Go Away, Danica

I should first point out that I am not done with Danica Patrick, because I never started with her. I will put it succinctly right here: Danica Patrick is the most overrated "athlete" on the planet. I might previously have reserved this title for Michael Vick, but seeing as we won't be seeing him for a while, the torch is passed. Now, I say she is an "athlete" because I've never believed that drivers were athletes in the traditional sense. That might be a rant for another time, because right now, I want to focus on Danica.

Many people remember that Danica led some laps at the Indianapolis 500 a few years back, the first woman to ever do so. What most of those people don't seem to remember is that she did not win, and in fact, the eventual winner, Dan Wheldon, could have passed her any time he so desired. Regardless, it was still a good story, and she was a very intriguing figure - young, pretty, and doing well in a "man's sports". That is what unleashed Danica Mania (Danimania) on the world. At the time, it seemed harmless enough, it was a nice side story, and let's be honest, the Indy Car series was not exactly enthralling. So I understand why they pumped her up at every opportunity and tried to make her the face for the series.

Here is the problem(s): she's not that good, and she's a whiny little brat. In her Indy career, Danica has compiled a grand total of ONE win. Yes, infinitely times more Indy Car wins than I will ever have, but that's not the point. She is the ONLY driver to get any attention from the media, and she just isn't that good. Even her one win came at Twin Ring Motegi, which for those who don't know is a track in Japan. She was even racing against a smaller field that didn't have many of the best drivers in the series in it. So, to sum up, she won ONE race in a series that nobody cares about, against a weakened group of competition, in a country that is halfway around the world, in front of a TV audience of approximately 9 people (7 of whom were likely asleep on their couch anyway). Yet, I have heard people declare this the greatest accomplishment for women in sports in history.

Yes, that's right, a woman winning an essentially meaningless race in a meaningless series when nobody is watching is apparently the thing that will finally level the athletic playing field between men and women. Does that sound a little bit ridiculous to you too? Don't get me wrong, it's a nice accomplishment, it makes for a flashy headline, and it certainly doesn't really hurt female athletes (more on this in another post), but to declare it their greatest accomplishment ever? I think maybe we're going a tad overboard here.

The real problem here is that the ONLY reason anyone gives half a crap about Danica Patrick is because she's pretty. Make no doubt about it, there are many, many, many women out there who are much better at what they do than she is. But because she is young and pretty, she is the one who gets all the attention. Laurena Ochoa, for example, is likely going to wind up being the best female golfer ever, as she is essentially the Tiger of the women's tour, and she does not get nearly the exposure that Danica does, despite being so much better at her sport. Why? It's not because people care so much more about Indy Car, because they just don't. The only reason I can think of is that Danica is better looking. What does that really say about the state of women's athletics?

But even that isn't my biggest beef with Danica. What I dislike about her most is that she behaves like a whiny little baby all the time. She seems to think she is entitled to what she wants when she wants it, because she is the "darling" of the Indy Car Series (which I repeat - nobody cares about). And this usually lands with the men of the series being put between a rock and a hard place. People may not remember the race in Milwaukee, when after the race she approached a male driver and proceeded to start yelling at him and shoving him.

At that point, what can he do? He is basically forced to sit there and take it, because he surely couldn't shove her back. If he so much as raised a hand to her, even if it was just to keep her from shoving him more, he would be absolutely crucified by everyone, even though she was the aggressor. Basically, he has to stand there and take her crap for as long as she decides to give it, just because she is a woman and she is the only thing Indy Car seems to have going for it. I understand emotions run high and sports and tempers flare and occasionally a scuffle is bound to break out. But it's simply not fair to the male drivers that she has this sort of immunity just because she's a woman. If you're supposed to be this strong confident representative for the women's sports world, you can't be out there throwing temper tantrums like a 4 year old every time things don't go your way. And this is not an isolated incident - she has exhibited this behavior many times over her career and seems to be showing no sign of changing.

However, with all of that, I still managed to pretty much not care less. It was watching the most recent ESPYs that really pushed me over the edge on Danica. She was nominated for a couple awards, best female athlete and best moment (her win @ Motegi). She did not win best female athlete, as that went to Candace Parker, who will wind up being the face of the WNBA for a decade and the best woman basketball player ever. The look on Danica's face when Parker was declared the winner, you would have thought she had just eaten six lemons. I understand that you want to win the award, but isn't it generally expected that if you don't, you carry yourself with a little bit of dignity? Look, I've seen people be disappointed when they don't win awards and I understand that, but they've always at least tried to show a little bit of class. But oh no, not Danica. She apparently doesn't have to.

But what really pushed me over the edge was her similar reaction to not winning the Best Moment award. Now, as mentioned previously, her win at Motegi was no doubt a nice moment. However, it wasn't even close to the moment that won (the two softball players carrying an opponent around the bases), and everyone knew it. There wasn't a person there (except her, apparently) that didn't know the softball players would win. There was a never a single shred of doubt there. But even knowing that she wasn't going to win, she still had the same sour puss look on her face when she wasn't given the award. Even giving some leeway on the previous award, where she may have had some chance (because she is overrated, remember), this was just inexcusable.

So, to make a long story short, Danica Patrick is the most overrated "athlete" in the world, and quite frankly I think she is the exact opposite of what we want the champion of women's sports to be.