FYI: SPEED chat w/ RM at 2:00 EDT today [Archive]

Racing Truth

04-18-07, 02:22 PM

Yikes! He has zero faith in CC ownership.

last2brake, Napa: Why would someone who claims to love open-wheel racing expend so much effort undermining it ?
robin mller:
Undermining? Hmmm, let's see I lobby SPEED to send me to as many IRL/Champ Car races as possible, spring training and I did a pilot for an open wheel show last year that's still on hold. If you mean why do I tell the truth about how poorly it's being run by both sides, well I guess that's undermining. I call it reporting. Obviously, the most fun in my job is writing and talking about stories like Servia last week but right now, the bad out-weighs the good. I wish I could share a couple of things about how dysfunctional champ car's management is and I probably will in time. TGeorge's track record speaks for itself. A failed copy cat. People said I turned on Champ Car because I was fired from the web site. Really? I believe I critiqued their problems BEFORE I was fired and nobody tried to keep CART more honest in the '80s and '90s than I did. I was hoping Kalkhoven might be different but he's just like the rest of all the owners/liars in both paddocks.

:eek:

Racing Truth

04-18-07, 02:34 PM

Wilke officially pwned!

out of the way: Any, I mean ANY, chance any CC team is crazy enough to try Indy this yr.?
robin mller:
I asked every team owner last weekend (and will we run that feature in a couple weeks on SPEED REPORT) and nobody had any interest. Forsythe said if TGeorge gave them cars and engines he'd be interested and I think Haas would like to go but not Paul Newman. It's crazy to have a six week gap and Indy open because Champ Car should be there but most of those guys can barely afford to run CC let alone come up with another million or so. But TG would be smart to buy rides for Tracy, Bourdais, Wilson, Junky, ect. instead of throwing it away on guys who only drive Indy cars once a year or once every seven years.

:laugh: :rofl:

Racing Truth

04-18-07, 03:15 PM

Heh.

TOM, NEWARK: ARE THE OWNERS OF CHAMP CAR FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER?
robin mller:
No matter what you hear, YES is the answer. Pettit and Kalkhoven are/were at each other's throat and Forsythe doesn't see eye-to-eye with KK on TV or two-seaters, among other things. I understand one of the owners wants new people at the top but the other three want to stay status quo. My take? anybody who listens to Gentilozzi about anything needs their heads examined.

:laugh:

extramundane

04-18-07, 03:38 PM

My take? anybody who listens to Gentilozzi about anything needs their heads examined.

I heart Robin Miller. :gomer: :thumbup:

:rsucks:

ferrarigod

04-18-07, 03:51 PM

I heart Robin Miller. :gomer: :thumbup:

:rsucks:

me two. :thumbup:

Spicoli

04-18-07, 04:06 PM

:rofl:

Teacher told me to STFU so I will. :Wave:

Opposite Lock

04-18-07, 04:32 PM

Tim, Plover, WI: Any chance of another Trading paint with Michael Waltrip? Last years was hilarious.
robin mller:
I'd love to but he's no longer on the show. He's the new airbag tester for Toyota.

:laugh: :thumbup:

Insomniac

04-18-07, 04:41 PM

Well, do you think change is happening in the CC office? Jabba the Hut was let go last weekend. Fluke or just a 1st step?

Who is Jabba the Hut?

Ruben Barrios

04-18-07, 05:46 PM

Jabba the Hut???

Chief

04-18-07, 05:51 PM

AND.....He's...ON IT! Great Q&A......

Stop the short bus, I think I want to get on. There's no hope for American open wheel racing....I now understand why RM got fired. He knows (like all of us) the sad realities that this sport we cherish is worth minute fractions of what it once was and is headed lower. His sacrifice shows his commitment.

The sooner it all dies the faster it can be reborn. :confused:

TravelGal

04-18-07, 07:59 PM

The sooner it all dies the faster it can be reborn. :confused:

I think we're watching that now.

Tim

04-18-07, 08:24 PM

:laugh: :thumbup:

Thank you, thank you

jonovision_man

04-18-07, 10:22 PM

I now understand why RM got fired. He knows (like all of us) the sad realities that this sport we cherish is worth minute fractions of what it once was and is headed lower. His sacrifice shows his commitment.

Absolutely. I honestly didn't care for him much when he was a paid shill, but since he's told them to stick it I think he's been telling it like it is and calling it like he sees it. I appreciate that much more.

Hopefully the cheerleaders are reading and accepting the truth... I haven't had the inclination to check over "there". Or is it FRM? :p

jono

jonovision_man

04-18-07, 10:30 PM

Q: Robin, when will you stop harping on what's wrong with AOWR and concentrate on what's right? Champcar will thrive.

