Garrett Duke

Well y'all can rejoice in having more players in the All Star break...it only means the Cubs will have more rested players that will be refreshed and ready to go on Friday...ready to have the best second half of the season!

Thanks Hoss...had a busy weekend with family at home from out of state. Did watch the race, but didn't want to take time out to write the review. By the time I got away and was online, didn't have the time to write the review. Just hopped on to see how bad I did in my NASCAR fantasy since Yahoo Fantasy will be down today. Was going to do the review today...but you beat me to it. Sorry Hoss for slacking this weekend...and thanks for picking up for me. You did a great job with your review...loved the part on how Jimmie Johnson didn't let NASCAR slow him down by penalizing him as they did. Wish he would've won to show them off...but sixth ain't too bad for ol' five time! Though I am VERY excited for Brian Vickers. He is a great guy and love seeing him in Victory Lane...not as much as my Hendrick boys, but was very happy for him. So excited that this is his last year of racing part time (for awhile at least) as Brian Vickers will finally have a full time ride in 2014 in the 55 car at Michael Waltrip Racing. Though you did forget to mention one of the big deals that happened yesterday in the race...then again, perhaps it is a big deal to me since it is Jeff Gordon and he's only the best driver on the track.... Oops...what I meant to say was that it is Jeff Gordon and since he's my favorite driver and all... It has been a day and am still upset at Paul Menard and how he disrespected Jeff Gordon the way he did. I can't recall what lap they were on...they were towards the end. Perhaps with thirty laps to go or something like that. Gordon was twentieth or so due to pit strategy that put him back there. He went to pass Paul Menard. Mind you, Jeff slid right in front of Paul Menard. But did NOT TOUCH Menard...at all! Menard got mad at how Jeff passed him and INTENTIONALLY spun Jeff out. Bet y'all can guess who was fuming at that time of the race, right? Not only did he do it on purpose, he radioed it into his crew chief saying he did it on purpose and his cc told him he should do it more often! What made it worse was the announcers on TNT all siding with Menard...feeling bad for him.. Saying it is the end of the race, late in the day, he's frustrated and tired of being run into. As if Jeff Gordon isn't. Well, despite Paul Menard's spinning Gordon INTENTIONALLY...instead of paying Menard back with a dose of his own medicine, Gordon let his skill, talent behind the wheel do his talking. Where Paul Menard finished 17th...Jeff Gordon finished tenth. Which I am very proud of the 24 team...and the 48 team. Great examples to live by...NEVER GIVE UP! Still wrecking Gordon on purpose like that...very UNCOOL! I would understand it if Gordon bumped him or wrecked him...but Gordon didn't even touch him. Sure he did a slide job on Menard (Menard can't possibly say he has never done that to anyone...they all do it. It is racing!) but he didn't touch Menard or wreck him or anything else like that. OK sorry for my rant...just can't believe Hoss forgot to mention the one thing that should have had top priority in his review...if you going to write a review, Hoss...don't forget about Gordon. (Sorry Hoss for giving you a hard time...you did a great job. You know me, have to vent when something like that happens.) We are off next weekend before racing at Indy on July 28th...on ESPN. No more TNT until next year. Though personally...wish they would just keep the races on FOX... my opinion, of course.

Yeah maybe so...still not happy about it. Guess you are right...it does give Gordon an extra spot. Only positive thing about it...

The last I heard was that JJ will start in the back due to failing inspection...something about the skirt of the car. Well y'all, bet you can guess who is NOT happy about this. Last week, at Daytona - one of the fastest tracks on the schedule, 31 drivers failed pre race inspection for manipulating their roof flaps - which keeps their cars on the track in accidents and from flipping - and all NASCAR did was take the roof flaps away and made them put new ones on. But this week, with Jimmie Johnson, it is a whole different outcome...instead of starting second as he should...he will be starting in the back. Am I the only one seeing something WRONG with all of this? Well, it matters where you finish the race, not where you start. You make JJ mad more than not, he ends up going to the front or winning the race. Despite that, this NASCAR fan, is NOT happy with NASCAR's lack of consistency with their penalizing...if they aren't going to penalize those 31 drivers for MANIPULATING their roof flaps, they shouldn't be taking JJ's qualify lap away from him. Sorry...my opinion. And had to vent...

