A quick thought

I started working on today's preview yesterday. And then again last night and today. I'll get it done later today at some point if Blogger cooperates. The main reason I haven't finished today's post is becuase I've been sick since Saturday. It's not an excuse, but it got me thinking about athletes, and especially drivers that get sick on gameday or raceday.

During the Texas race the announcers made a big deal about how Dale Earnhardt Jr was sick, but still finished 6th. And every beat writer seemed to pick up on the theme after the race too. At the time I thought it wasn't a big deal. Sure he was sick, but it's his job. I'm rethinking that stance today. Many writers still made too big of a deal about the effort. At the same time I can't imagine driving a 500 mile race at Texas in my current state. It was hard enough for me to wake up and drive 20 minutes (at 60mph) to work with my headache, cough and associated features of a cold. Picturing a driver with like symptoms or worse having to strap in for three hours and 500 miles and enduring a loud, bumpy ride with high-banked turns inducing great G-forces all while having to concentrate on going as fast as possible without hitting anything is pretty amazing. This isn't just a salute to Junior, Tony Stewart won at Watkins Glen in 2004 while sick. Plenty of drivers have been sick during races, many that the public never hears about. It's impressive is all I'm saying.