Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!
As seen in the preceding post (see update) Yahoo Sports Jerry Bonkowski isn’t one to turn down free tickets to Flights of Fancy.
Such was the case last Friday. Apparently prompted by Ron Hornaday Jr’s recent revelation he took “performance enhancing” drugs for a time in 2004-2006 Bonkowski again boarded “Fancy Air.” (flight 51 in honor of Area 51)
His “No Enhancement Here“ column, while not going down in the annals of historical dis-ingeniousness it ranks right up there in false comparisons (sorry using Shane Hmiel or Aaron Fike as examples just doesn’t cut it) and a definite lack of skills in the research department.
I won’t bore you with a long list of details, you can look when attempting to calm down from the latest edition of Who’s Smarter Than a Fifth Grader, or something, what I will give you is a copy of the email I sent to Bonkowski.
We’ll see if he operates with any better efficiency responding to emails than his Yahoo-buddy Bob Margolis who I excoriated 3 weeks ago and still haven’t heard from him.
Not that I really expect to in either case, I’m just a blogger who posts in the dead of night while wearing pajamas.
QUOTE
Ref your “No Enhancement Here” column:
First to answer a couple of the question you pose.
1. Will taking these illicit substances really cause a driver to push the gas pedal down harder and further to the floorboard to eek out more horsepower?
In all Likelihood no, but neither you, nor I are experts in what these drugs do, yet, that didn’t stop you from making the definitive conclusion they do.
2. “Will his reflexes be so enhanced that he can conceivably enter a turn sooner and faster and brake later than other drivers?”
See answer to number 1.
3. “Will taking illegal substances help a driver win more?”
Very possible and even without the proper training I could determine that is in fact a potential “side effect.”
4. “Name me one single drug – prescribed or illegal – that can enhance a driver’s performance behind the wheel of a race car.”
Would you settle for two (time constraints prevent further research. You DO KNOW what this is correct?)
The following as per the Mayo Clinic, who’s website you could have easily found.
A. Ephedra - used by athletes to reduce physical fatigue, lose weight and improve mental alertness.
Can you deny this drug could possibly allow a driver to be more alert to his surroundings at say, 50 laps from the checkered flag, due to reduced “physical fatigue.”
B. Erythropoietin (EPO) - Endurance athletes, such as those who compete in marathons, cycling or cross-country skiing, can use EPO to increase their oxygen supply by as much as seven to 10 percent.
Can, or would you deny NASCAR drivers compete endurance events lasting 3-5 hours often times in temperatures approaching 140 degrees?
Is it not possible an increased oxygen supply a driver would receive while under the influence of EPO could gain the same 7 to 10 percent additional supply of vital oxygen and be an improved performer in the later stages of a 500 mile event?
As I already noted neither you nor I are experts in this field or or any other medical field.
However, unlike you I found the time (less than it took you to pen this disingenuous article) to locate potential effects on drivers that in fact if found in a drivers system during a post event test could raise serious questions to validity of both the event and NASCAR as a whole.
For full disclosure, this email has been published online at my blog Full Throttle.
Marc Boland
(http://fullthrottle.cranialcavity.net/) Full Throttle
(http://ams.cranialcavity.net/) Asian Motor Sports
(http://f1rage.getshifter.com/) F1 Rage
(http://fthrottle.ning.com/) Full Throttle Club
P.S. BTW, if you really have an interest in curtailing any further debate over racing drivers being actual real-live athletes I’d be more than happy to send you in the direction of the American College of Sports Medicine.
They did a study that proves they are, their heart rates while under stress of competition match that of the stick and ball sports of basketball and football.
To be honest, and as indicated in this drug article, you have little to no interest in facts, but more than a passing interest in opining on subjects you have little knowledge of and less interest in researching.
UNQUOTE
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Gee, that story would have been more credible if he had suggested that the drugs, in order to make the car go faster, were put into the fuel tank & not the driver.
Ooooh, how low journalistist standards have fallen. Even my Max-FIA-Ferrari conspiracy rants seem like a medical journal compared to old Jerry.
They weren’t from a med-journal?
Or Mad Max’s “10 Steps to Asshattery” guide.
How dare you address Lord Mosley, FIA President for life, as an asshat. He has only recently, been given a vote of confidence by a majority of the FIA members.
Mindless bloggers harping on from the sidelines will be treated with the contempt that they deserve………….like F1 fans & hookers that sell stories.
And scandal sheets.
You forgot scandal sheets. How DARE you slight the media like that!
I guess you dont have to bash Jerry anymore Yahoo has decided they dont need NASCAR reporters anymore…the sport isnt important to them….so his family is screwed….after yrs and yr for travel for them even racking over 200 days last yr when Margolis was sick…nice treatment for Yahoo’s first beat reporter call him on Sunday at Sirius ch 128 The BacK stretch…or email his mailbag at Yahoo and wish him well….the guy is in bag shape..its like nothing personal just business over at Yahoo…..NASCAR us here at Yahoo dont care about that damn red neck sport…I guess Jerry’s fans will have to go to ESPN next season or soon…because he doesn’t even know when his last day is….what do you expect from a bunch of Yahoo
Well, if true, no one should lose there job but I think he’ll land on his feet somewhere..
Ed Hinton was cashiered and landed at ESPN, same will happen to Bonkowski.
On the other hand given some of the trash he’s written, like the above example, I could care less. He can become a fashion reporter for the Lifestyle Network.