How can you forget 31 drivers getting caught manipulating roof flaps? LOL. Yeah, I spose consistancy is a little too much to ask for with NASCAR...it would just be nice is all.

Thanks for thinking about it. I know...I hate when my fantasy players play against the Cubs, Bears, or Jeff Gordon (oh wait, if I pick anyone but JG in NASCAR, they will play against him! EEHK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL) but do find it fun. Will always go for the Cubs, Bears, and Jeff Gordon before my fantasy team or players. Can't help it. So maybe you could do the same? Understand about the computer...hopefully your problem is fixed now.

Just to update y'all on the roof flaps...NASCAR has decided NOT to penalize any of the drivers for the manipulated roof flats. Y'all know how much I love NASCAR, but really wish they would be consistant with their penalties and what not...

Oops. Thanks Hoss...

Just thought I would make a note to say that I have reactivated my Yahoo Fantasy football league : Super Bowl Bound. If anyone is interested please let me know and I can send an invite. It is all for free and all for fun. (If you have any questions, please let me know and I can do the best to help. ) Draft is set for Fri. August 9th at 8:30, but I can change it if that doesn't work for anyone.

Well the Daytona race has gotten over. And well...it was a typical Daytona race. Though I think the big story is that Jimmie Johnson is the first driver since 1982 to win both February's Daytona's race AND the July's Daytona race. First half of the race was pretty uneventful. Carl Edwards ran over his tire changer's foot...the tire changer was taking the tape off of Edwards' grill and when the guy who holds the car up for the tire change, dropped the car, Edwards went. ( That is the driver's sign that it is time to go when they drop the car) So he dropped the car and Edwards went to run over his tire changer's foot that got caught on the splitter...luckily it was his shoe that broke to save him and not his foot. And well things got a bit eventful towards the end of the race...and am sure will forget something. So please forgive me. LOL. Martin Truex Jr got spun out by Denny Hamlin who in turn took out Juan Pablo Montoya. Jeff Gordon came to pit road on a yellow third...going out of pits he tried to get passed Joe Nemechek and got into the grass which took him back to twelfth. A few laps later "the big one" came about with Denny Hamlin, AJ Allmindinger, Matt Kenseth,...and Jeff Gordon. Kasey Kahne went up to challenge Jimmie Johnson only to get into Ambrose and slung out into the infield and out of the race. And on the last lap...(if they wreck on the last lap, the race is over if the caution drops) two big accidents happen at two different places, but NASCAR keeps it green and Jimmie goes on to win the race. Tony Stewart came home second. Daytona's final results Sorry to tell you this, Hoss, but Ricky Stenhouse Jr was taken out on the last lap by his own girl friend...

Well Hoss...think I got to agree with Jimmie Johnson on this one. Can't believe you would miss JJ for that...LOL And as much as I respect you and all, I don't agree with your taste in music at all...that will never enjoy that song or anything like that remotely close as much as I do the New Kids on the Block. So in order to cleanse myself from that song you called music, I am going with another GREAT New Kids on the Block...with hope of bettering your taste in music. (Hope you know I am only giving you a hard time Hoss...not my kind of music, but have nothing against it or anyone who does like it...) NKOTB...COVER GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In less than two weeks...I will be seeing them in concert. Can you guess who is excited?

