NASCAR Fallout and Britney's Bald Head

Well that didn't take long.

It was only a matter of hours, not days, that some NASCAR freak e-mailed me to complain about my position regarding God's favorite sport. (Underline SPORT you idiot). They first mentioned that I had an out-dated picture on the front page. "Kevin Hardick doesn't even drive that car no more ya mor-on". They then went on to explain that my infatuation with college hockey was far more idiotic, and I should take a look at joining a hypocrites anonymous meeting as soon as possible.

You see, this is EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

It's bad enough that I don't like NASCAR, I don't follow NASCAR, hell, I don't even care enough to get an up-to-date picture on the front page. However, BECAUSE I don't like it..there is something wrong with ME. It's this knee-jerk anger that really pisses me off. Hell, I wasn't even bashing it that much. I simply stated I didn't get it, and listed out the reasons why. And even STILL, I get people all pissed off because I just don't "understand it".

You see, I DO understand it. I understand that you people take it too fucking seriously, and that makes me not really want to watch it even more. Much like soccer fan, who points at me for being shallow and uneducated for not understanding the "World's game", NASCAR fan is more worried about you fitting in with them, than they are with you actually liking the "sport" itself. Look, I could care less if you like NASCAR. I could care less if you want to wear a black velvet "Intimidator" jacket to church on Sunday morning. Knock yourself the fuck out.

But STOP telling me there is something wrong with ME, because I don't get it. It's not like I haven't tried. Cars go fast. Cars turn left. Guys with Southern blood drive cars fast and turn left. People go apeshit.

What's not to get?

It's exactly like the people who bash the government or the president or some other person in power under the veil of free speech, and yet they don't understand that those same "free speech" rights allow you to call them fucking idiots at the same time. It's just like the Dixie Chicks fiasco. I don't like them because their music is sprinkled with horseshit...not because of their politics. Yet, if I say their music is sprinkled with horseshit, I'm outside my rights, because for other reasons, I agree with the majority. (in this case)

Bottom line? NASCAR sucks, and the more you tell me I have to like it, the more I want to make fun of it.

* Speaking of things I really don't understand, is there any more evidence you need that we live in the worst society on the face of the earth? Case in point: Every day on my Yahoo page, I get RSS feeds from CNN, Fox, MSNBC etc. In those feeds, I get the top 5-10 stories of the day, so I don't have to trudge through the giant pool of crap that is modern news gathering.

Anyway, at one point this morning, these were the top five "news" stories from CNN.com

- Britney checks out of rehab
- Anna Nicole was a complete whore before her death (allegedly)
- Britney is still bald
- Anna Nicole is still dead
- England pulls out troops of Iraq

Does anybody besides me see the problem with this? Seriously, I would like a sociology expert to call me up, sit me down, and explain to me why hundreds of MILLIONS of people are more concerned about dead or fucked up celebrities than they are with actual important news items. (Unless you don't count a war or politics or Husker football news. Let's keep some perspective here)

I'm sick and tired of recoiling this rant over and over and over again, but it just gets worse and worse. I understand we are in difficult times and there are a lot of things that depress people. But does watching well-known celebrities break down to the very core actually help? I'm not talking about following these stories, because they certainly are news. But FOUR of the top FIVE stories on CNN? And it's not just them, Fox, Reuters, MSNBC...all the same.

Maybe I'm just too cynical. Maybe I just live in my little Midwestern world, surrounded by hayseeds who obsess over a football team filled with 18-22 year olds. Maybe I need to get out more to truly understand just how important these things are. Hell, within 2 blocks of me, I'll be I can find people way way more fucked up than Britney is or Anna Nicole was. But does that make the news?

25 year old mother of two freaks out and is a complete lunatic? Wow..what a shock. (See my Valentine's day story for my take on girls of that age and their mental states). Anna Nicole had a drug problem? REALLY!?!? I couldn't tell. Is this SHOCKING to anybody?

I've come to the conclusion that I just wasn't meant to get it. Maybe I should just except it. Or at the very least, move to the Bahamas and have sex with a public official.

Oh wait.

* It's February 21st, and the Kansas City Royals are 13 games out of first place.

* Yes, I realize Mizzou plays Nebraska in basketball this week in a "huge game". Yes, I have to mention it here, because I don't need you people freaking out on me like NASCAR fan did. Look, I want my team to win and all...and against Nebraska that is A-Number-1 priority....but both teams are going to finish in the middle of the pack in the Big 12. Both teams will probably go to the NIT. Is that really anything to lose sleep over?

I'll be watching and cheering for my team, but is it really that big of a deal?

I'm guessing no.

Tune in next week when Britney Spears fans write in and bitch at me for not understanding her.

(Photo Thanks: MSNBC, CNN, Columbia Tribune)