Cross' Words: Chicago

Leave it to the wit and wisdom of Bill Engvall to cut through the clutter. NASCAR fans, he says, do not like Jeff Gordon because "he enunciates." Simple as that, folks.

Engvall was in Atlanta on Friday as part of the promotional tour touting his new sitcom on TBS, cleverly titled The Bill Engvall Show. He signed autographs for about a hour before the Pirates-Braves game. Never once did he complain about the heat. Or the crowd. Or personalizing an autograph. Or getting from behind the table to have his photo taken with a fan.

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Sure, that's part of the gig with being a celebrity. Interaction with the fans -- your fans -- comes with the territory. In that sense, Engvall is major league.

He's a race fan, like you and I, and that's where the conversation began.

Engvall and Gordon have interacted, and in the comedian's opinion, the one thing Gordon will not be able to overcome is that he's articulate.

Reading between the lines, it's tough to argue against Engvall's opinion. Gordon is articulate, and he does enunciate.

I think that makes him more likeable. It certainly makes him more marketable, so maybe that's the rub.

Whatever the reasons, fans have not embraced Gordon as warmly as they have other drivers through the years. But you won't hear Gordon complain; he's done quite nicely on the fan-base front and understands that his place in the sport's lore is secure.

Hey, when was the last time a race winner was determined by the size of his fan base? Exactly.

After the conversation with Engvall wrapped I was thinking about his take on Gordon. Working under the premise of "where there's smoke, there's fire," I stopped a handful of fans at the game (they were wearing various driver-related hats and shirts -- none with Jeff Gordon or No. 24) and asked, very scientifically: Do you like Jeff Gordon?

To a man (five of them, and three women) the answer was "no."

When asked if there was a reason why, two were quick with a response along the lines of he's too goody-goody. Another said, quite frankly, he didn't give a damn about anyone not named Earnhardt.

The most intriguing response: Gordon isn't NASCAR; he should be driving open-wheel. When pressed that Jeff has been a stock-car driver since his Busch Series debut in 1990, the guy told me, "He looks like he should drive open-wheel."

Jeff Gordon is in a no-win situation. On the track, he's done nothing more (or less) than anyone else who has won a Cup Series championship. He continues to compete at the highest level, winning four times already this year, and is in position to challenge for his fifth series title. Off the track, he gives of his time and money for charities. He keeps a low profile, stays out of trouble. He's married with a baby girl.

And yet, he cannot win over the majority of the fandom.

So what gives? Give me your unvarnished opinion on why Gordon isn't revered as one of the all-timers. And try to be articulate.

• Engvall had more to say, so check out 10 Questions on Tuesday.

Say What?

"I'm not helping anybody but myself and this team for winning races. I'm not helping Jeff Gordon; I'm not helping Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears."
-- Kyle Busch, who obviously has no intention of helping his Hendrick teammates during the second half of the season

Figuratively Speaking

45 -- Consecutive weeks Jeff Burton has been in the top 10 in points, tops in the Nextel Cup Series. Jeff Gordon is next at 38.

Up Next

Allstate 400 at the Brickyard | Indianapolis | 1 p.m. ET July 29 | ESPN
Race No. 20 of 36 | Get tickets | Book travel

• Defending race winner: Jimmie Johnson
• Most victories at the track: Jeff Gordon (4)
• Best average finish (minimum five starts): Kevin Harvick (7.8 in six starts)
Active drivers only (Continued)