Now that the announcement has been made, a war has begun among some that are loyal, some misguided and some just plain fickle.
While it has not been made public as to just who Carl Edwards will be driving for next year, it has been revealed that it will not be for Roush Fenway Racing or Ford. The announcement has ignited a firestorm that really, really ticks me off.
Longtime readers will know, as I have made it public many times in the past, that I am an Edwards fan. How can this be, you may ask? After all, I am a journalist and we are not supposed to have favorites. Well, let me clue you in on a couple of things: first, I am not a journalist, I am a writer. I do not sit here and report news to you; I write commentary. I was a race fan before I was a writer and if I quit being a fan, well, there is no sense in writing about something you don’t like. Even if I were a journalist, I would still have a favorite. All journalists have them and if any one tries to tell you different, they are lying. Having a favorite isn’t a problem, even for a journalist, as long as no bias is included in his or her articles. It is even less of a problem for a writer such as myself, but even with a bit more latitude, I rarely, if ever, go on a cheerleading rant for Edwards.
Having said that, I assure you that even though Edwards is my man in NASCAR, this is not a pro-Edwards rant. What this is is a rant about people on social media that mis-align or misrepresent their allegiances and then bash a guy just because he changes teams.
For instance; there is a page on Facebook known entitled Carl Edwards Diehards, of which I am a longstanding member and through which have met many good friends. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are any number of Facebook pages dedicated to just about any driver or organization with a similar name, but due to recent developments, the Carl Edwards Diehards page is the one that is lit up with a sudden influx of divisiveness.
My age-old question to the masses is simple: why? Why would someone or anyone suddenly dislike — or in some cases, even hate — a man that they have been following for years just because he is going to be driving another make of car?
What about the name of the group do you not understand? The name is not Ford Diehards. The name is not RFR Diehards. It is Carl Edwards Diehards.
Unless you follow Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson, are you so naive to think that perhaps someday, the man or woman for whom you cheer might not join another team? And what if he or she does? What has changed about the driver? Is he or she suddenly going to go out and start throwing gunny sacks of kittens (and rocks) in a river? Is he or she now suddenly the type that is going to spit on your grandma? No! Just because Carl Edwards will be driving a different make of car next year that does not suddenly make him a prick. (Well, maybe if he was driving a Lexus.) Carl Edwards will be the same old generous and kind soul that will take the time to not only sign a autograph, but also actually try and talk a bit to you too. It is in his nature and he loves his fans.
Before you all start throwing rocks at me, or try to find a gunny sack big enough to fit me in (along with a few rocks), I do understand that there are thousands upon thousands of people out there that are brand loyal, and I do not have a problem with that. That is your prerogative and there are Facebook pages especially for you, of which I’m sure you are a member. That is all fine and dandy.
I do have a problem with people who claim to be a certain driver’s “diehard” fan but suddenly hate the guy just because he isn’t going to drive a Ford or whatever. Keep you hatred on your Team Diehard or Manufacturer Diehard page because if you are that fickle you were never a fan of the driver in the first place. At the very least, just go quietly into cyberspace.
I laugh at people who suddenly have to sell all their driver’s gear, stuff that cost them probably into a few thousand bucks over time, now that their once-beloved hero is a “sell out” or a “traitor.” To those that must leave I say, “good riddance!” (Note spelling of ‘riddance’, one sudden Edwards hater who shall remain nameless!) I have no sympathy for you.
I do have the opportunity to pick up some really good stuff for cheap, though!
Stay off the wall (and off the Facebook page that doesn’t reflect your true alliance!),
Jeff Meyer