I don't normally like to spout my opinions on subjects that I am really not overly well informed about, but for a rare time I will do so.
I have been thinking about three athletes recently and what they could mean to our country as a whole. Those athletes are Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong.
Lance represents a letdown. Lance is eventually going to break our countries heart when we most likely find out that he cheated his way to cycling championships. I love the good that Lance has done, and hope he keeps it up. I just think he cheated, and in the end that will further destroy our countries confidence in our leaders.
I thought about Tiger Woods being an athlete that could make people feel better about themselves. Maybe he will redeem himself. I think many are ready to forgive him (certainly not everyone though) and are hoping he can get back to the top of his game, the way many people want our country to get back on the top of its game. In thinking about it though, I'm not sure if Tiger Woods is an athlete that could transcend his sport in his future.
I think maybe the person with the best chance to transcend his sport and make our country feel good about itself again is...
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
I think that to many Americans, Dale Earnhardt Jr. reminds them of themselves. They see this once great athlete and race car driver (I'm putting those in the same sentence...go drive go-carts for two hours and tell me how it feels) stumble in recent years, just like they have. They have seen Dale Jr. lose confidence and not live up to expectations. He is a figure that many, many unemployed, laid off or underemployed people can relate too.
They once too had it good and then all of a sudden no matter how hard they worked, or what they did, their luck wouldn't go their way. Dale Jr. was going through a 143 race winless streak until today. For The last 130 races they have probably been asking Dale Jr. about his elusive next win, just like many people have to answer questions posed by loved ones and friends about what their job situation is like.
In some ways Jr. has lived in the shadow of his father and his legacy and death and he has probably had to work at dealing with that. I am sure many people can relate to a situation in which they feel overshadowed.
Many people can relate to struggling and having to answer questions about struggling. They can see themselves get so close to succeeding, such as Jr.'s seven runner-up finishes, yet coming up just short constantly, like Jr.'s 143 race winless streak.
Jr. has had an amazing year and if he can keep finishing well and winning races he could do something that he has never done, win his sports championship, which is something his father did seven times.
Dale Jr. winning that Championship is something that I think could be Times Magazine Person of The Year worthy because I believe that Earnhardt Jr., like his father, represents so much too many people who are suffering without jobs, or struggling to make ends meat in many parts of this country, even if not in your part of the country. Seeing someone who was so clearly down and out before 2012, come back and win a championship is something that I think would bring hope to so many Americans who like Earnhardt, prior to 2008, seemed to have a lot going for them.
Many people pay NASCAR no attention, and laugh at the mention of it, but I think people will be surprised just what a Dale Jr. Championship would do for the mood of many people in this country.
Dale Jr. could transcend his sport if he keeps up his winning ways. He could bring hope to so many people in this country that maybe no one else could.
Maybe Dale Jr. is going to be to the Great Recession what Seabiscuit was to the Great Depression.
Jr. has a long way to go but maybe this season and this win today is part of something special.
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