11/05/24
May 27, 2010
Danica Patrick Booed by Indy Fans: After a poor run put her in 23rd during Indianapolis 500 qualifying, Danica Patrick was booed Sunday for remarks she made during an interview broadcast over the public-address system. "I've never been bad here before. I've never been outside the top 10 on a finish or qualifying, so, it's not my fault," she said. "The car is not good."
posted by rcade to auto racing at 10:30 AM - 34 comments
Danica Patrick is to auto racing what Anna Kournikova was to tennis. Overhyped because she is more attractive than her competitors, but never actually wins anything. I don't recall Kournikova having episodes like this, though.
posted by TheQatarian at 10:43 AM on May 27, 2010
Foolish comments to make, especially in the days leading up to an important race.
posted by dviking at 11:02 AM on May 27, 2010
"I don't want to get booed," Patrick said. "Why would they do that when I say, 'it's not my fault.'?
Because you have a history of it "not being my fault" when anything doesn't go your way Danica. Be it going down to Ryan Briscoe's pit in the Indy 500 or her pit row confrontations with Milka Duno or her temper tantrum at Michigan where she stomped her way down pit road like a three year old who's parents said they couldn't have a new toy, her act is wearing old and people let her know it here.
I still maintain that with all the hype that has surrounded Danica Patrick she is still an overall failure as a driver. She has consistently had among the best equipment on the track as a benefit of driving for one of the richest teams in the sport, be it at the start with Rahal-Letterman or now with Andretti-Green, and in Indy racing the quality of the equipment makes as much a difference as the driver, if not more. Yet with all of these advantages she has accounted for only one more race win than I have.
posted by Demophon at 11:04 AM on May 27, 2010
I guess she hasn't seen a doctor who has explored the clinical implications of habitual blame-shifting with her.
As is often said on musicians' message boards about alluring high-maintenance lovelies: "Somewhere, someone is tired of her shit".
Danica, you're so lucky. Your somewhere is everywhere.
posted by beaverboard at 11:23 AM on May 27, 2010
Overhyped because she is more attractive than her competitors, but never actually wins anything.
Actually, Danica Patrick did win, in 2008.
posted by grum@work at 11:26 AM on May 27, 2010
She has won once, and as someone else said with a lot of team advantages. If she weren't a woman, and a somewhat attractive one, nobody would even know her name. It isn't her racing that has made her as famous as she is.
posted by Atheist at 11:49 AM on May 27, 2010
Actually, Danica Patrick did win, in 2008.
She won one race in Japan, IIRC. I put that on par with the one doubles title Kournikova won. The comparison stands.
posted by TheQatarian at 12:11 PM on May 27, 2010
Another reason for the booing is Danica trying her hand at NASCAR. Those die-hard Indy fans are not happy with it.
posted by dbt302 at 12:11 PM on May 27, 2010
Those aren't boo's, Danica. They're saying, "Danica ! Danica !"
I don't see why people always make comparisons to Anna with the attention she gets. Anna with her perfect tan, her young body glistening in the hot sun as she lost set after set to juniors and people with disabilities. Danica, in contrast, is in heavy fire suit with a helmet, in a car as she drives the wrong way or puts it in a wall. No comparison. One is worth watching, one is not.
posted by smithnyiu at 02:20 PM on May 27, 2010
This happened on Sunday, but being posted on Thursday. Why? So all the Danica bashers can have an excuse to come out?
posted by graymatters at 02:25 PM on May 27, 2010
Danica Patrick is to auto racing what Anna Kournikova was to tennis. Overhyped because she is more attractive than her competitors, but never actually wins anything.
People like to use Kournikova as an example of hyped failures in sports, but it's factually inaccurate to say she never won anything. As a doubles player she won two Grand Slam events, two year-end championships and 12 other tournaments. It's not singles, but it's not nothing either.
posted by rcade at 02:41 PM on May 27, 2010
Patrick made a major breach of racing etiquette when she publicly complained about her car and her race team
The fans get it. She doesn't.
posted by mjkredliner at 02:51 PM on May 27, 2010
Dunno about Danica bashers but that is one of the one of the most misguided pieces of blame-shifting I've seen - worthy of a post here any time.