Thanks Hoss for the update...was out last night and by the time I got home you already had it updated. Don't know how well I will be able to report next week pre race activities or if how much I will be able to watch the race. I have family coming over next weeks from out of state...so I will do my best. But no promises. Well Hoss...you better tell Stenhouse to keep off of Jimmie's bumper. I have a feeling after last week, ol' Jimmie may be back for some redemption. You don't make Jimmie mad without some redemption. LOL. If you haven't guessed...I am super excited for tonight's race! One it is a night race. Two it is Daytona!!!!!!!!!!! Granted at restrictor plate tracks such as Daytona, anything goes and anyone can win. The drivers have to rely on themselves but also drafting with a couple of drafting partners. Glad that NASCAR has fixed the restrictor plate races so they aren't completely relying on another car to push them up to the front...ask Jeff Gordon, that can come back to hurt you when your drafting partner leaves you out to dry to go and help another driver. It is still there, just not as much as it use to be a couple of years ago. (If that makes sense ) Am not a huge Kyle Busch fan (but am more of a one now than I use to be...) but his pole position he earned yesterday for today's race is his first restrictor plate race pole. Thanks again Hoss.

Well where as most people have the Fourth of July off...the boys at NASCAR were in their cars for the first practice for the Daytona race that is Saturday night. And NASCAR has been busy confiscating roof flaps of 31 cars...16 of those cars are from the Sprint Cup, while I assume the rest of the cars are from the Nationwide Series. (The 31 roof flaps had failed inspection...) The roof flaps are those parts of the car's roof that flies open when the car spins out or gets in a wreck. It helps to keep the cars on the track. NASCAR is holding the 31 roof flats for inspection...with possible penalties being handed out next week. Sprint Cup drivers that was stopped with their roof flaps that had failed inspection was: All three Joe Gibbs Cars...Matt Kenseth (who won last week), Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin All three Rousch Fenway cars...Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. All three Michael Waltrp Racing cars...Martin Truex Jr. , Clint Bowyer, and Michael Waltrip Both Penske drivers...Brad Keselowski (who won the championship last year) and Joey Logano Both Richard Petty cars...Aric Almirola and Marcos Ambrose Jamie McMurray Casey Mears Trevor Bayne All drivers had to install new roof flaps before taking the track for practices today. 16 Sprint Cup cars fail inspection for their roof flaps

Dang it Roger...isn't it enough that your Pirates are on track for a hundred game winning season? You just have to go burst my bubble. LOL. Well if your Pirates can do it, my Cubs can do it.

Well the Kentucky race has just finished after ten or so cautions. Mostly for tire issues. Kyle Busch had spun out towards the start of the race...came home fifth. Denny Hamlin was having tire issues and went into pits when the skeleton (the rubber) flew off and hit Jr's car and Johnson's (they were running one and two at the time.) Johnson was able to go on with little damage while it held Jr up a bit. The major accident was towards the front too when Kurt Busch got into the back of Brad Keselowski and sent Keselowski up the track into oncoming traffic and Greg Biffle got into the back of Keselowski before Keselowski hit the wall. Both cars caught fire...also took out Paul Menard and Landon Cassill. It had red flagged the race for a little while but luckily everyone was OK...Keselowski and Menard came back out into the race. And well, you know what Waylon use to say about the Dukes? About if there wasn't bad luck, the Dukes wouldn't have any luck at all? Well that saying seems to fit true again for Jeff Gordon. After getting stuck in pits for green flag pit stops by a caution coming out a couple of times so far this year...Jeff Gordon got stuck TWICE in pits due to a caution going out while he was in there. Luckily the second time he was in the lucky dog position and was at least able to stay on the lead lap. All the same, it caused for some frustrating moments for this 24 fan. Though am proud that he was able to race himself forward for another top ten finish. Denny Hamlin, who had a back injury earlier this season, hit the wall pretty good and was in the in field care center for a while. Denny didn't say anything was wrong, but he was there for a while which had me worried. But he says everything is good. Brian Vickers hit the wall for the second to last caution...and after leading 182 laps today, Jimmie Johnson loses the lead to Matt Kenseth who didn't take any tires during the final pit stop when everyone else took two. Johnson came out second and didn't have a good restart. Then as he tried holding his position away from Joey Logano, Johnson spun out and brought him all the way back to twenty-fifth (I think they said) with only fifteen or so laps to go. (Another very highly frustrated moment for this fan...LOL) Not the win he should have had, but Johnson was clearly driving mad. And when JJ drives mad, well, he normally gets the job done. In only fifteen or so laps, JJ went from 25th or so all the way up to ninth. At least got a top ten out of it... Matt Kenseth somehow made his no tire call work and grabbed his fourth win of the season...a year after he had announced he was leaving Rousch, the team where spent his entire NASCAR Cup career at to Gibbs, where he is racing now. Here is the official results: 1. Matt Kenseth 2. Jamie McMurray 3. Clint Bowyer 4 Joey Logano 5 Kyle Busch 6 Kurt Busch 7 Martin Truex Jr. 8 Jeff Gordon 9 Jimmie Johnson 10 Kevin Harvick 11 Kasey Kahne 12 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 13 Marcos Ambrose 14 Ryan Newman 15 Aric Almirola 16 Juan Pablo Montoya 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 18 Casey Mears 19 Jeff Burton 20 Tony Stewart 21 Carl Edwards 22 A J Allmendinger 23 Danica Patrick 24 Austin Dillon 25 David Stremme 26 David Ragan 27 David Reutimann 28 David Gilliland 29 Ken Schrader 30 Paul Menard 31 Brian Vickers 32 J.J. Yeley 33 Brad Keselowski 34 Greg Biffle 35 Denny Hamlin 36 Landon Cassill 37 Joe Nemechek 38 Michael McDowell 39 Josh Wise 40 Dave Blaney 41 Mike Bliss 42 Travis Kvapil 43 Scott Riggs (Hoss...you may want to tell Stenhouse Jr to watch his speed in pit road. He was one of five to get caught speeding on pit road on the last pit stop...) We are back to restrictor plate racing next Saturday night at Daytona!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully weather will not intervene this time. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=9422599

