Perspective is an interesting thing. A person's perspective can and does cloud reality and their perception of reality. That perception is, in their own world, their own reality.
This is what took place this past weekend at the NASCAR race in California. If you are going to be, or are a communications scholar, as technically I am now, watching Tony Stewart's post-race interview after the Sprint Cup race at Fontana was the prototypical case of clouded perception becoming reality.Stewart in his own perspective thought Joey Logano had done him wrong by blocking the three time Sprint Cup Champion on a restart with a hand full of laps to go. This put such a burr under Stewart's saddle that during a post-race interview with Fox the Champ issued a veiled threat to kick Logano's behind the next time they met.
This is the point that bares examining. Stewart was so angry at the fact that somebody had "blocked" on the restart that he would want to physically assault Logano.
This is the same Tony Stewart who back last October while leading the final lap of the Sprint Cup race at Talladaga basically did the same thing. A huge pack of cars was coming through the fourth turn, Stewart and Matt Kenseth were battling for the lead and the win. As the pack navigated the fourth turn, Micheal Waltrip and Casey Mears hooked up and had a huge run on Stewart's left flank, forcing Stewart to make a choice. Either deal with Waltrip and Mears or Kenseth who was a car length behind on his right hip.
By his own admission, Stewart moved down to " block" Waltrip who with the help of Mears had a huge run towards the front of the field, a run which by all accounts would have pushed Waltrip or Mears to victory. However, Stewart’s logic or lack thereof, was to block a two car tandem which was running nearly ten miles per hour faster than Stewart was in order to keep his position at the front of the field.
This tact did not work and the result was nearly the entire field wadded up in a big ball on the exit of turn four, giving Kenseth the win, and ultimately costing Dale Earnhardt Jr. to miss two races in the Chase due to a concussion. Nearly a dozen teams ended up writing off perfectly good race cars due to Stewart's clouded perspective and judgment.
Stewart's response after the crash at Talladaga was one of " Oh well" had to do what I had to do to win. The block was something that needed to be at least tried, damn the consequences. However, when blocking happens to Stewart, his perspective changed to the aspect of "he cost us a good day and sent Denny to the hospital" and Smoke is ready to "beat Logano's ass" for doing the same thing Stewart had done to Waltrip and Mears a few months previous.
The results of Logano's actions were not as catastrophic to the field as Stewart's. Logano did get together with Denny Hamlin on the last lap and Hamlin ended up finding a piece of inside guard wall at California that did not have any SAFER barrier. He hit it head on and sustained a back injury. Hamlin will reportedly miss up to six weeks due to a compression fracture of the L1 vertebra, a very painful injury.This is something that Stewart was quick to put the blame on Logano as well. Once again his perspective clouded, and his memory fleeting. The fact that his actions at Talladaga sent Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to the hospital a few days after the October race, and caused Junior to miss two races in the chase with the after-effects of a second concussion somehow had disappeared from Tony’s memory banks.
Stewart is undeniably one of the greatest race car drivers to ever walk the planet. Many think of Stewart as the second coming of AJ Foyt, complete with the talent and the temper of Super Tex. Stewart is one of those types of people who has such passion for his profession because God has touched him with the talent that very few people possess. This talent much as Foyt's allows Smoke to drive any type of race vehicle, not just competently, but at the highest levels imaginable. Moreover, Stewart has a temper to match his talent.
While Stewart's tirade was great for television ratings, and will more than likely increase viewership of the race at Martinsville, it was without cause. Stewart was quick to place blame on Logano for blocking him on the restart and in Stewart's mind costing him a win. (Stewart ended up 22nd, due to the fact that those drivers who stopped at the last caution and took either two or four tires, was able to over come many of those who did not stop including Stewart.) What would be interesting is to hear what Waltrip and or Mears would have to say about Stewart's rant on Logano's actions.
Perspective can cloud a person’s judgement and reality, however in the case of Tony Stewart another more classic cliche' would fit Stewart's actions after California, "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." More simply said, don't get angry at somebody for doing something you have done in the past, which resulted in an epic failure.
