Bob,

You're exactly right.

I feel so bad for JR Todd. He's such a bright young kid, and I know that Evan Knoll will get the best that he possibly can.

I've been watching the old NHRA reruns on ESPN Classic, and it makes me miss the good old days when single-car teams could win and it wasn't all about the almighty dollar. Unfortunately, because of the culture shift, I don't think we'll ever have those days back.

Evan, I know you'll do awesome this year. JR, keep your head up buddy, you're a great driver, and good things come to faithful people.

Mike,

In my humble opinion you're missing the point. Sure, getting the results your sponsors demand should be important - extremely important, in fact. But at what cost? Judging by the mood on this message board in the last hour alone, Monster Energy Drinks is losing customers - REGARDLESS OF HOW WELL KENNY BERNSTEIN DOES WITH JIMMY WALSH CALLING THE SHOTS. What does that do to the company's ROI? It goes in the toilet. For what? I had more respect and desire to buy their product when the team was struggling, yet working hard. Going out and stealing (and yes, that's what it was) someone else's crew chief has turned me off completely from their product.

This is a lose - lose situation for everyone involved, including Jimmy Walsh, because if and/or when he fails and has to move on team owners are going to have a difficult time trusting him in the future. It's a damn shame is what it is...

__________________
Gordon 'Flaps' Carlon
Work the solution, not the problem.

Sorry Don Prudhomme. Your moniker is being taken away from you. It is now Kenny "The Snake" Bernstein...

Of course this is business and I understand that there are sell-outs and buy-outs every day in corporate America and beyond but I also know that many, if not most of the successful corporate businesses pride in maintaining both loyalty and integrity.

I was taught my own family definition of both:
Integrity is having the courage to keep my actions in accordance with my knowledge of right and wrong at all costs.

Loyalty is demonstrating a willingness to sacrifice much, if not all for the common good of a group, cause or belief.

Beyond the "Business is Business" view of this entire deal today, I'm believing from what I am hearing that neither of the aforementioned characteristics were present. If, in fact, this was KB dumping one and luring another on board with the almighty better dollar, neither integrity nor loyalty were present as I understand them. I also totally understand that there will be those who disagree wholeheartedly but my opinion will be difficult to sway unless these circumstances prove to be other than what seems evident on the surface.

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"The Doctor"
www.wannaberacing.com

Now that right there just ain't right !!!!!
Funny as **** but not right.

Today has been interesting to say the least and it prompts yet another question:

Was Todd Okuhara's palm actually crossed with silver and Jimmy Walsh second in line after he passed on the offer? That would be interesting to me to find Todd had the loyalty I speak of and stayed on his present course despite the offer?

__________________
"The Doctor"
www.wannaberacing.com

If I hit Mega Millions tonight, I'll hire Walsh away from Burnstein.. & pay him double what he is making now to be a spectator !!

__________________
"When I die, I want to die like my grandfather, who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming in panic like the passengers in his car."

Yea, the two or three dozen whiners that say they aren't going to drink Monster are really going to bring them to their knees! Get over it people. I wonder how many of the crybabies have ever left one job to go to a better one, or if they have owned or managed a business, have fired and hired to improve their company's production and profit. Ultimately it's the car owner's obligation to recruit, compensate, and retain his or her work force, just like any other business.

Im not sure what point I am missing. I understand that to many this is a sport, a hobby, a pasttime, fun and games. To the big professional teams, it is a business that has to be run in a competitive manner if they are to remain competitive.

I'm sure the big pro teams who started out as small time racers who were passionate about the sport still have that passion, but to remain competitive in the sport you need big $pon$or $$ and to keep the $pon$ors happy, you have to qualify and win rounds. If you don't keep your car and your sponsor's name in front of the TV cameras on raceday then they will soon become former sponsors and spend their $$$ on a team that can get maximum exposure for their product.

As for Monster losing customers on this board, that is a business risk they must be willing to take. There are approximately 1000 members on this board. If Monster loses all 1000 members as customers, but can pick up 100,000 new customers who see the Monster car on raceday then the risk paid off for them.

__________________
"Double the powder and shorten the fuse"

http://www.myspace.com/pyromethane

If the Skull car had been struggling..and everybody needed a change..maybe.

But to be on a contending team, with a personality like J.R. and bail..just ties my knot.

I'd be interested to see what Evan's opinion is.

I just don't get it..and Doc does a pretty good job of relaying sentiments.

__________________
.
.
--Medicated for your safety!!--

True, but for those of us who didn't like him before, this just gives us more fuel for the fire.

perfectly understandable

__________________
"Double the powder and shorten the fuse"

http://www.myspace.com/pyromethane

Perhaps so. But as a consumer I am under no obligation to purchase the products of companies that engage in such cutthroat practices. And if my personal code of ethics does not allow me to purchase a particular product I simply don't do it regardless of whether or not it has an effect on that company's bottom line.

Racing like any other sport is always more interesting when there 's a villian. For instance, watch any NASCAR race and you will find that there are a number of drivers who draw the ire of fans. For me, that person is now Kenny Bernstein.

Suzie.. thanks for the biggest firestorm I've ever seen here....

Monster supplied the bucks. They haven't done a damn thing wrong other than want the coverage that they were told they would get when they signed on. Boycott the product if you want, but it's really not their fault..

Jimmy moved on because its an opportunity. Maybe he knows something that is happening over in the Skull camp that we don't regarding his future..

Evan will be JUST FINE... And don't doubt that he has the cash to be able to go out and do the same exact thing to some other team if he doesn't see the right results by moving someone up in the next couple of weeks of testing (and guaranteed, there WILL be testing somewhere)...

Lets see... KB told us all during his big tour that he was done as a driver... Yet everyone cheered when he came back this year- kinda throws a wet rag on his credibility long before all this ****e happened, doesn't it?

I see it as Business As Usual in the Million Dollar Club, and in the great words of Jane's Addiction-

NOTHINGS SHOCKING

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"Run what u brung, and hope u brought enough...."

Steve....How does your foot taste...?