Well looks like Mother Nature has finally came to my rescue...will be able to watch the race afterall. Hate to miss a night race, but at least will be able to watch it now. If I remember right next week's race at Daytona is normally Saturday night...

Congrats again Roger... So in other words, prior to this season, the Cubs have been better than your Pirates? Woo hoo! Let's go Cubs!

Congrats Roger!

Roger - Dang it, I thought you had some Cubs players. So in other words, you must have terrible players because we all know all the best players are on the Cubs. As for our NASCAR league...you better run and hide because I am in dire need to get back to first place. Thanks Hoss for posting the line up for tonight's race...I didn't get home til way late last night and didn't even look at where my drivers started not alone to think of posting them. And sadly, I am going out again tonight...so I will most likely miss tonight's race. Dang I hate missing a race...ESPECIALLY a NIGHT race. Ah well perhaps Jeff Gordon and team Hendrick will do better without me . Kentucky is the ONLY active track that Jeff Gordon has yet to win at (they just started racing here a couple of years ag) so I am really hoping he will get his 88th win tonight so he can say he has won at all tracks. I will read up on it and can and will write my review on that...sorry for all of this. Hoss - you are worried about Jeff Gordon holding up Stenhouse Jr? Not a chance...Gordon is going to go straight to first once the green flag drop.

Well that is the first time I saw that clip...haven't seen those movies. Besides baseball don't go by the movies...they go game by game. Player by player. So until I am able to go in the past and predict the season to gain money, I will go by scores and such. Talking of baseball...Jeff Gordon took his two year old son to the Yankees game. Not the Cubs but at least it is the Yankees.

Sorry to disappoint you Roger, but it ain't gonna happen this year. Because this year, is the CUBS year, all the way! I may have said the same thing for the past twenty some years, but, you know, that is besides the point...one of these years I will be correct and it might as well as be this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oops...glad I missread that. I thought you said we were tied once and then you won...well I guess I can celebrate the weekly victory last week. Seeing how I am losing pretty bad this week. And I would love to make it to the playoffs...don't know if I ever made it that far in baseball. I was excited to get Donaldson...do you have any good players you would be willing to give me?

I bet he did...sorry that he won't be doing it this year. Perhaps next year. Nice to take turns, right?

That is a bummer...hopefully it will change.

Thanks K Duke And yeah, I saw Rozzi and I couldn't resist putting Rizzo down.