Let’s hope Dale Earnhardt Jr. gives Chicago a little credit after winning Sunday’s Daytona 500.
When the young racer was in Chicago promoting men’s cologne last summer, we promised not to make fun of the fact that he’s promoting something from the cosmetics counter if he answered a few quick questions.
He agreed, so RedEye asked him to compare driving in Chicago’s traffic to racing in NASCAR.
“Yeah, it’s kind of like drafting three wide at Daytona or Talladega,” he said. “You never know whether you’re clear or not so you just have to make a conscious decision and go with it.”
He came to Chicago without a Daytona 500 title.
Seven months later, he wins his first at Daytona.
It’s not hard to imagine somewhere out there on our streets is the next Daytona 500 champion.
REALITY TV: Isn’t it incredible how NASCAR officials have been able to make actual races look just like the EA NASCAR racing game?
SPEECHLESS: Mark Martin’s car was the first to drop out of Sunday’s Daytona 500 with a blown engine. His sponsor: Viagra.
GETTING KNEED: Yes, please, let’s all pretend to be so shocked that the Yankees figured out how to 1) screw over Boston by getting Alex Rodriguez and 2) acquire a high-priced talent because, you know, that’s never happened with the Yankees before.
After hearing the news, Boston fans immediately started praying that A-Rod would head over to Aaron Boone’s for some pick-up basketball.
TO REPEAT: If you didn’t catch The Onion article on the Yankees signing every player in Major League Baseball, go to www.theonion.com and search the archives for “Yankees.” Trust me, it’s worth it.
RELATIVE NUMBERS: The Yankees could pay $190 million in payroll this upcoming season. Too hard to wrap your head around those numbers? OK, let’s make it more applicable.
Add up the 2003 payrolls for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Montreal Expos, Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals, then tack on another $19 million in loose change.
That’s $190 million, give or take a few dozen Bentleys.
But then if you’re a Yankees player, renting an apartment in New York City is really expensive. So it probably all evens out.
REUNITED: For all this buzz about Greg Maddux returning to Chicago, he isn’t exactly running this way with open arms and a big smile, is he?
FINALLY: The Chicago Rush improved to 2-0, their best start in their four-year history. Every Chicago team should start playing more games at Allstate Arena.
HELP: The Blackhawks won a third game in a row Saturday for their longest winning streak of the season. But Sunday’s 4-0 loss means the Blackhawks are solidifying their order near the top of NHL draft. Yes, things are definitely turning around.
UNEXPLAINABLE: In the Blackhawks team program, Alex Zhamnov lists his favorite movie as “Blackhawk Down.” Read it right there in the program.
And while we’re on downed Blackhawks, what happened to the raucous cheering and applause during the national anthem at home games?
THROW AWAY: Brian Urlacher is scheduled to appear at the Chicago Bears Fan Convention on Feb. 27. Wonder who he’ll be body-slamming.
YOUR CALL: This one-time Colorado football recruiting assistant who called the escort service on a university cell phone says the phone calls were not for recruits but for his own private use in the privacy of his own home. So much for that plan.
THE KIDS THESE DAYS: You know, I remember when the NBA’s All-Star dunk contest used to mean something. What that something was, I have no idea.
THE TRANSLATOR
They say it there, it comes out here . . .
“I want to be examined like any other 25-year-old.”
–George Foreman the 55-year-old retired heavyweight, on his plans to get down to 225 pounds and fight professionally again
The Translation: “I want to be 25 years old again.”
———-
ccmalcolm@tribune.com
