Did You Know that All Professional Athletes Have Media Obligations?

First, I want to say something before moving forward:  When Kurt Busch got behind the wheel of the No. 51 Cup car, I was rooting for that team.  A small team with talent behind the wheel, can go quite far these days.  So I was pulling for good finishes for that team.

But...

In the wake of Kurt Busch's repeat offense with his verbal tirade with Bob Pockrass, I see that there's all kinds of fallout coming from Kurt's rant.

For one, as it stands now, Cup team owner James Finch is saying to the media that he has not taken any calls from Kurt, will talk with him next week, and sends a message, saying to quit wrecking cars and play nice.

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And today I'm hearing that there's some kind of backlash about Bob Pockrass asking Kurt the question.

Seriously?

Now if you follow me on Twitter or have seen some of my commentary in other locations, you know I can have some fun with the questions asked by the media.

But in the long run, I do jest.  That's because sports personalities are REQUIRED to make themselves available to the media.  It's a necessary evil in some regards, but in others, it feeds the fuel that is the passion for the sport by fans.

Most athletes in most athletic endeavors are required.  All sports have their sponsors, they have the event hosts and they have a performance requirement.  These kinds of interviews help all involved.

When I was a card-carrying professional bowler, I had been sent to media training and the rules were pretty specific about the athlete's requirements.  Top finishers from the week after a tournament ended, were to report to the media room and/or be available when asked questions.  In NASCAR, it is the same.  It's a bit of price to pay for those 7-digit incomes, Learjet or helicopter transits and what not.  And there's no getting around it.

There's a majority of fans out there that want to hear from the athletes right after an event, or an event within the event.  Long-time fans understand what just happened in most cases, but the core of fandom, they have inquiring minds.

And the athletes have a certain responsibility and it's not a surprise.

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So yes, top performing athletes have media obligations.  They know it, and 99% of then adhere to them.

The few times they don't are times like when the new Tony Stewart* might wave off a reporter when he just gets out of a car and he's steaming.

And you'd think, that after all this time, that Jimmy Spencer had knocked some sense into Kurt way back in 2003 when he broke Kurt's nose.  Oh well... I wonder if Kurt can still fit in a Legends car???

*Stewart defended Busch's perspective on his SIRIUS XM talk show, saying that reporters focus too much on controversial issues and he also said he liked Kurt's answer.  But to play devil's advocate, again, it's what the majority of fans want.  It's when the fire is lit under a few drivers that the sport gets its notoriety... it's this kind of "news" that makes gossip rags sell millions in copy every week.  So, it's necessary because, sadly, it sells.

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Finch has also been noted to saying that if they do move forward together, it will be on a race-by-race basis.