Should Wheldon story have been A1 in the NYT?

[imjustagirl]

In addition to the lack of name recognition and the decreased interest in alll things IndyCar, the reality that race car drivers dying is not all that rare has a lot to do with why Wheldon's death did not get the play some believe it should have.

It's relatively rare at the upper levels. NASCAR hasn't had a death in any of its top three series in 10 years. IndyCar, no one since Paul Dana in 2006.

 

[Dick Whitman]

In addition to the lack of name recognition and the decreased interest in alll things IndyCar, the reality that race car drivers dying is not all that rare has a lot to do with why Wheldon's death did not get the play some believe it should have.

The last time an Indy car driver died in a race was 1999.

There were two race deaths from 1982 up to then.

There were seven practice deaths from 1982 until now, though, two of them since the last race death in 1999.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

If Danica Patrick had died during the race, it would have made 1A.

Let me ask you this... If Josh Hamilton, the current AL MVP, died on the field during the playoffs, does it make 1A in the NYT? I say it does not.

Really? I'd say that's a no-brainer 1A for every paper in America unless terrorists bomb a building or something on the same day.

You may be right, but I could also see them teasing it on 1A and then having it be the lead story in sports. How often does any sports story make it to 1A of the NY Times?

 

[Dick Whitman]

If Danica Patrick had died during the race, it would have made 1A.

Let me ask you this... If Josh Hamilton, the current AL MVP, died on the field during the playoffs, does it make 1A in the NYT? I say it does not.

Really? I'd say that's a no-brainer 1A for every paper in America unless terrorists bomb a building or something on the same day.

You may be right, but I could also see them teasing it on 1A and then having it be the lead story in sports. How often does any sports story make it to 1A of the NY Times?

As straight news? Good question. You'll often see sports features like the Adam Dunn sucks story.

 

[BillyT]

We discussed the placement of the Steve Jobs obit. What about Wheldon? There is a tease to sports at the bottom of A1, but no separate story.

Should there have been? Did the New York Times drop the ball today? East Coast bias?

East Coast bias? That seems to me to be an odd way to approach it.

Did any newspapers -- other say than Las Vegas -- play it on the front?

May he rest in peace, but he was not Dale Earnhardt.

 

[BillyT]

What if it had been Trevor Bayne?

I don't think so. Dale Jr, Kyle, Jeff Gordon, maybe Jimmy Johnson. I am sure I am missing on person.

Dale Jr. is the only guarantee in my book.

 

[BillyT]

If Danica Patrick had died during the race, it would have made 1A.

Let me ask you this... If Josh Hamilton, the current AL MVP, died on the field during the playoffs, does it make 1A in the NYT? I say it does not.

I did mention I was forgetting someone.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

We discussed the placement of the Steve Jobs obit. What about Wheldon? There is a tease to sports at the bottom of A1, but no separate story.

Should there have been? Did the New York Times drop the ball today? East Coast bias?

East Coast bias? That seems to me to be an odd way to approach it.

Did any newspapers -- other say than Las Vegas -- play it on the front?

May he rest in peace, but he was not Dale Earnhardt.

I wonder what percentage of NYT readers even knew who Wheldon was before Sunday?

 

[imjustagirl]

What if it had been Trevor Bayne?

I don't think so. Dale Jr, Kyle, Jeff Gordon, maybe Jimmy Johnson. I am sure I am missing on person.

Dale Jr. is the only guarantee in my book.

So Dale Jr. is a guarantee, but the guy who has won nearly twice as many consecutive titles as anyone else ever has is not? No one had ever won more than three in a row. He's going for six this year.

And he gets a "maybe" while Kyle Freaking Busch is No. 2?

You're delirious.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Schumacher and Franchitti might make the list as well. Emphasis on might...

 

[imjustagirl]

We discussed the placement of the Steve Jobs obit. What about Wheldon? There is a tease to sports at the bottom of A1, but no separate story.

Should there have been? Did the New York Times drop the ball today? East Coast bias?

East Coast bias? That seems to me to be an odd way to approach it.

Did any newspapers -- other say than Las Vegas -- play it on the front?

May he rest in peace, but he was not Dale Earnhardt.

I wonder what percentage of NYT readers even knew who Wheldon was before Sunday?

IndyCar is the wine and cheese crowd. I guarantee more NYT readers know Wheldon than they do Sterling Marlin, who also won his sport's flagship race twice.

 

[imjustagirl]

Schumacher and Franchitti might make the list as well. Emphasis on might...

Franchitti no way. Schumacher, again, I don't know the NYT that well. It would make the cover of every paper in Europe, but maybe not so much here.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Schumacher and Franchitti might make the list as well. Emphasis on might...

Franchitti no way. Schumacher, again, I don't know the NYT that well. It would make the cover of every paper in Europe, but maybe not so much here.

You may very well be right. The only reason I included Franchitti is because a lot of people know who he is because of who he is married to.

 

[imjustagirl]

Right, and I think four series titles (now) and a dabbling in NASCAR and all that, plus the Ashley, is a big deal. I still say it's not enough to crack 1A on the NYT.

 

[Double Down]

Jimmy Johnson, absolutely. Jeff Gordon, definitely. Dale Jr, without question because of the dad angle. Dario? I'm going to say yes because of Ashley Judd. Schumacher, yes. Too big of a name to ignore.

 

[imjustagirl]

But what about Trevor Bayne, DD?

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Jimmy Johnson, absolutely. Jeff Gordon, definitely. Dale Jr, without question because of the dad angle. Dario? I'm going to say yes because of Ashley Judd. Schumacher, yes. Too big of a name to ignore.

Add Danica and that's my list.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Jimmy Johnson, absolutely. Jeff Gordon, definitely. Dale Jr, without question because of the dad angle. Dario? I'm going to say yes because of Ashley Judd. Schumacher, yes. Too big of a name to ignore.

Add Danica and that's my list.

I think Castroneves, too, because of DWTS.

 

[imjustagirl]

So the NYT would put Dario on A1 because he's married to a past-her-prime actress? Is Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband making A1 when he dies?

 

[MileHigh]

Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Jr. and Danica. That's all that potentially could rise to making A1 of the NYT.