Another NASCAR Banquet Has Come and Gone

Well, another year, and another Bank-Qwet has come and gone.

I dread the annual event that drones on and on for more time than is necessary on my television. My biggest issue is the female announcing voice that pitches the award recipients in such a wAy tHAt emPHasIzes thINgs in sUch a stUpid tonality that I can't help but wonder if this is an attempt to create comedy in the show. But alas, no, it is not. What I don't get is that according to sources over on Daly Planet, say that it's Tia Texada. Yea, Tia Texada. I've seen her in a number of shows and it never struck me that the over dramatized vocalization came from an actress who has been shows like Criminal Minds, CSI: Miami, The Unit, Third Watch, etc.. Does she not know how she sounds? It's corny. Eh? If you do a google search on her name, then click on Images, well, I guess that's what NASCAR is trying to pitch.

If her sounding annoying is well, annoying, I'm thinking that ESPN had to do one last "eff you fans" move of the year with their last broadcast by having the label LIVE in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Wow, it's amazing that after all these years of not covering the sport, they haven't changed their attitude in the slightest towards us, the NASCAR fan.

Well, it was live when they TAPED it for rebroadcast. This was the same timing set up as last year.

My problems with this time-shift issue and the bank-dwet were:

• On the West Coast, we were told the show was starting at 7 pm Eastern. That's 4 PM West coast time. But the show didn't start on ESPN Classic until 6 PM my time. Hmm. If you have a SIRIUS radio and turned it on, you'd hear just how far behind the TV telecast was. One commentor on Daly Planet coined the network BSPN. Nice.

• If Kevin Costner is a hired fan, how is it that he can refer to Dale Earnhardt as The Terminator? Wrong movie Kevin.

• While I'm watching the "LIVE" telecast of an event that is over an hour old, I get an email from the NASCAR Press Office at 8:31 PM telling me that Cale Yarborough surprised Jimmie Johnson with the Champion Ring presentation. Hmm... that email ruined my surprise which was still 30 odd minutes away for me. Sigh.

• If this thing is tape delayed, which means someone COULD be editing it, how does it run over? My TV menu schedule said it ended at 9 PM.

• During some of the segments, someone really screwed up with video compilations, repeatedly. ONE example was when Clint Bowyer was on stage. The film recap showed the No. 18 car wrecking the No. 88. Eh? Then it went on with footage of Clints car. This happened a few times with the speaker that was on stage.

• What in blue blazes was Tom Cruise doing there????? Oh no, are we smelling a Days of Thunder sequel!? Sigh.

• It's classic that Carl Edwards bolted after his stage time. Kudos to Carl. I now have to buy a diecast of his, to show my support.

• Where'd Jimmie's multi-million dollar check go? We didn't see it this year.

• At one point, this thing was droning on so painfully that I was starting to wish that the ABC owned ESPN network really would go to America's Funniest Videos. (No ABC, I will never let you or anyone forget that the leader of the band pulled that one on us.)

• The camera "work" made me feel like I was watching a Quentin Tarantino sequel production of Pulp NASCAR Fiction! Must have been the same camera director who insisted on endless bumper and in-car cam shots at the worse possible times... like during the race.
  

What did I like about the show?:

• Rick Hendrick asking Kyle Busch how old he was because he acts like an 18-year-old.
• The 2nd set that the comedian did was pretty funny. He let loose with his own material rather than forcing league related humor.
• That Carl Edwards left as soon as he was done with his piece. Nice!! He must have learned that from Kyle Busch.
• That the show ended.

Well, we only have 70 some odd days until the Speed Week-less Daytona 500.

By then, we'll have heard whether the auto manufacturers tap-danced their way into their own bail out, or if the government treats them like any other of the thousands of businesses going under without so much as a public whimper with no help from anyone else.