Little Al Cries "WAAAAH!" Again

[Liz]

Little Al is quoted in the AutoSport I just got (which is last week everywhere but here) as whining that the IRL should go for "parity" because Greg Ray is faster than he is and has more money.

Is Little Al becoming a commie in his old age, or is he just yammering as usual?

[Dave S]

I swear I have lost ALL respect for that guy. What a terrible way to end his career. I thought he'd be remembered as the class act cheering Emmo on, not a bloated, whining punk blaming his declining skills on anything but himself.Plus, Al's got 10 mil of TG's cash, how the hell much more does he need to run the 'affordable' series?

[Liz]

He just doesn't want Greg Ray to have any. What a crybaby. His father would be ashamed.

[bella]

miserable old get.
stop acting your age!!!
that's what i think about him anyway.

[wallbanger]

bella-
Please don't go blaming it on age. When you live a good clean vegetarian life, work out regularly and hang out with youthful people (women, especially) you can be fast and happy well into your golden years. Look how cool I am. Have a glass of red wine and chill out...in 30 years you'll be my age and I'll still be cool (probably cold)!
-wallbanger

[Liz]

But Little Al didn't follow your excellent advice and he has either got old and silly, or is still in his babyhood.

[KC]

I would like to draw a parallel betwen two drives. Both are the same age [one year apart]. Both are the products of a childhood in motorsports with champion fathers. Al Unser Jr. and Michael Andretti.

No doubt that both have accomplished much in their careers. Both got the same kick start advantages reserved for the sons of icons but still had to go out and prove themselves on the track and both have. Both have had failed marraiges, probably related to the lifestyle of the racer. Here is point that both separated in their careers.

Andretti could have folded up shop after his disaster in F1, but instead bounced back into CART with a renewed attitude with Chip Ganassi. He was leaner and more fit and eager to go out and challenge. He won his very first race back in CART. Drivers like Montoya and daMatta are nearly half his age and are forcing him to work harder to finish as well as he used to. He has responded well this year by being aggressive and smart.

Unser Jr. has had a few things going against him. His last 5 years with Penske saw the sport begin to pass him by. No more can you smoke cigarettes and drink beer every night and keep in the necessary shape to compete in CART against guys like Montoya. These are both things that Unser has identified as some of the reasons behind his poor performance as well the complacency that staying with a team for too long brought about as well. However, instead of redoubling his efforts and pursuing the championship in the IRL, I think Unser has become lazy and cannot understand why the title does not come to him. Greg Ray is well financed, but he also works hard at his craft and is taking the fight to his competitors instead of waiting for it. The days when you could count on half the field failing to finish the majority of the races is gone. Consistency does not count as much without speed to go with it. I think Nigel Mansell said it best when asked if he considered himself lucky. He said, "It seems the more you practice the luckier you get." So instead of going out and working harder he just whines to the media and TG about it. Maybe retirement is in order.

[Liz]

Gore Vidal once said, "It is not enough that I succeed. Others must fail." I think Little Al was listening.

[Nuvolari]

I wonder what role the collapse of his marriage and the illness of his daughter have played in all of this.

[Liz]

Or vice versa.

[Nuvolari]

In that regard, he admitted in a National Public Radio interview prior to Indy that his racing career had put a possible fatal strain on his marriage.

[Liz]

That happens to a lot of pilotes; I think because they are not home very much and because of the kind of people they meet when they are away (i.e. race groupies and Pit Bimbos.) But I trust no one made him choose racing over his marriage, and now that he is failing at both, he should concentrate on fixing the problem, not the blame.