Beech Tree News Network

Fall certainly brings ample things to discuss if you're interested in sports. From NASCAR to the NFL it's been a headline week in sports, so there's much ground to cover.

First to the NFL. I'm starting to think the 49ers are for real, that the Eagles are already better than they were under Andy Reid, and that it might behoove the Mayor of Cleveland to outlaw football within the city limits. I must also say that after his 7 touchdown night to open the season I've decided that Peyton Manning is the best quarterback I will ever see play the game.

As for my picks I managed a strong start this season. I was 12-4, which wasn't too bad considering there were some upsets. Week 2 really doesn't have any tricky games to pick except maybe for the 49ers and Seahawks on Sunday night and possibly the Eagles/Chargers matchup earlier in the day. However it is only week 2, and what look like upsets in the early weeks are very often indicators of which teams are on the way up, and which teams are slipping.

Here are my winners this week, and if I'm able to go .750 again I'll be more than pleased. Patriots, Bills-just because they're at home, Ravens-this game will be ugly for the Browns, Bears, Cowboys, Packers, Texans, Colts, Eagles-the new Philly offense will make Michael Vick a star again, Falcons, Lions, Saints, Broncos, Raiders, 49ers, Steelers.

*
Conspiracy, intrigue, shady deals, and shenanigans in the state of Virginia usually means Congress is in session. Last weekend it meant NASCAR was racing in Richmond with berths in the postseason Chase for the Championship and millions in endorsements on the line. When the smoke settled NASCAR had to settle the battle for the final Chase spots with fines and penalties.

In case you missed it the teams from Michael Waltrip Racing allegedly conspired to manipulate the end of the race in order to get MWR driver Martin Truex, Jr into the top 12 in points and into the Chase. MWR's Ty Norris seems to have told the team's top driver, Clint Bowyer, to spin in order to force a round of pitstops in order to move Ryan Newman out of the Chase and help Truex move in. The plan worked, and Truex was in, but only for about 48 hours.

On Monday NASCAR fined each of Waltrip's drivers 50 points, suspended Norris indefinitely, and fined the team $300,000, the largest fine in the history of the sport. The points penalty moved Truex out of the Chase and allowed Ryan Newman to move into the postseason.

Just when it seemed the dust had settled more shenanigans were revealed Wednesday. Penske Racing driver Joey Logano seems to have had some help in taking the final Chase spot from Jeff Gordon. Penske Racing employees--possibly including Roger Penske himself, struck a deal with Furniture Row Racing and the team of David Gilliland. Gilliland agreed to slow down and allow Logano to pass him on the final lap of the race. The spot Logano picked up meant he beat Jeff Gordon by one point for the final postseason spot.

So what does all this mean?

First, it shows just how important it is that teams make the Chase. A Berth in what passes as NASCAR's postseason means unparalleled exposure for the season's final ten weeks. It also means happy sponsors and a continuing stream of revenue to fund the teams' futures. When someone as respected and upstanding as Roger Penske stoops to team owners in order 'fix' the end of a race it speaks volumes on how important the Chase has become.

Second, this shows me that everything old really does become new again. This is how NASCAR used to work. In the 80's and 90's wave-arounds and uncontested passes in order to grab extra championship points were commonplace. It was just another way that successful teams manipulated grey areas in the rules in order to gain an advantage.

Third, the major fault in the Chase has been exposed, that being that teams not 'in' the postseason have too much influence in the outcome of things. The Oakland Raiders probably won't play in the NFL playoffs, and they definately won't be allowed to show up at a playoff game and interfere with teams vying for the championship. So if NASCAR has 'playoffs' now why is it that all the teams participate?

I've never been a fan of the Chase format, partially because it's a flawed system. Racing championships are based on consistency, or at least they used to be. Guys like Dale Earnhardt, John Force, and Rick Mears won multiple titles by being the best drivers week in and week out. Twice Rusty Wallace won 10 or more races in a season but failed to win the title because of less than stellar finishes when he wasn't winning. Wallace finally won his championship by getting three wins, and spicing them up with 31 top ten finishes.

It's not fair to the very best drivers in a given season to have their hard work undone by some barely ran non-contender. Possibly more bothersome is the chance that the season's best driver has his potential championship derailed by another Chase driver who is able to get hot at the proper time. By way of example remember that Tony Stewart won the 2011 Sprint Cup even though he had a lackluster 'regular' season and barely made the Chase. Once the postseason started Stewart won four of the ten Chase races and effectively stole the title from the season's most consistent driver Carl Edwards.

If NASCAR really wants a playoff system inclusion has to be exclusive, and teams have to be eliminated. Until they can come up with a system that does that maybe NASCAR should go back to the old system that worked almost flawlessly for more than 50 years.

*
Next week I really will explain why Mark Martin is the perfect fill-in for Tony Stewart, and why Toyota is glad Martin is driving a Chevy.
*
Feel free to send notes, questions, football picks, or stock tips to:
[email protected]