So many thought bubbles, so little time... As just
before I left for the B-I-G' ISLAND, nee Kona, Hawaii early January, I mused to
myself how much Indy Cars has simply MARGINALIZED
ITSELF!
Started off the year somewhat in disarray, as
I still cannot believe I-T! With less than a week's time before leaving for
Kona, ironically on my way to the grocery store and next door pharmacy for
Hawaiian Punch; Err trip supplies, I somehow swept my white cane off of the
"lumpy" sidewalk into an unseen ditch and sickly felt it go SNAP!
Even though I hadn't put any significant pressure (weight) upon it; SHEISA! As
I'd never done this before, and was simply in shock over it happening!
And since it takes about 3hrs to simply go to the "Eye Store," 'N Back to Site
Connection (Blind & Partially Sighted products supplier) I decided to use
my back-up cane instead upon the B-I-G' ISLAND! And mused to myself upon
swapping the month old plastic tip from said broken cane onto the back-up unit,
which had a brand new 'Juan installed - I cheerily noted how I was now using a
"Scuffed" cane tip, a la our IndyCar Boyz using scuffs during
Qualie' and races; Hya!
I also mused to myself how this first trip of
the year vicariously made me feel like I'm preparing to get my "Kit"
ready for the season and go off into the wild blue younder... Although I
harbour NO illusions of being a bonified, honest-to-goodness REAL Journo, aka
Journalist, like my favourite Scribes Joe Saward, 'Ol 'R, aka Robin Miller, thy
'Wee Willie Buxom (Will Buxton) 'Kurty Cavin, Marshall Pruett and Adam Cooper,
not to mention the very capable Joe Berkemeier & Patrick Stefan of
Trackside Online; Hmm? Perhaps I should login to my account one of these Dazes,
eh? Although I typically just read Trackside Online during the horrendously
SHORT IndyCar season, i.e.; STUPENDOUSLY SHORT five months; URGH!
 |
| Some Raving Mad 12s' Seahawks Fans. (Image source: seattletimes.com) |
As Seattle, and more visibly, the feverish
12S' as the Fans are known here, held the city in a state 'O Seahawks Mania! As
unintentionally, I tried going home Saturday morning via public transportation
on Game Day, which equals B-I-G' MISTAKE!
As it was the first round NFL Playoffs game
vs. Carolina Panthers, and as Tacoma Bureau Chief Mary Ellen pulled up to the kerb
to let me off at the "Aroma-dome," (Tacoma Dome) she noticed that the
bus stop was filling up quickly with various 12S' adorned in their replica
jerseys; Hmm? What time is the game? Wanna wait for the next bus instead,
Tomaso?
As this was "High Noon," and the
bus situation was to only get WORSE! And this was five and one-quarter hours
before kickoff; Holy Catfish! As there wasn't any seats on the busses and the
bus island was just swelling 'N swelling with more fans seeking alternate
transportation, since apparently the "Sounder" light rail trains were
packed to capacity too!
As Mary Ellen offered to drive me home, but I
said are you crazy! As you'll just be going into the belly 'O The Beast both
ways! Becoming gridlocked in Seattle's notoriously poorly congested Downtown
Seattle Highway I-5 corridor!
Thus, I elected to return to Tacoma instead,
where the local grocery store's parking lot was jammed packed with shoppers
stocking up before the B-I-G GAME; CRIKEYS!
Alas, with our errands run, I did my Seahawks
ritual, listening to the game in its entirety on the local radio station, with
KIRO's Steve "TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS!" Raible and Warren Moon calling the
action. With the added pleasure of Mary Ellen bringing me dinner upstairs where
'MAD MOLLY & Thy Pixolator were forced to get off of my lap, before
returning to occupy I-T during the
second half...
Then, a few Dazes later, my local grocery store
Courtesy Clerk Cheryl, who assists me shopping told me the bizzaro story of her
experience at a local Bar when she and her "Hubby" tried leaving just
minutes prior to Halftime to go home and take care of their dog.