This is what took place this past weekend at the NASCAR race in California. If you are going to be, or are a communications scholar, as technically I am now, watching Tony Stewart's post-race interview after the Sprint Cup race at Fontana was the prototypical case of clouded perception becoming reality.Stewart in his own perspective thought Joey Logano had done him wrong by blocking the three time Sprint Cup Champion on a restart with a hand full of laps to go. This put such a burr under Stewart's saddle that during a post-race interview with Fox the Champ issued a veiled threat to kick Logano's behind the next time they met.
This is the point that bares examining. Stewart was so angry at the fact that somebody had "blocked" on the restart that he would want to physically assault Logano.
This is the same Tony Stewart who back last October while leading the final lap of the Sprint Cup race at Talladaga basically did the same thing. A huge pack of cars was coming through the fourth turn, Stewart and Matt Kenseth were battling for the lead and the win. As the pack navigated the fourth turn, Micheal Waltrip and Casey Mears hooked up and had a huge run on Stewart's left flank, forcing Stewart to make a choice. Either deal with Waltrip and Mears or Kenseth who was a car length behind on his right hip.
By his own admission, Stewart moved down to " block" Waltrip who with the help of Mears had a huge run towards the front of the field, a run which by all accounts would have pushed Waltrip or Mears to victory. However, Stewart’s logic or lack thereof, was to block a two car tandem which was running nearly ten miles per hour faster than Stewart was in order to keep his position at the front of the field.
This tact did not work and the result was nearly the entire field wadded up in a big ball on the exit of turn four, giving Kenseth the win, and ultimately costing Dale Earnhardt Jr. to miss two races in the Chase due to a concussion. Nearly a dozen teams ended up writing off perfectly good race cars due to Stewart's clouded perspective and judgment.
Stewart's response after the crash at Talladaga was one of " Oh well" had to do what I had to do to win. The block was something that needed to be at least tried, damn the consequences. However, when blocking happens to Stewart, his perspective changed to the aspect of "he cost us a good day and sent Denny to the hospital" and Smoke is ready to "beat Logano's ass" for doing the same thing Stewart had done to Waltrip and Mears a few months previous.
The results of Logano's actions were not as catastrophic to the field as Stewart's. Logano did get together with Denny Hamlin on the last lap and Hamlin ended up finding a piece of inside guard wall at California that did not have any SAFER barrier. He hit it head on and sustained a back injury. Hamlin will reportedly miss up to six weeks due to a compression fracture of the L1 vertebra, a very painful injury.This is something that Stewart was quick to put the blame on Logano as well. Once again his perspective clouded, and his memory fleeting. The fact that his actions at Talladaga sent Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to the hospital a few days after the October race, and caused Junior to miss two races in the chase with the after-effects of a second concussion somehow had disappeared from Tony’s memory banks.
Stewart is undeniably one of the greatest race car drivers to ever walk the planet. Many think of Stewart as the second coming of AJ Foyt, complete with the talent and the temper of Super Tex. Stewart is one of those types of people who has such passion for his profession because God has touched him with the talent that very few people possess. This talent much as Foyt's allows Smoke to drive any type of race vehicle, not just competently, but at the highest levels imaginable. Moreover, Stewart has a temper to match his talent.
While Stewart's tirade was great for television ratings, and will more than likely increase viewership of the race at Martinsville, it was without cause. Stewart was quick to place blame on Logano for blocking him on the restart and in Stewart's mind costing him a win. (Stewart ended up 22nd, due to the fact that those drivers who stopped at the last caution and took either two or four tires, was able to over come many of those who did not stop including Stewart.) What would be interesting is to hear what Waltrip and or Mears would have to say about Stewart's rant on Logano's actions.
Perspective can cloud a person’s judgement and reality, however in the case of Tony Stewart another more classic cliche' would fit Stewart's actions after California, "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." More simply said, don't get angry at somebody for doing something you have done in the past, which resulted in an epic failure.
