AP Male Athlete of the Year, 2009: Jimmie Johnson

Or the hundreds/thousands of guys who have run in NASCAR who haven't won four straight championships...ever?

 

why do any of you care who the AP male athlete of the year is?

 

Including the marquee name who finished, what, 25th?

I suppose they only real athletes are those incredibly well-conditioned men and women of the stick-and-ball sports.

 

I'm not going to knock drivers as non athletes, because that is a bullshit argument, to be able to put up with the G-forces, the the heat and have the endurance, coordination and agility to drive in any top level racing league you do have to be a pretty good athlete.

However, to me this is almost a career recognition for Jimmie Johnson.

When you look at the year straight up as I think it should be for Athlete of the Year awards, then the award should go to Usain Bolt. I am still trying to wrap my head around by how much he dropped the world record, even if it wasn't an Olympic year, you could argue that it is even more remarkable considering it was his own Olympic record that he had just set that he had crushed. He was untouchable all year.

With Jimmie Johnson you have a better argument for Athlete of the Decade, except that he runs smack dab into Tiger and again its no competition.

 

Absolutely no argument from me here.

 

I agree that Bolt should have won it.

 

They didn't have his car.

 

Yep.... this is a Lord of the Rings special

 

The guy who co-owns Johnson's car is, in his own right, one of the best drivers in NASCAR history. He runs the same equipment on his own car - and has finished sixth, second, seventh and third over the past four years.

 

I think that more makes my point than doesn't.

 

Three things hurt Bolt. 1, He's Black. 2, He's Jamican. 3, He's a track and Field performer.
Just sayin what Whitlock might write.