Ah, thanks for reminding me of my other big sports interview pet peeve.
Tony Stewart has a name, and it is not “The 14”. In the same vein, Jeff Gordon’s name is not “The 24”, nor is Jimmy Johnson’s “The 48”. For an organization that has done so much to downplay and virtually eliminate its Southern redneck roots, NASCAR has to realize by now that referring to drivers by their car number is one of the most redneck things you can do.
Those guys can shut up, too.
Yeah, and in a similar vein, there’s the prima-donna Leons of the sporting world that have to refer to themselves in the third person, or by their jersey number. That’s pretty annoyingly narcissistic.
Damn straight. Gordon is correctly referred to as The DuPont Pepsi Quaker State National Guard GMAC Haas Automation Bosch Georgia-Pacific 24.
I’m surprised we don’t see more of that, but I guess they’re so used to the non-question question that they just say whatever they were going to say and get it over with.
I actually think that’s kind of funny; “Who’s a silly little narcissist? YOU are, that’s who.” 
Well, to be fair, I’ve heard a lot of the drivers themselves refer to other drivers by their car numbers, both in on-track radio comms and in interviews. I don’t mind it all that much since the car number for me represents the entire team (driver + crew chief + crew).
When the network announcers do it, though, it’s clear they’re doing it just to show they are Hip and Inside, and yeah, they can shut up.
I’ll go along with this. “Sports journalism” is something of an oxymoron.
Those are the people I’m talking about. “Yeah, the 36 got me sideways, and the 43 ran into me because he’s an idiot. If the 36 and the 43 want to meet me out back I’ll tell them what I think of them.”
:rolleyes:
Especially those who have never driven. It’s bad enough when Darrell Waltrip says it, but Mike Joy or Chris Myers? No. Just stop.
You are aware that these “knuckle dragging NBA players” are responsible for the direct employment of hundreds of people and the indirect wellbeings of thousands more right?
Because if you’re not aware of that and just spouting off to make yourself sound superior to the stupid athletes, well then maybe its your IQ we should be questioning.
I for one was unaware of that. Who are these hundreds of people that an NBA player directly employs?
Are the “thousands more” you refer to their kids spread all over the country?
Ha. My husband is pretty good at that too. He keeps saying over and over, “Just gotta take it to the hole. I’mma stay focused…take the ball to the hole. That’s what we gonna do today, take it to the hole”
I always say, Hey, do you think maybe in basketball, the object is to put the ball in the hole?
I was thinking more of their posse.