Jimmie Johnson named AP Male Athlete of 2009

It's been about a month since I last posted. In that time I've graduated college and embarked on a new chapter in life. Just wanted to get that out of the way and now on to my point...


Monday morning Jimmie Johnson was announced as the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year. He beat out names like Peyton Manning, Alex Rodriguez, and (yes) Tiger Woods. He became the first NASCAR driver to ever win the award. Yes, Jimmie Johnson has done something else that Petty, Earnhardt, Pearson, and Yarborough never did. Just the fact that Johnson was in the running is remarkable and it boasts so much about how NASCAR's place in mainstream sports media has jumped over the last decade. When I began watching NASCAR in the late 1980's, I doubt anyone would have selected a racecar driver as male athlete of the year. Here we are: December 21, 2009, and it's become reality.

I've talked at length about the enormity of the Johnson's accomplishment this year. A fourth straight championship is remarkable in any sport. I've noticed over the years that drivers who win a lot get booed by fans. Gordon, Stewart, Kyle Busch all come to mind for receiving their fair share of boos. But in the races I've been to in the four seasons that Johnson has taken home the crown, I don't ever remember hearing boos. I don't remember hearing cheers either. Are NASCAR fans nonchalant about Johnson and what's he done?

But back to the point at hand and this morning's announcement of Johnson's newest title. Take a look back at the 2009 sports world. Let's see what's happened in the last 12 or so months. A-Rod finally won his World Series title, Big Ben Roethlisberger won the Super Bowl with great heroics, Peyton Manning is on the verge of perfection in this year's version of the National Football League. And Tiger Woods overshadowed both John & Kate separating on national television and Mark Sanford and his antics with South American women.

But whatever Rodriguez, Roethlisberger, Manning, and Woods have done this year, have they done more than what Johnson has done? The obvious answer is no and anyone who is still thinking about this question needs to hit the refresh button because you are taking WAY too long.

I think NASCAR fans look at this from a two-fold standpoint. First, those that are Jimmie Johnson haters don't like this because it's Jimmie Johnson and they'd rather someone else had won the award. On the other hand, you've got a core group of NASCAR fans, some of whom have felt very neglected by mainstream media over the years, that are just happy that a driver had been chosen.

I remember when Dale Earnhardt made the cover of Time Magazine following his February 2001 death at Daytona. I remember thinking how huge it was for the sport to have one of its own on the cover despite the manner in which Earnhardt got there. Last February I was surprised to see the number of different national news outlets that were on hand for the season-opening Daytona 500. And now I'm seeing news people from all over the world at Daytona to watch Danica Patrick make single-file runs in an ARCA car (a topic by the way that I haven't even begun to vent about and will do so at length at a future date and time.)

But the fact of the matter is that the Associated Press has named a NASCAR driver as it's male athlete of the year. I like the idea and I say that while disclosing that I'm not necessarily a Jimmie Johnson fan. It's true I didn't like him that much when he first got into the sport and he certainly didn't help his cause with me when he won his first, second, and third championships. But you've got to respect the man and his latest accomplishment.

Take pride NASCAR. For the next 12 months you have the top male athelete in your ranks. Enjoy the ride. Maybe five in a row will also warrant the honor as well.

Jimmie Johnson is one of the greats. Period.

Sunday afternoon Jimmie Johnson locked up his fourth consecutive Sprint Cup Series championship. On route to the title this year, he scored seven victories, three poles, 15 top 5's, and 23 top 10's. In his four championship seasons (06, 07, 08, and 09) he has accumulated 29 victories, 64 top 5's, and 94 top 10's.

Allow me to do the numbers for you: in 144 starts in those four years, he won 20.1% of the races, finished in the top five in 44.4% of the races, and finished in the top 10 in 65.3% of the races. That my friends is what you call domination.

The man has accomplished something that no other driver in the 61 year history of the sport has done and he's done it without boasting about his ability, but rather giving credit to his Hendrick Motorsports team. He's done it by consistently finishing races and finishing well (only seven DNF's in that four year streak.) And he's led laps and gained bonus points as a result (over 6,300 laps led in that time.)

Folks, what don't you get about this guy? He might be the best ever. He was hand picked by Jeff Gordon. He was mentored by Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon. He grew up racing motorcycles on dirt before switching to off-road racing and finally to stock cars. He has car control down to a science. He has strategy and knowledge of the sport down. His crew chief is the most detail guy I've ever seen on a pit box and was a protege of Ray Evernham (who I might add was one of the greatest crew chiefs of all time.) There is a reason why the #48 Lowe's team has been at the head table at the banquet for the last four years.

Jimmie Johnson has not ruined NASCAR. He has not ruined the chase. He has realized how to win the chase and that's what is most important. He's realized how to make this racecar do what he wants it to do and he's figured it out faster than a lot of other guys. And when I talked about the COT and his figuring it out I'd also like to point out that he won two championships with the old car as well.

Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus have done something that nobody else has been able to do. Petty couldn't do it, Pearson couldn't do it, Yarborough almost did it and failed, and Earnhardt and Gordon all came close but failed.

To the people who are upset at this point or stopped watching the Chase after the Talladega race I am very sorry that you didn't get to witness history. When you look at all the sports dynasties out there, Jimmie Johnson ranks among the greats.

In the late 90's Jeff Gordon and his Rainbow Warriors had a banner in their shops. On that banner was a checklist of goals. It went from Upstart to Contender; From Contender to Winner; From Winner to Champion: and from Champion to Dynasty. Jimmie Johnson is a dynasty. He's a first ballot Hall of Famer in my opinion. His legacy will live on for the ages. And if you think for one minute that he shouldn't be called "Great" then look at what he's done and look at what others have tried to do.

He may go for five. He may go for six. He may surpass Earnhardt and Petty and win eight in a row. The thing is until someone steps up to prove him otherwise, Jimmie Johnson is currently the best driver in the sport. And for anyone to downplay what he's accomplished in the last four years or to say he couldn't stack up with the Yarboroughs, Pettys, and Pearsons is just plain wrong.

Congratulations Jimmie, Chad, and Mr. H. I'm waiting to see what you can do in 2010.