Imagine her statement translated into the NFL equivalent, from a post-game QB interview: "I was scrambling early all 4th quarter and was looking over my shoulder for the sack before that. I've never lost to these guys before and I've never thrown for less than 150 yds ever, so its not my fault. Our o-line and receivers are no good."
Spectacular work. She got off easy from the crowd, football or hockey fans would be burning effigies.
posted by deflated at 03:02 PM on May 27, 2010
This happened on Sunday, but being posted on Thursday. Why? So all the Danica bashers can have an excuse to come out?
Anyone who thinks I post anything here for manipulative reasons is invited to go piss up a rope. I'm through defending myself from that bullshit.
posted by rcade at 04:17 PM on May 27, 2010
Every post rcade makes serves only to fuel his Yankee-hating, liberal agenda.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 04:32 PM on May 27, 2010
People like to use Kournikova as an example of hyped failures in sports, but it's factually inaccurate to say she never won anything.
She certainly had her moments on the court, but Kournikova's success wasn't remotely in the same league as her fame or hype, and in that realm she's the perfect comparison.
This happened on Sunday, but being posted on Thursday. Why? So all the Danica bashers can have an excuse to come out?
Eh, I had planned to post this right after it happened and never got around to it. I thought the story was strange enough to post, almost comical in her 'wasn't me!' comments. I have no opinion on Danica Patrick (other than her godaddys commercials setting back her gender a hundred years or so, but that's another topic).
posted by justgary at 04:51 PM on May 27, 2010
Imagine her statement translated into the NFL equivalent, from a post-game QB interview: "I was scrambling early all 4th quarter and was looking over my shoulder for the sack before that. I've never lost to these guys before and I've never thrown for less than 150 yds ever, so its not my fault. Our o-line and receivers are no good."
This sort of thing kind of happens weekly in most major sports.
I am curious if other high profile racers have said things like this. I suspect not or we'd be seeing Sportsfilter posts about them as well, right?
Because if other high profile racers have said things like this and they weren't posted at Sportsfilter, it suggests this is only important because Danica is a the only girl in the club and shit.
posted by Joey Michaels at 05:07 PM on May 27, 2010
I think the saying is that a good craftsperson never blames their tools.
Sorry, rcade, but your posts are often on ... touchy ... subjects. A cynical person might think that you do so for the attention (read: ad revenue) it brings to the site. A less cynical person would say that you just do your best to fill the site with posts and content that otherwise may not get posted.
What's this, rain falling on my head?
Also, I agree with justgary. I have no opinion on Danica Patrick as a race car driver (it's not a ..... um .... nevermind), but I dislike her because of the sexist G*Daddy ads in which she stars.
posted by scully at 05:12 PM on May 27, 2010
Every post rcade makes serves only to fuel his Yankee-hating, liberal, pope-squatting, vasectomy-touting, agenda.
There, fixed it.
posted by holden at 05:17 PM on May 27, 2010
I post things that interest me which might be interesting to others. SportsFilter doesn't make money -- it's about break even on hosting costs. By the time Graymatters got around to questioning my motives, there were 10 comments posted in three hours, so there was clearly interest in the subject regardless of why I posted it.
Because if other high profile racers have said things like this and they weren't posted at Sportsfilter, it suggests this is only important because Danica is a the only girl in the club and shit.
It's pretty rare for an athlete to get booed in a friendly venue over remarks said over a PA system.
posted by rcade at 05:23 PM on May 27, 2010
She certainly had her moments on the court, but Kournikova's success wasn't remotely in the same league as her fame or hype, and in that realm she's the perfect comparison.
I don't have a problem with Kournikova being described as overhyped. I have a problem with people who say in furtherance of that argument that she never won anything.
posted by rcade at 05:25 PM on May 27, 2010
I am curious if other high profile racers have said things like this. I suspect not or we'd be seeing Sportsfilter posts about them as well, right?
