The Corner of Controversy and Criticism- 3/12/2018
This week we will examine dominance, a comeback and downfall. Sunday afternoon during NASCAR’s race at Phoenix there were 39 cars who fell victim to the current dominance of Kevin Harvick. It’s been three years since a driver won three races in a row but it always seems longer. The feat of winning three races in a row has only happened 24 times prior to Harvick doing it on Sunday. It makes sense that Ford is pushing so hard to be successful because in many people’s eyes Ford is America’s vehicle. It’s the only manufacturer that didn’t require a full government bailout back almost a decade ago. Harvick has had an illustrious career so far and his moments of dominance, but something about this his start to the year is different. He is more poised to win then he ever has been which has been the complete opposite of once dominant driver Jimmie Johnson. I think guys like Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, and Kurt Busch are going to try and win as much as possible these next few years, because a lot of young and hungry drivers are coming up fast. It’s really hard to bet against Harvick at any track right now, which will make it really interesting to see who wins next. Right now it is Kevin Harvick versus the field.
I remember when the PGA was Tiger Woods versus the field and it might be that way again someday if this past weekend wasn’t a fluke. From a morale standpoint a lot of people don’t want Tiger Woods to be successful again but no one is perfect. As a society we forget that our heroes our human beings too and they will make the same mistakes that we will. Everyone deserves a second chance and I believe Tiger is getting his right now. There are a lot of people from the other side who want Tiger to succeed because of what his body has had to overcome. From a PGA and business point of view, a competitive Tiger is good for business. The final round of the Valspar Open was the highest watched Non-Major for the PGA since 2013. I would love to believe that Tiger is back, but it’s way too soon to make that statement. As excited as I am about this I think we all need to leave Tiger alone right now and let him play. The Masters is three weeks away which is Golf’s Super Bowl and World Series. If Tiger can perform at a high level at The Masters then we could potentially start talking about the greatest comeback in sports history. For now, let Tiger Woods work on his game and let him redeem himself physically and morally.
A lot of athletes have a downfall and need something to spark their redemption. On June 9th, CM Punk will get one more fight in the octagon in his hometown. His downfall started when he left WWE to pursue MMA. Once he loses in his hometown at UFC 225 he will have the chance to redeem himself, and become the Best in the World once again in professional wrestling. I don’t think there is anything wrong with Phil Brooks the person, but there is a lot wrong with Phil Brooks the businessman. Leaving pro wrestling for MMA was the worst possible decision he could have ever made for himself. He could have continued his mainstream success in Ring of Honor or New Japan. CM Punk is currently 39 years old so there is still time for him to get out of this phase and redeem himself in professional wrestling. When I think of Punk, it’s hard to believe it’s been over four year since he departed WWE and went into silence before announcing his UFC intentions. Redemption is a sweet thing and hopefully after his next loss in the octagon we will all see a sweet redemption back into the wrestling ring. Sports is full of stories when it comes to dominance, downfalls, comebacks and redemption. These stories are what make sports so great and gives people something to cheer for. Until next time, remember Controversy Doesn’t Come Without Criticism.
