Another year-ender: Best and worst from e-mailers (cont'd)

Then again, not everyone agreed with Patrick or myself that something drastic needs to be done to change the way NASCAR races at Talladega, including the e-mailer who wrote:

Nothing is wrong with Talladega. Turn them loose and let them race ... no one makes them show up at the track. As for the 48 [of Jimmie Johnson] too bad his car was not a total wreck along with the 5 [of Mark Martin]. No one was hurt, so what's the beef? As for the last lap Carl Edwards wreck NASCAR should red flag the race, put the overtaking car that caused the wreck in the pits for three laps and restart the race ... green, white checkered ... with the offending car in the pits three laps down.

John
Jacksonville, Fla.

Dear John, you make it sound so simple. It's not.

Nor was the post-race conversation I attempted to have with winner Tony Stewart following the Kansas 400 at Kansas Speedway, when Stewart kept interrupting my attempts to ask a question. I thought it was pretty funny; some thought I should be deeply offended.

Others couldn't understand what must have come off [in their minds] as a clumsy attempt to write a mostly humorous column about it afterward (read more), including the guy who wrote:

My goodness, Joe, just had to comment. That's such a convoluted column -- especially your five-paragraph roundabout way of getting to what I guess is the point -- that I thought (fellow NASCAR.COM staffer Dave) Rodman had written it!) Also, remember that the only one fascinated by a journalist's interaction with a celebrity is the journalist himself/herself.

JW
Parts unknown

Thanks, JW. I'll try to remember that next time I talk to Rodman.

That'll be sometime next year, by the way -- which means it's time to wrap up this wrap-up column with a couple of my favorite personal shots, taken by readers at me in their spare time.

The first was delivered after I noted in a video blog (watch) that many have noted that I seem to resemble other sporting persons in this life. One fine gentleman wrote:

Hey Joe ...

I just got thru seeing one of your look-alikes ...

I had some M&M's for breakfast, and submitted a stool sample to my doctor ...

He looked at it ... And said, "Hey, it's Joe Menzer."

William
El Dorado, Ariz.

I won't stoop so low as to say something like that -- but I was walking my dog the other day and she bent down to do her business and, aw, never mind ...

Finally, there was the true fan who wrote in under the subject heading "NASCAR dicision." He just didn't think my take on the "dicision" that came down was very smart, adding:

man you just dont understand nascar rules too well

Tony
Parts unknown

True dat, Tony. Fact is, I don't know too many civilians who do. But when we "dicide" to write down something, we do try to use proper punctuation. You should try it next time, too.

Hey, there's always next year.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.