Gordon's Greatness

02/10/2015



J. L. Steele

I've been a sports fan and specifically a NASCAR fan since the mid-70's. I remember how revolutionary ESPN seemed when they hit the airwaves. Who could have imagined non-stop 24 hour sports coverage! Now with countless sports networks, the internet and social media, sports coverage is more in-depth than ever and just when it seems like it's as detailed as it could get, some new angle or option is presented that allows the fan even greater access.

With all of the coverage though came something I call the ESPN-ization of sports. In this age of hype we now live in, it's the idea that everything you're watching is the greatest. This year's championship team (pick the sport) is the greatest or among the greatest in that sport's history. This particular match-up between individual players is the greatest. This certain match up between teams is the greatest rivalry in that sport. If the "experts" really want to promote it, then it's the greatest rivalry across all sports. It's as though nothing that came before 24 non-stop news coverage ever compared to this era. To listen to the talk, almost every sporting event is greater than anything that ever came before. The same talk is part of the NASCAR world as well.

We saw it come alive again several days ago when Jeff Gordon announced his upcoming retirement from racing. Immediately the questions were asked, "Where does Gordon rank among the greats?" "Is Jeff Gordon the greatest driver in the history of NASCAR?" Is he among the greats? Absolutely. Is he the greatest ever? It's an impossible question to ask and frankly, it's not really worth asking if there's no definite answer.

The numbers speak for themselves. Regardless of the criteria used, he is indeed one of the best that's ever wheeled a stock car. One of the revolutionary aspects that stand out to me about his career is how he managed his tires. In the days before he was dominate, drivers would take on a set of tires then run as hard as they could for as long as they could. The result was fast laps early in the run with lap times falling off as the tires wore down. Gordon had greater consistency. He wouldn't wear the tires out early in a run. He might not be as quick with fresh tires but as the laps wore on, he was quicker toward the end of a run. Besides the wins and championships, there aren't many performers in any sport who revolutionize the way the sport is played. By changing how teams viewed tire wear, he did just that, revolutionized the approach.

How does one determine who the greatest is in a sport that crosses generations? Who's the best baseball player, some guy in recent times who has a medical staff at his beck and call? A guy who flies to every game and stays in the finest hotels eating meals tailored to his dietary needs and who hits a new baseball every few pitches? A guy who plays on immaculate fields with state of the art lighting? Or is it a man who played in a time when he had to travel by train and stay in hotels that didn't even have air conditioning? The player who had to pick up a dingy ball thrown out of shadows in poorly lit stadiums? The one who's medical staff consisted of one person called a trainer who had no medical background and was usually limited to knowing when to apply heat or ice to an injury? Which is more impressive?

The same thought process holds true in racing. Who would be more successful, a Junior Johnson driving in today's technically advanced racing machines or a Jeff Gordon driving a truly stock car that didn't even have power steering, much less cooled helmets and all the safety features found in today's cars? Today's drivers all work with machines put together by engineers, computer technology and countless specialists. Those from another era worked on their own cars, learning as they went, made parts when parts couldn't be found, while often working in garages smaller than most found in today's suburban homes. Those are the men and times that made technology. Today's drivers are the ones who benefit from that technology. Which is easier?

So is Jeff Gordon the greatest NASCAR driver in history? Though I think not, there's no definitive answer so why ask the question? Is he one of the greatest ever? Absolutely so just enjoy that fact. Enjoy the fact that you witnessed greatness. Those moments don't come along in life very often. Enjoy the fact that you saw a driver earn a reputation that will last as long as cars race against each other. Don't worry about what can't be defined. Just appreciate his greatness while he's still here and savor it when he's gone.