Miller: Because it's my job to point out the good, bad and ugly. And, trust me, there's lots of bad right now. Thrive paying for TV? Getting 0.7 ratings? Seventeen cars? No leadership. Listen, nobody supported Champ Car more than I did those first couple years but when they started lying and making stupid decisions, they need to be reminded. Ditto for The Idiot Grandson.

...

Q: Do you think Champcar will answer the bell in 2008?

Miller: Right now I think it's 50/50. Honestly.

jono

Cam

04-18-07, 10:39 PM

Jono.... Some day you are going to have to pick one side of the fence or the other.... :rolleyes:

Just do it...

jonovision_man

04-18-07, 10:43 PM

Jono.... Some day you are going to have to pick one side of the fence or the other.... :rolleyes:

Just do it...

Why? I prefer beer but still drink wine, I love steak but still eat chicken, I prefer ChampCar but still watch the IRL. Whatever.

jono

Spicoli

04-18-07, 11:12 PM

Why? I prefer beer but still drink wine, I love steak but still eat chicken, I prefer ChampCar but still watch the IRL. Whatever.

jono

What did Dice Clay teach you about riding fences?

jonovision_man

04-19-07, 11:00 AM

What did Dice Clay teach you about riding fences?

Hey, you watched the F1 race... GET OFF THE FENCE! ;)

jono

Spicoli

04-19-07, 11:17 AM

Hey, you watched the F1 race... GET OFF THE FENCE! ;)

jono

no, the fence is EARL/ChumpCar.

F1 = not even in the same poopbin as those 2.

but, whatever.

jonovision_man

04-19-07, 03:40 PM

no, the fence is EARL/ChumpCar.

F1 = not even in the same poopbin as those 2.

but, whatever.

True, but it's all racing, and I assume you watch whatever you like and ignore what you don't... that's all I do. I'll take stick for it, but don't really care about that, enjoyed myself on both sides of the "fence".

As for RM, I think he's genuine, he loves the sport, love covering it, and when he spews off these days he's calling it like he sees it. I respect that a lot more than I respected him biting his tounge and cashing cheques from the series. So when he says things are swirling around the drain, I don't see any reason to doubt him.

jono

shaggy_socal

04-19-07, 06:21 PM

Q:How about that radio show Robin, we, OW fans need it. Talked to you a while ago about it, anything in the works?

A: I know, I miss it. I have to get off my butt and see if SPEED has any radio outlets. Good lord, everybody has a radio show in nascar except Sterling Marlin.

I'm not an expert on the costs but i wonder if Speed would let him podcast a program. He'd lose some fan interaction, but he could certainly interview people and get his voice out to a wide variety of people.

formulaben

04-20-07, 12:27 AM

Absolutely. I honestly didn't care for him much when he was a paid shill, but since he's told them to stick it I think he's been telling it like it is and calling it like he sees it. I appreciate that much more.

Actually, he was telling it like it is BEFORE he got fired, and that is precisely WHY he got fired.

He hasn't changed at all, but apparently your perception has. I wonder why that is? :confused:

jonovision_man

04-20-07, 11:07 AM

Actually, he was telling it like it is BEFORE he got fired, and that is precisely WHY he got fired.

It was one article that got him fired, what about the hundreds/thousands before that one article? He was pulling most of his punches, his harshest criticism has come after getting fired.

He was paid to be biased toward ChampCar, and as soon as he wouldn't play that game he was punted. Which is fine, I wouldn't pay someone to say mean things about me either... but let's not pretend he was being an unbiased journalist trying to get at the truth for all that time...

He hasn't changed at all, but apparently your perception has. I wonder why that is? :confused:

He's changed.

jono

rabbit

04-20-07, 11:15 AM

It was one article that got him fired, what about the hundreds/thousands before that one article? He was pulling most of his punches, his harshest criticism has come after getting fired.

He was paid to be biased toward ChampCar, and as soon as he wouldn't play that game he was punted. Which is fine, I wouldn't pay someone to say mean things about me either... but let's not pretend he was being an unbiased journalist trying to get at the truth for all that time...

He's changed.

jonoYou're completely wrong about this.

Ankf00

04-20-07, 11:40 AM

You're completely wrong about this.

agreed.

jonovision_man

04-20-07, 11:55 AM

You're completely wrong about this.

OK, you tell me why he was fired.

jono

formulaben

04-20-07, 12:38 PM

OK, you tell me why he was fired.

jono

For telling the truth...you're pretty slow, ain't ya? :tony:

dando

04-20-07, 12:40 PM

OK, you tell me why he was fired.

jono

Because he was too honest:

http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/35734/

As you can see from his career history, he tends to repeat the same 'mistake'. :\

-Kevin

jonovision_man

04-20-07, 12:57 PM

Because he was too honest:

http://www.speedtv.com/commentary/35734/

As you can see from his career history, he tends to repeat the same 'mistake'. :\

-Kevin

He has, but he managed to keep it under wraps long enough to stay employed at ChampCar for a few years.

