Seeking6

I'll just add this to the thread. Today Show is at IMS this morning along with Tom Hanks, Sheryl Crow, Elizabeth Dole,etc....and NBC has really hit this coverage out of the park. Highlighting Indy but also the real cause of them being here today for Hidden Heroes project. Seeing all of the local coverage has been pretty cool too. Some celebrities just lend their name and move along but Tom Hanks (no shock) is really invested in this one too. He's been in town for only a couple of days but has attended roughly 6-7 pretty sizeable events raising awareness, money,etc...

Great cause, Executed very well by all involved.

3 hours ago, NotIThatLives said:

Hoping they are wrong.  App saying 90% chance but they just said on local 50% scattered storms.  

One of the guys I follow locally said right now chances are increasing for rain Sunday but so much can change. Friday is when he'll have a better picture...but said a stalled front that will bring warmer temps/humidity could cause severe downpours on Sunday. That was the first time he mentioned this. I'm still thinking mid to late afternoon so there could be a strong likelihood of shortened race.....or one very looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong day at the track waiting it out. 

8 hours ago, Parakeet Jones said:

Anyone who lives closer to Indy have any insight on the forecast?  It looks like there is a chance for some rain, but hopefully it holds off until the late afternoon or evening.  

I'm thinking it's the typical May forecast when temps get up into the 80's there will always be a chance of storms. Bring the ice and sunscreen. It's going to be a warm and sunny one is my call unless something really changes over the next few days.

1 minute ago, Stlboiler23 said:

Not going to tell me? Boo

Can't....but because it's a small pub space is limited. Don't want to risk word getting out and not having a seat. 

3 hours ago, Stlboiler23 said:

Awesome thread! I’m not going this year but watching at a friends house. I feel like it’s impossible to grow up in Indy and not be into the race haha. One of my favorite weekends of the year. I’m a big Tony Kanaan fan! 

Never missed it for 20 years or so. For 4-5 years we would play golf at Saddlebrook on West Side of Indy. Would schedule tee time to be on course during flyover (right over us while playing) but also be off the course before traffic hit. About 3-4 years ago we decided to get our taste of IMS by going to qualifications or Carb Day or both instead of race day. 

This year we're doing a different variation. Meeting up with group of friends. Riding on the Monon all morning and headed to a place that will show the race live in Indy. (No..I won't tell you which one). 

2 minutes ago, Zlinedavid said:

For the rest of one season? I'd hedge towards no, but it'd be close to 50/50. 

For the rest of this season and next season? Yep.

Tough one for sure. I know they said they won't pursue this option but boy it would be tough to turn that down given the expense of running the series. 

Question for the race fans. If McLaren approached your severely underfunded team with $ponsorship for rest of year would you sell your seat to get Fernando Alonso in the 500?

We've discussed a bit but I'll just say this. The Speedway doesn't play favorites. Just like when Penske and all of his drivers missed the field. They chose to skip the race the following year.  $ doesn't always win. True David vs Goliath type day at 16th and Georgetown. 

Hinch in. Alonso just got bumped I believe. Missed by .0129 seconds over 10 miles. 

1 minute ago, BGleas said:

Not really following your list? Durant to me is an outlier on that list. Steve Nash gave everything he had to Phoenix, same with Malone to Utah. Barkley got traded to Phoenix after Philly failed to put a quality team around him. 

I'm just saying in my little world of fandom....I preferred the Reggie Miller approach. 

2 minutes ago, Parakeet Jones said:

If rain washes today out, they will do the last row thing tomorrow. I still think Alonso and Hinch get in. I heard an interview with Karam on the radio yesterday. He sounded spooked. I’m not sure he will make it in. 

Pulling for both but really pulling for Hinch....especially after last year. 

Just now, BGleas said:

Yup, and while I don’t love Durant, it’s not just an anti-Durant thing. Without Durant they’re back to being what made them great and fun to watch before. Making Durant the lead of the team offensively basically neutered Curry and Green and it also pushed Klay to basically being a role player. 

I have a real hard time in any sport with guys signing somewhere just to chase a ring. Durant, Barkley, Malone, Nash, George..several others....all fit nicely in one category for me as people I just don't cheer for. 

15 minutes ago, BGleas said:

I find them likeable again now that Durant is out. 

That's where I'm at. I can actually cheer and watch them again when Durant is not there. 

19 hours ago, Parakeet Jones said:

Alonso might be in some trouble today. Apparently he had a punctured tire on his run. I hope that is the only reason he was so slow. 

Crazy last 90 minutes with the attempts, qualifying, getting in, not getting in, withdrawing runs,etc....Alonso is probably shocked he's in this position. Rain in forecast starting around 11 today...not sure of how much track time anyone gets. 

15 hours ago, NotIThatLives said:

Should have dumped Tyreke Evans for a 2nd round draft pick.  

Suspended for 2 years, dope.  

Wish we were wrong earlier in the year. You could tell something was up because of his play. Now our suspicions are confirmed. I'm not sure if I like the 2 year ban as a punishment. Suspended sure.....but much like in real life I'd rather people with substance abuse problems get help/support not just abandonment. 

1 minute ago, IU Scott said:

I looked at some mock drafts and this draft seems pretty weak after the first 5 picks.  I saw one having Jaxon Hayes from Texas at 10 and if that is the case this draft is terrible.

That's why I'm curious if the draft is as weak as people say it is...could the Pacers actually trade up from current spot without having to give as much?

Never been a Durant fan so I loved watching what Golden St did last night. In terms of draft. If I'm New Orleans I deal and ask for Tatum and tons of first round picks from Celtics for Davis. Build around Zion/Tatum. Lakers just don't have enough picks or talent to make the Davis trade.

