs me that I am slightly obsessive, I'd like to pose this question: isn't that what being a fan is about? Think about it.
When I pause to think about why I'm a fan of Graham, I come up with a few reasons.
As I look over this list, the definitive things are 2 and 3. A thought occurred to me: since when has all this other crap become important? I mean, why am I even considering something other than skill? Why do I care how a driver conducts himself/herself? Dear possibly non-existent readers, I believe social media has brought about this change. Before youtube, facebook, twitter, or fan forums existed, fans had to either rely on word of mouth, driver interviews, or meet a driver in order to know what they were like. Social media has altered our perceptions of drivers. Without all of this media at my fingertips, I wouldn't have reason 3 on my list. Also, reason 2 would be far more limited.
Due to social media, fandom is changing just as our perception of drivers is changing. Greedily, fans search for whatever they can find out about their drivers. Why? For me, it's so I can gain a better understanding of who they are as people. I want to know that the guys and gals who drive those cars are real; I want to know that they're just like me. In the age of social media, we do know these things. These drivers aren't just drivers; they're real people too! When they're perceived as people, they are judged as people as well.
Since we have access to drivers' lives due to social media, it opens the door for criticism or praise of how they conduct themselves. This concept is clearly seen in fan forums. On the Indycar Nation forum, Marco Andretti is NOT a favorite. If you search for Marco, I guarantee you will find more negative posts about him than positive ones. Searching more carefully, you'll find that some negative posts come from people who used to be his fans but are now put off by his attitude (I fit in this category). Now tell me that social media hasn't changed driver perceptions...
Note: I hope this opens up some discussion. Probably won't since nobody comments this, but I can dream, right?
1) favorite drivers
2) what about them
a) skills
b) how they conduct themselves
3) why do I care about how they conduct themselves
4) effects of social media on fan's perception of drivers
5) wow, that could be a blog entry possibly worth reading
6) my list looks like a rough outline for a paper.
I feel that it's safe to make the assumption that most fans have a favorite or few favorite drivers they cheer for. (If this is not the case, I EXPECT a crap-ton of comments telling me that so I won't make a faulty generalization about that again.) My favorite happens to be Graham Rahal. I can't tell you how that started, although I think it had something to do with him being young and showing some promise. What can I say, I was a 17 year-old girl. :) However, I didn't really toss all my "fan-eggs," to coin a new term, into his basket until the Indy 500 last year. Since then, I've been hooked. I've watched his progress and, thanks to the internet, gobbled up every bit of info about him that I can. Before anyone informs me that I am slightly obsessive, I'd like to pose this question: isn't that what being a fan is about? Think about it.
When I pause to think about why I'm a fan of Graham, I come up with a few reasons.
- He has the skill. As evidenced by his improvement on ovals and overall consistency, he is honing his craft.
- He makes you want to cheer for him because he's not Marco. He's not a whiny brat who relies on daddy to give him a ride. Also, he takes responsibility for his actions.
- Watch this, especially 3-4 minute mark. When I saw this, my respect was gained.
As I look over this list, the definitive things are 2 and 3. A thought occurred to me: since when has all this other crap become important? I mean, why am I even considering something other than skill? Why do I care how a driver conducts himself/herself? Dear possibly non-existent readers, I believe social media has brought about this change. Before youtube, facebook, twitter, or fan forums existed, fans had to either rely on word of mouth, driver interviews, or meet a driver in order to know what they were like. Social media has altered our perceptions of drivers. Without all of this media at my fingertips, I wouldn't have reason 3 on my list. Also, reason 2 would be far more limited.
Due to social media, fandom is changing just as our perception of drivers is changing. Greedily, fans search for whatever they can find out about their drivers. Why? For me, it's so I can gain a better understanding of who they are as people. I want to know that the guys and gals who drive those cars are real; I want to know that they're just like me. In the age of social media, we do know these things. These drivers aren't just drivers; they're real people too! When they're perceived as people, they are judged as people as well.
Since we have access to drivers' lives due to social media, it opens the door for criticism or praise of how they conduct themselves. This concept is clearly seen in fan forums. On the Indycar Nation forum, Marco Andretti is NOT a favorite. If you search for Marco, I guarantee you will find more negative posts about him than positive ones. Searching more carefully, you'll find that some negative posts come from people who used to be his fans but are now put off by his attitude (I fit in this category). Now tell me that social media hasn't changed driver perceptions...
