PissedBecauseMyMediumIsDying.blogspot.com

Jeff Olson - in case you haven't read it - Article here

"Add the growing number of untrained and unprofessional word butchers to the clutter, and objectivity goes the way of the front-engine roadster. Apparently this occupation is now open to anyone who can type with his or her knuckles, no education or experience required. No need for a degree or employment, just crown yourself a bloggist, start typing and apply for that credential. "

Why would he write like that? Is he really such a literary scholar (writing for "SpeedTV", mind you) that he is in a position to criticize anyone writing about the sport/topic/product/service/etc. that they love?

Following his logic, none of us should be cutting our own grass, painting rooms in our homes, enjoying a hobby, etc. without proper training and education to consider ourselves capable enough to accomplish such daunting tasks. I try to maintain a blog and site that follow the series and inform and entertain fans. I would say I do a below-average job with the blog - my frequency, writing style (both content and grammatical) are sub-par. He may as well have referenced my blog as back up for his argument :) But you know what? I enjoy it, and that's really all that matters.

If he's specifically upset about bloggers receiving media passes, I would encourage him to follow Is it May Yet?, My Name is IRL, PressDog and a number of other great IndyCar blogs. I can guarantee that those sites are more frequently (and accurately) updated than he could ever dream of keeping up with. So, I ask, if there's anyone you want with a media pass to cover the sport that you're interested in, would you rather have someone who writes a daily (at most) article, or someone who will constantly (that means multiple updates per day) create content and provide followers with the latest news. For me, and many others, give us the bloggers any day.

Jeff, you seem dissatisfied with the current state and future of your industry. My advice to you, incidentally enough, is to start a blog. I think a lot of people would probably read it. I'll gladly link to it from my site.

Qualifying this week

You've probably heard the new qualifying rules for this week's race at St. Petersburg. The IndyCar.com Web site actually does a pretty good job of explaining it -- I've provided an image below that really helps...




It's a lot like the qualifying process for F1. The first round will determine starting positions 13 through the end. The second round will determine positions 7 - 12 and finally, the third round will determine the top six positions. I really enjoy watching the F1 qualification process so I'm excited about this new addition to their process. It's almost like a small "race" for qualifications. It really adds a little bit of drama to the qualification process...hats off to the IndyCar site for good coverage.