Bulls are in purgatory. GM can't lure free agents and they can never get a pick to change the franchise. I'm not kidding when I say they could actually be worse next year and not get 20 wins. Phoenix has to be saying how bad do we have to be get at least a top 3 pick next year. No clue on where Romeo is going. I'd say if he falls past 10 there will be some very foolish GM's looking for work in a couple of years.

2 hours ago, rico said:

I am no motor sports fan by any means but I follow the 500 on race day.  That being said I am thinking that in the mid to late 80's that NASCAR was really picking up steam.  ESPN had it on every Sunday(IIRC?).  I truly believe that Americans only want "oval track" racing.  Road courses are a novelty.  And this is for the sake of conversation as well.

NASCAR had one thing we as most fans could identify with....the guys on the track were kids from Texas or Indiana or North Carolina. Names were Tony, Jeff, Darrell, Dale...Regional fans. A local identity that turned into a national one. Good move or not that what was part of what Tony George was trying to develop. Oh well. Enough on that one for me. 

41 minutes ago, Zlinedavid said:

CART was broadcast live nationally on either ABC or ESPN until 1995 or so. 

That was after NBC did away with it in the 80's often showing races on tape delay right?

Carpenter at 228.7 in first hour of first day of practice. I won't keep adding updates but that's getting some speed early. Penske had the top 3 speeds in 1st practice in 2018 but all were 225 range. 

20 minutes ago, Zlinedavid said:

A) The sport wasn't dying in 1995. CART had several great seasons after the split, while the IRL was borderline painful to watch. The biggest blow was the tobacco advertising ban, which cut off a huge supply of money. But, that was going to happen regardless.

B) Want to know who planted the seed of the IRL in Tony's mind? Bernie Ecclestone (or for F1 fans, Satan incarnate). Now what motivation would the then owner of the premier European racing series have to influence George to focus on US drivers? The fact that Fittipaldi was thriving, Newman/Haas had just poached Mansell and Penske almost luring Senna to CART had him scared to death. CART was almost F1s equal at that point.

C) The 22/7 rule. If Prince Tony wants to set his own standard for the 500, fine. But don't try to subsidize the series by limiting the 500 field to 7 non-IRL drivers.

D) The IRL didn't start to take off until CART shot itself in the foot with their mismanagement and their attempt to conquer Europe, and Penske and Ganassi switched back in the early 00s.

For sake of conversation. You mentioned CART shooting itself in their own foot by attempting to conquer Europe. Can that possibly be why Tony did this to begin with? He saw Europe and it's drivers as a no win situation up against F1/Bernie and decided they needed to focus on building drivers up here in the States? Just a thought. 

I remember Foyt always saying the same thing. IMS and Indy 500 made him. Not a series. Penske/Ganassi realized it as well albeit after a few years away. I just always side on IMS including Tony. I know I'm probably wrong in the racing circles. 

22 hours ago, Zlinedavid said:

Public Enemy #1 for Indiana sports traditions isn't Myles Brand. It's Tony George. He did everything short of shotgunning a 2 quart bottle of mineral oil, climbing up to the flagstand, dropping his pants, and spraying a river of liquid $#%& as the winner crossed the line. And that would at least have provided a moment of entertainment, which is more than I can say for the 1997 or 1998 500s themselves.

I said that last year, after 22 years, finally felt like 1996. These cars look like the descendents of the 1990s. They sound like the descendants of the 1990s. There's a slew of young, talented drivers. Newgarden/Rossi is a rivalry that could rival Little Al/Michael. There's also the sub-headline of Alonso attempting to become the 2nd Triple Crown winner this year.

My pick is Newgarden. I'm pulling for Rossi. But I wouldn't discount Alonso for a second.

I've never understood why Tony got the heat over his decision. Essentially (unless you know different) he started IRL so that he would find a path for American drivers to earn their way in instead of having foreign drivers buy their way in. Now it may not be the fastest 33 (and as a race fan I get that part) but it was a way to preserve the $ aspect and help grow a sport that was dying a slow death. 

In some ways what Tony did was set the platform for what Nascar used as their model and the growth it saw. Of course I defend all things Indy 500 and IMS so I'm biased.

Thought this was an interesting tweet. Not to mention Kawhi went to San Diego St. Got me thinking about Trey Lyles and others like him who leave early but are end of bench guys who play little to no minutes. Everyone wants to rush to NBA to get to the 2nd contract but if you aren't developed enough you'll never see the 2nd contract. 

Granted Golden St is in the Bay and Toronto is one of the 3-4 largest markets in North America....it's certainly odd/cool/myth breaking to see Milwaukee and Portland in F4 of NBA. Supposed to be a sport where only major markets can win. 

6 minutes ago, Parakeet Jones said:

I think I start one of these every year. Growing up my two loves in sports were IU basketball and the 500. I will be attending my 26th this year, but my first without my dad. That’s going to be rougher than Christmas for me. 

Practice starts this week. I would normally keep a tab open on my computer at work with the live video feed, but that is by subscription only now through NBC. 

I’m not real thrilled with the new wrinkles in the qualifying format. I hate the last row shootout on Sunday. 

Hopefully we see a better race this year than last. The lack of cars having the ability to pass except on restarts was terrible. 

Love the institution that is 16th and Georgetown. Headed out Saturday with a group. Sun will be rampant, temps in the 80's and very few sounds in sport can replicate the first time you hear those cars in front of you. I won't get into the rules part....but I will say that moving event to NBC seems to be paying off. Today Show, Tom Hanks and others will be in town week from Thursday for big event. Looking forward to all of it!