Note: I hope this opens up some discussion. Probably won't since nobody comments this, but I can dream, right?
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
IICS Fans and Dichotomous Thought
Hey soon to be readers. This will be my first of many rants. For those unfamiliar with me when I rant (which will be nearly all of you), I tend to come up with irrational ideas and then rationally argue against them while still clinging to the irrational. This amuses my boyfriend to no end. Hopefully this one doesn't end up like that. Here goes.
I was perusing the IndyCar Nation forum today as I do every day and read the new posts on the topics that interest me. One topic, that was originally was about car numbers, has been hijacked into a driver vs. team slugfest. You can read the whole thing here (page 1 is irrelevant unless you really do want to read about car numbers).
For awhile, this was rather relevant: car numbers are an easy way to recognize drivers and since drivers change teams often, this can produce a problem regarding recognition and fan-gear (I think that's another blog, though). However, when the "casual" fan vs. "hardcore" fan was brought into the mix, it made me pause a moment. Based on one poster's definition, I am only a "casual" fan because I think of drivers more than the teams. Wait, what?
Here's the problem with that theory: it is dichotomous in nature. The concept of a "fan" is not dichotomous. I offer myself as an example; I'm pretty sure I don't fit the mold of a "casual" fan.
1. I've actually been to more than one race and more than one track.
2. I post on the forum frequently.
3. Check out my blogroll. There are many racing blogs there: I read them and sometimes comment.
4. I've been watching races on TV or online since '98(first CART, then CART/IRL, then IRL, then ICS, finally IICS) when I was just a kid.
5. When I go to any kind of car race, I take lap times on my cell phone.
6. I'm blogging about it (!!!).
Where do people like me fit into this picture? I know I'm not a gearhead or anything like that, but I can tell you who drives what for whom and in some cases, who drivers have driven for in the past. Ex: Before driving for AGR (now AA), Tony Kanaan drove for Mo Nunn Racing and Tasman Racing. The "casual" fan just gave me a crazy look and said, "Who cares?" That's my point, though; a "casual" fan wouldn't understand why that is important.
I'm willing to wager that I'm not the only fan that has followed open-wheel racing for awhile that fits into this middle-of-the-road category. So, open up your minds a bit and break out of this dichotomy. Figure out where you fit in the mix. If you care to, leave a comment with where you think you fit.
I was perusing the IndyCar Nation forum today as I do every day and read the new posts on the topics that interest me. One topic, that was originally was about car numbers, has been hijacked into a driver vs. team slugfest. You can read the whole thing here (page 1 is irrelevant unless you really do want to read about car numbers).
For awhile, this was rather relevant: car numbers are an easy way to recognize drivers and since drivers change teams often, this can produce a problem regarding recognition and fan-gear (I think that's another blog, though). However, when the "casual" fan vs. "hardcore" fan was brought into the mix, it made me pause a moment. Based on one poster's definition, I am only a "casual" fan because I think of drivers more than the teams. Wait, what?
Here's the problem with that theory: it is dichotomous in nature. The concept of a "fan" is not dichotomous. I offer myself as an example; I'm pretty sure I don't fit the mold of a "casual" fan.
1. I've actually been to more than one race and more than one track.
2. I post on the forum frequently.
3. Check out my blogroll. There are many racing blogs there: I read them and sometimes comment.
4. I've been watching races on TV or online since '98(first CART, then CART/IRL, then IRL, then ICS, finally IICS) when I was just a kid.
5. When I go to any kind of car race, I take lap times on my cell phone.
6. I'm blogging about it (!!!).
Where do people like me fit into this picture? I know I'm not a gearhead or anything like that, but I can tell you who drives what for whom and in some cases, who drivers have driven for in the past. Ex: Before driving for AGR (now AA), Tony Kanaan drove for Mo Nunn Racing and Tasman Racing. The "casual" fan just gave me a crazy look and said, "Who cares?" That's my point, though; a "casual" fan wouldn't understand why that is important.
I'm willing to wager that I'm not the only fan that has followed open-wheel racing for awhile that fits into this middle-of-the-road category. So, open up your minds a bit and break out of this dichotomy. Figure out where you fit in the mix. If you care to, leave a comment with where you think you fit.
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