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October 6, 2006

Becca's BlogOff
By Becca Gladden

In this new weekly column, NASCAR writer Becca Gladden (Insider Racing News, the Frontstretch), will confront a fellow motorsports blogger in a "Battle of the NASCAR Blogs." Sometimes serious, sometimes irreverent, the BlogOff will give NASCAR fans an opportunity to compare two opposing viewpoints and decide for themselves who they think is right!

This Week's Featured Blog: Life in the Turn Lane
Blogger: David Poole
Blog Location: http://turn-lane.blogspot.com/

Blog Title: "Don't care how often they say them, the TV guys have got these wrong"

Blog Summary: In his 9/25 blog entry, Charlotte Observer columnist David Poole explains why four terms used by NASCAR broadcasters are "either wrong, misleading or just plain stupid." Specifically, Poole criticizes the use of the terms mulligan, Happy Hour and Silly Season, and the phrase, 'There's a $1 million bonus for finishing 11th in the final Nextel Cup standings.' "

BlogOff Response: Mr. Poole asserts that while the million dollar bonus claim is factually inaccurate, the other terms are simply "misused" or "outdated."

For example, Poole argues that it is no longer appropriate to use the term "Happy Hour" to describe the final Cup practice. He explains that years ago, final practice actually ended around 4 or 5 p.m. - a time when drinking establishments traditionally offered special Happy Hour pricing - but now, final practice ends earlier in the day.

Stop the presses.

I mean, I'm all for accuracy, but this is a sporting event we're talking about, not a Middle East peace summit. And it isn't just broadcasters who use those terms - you hear them just as often from the drivers and team members.

Why? Because terms like mulligan, Happy Hour and Silly Season fall under the heading of colloquialisms - expressions which are appropriate for ordinary or informal conversation, rather than formal speech or writing.

So lighten up, Mr. Poole. Familiar terms like these may not be precisely on target, but everyone knows what they mean and their usage really poses no threat to the greater good.

On the other hand, it might be prudent to apply Mr. Poole's logic to some other time-honored NASCAR terms - I mean, the "lucky dog" isn't really a canine, and "qualifying" isn't really qualifying any more - unless you're outside the top 35.

But the most egregious misnomer is clearly the NASCAR acronym itself.

The sport's sanctioning body is named the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing because back in the day, drivers actually raced "stock" cars - vehicles that had not been altered or modified from their original factory configurations.

Since this is no longer the case, I propose that everyone associated with the sport, including Mr. Poole, replaces the term NASCAR with the more precise acronym NACWORRSCAR - which of course stands for the National Association of Cars-Which-Only-Remotely-Resemble-Stock-Cars Auto Racing Association.

Works for me - how about you?