Why don't people get it?

Brad Keselowski is just what the sport of NASCAR needs, and yet everyone -- from fans to competitors to the media -- question the kid, his style and his tactics. Even worse, the "H" word is used. Yeah, some "Hate" him.

Get over it, gang.

Keselowski's not much of a crybaby. He doesn't apologize for what he does, but he doesn't much whine when he gets it back. He says "wait 'til next time."

Unless someone or something kills him first, the kid's here to stay; he's here long-term and he's gonna contend.

And all-in-all, that's a great thing for the sport, even if you could argue that Carl Edwards tried to do just that -- snuff his candle -- last Sunday at Atlanta, when Edwards purposefully wrecked Keselowski at 190-plus.

But that topic's been beaten to death, so let's leave it alone. Supporting Keselowski, on the other hand, hasn't been dealt with.

Obviously, a lot of people like Keselowski -- and I'm not just talking about his family who, as most of you should know, drain motor oil when they're cut.

Count team owner Roger Penske in that number, because he hired the 26-year-old to drive his No. 12 Penske Racing Dodges in the Cup and the Nationwide series. Roger's no dope. He must've seen something positive, something he liked. Too bad the feeling's not widely contagious.

A lot of people like Little K's fire, his sass, his confidence, his fortitude -- all attributes that are necessary in abundance to be a successful race car driver at the highest levels.

A lot of competitors don't like him; and by inference a lot of fans don't either because guess what? By his nature and his ability, that means Keselowski's gonna wax their favorites.

Who could possibly like that? And I get that. But God help you folks -- you've got to appreciate it. Just like with Jimmie Johnson, you've just got to tune in to see if "your guy" can be the one who's gonna be the one to win this weekend.

A lot of cats in the garage despise Little K. You know why? Because they can't they can't take advantage of him -- he won't cut them a break.

They don't like him because they have to work darn hard to beat him. He won't roll over. He won't turn the other cheek. They should be so lucky. They don't like him because they want pawns, they want patsies -- they want a boy they can use, abuse and discard.

Keselowski is none of the above. He's gonna hold his ground. He's gonna fight for what he deserves -- and coming from nothing through a couple difficult years in the Nationwide Series to get to the point where he could prove his worthiness in JR Motorsports equipment -- he's earned it.

So if that makes him an outcast, there are a lot of people in and around the NASCAR garage to feel sorry for right about now.

Bear with me for a minute, because I don't want to strain my memory too hard. I like the kid. I like his style. I'm not gonna ask a million questions.

And part of that comes from the fact that Keselowski's not much of a crybaby. He doesn't apologize for what he does, but he doesn't much whine when he gets it back. He says "wait 'til next time." And as a fan who craves a little drama with their racing, you've just gotta love that -- don't you?

I am not and will not compare Little K to Dale Earnhardt on any level, at any time. But I'll never forget the day, in my opinion of course, Big E gave away the 1989 Winston Cup championship when he made an ill-advised blocking move on Ricky Rudd at North Wilkesboro.

Rudd blew Earnhardt out of the way; unfortunately spun himself in the process and Geoff Bodine took advantage to win the race. I've cited this episode before but it remains one of the three best video clips in racing, ever, as Earnhardt wailed to a worldwide audience that NASCAR "ought to suspend the son of a bitch," meaning Rudd, of course.

For what, for using a move Earnhardt had virtually patented? The point is, even the late, great Earnhardt himself was not immune to whining a bit. But neither he, nor Keselowski, was known for it like a few other top runners in the garage.

Keselowski is the kind of character NASCAR needs, as long as he's strong enough to take what he dishes out when it comes back around.

What Edwards delivered Sunday wasn't anything Keselowski has ever, in my memory, been responsible for. He's raced hard, and God bless him for that -- but he hasn't gone out of his way to purely dump anyone out of pure spite.

Depending whom you choose to believe, Keselowski did nothing wrong on Lap 5 at Atlanta, when Edwards tried to occupy a space Keselowski was already in, and Keselowski tried to lift. But he wasn't bound to do that and certainly not more than that, like lifting AND braking in the midst of traffic.

Keselowski didn't flinch then, he told the truth when he left AMS's care center and said the next move might result in injury or death and for that, don't hate the boy.

We need to cherish his style, all the way around.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.