As they got up to leave the Bar, another
female patron enquired: "Are You Ok?" As apparently the lady was
completely kerfuffled over how somebody could leave before the B-I-G' GAME WAS
OVER; WTF?
As Cheryl thought they'd be doing the
standing room only crowd a favour! And thus, Y'all can S-E-E how Seattle's
totally fine without IndyCar racing up here or the series being dormant for
half of the year-plus!
Meanwhile, it kinda scares me when thee
O-L-D-EST IndyCar Blogger Geo. Phillips has similar thoughts as Mwah, like
being on parallel wave lengths, albeit
George is always more civilized in tone, brevity and speech patterns than I, as
I tend to "Letter Rip, Tater Chip!" As that fine Comedian and
Pitch-man extraordinaire Richard Rollings 'O Gas Monkey Garage decrees...
Thus it was pretty entertaining reading his
Mark Miles New Year's Resolutions story a week or so after I'd scribbled my
recently published post about 2014 being the year that IndyCar Blogging Died.
Yet, I too, like
George am NOT opining for the return of Randy "The CandyMann!"
Bernard, but am compelled to roll out the barrel' Err, quote that epic 'Ronnie
sound bite: "Are You better Off than You were 4yrs ago?" Like do we
really wanna harken back to the 'TG Dazes, like When good 'Ol "Billybob
razenheartz' (Brian Barnhart) was in charge of Race Control!
As can it be that
long ago I was trying to wrap my mind around the possibility that we'd actually
have one single merged Open Wheel Racing series...
Whilst I know we're supposed to continue being
patient for Mark Miles to work his magic upon Indy Cars, yet I'll go on record
as saying I'm less than impressed one iota with Miles performance to date, as I
too feel like IndyCar has regressed overall, harkening back to its button-down
move along 'lil people, there's NOTHING to see here! We only care about how much
dinero we create for our masters at Starship HC (Hulman & Co.) mentality! Hence
, my sardonic attempt at creating what I'm calling the Mark Miles Sing-along
song...
Since, for every step the Indy Car Series takes
forward, it seemingly takes two steps back, having originally missed Brazil's
announcement to cancel this year's season opening race outside North America in
Brasilia due to that ever convenient financial difficulties buzzword. Although
happily 'TK Follow-your-Schnoz Kanaan
& Scott Dixon won this year's Rolex 24!
While I totally missed the announcement of IMS
going on the CHEAP again! By dumping Pippa Mann for Davey Hamilton, as this
year's Sidekick; Err colour commentator
alongside Paul Page on the IMS Radio Network Broadcasts, as Davey's just way
too laid back for Mwah!
And while I'm looking forward to the muted turbocharged
roar of Indy Cars in another 469 Days;
Err March 27-29 at St Petersburg, Florida, which I beg to differ with uze Mr.
Oil Pressure, but I think this will now officially be the LONGEST Off-season
ever, right? As August 30, 2014 to March 29, 2015 = 210 FREAKIN' DAYS WITH NO RACING! By my count!
Ditto, a horrendous seven months layoff!
Hence, it's really, really hard to fathom how
IndyCar will ever get its Mojo back and become relevant to Americre's
Mainstream "Stick 'N Ball" or Seattle's legendous' "Legion 'O
Boom!" Since after all the only
racing that resonates in America is 'RASSCAR; YUK! Which shortly
"Peacock-lite" (NBCSN) will be craming down our gullets ad-nausea 24/7
about their upcoming inaugural season!
Which ultimately leads me ponderin' if the future Fanbase;
Chirp-Chirp; Bueller? Will ever become interested in Open Wheel Racing...
While the Speedway further continues alienating its loyal fans by now
throwing the wrecking ball at IMS's Community Day. As I hope the Fans HIT
Indianapolis Motor Speedway the only place it notices, nee their coffers, as
when will IMS get the message to QUIT squeezing the fans wallets; Oh Never
Mind! Let's GO racing already, IndyCar...