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For the past several weeks, I’ve been pondering NASCAR fan displeasure with soon-to-be repeat Nextel Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. What did he ever do to NASCAR Nation? Other than being the catalyst for the "Big One" at Talladega a couple of years back, the driver of the Lowe’s #48 Chevy has never been one to cause on-track controversy. A trouble maker? No. Johnson seems to be one of the quieter figures in the shop. Off-track mishaps? Nope, the 32-year-old El Cajon, California native has been a model citizen- he even engineered a donation of over a million dollars to victims of the recent southern California wildfires. Is he a cad? No way. Johnson is a happily married man with a beautiful wife who is ever at his side. So what gives? I think I’ve figured it out.

I found the answer as I recalled my favorite football team from the 1970’s: the Dallas Cowboys. Led by Coach Tom Landry and star signal caller Roger Staubach these guys were the original Boy Scouts of professional sports. In spite of the squeaky clean image, they still had fans who hated them. Trust me, wearing the #12 jersey to school got me some nasty glances. I digress.

This was part of the problem for the Cowboys and I think this is a part of the problem for Jimmie Johnson, and for that matter, the rest of the gang in the Hendrick garage. Like the NFL, NASCAR’s popularity stems from being a popular hang-out for the rough and tumble. The NFL gave us the "Purple People Eaters," Al Davis (also known as the "Darth Raider"), "Night Train" Lane and the playboy antics of Paul Hornung (who was also suspended for gambling). Likewise, NASCAR has given us "The Intimidator", infield fist fights, Curtis Turner, and the wild and wacky Flock brothers. Now compare this to the likes of Staubach and Jimmie Johnson, and they look as exciting as your high school science teacher.

So while controversy makes enemies, it also has a strange way of making you friends. Consider NASCAR driver Robby Gordon. His career victory total is less than one-third of Johnson’s season total. Yet- Gordon enjoys a certain popularity because he doesn’t back down from a fight, and has been known to exact a little frontier justice on the track. In the macho world of NASCAR, this has earned the journeyman racer a following.

There’s also a very corporate flair to Team Hendrick and the Cowboys of the 70’s. The result from this creates a perception of favored status by the powers that be of the league. Raider fans (often Cowboy detractors) cried "foul" with every ruling against them, claiming that if the Cowboy brain trust were making a particular move, they’d get away with it because they were perceived to be "good for the NFL." Those same charges are often leveled by NASCAR fans not fond of Hendrick Motor Sports. It is claimed that Johnson and teammate Jeff Gordon are often on the receiving end of favorable cautions, rulings, and other such manipulations that create a winning climate. It’s a leap in logic upon examination of the facts and looks at the broader context of the circumstances and the overall effects- yet nonetheless when teams like HMS and the Cowboys win as often as they do, it’s not hard to see why people might conclude they get a helping hand.

In my opinion, we have a case of two organizations that are victims of circumstances, their own success and a lack of color. People like to root for the underdog. These guys aren’t. In the world of sports, there’s a certain attraction to the bad boys. These guys aren’t. When a team dominates like these guys have, it’s easy to fear that the ruler of the day will rule forever.

Look at history. History tells us Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Company won’t dominate forever. Times change. Teams will catch up and slowly but surely, aging drivers will lose their reflexes and their passion.

It’s just a matter of time. We’ve seen it before.