July 30, 2010
By Rebecca Gladden
Over the past few years, I have written a couple of times about a principle called the "Piñata Syndrome" with regard to NASCAR drivers. It is the tendency of the media and the public at large to raise people up to the highest of heights, then start poking them with sticks and watching their insides spill out.
For some reason, it seems to be human nature to want to pile on when criticism befalls a high-profile person or organization - to kick them when they're down. Only after the target has been sufficiently stomped on do the stick-bearers back off.
Today, I find myself in the unexpected role of rope-holder for the symbolic NASCAR piñata. I'm going to pull hard in this article and raise NASCAR up from the blows coming at it, seemingly from all directions.
Because, strange as it may seem, I completely agree with NASCAR's recent decision to fine two top-tier drivers for making public comments that were damaging to the sport's integrity.
Although the fines were originally intended to remain confidential, word of them leaked out earlier this week. By Wednesday, unofficial reports identified the drivers involved as Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman.
I knew all along that one of the fined drivers would be Hamlin. In fact, I wondered whether NASCAR had read my June 25th article entitled, "Does NASCAR Need its Own 'Eleventh Commandment?'" In it, I questioned Hamlin's nationally-televised comments from Victory Lane at Michigan -- in which he called out NASCAR officials for throwing a bogus debris caution at the end of the race ("I didn't see any debris, if that's what you're asking") and described the sport as "show business." The 11th commandment refers to Ronald Reagan's 1966 maxim to members of the Republican Party never to speak ill of each other for the good of the party.
Though specific details of the penalties remain private, spokesman Ramsey Poston explained NASCAR's position in an AP story Tuesday, stating, "It is the sanctioning body's obligation on behalf of the industry and our fans to protect the sport's brand. Any action taken by NASCAR has nothing to do with the drivers expressing an opinion -- it's focused on actions or comments that materially damage the sport. We have specifically discussed this in meetings with teams, drivers and stakeholders."
Why is that so hard to understand?
NASCAR has every right to protect its brand and it is under absolutely no obligation to explain every move and decision it makes to the media or the public at large. That obligation extends only to the stakeholders and I am sure they have been kept informed.
If NASCAR chooses to divulge such information, it should do so at a time and in a manner of its choosing, not because officials are forced to cave in to public demands for "transparency."
It's all the rage these days to bash NASCAR, but the sanctioning body is frequently in a no-win situation. When NASCAR told the drivers to "have at it" back at the start of the season, it was a wildly popular decision with fans and pundits alike. Yet, when they penalized some drivers for being overly aggressive (and believe me, drivers at this level of racing know the difference), NASCAR's "have at it" edict was turned against them. As I wrote last week, "have at it" was never intended to be a blank check for reckless behavior.
The same thing is happening now with NASCAR's months-old statement that it wanted drivers to show some personality and express their emotions in public. Clearly, this was never meant to be a justification for every conceivable comment a driver might make, particularly those that attack the credibility of the sport itself. And, like the difference between aggressive driving and reckless driving, drivers know when they've crossed the line with their criticism. If they choose to do so, they must live with the consequences.
There seems to be a certain satisfaction these days in attacking NASCAR that I do not fully comprehend. Rather than focusing on the enjoyment we all derive from the sport, many people devote their energy to trying to take it down.
Next time you swing back with your big stick and prepare to strike, ask yourself this: how many more blows can the NASCAR piñata take, and will the dumping of its contents be worth the destruction of the vessel itself?
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