Comments on: Johnson Among The Greats?

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:08:17 +0000

@ Mike. Well, now that i think of it, it probably isn’t in the context you used it. No harm, no foul. To your second paragraph, you make a good point. Nothing EVER stays the same in ANYTHING, so we’ll see how he holds up. Life is messy.
Happy Thanksgiving!

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:01:01 +0000

@Jim. Sorry, I really didn’t consider A** as profanity. Next time I’ll use Butthead is you prefer. I guess France just brings out the badness in me.
BTW, Chad signed this weekend till 2015 and the Chase won’t go away so get ready for more JJ. At least if they change the car in a Major way, and they continue to dominate, there will more weight to the “greatest” argument.

By: Joe W.

Joe W. — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:04:20 +0000

I agree it will be interesting if Chad were to leave or if there are changes to the car. I sure hope there are changes to the car. If Jimmie is able to continue at a high rate with those changes then you would have to put him on the list with those other greats. Only time will tell. I saw your discussion with David Yeazell on Bleacher Report. You both made some good points. I guess this is one of those issues that is fun to debate.

By: Author

Author — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:47:31 +0000

@Joe. What will be interesting to watch is how history plays out. Will the dominance continue? What happens if Chad leaves a la Ray Evernham? It’s like a debate I got into with David Yeazell at Bleacher Report. Naming Johnson among the greats does not diminish what they accomplished. All I would submit is that Johnson gets added to the conversation, a position that, in my opinion, be buttressed by continued winning and getting up to the level of careers wins that the greatest of the great are. To me, what in part, makes Petty, Earnhardt, Pearson, Yarborough and Gordon – in particular- special, is they sustained success across eras.
I don’t think NASCAR, as it is now, will stay that way a lot longer. There’s hints out there that the wing will go away and some other things address thet CoT. What will happen with Jimmie then? Will it be a bump in the road? Or will it really throw his game for a loop?

By: Joe W.

Joe W. — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:21:05 +0000

I still have my doubts about Johnson. I still find it odd that he was so average at best in the Busch series. I know you have pointed out Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart were not great in the Busch series either. However I disagree with that. Jeff Gordon was young and tore up a lot of equipment, which he did his 1st year at Hendrick too, but he won more than one race and he had 11 poles one year. That shows a lot of potenial. Tony Stewart was also running, and winning a championship, in the IRL while racing in Busch. He sure has won a few Busch races since he moved to Cup. It just seems odd to me. I really must admit to not knowing anything about the off-road trucks, but I think it would require a very different type of skill. I guess I will just always dout him with Chad’s questionable past just like I doubt Tom Brady and his questionable coach. I do however agree it is impossible to judge “best of all time” in any sport. The times are just to different. O.K. I’ll shut up now.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:40:22 +0000

@Mike. Unless I’m mistaken, Johnson still keeps 3 of the 4 titles even with the dinosaur (I mean classic) points system. That’s still pretty doggone good. Just sayin’. MY guess is the ex- Mrs. France and Mr. Mayfield feel the same way you do. I’m not real cool with the profanity there, but I’m feelin’ charitable, and I’m too tired to make a big deal of it. Thanks for chiming in anyway. You’re alright, I don’t care what they say about ya.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:18:36 +0000

The greatest 10 race Chump ever. I’ll agree with that. I hope those record books your grandson reads include ***. Yea, yea, he’s doing it under the system that’s in place. That doesn’t prove he’s the greatest. He, just like the Chase, is just a cheap version of a Championship. Thanks Brian, you a$$.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:13:51 +0000

@Keith. I submit we’ll never really know. I don’t care if its NASCAR, the NFL, NCAA football, MLB or the NBA. Of course, using your measuring sitck, I’d say that ain’t chopped liver Johnson’s outrunning.

By: Keith

Keith — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:02:18 +0000

There are so many variables to consider when saying this guy or that guy is the greatest you really can’t compare anyone and be truely accurate. Wins or championships or top ten finishes or how many accidents you are in or caused what is the critera. The only guys you can accurately compare are teammates with the same cars and resources who run the same races and compare stats. An average driver with a corvette will beat a great driver in a Cobalt everytime.