Well, I don't know if it was mentioned here, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. made some headlines in NASCAR a while back by (off-handedly) blaming his crew (and/or crew chief) for his continued slump.
posted by grum@work at 05:28 PM on May 27, 2010
I don't know why anybody would question rcade's motives. I did not know about Danica's comments until I read it here. Frankly I though it is worth posting so I am glad he did. It's highly unusual for any team member to do what she did. It was childish and only served to alienate fans and the people on the team she depends on. I did not have much of an opinion about her prior to this but now I see her as a cry baby and don't think she has done women any good as an example or role model between her comments and those stupid Go Daddy ads. She isn't hot enough to be a sex symbol and I guess she doesn't drive well enough to win races.
posted by Atheist at 05:33 PM on May 27, 2010
Joey Michaels, if you can point me to another case in a major team sport where the nominal team leader is that brutal about their lack of support and they weren't crucified by fans and the media I'd love to see it. Maybe a Starbury or Sprewell quote from the NBA would come close but Patrick's was right out there for best ever.
If Donovan McNabb called out his o-line like that Eagles fans would have rioted. If Roberto Luongo was as blunt as Danica in blaming a crappy save pct. on poor play by his d-men it would be national news in Canada. If Barry Zito stated flat out that he lost 17 games due to crappy run support he'd be ripped apart by the media. Peyton Manning is still living with the reputation hit he took for the comparatively innocuous 'Let's just say we had some problems in protection.'
posted by deflated at 07:01 PM on May 27, 2010
"I am curious if other high profile racers have said things like this."
I do recall Emerson Fittipaldi jumping out of his car at the end of a race (I am pretty sure it was the Indy 500), and saying to the pit reporter, live on national TV: "My Goodyear tires all day is shit!"
So there's that.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 08:17 PM on May 27, 2010
I remember that, crash.
I would guess if the male drivers make remarks like this, they aren't caught on the PA. And they are probably more colorful. (ie- A.J. Foyt saying his pit crew had their heads up their goddamn asses all day, also on live TV)
posted by steelergirl at 11:52 PM on May 27, 2010
Of course, Emerson Fittipaldi was booed for years for simply drinking some orange juice. (That he did so in victory lane at Indy, instead of the traditional bottle of milk might have something to do with it)
Athletes says some stupid things, and this was certainly a good example of that. Being aired on the P.A. system only made it worse.
posted by dviking at 12:58 AM on May 28, 2010
Crash and burn Danica!! You really aren't that good even with good equip. Reminds me of Kyle Busch, when things don't go right it's someone elses fault. She's got good equip., just can't drive worth a shit. She'll be out before the halfway point with scrap metal for a car.
posted by mrjaws at 01:43 AM on May 28, 2010
Joey Michaels, if you can point me to another case in a major team sport where the nominal team leader is that brutal about their lack of support and they weren't crucified by fans and the media I'd love to see it.
My point isn't that they aren't crucified - my point is that it happens all the time and they are crucified. Presumably, the reason Danica is being called out is because she did exactly the same thing that any number of male athletes have done.
Indeed, if we made a SpoFi post every time an athlete acted like an ass, I can't help but imagine we'd have at least one a day.
posted by Joey Michaels at 05:25 AM on May 28, 2010
Athletes here are called out for being assholes all the time. But I don't get the insinuation that it's only because she's female that we care, or that this is an everyday occurrence.
Her comments were flat out raw with none of the measured response we would have heard if she had an hour to prepare for an interview. Her comments were carried over the PA and she was booed on the spot. And immediately after she's shocked and complains about being booed.
This wasn't the same as a quarterback complaining about his line protection after a show in the locker room. It doesn't happen every day, and the idea that it does but only because she is female is it news doesn't hold water in my opinion. I don't see this happening every day.
posted by justgary at 10:49 AM on May 28, 2010
if you can point me to another case in a major team sport where the nominal team leader is that brutal about their lack of support
F1? You've got the garage war between Massa and Alonso at Ferrari right now, which is generating some choice quotes from all sides.
posted by etagloh at 02:50 PM on May 28, 2010
I'm no racing fan anyway, but she strikes me as mighty self-important considering she's willing to pimp for GoDaddy.com's incredibly sexist ads which are insulting to the entire female species. Stay classy, Danica.
posted by evixir at 04:58 PM on May 30, 2010
What's the biological classification of the female species? Homo sapiensette?
posted by MeatSaber at 07:58 PM on May 30, 2010
I saw her comments; I didn't know they were broadcast over the PA. I was floored at how she threw everyone except herself under the bus.