For those keeping score at home, he says exactly why he got fired:

After last Sunday's critique of Champ Car's state (which by the way was mild compared to some of the commentaries I've written about TGeorge over the years) on SPEEDtv.com, I was informed my services were no longer required on Champ Car's web site. (For the record, I'd predicted my dismissal to a couple of friends on Sunday night).

He finally spoke up about ChampCar in no uncertain terms in a way he knew would get him fired... not something he had done before while on the KK & co payroll.

jono

jonovision_man

04-20-07, 12:58 PM

formulaben

04-20-07, 01:11 PM

Congratulations, you just made our point. :shakehead

Ankf00

04-20-07, 01:24 PM

He finally spoke up about ChampCar in no uncertain terms in a way he knew would get him fired... not something he had done before while on the KK & co payroll.

what rock have you been living under? this happens every year, he critiques, and FRM is all the rage at CCfantasies while you applaud his "honesty."

until his "honesty" is applied to the Idiot, and he mentions something good about CCWS, then the tables turn and you're the one chanting "FRM, paid shill."

jonovision_man

04-20-07, 03:40 PM

Congratulations, you just made our point. :shakehead

I don't even know what your point is anymore... you seem to want to say that he's been telling it like it is for the last decade without getting fired, but for some reason now they fired him for doing it.

The truth is that while he tested the limits before, he went further this time and got fired... and only now do we get his complete and uncensored opinion.

jono

nrc

04-20-07, 05:30 PM

I don't even know what your point is anymore... you seem to want to say that he's been telling it like it is for the last decade without getting fired, but for some reason now they fired him for doing it.

The truth is that while he tested the limits before, he went further this time and got fired... and only now do we get his complete and uncensored opinion.

jono

The key phrase in what you quoted was "After last Sunday's critique of Champ Car's state...". Miller was fired after his harsh critique of Champ car. It wasn't something that he did because he was fired, as you seem to imply.

Miller has criticized Champ car many times in the past but never quite so harshly or personally. Given the feeling of many fans here on the current state of management I don't know why you would have such a hard time seeing that. Miller's commentary became more harsh because of the state of the series, not because he was fired.

I think the chain of events was pretty obvious and I don't know why you're having a problem following it. Now as for whether it was justified, I think most fans are silly. Almost nobody running a business would continue to pay someone for making such harsh attacks on them. Sports franchises aren't in the business of providing a platform for free speech.

Andrew Longman

04-20-07, 05:57 PM

There is a big difference between being whiney about important areas for improvement and telling the world your employer should just quit and give in to the competition.

Robin, I don't think, ever pulled too many punches when he was on the payroll and I respected CC for letting him and the others have a lot of latitude to speak their minds.

I also knew they didn't have a lot of choice because the main reason they allowed it is that open wheel has earned such a low profile that they needed to pay to get these guy as much forum as possible.

If CC leaders indeed started to lie then I have a problem with that. If they were doing things that in Robin's opinion were stupid, well that's his opinion but it isn't his money.

The only thing that I know for certain is that if Robin needed to say what he said, he should have told them ahead of time and quit. He knew it was going to piss them off. He said so. But if his integrity caused him to speak "the truth", his integrity would have also told him to quit.

Racing Truth

04-20-07, 06:51 PM

Fact: Robin Miller has ALWAYS been critical of both sides.

Fact: His February piece was, without much doubt, his most scathing against CC.

Opinion: He's become a bit (but not that much more) more full-throated in his criticisms since being canned. I haven't seen a fundamental shift, however, in RM's views, though I suspect he feels a little more freedom to air them.

Hesketh

04-20-07, 06:51 PM

I don't even know what your point is anymore... you seem to want to say that he's been telling it like it is for the last decade without getting fired, but for some reason now they fired him for doing it.

The truth is that while he tested the limits before, he went further this time and got fired... and only now do we get his complete and uncensored opinion.

jono

Listen, Robin is a friend of mine. He hasn't changed in 30 years. He's been telling it like he sees it the entire time. The article that got him fired was no different from what he's been writing for the Star, On Track, Speed, etc etc etc., for years.

I think you need to take a look at the political climate: the infighting between GF and KK, GF's hissy fit firing spree, the dwindling numbers, yadda yadda yadda... Ever heard of the straw that broke the camel's back? It's not that Robin was saying anything new. They'd just had enough.

Now, stop beating that dead horse and let it go.

Racing Truth

04-20-07, 06:53 PM

^^What he said too.:thumbup:

jonovision_man

04-21-07, 09:25 AM

Listen, Robin is a friend of mine. He hasn't changed in 30 years. He's been telling it like he sees it the entire time. The article that got him fired was no different from what he's been writing for the Star, On Track, Speed, etc etc etc., for years.

I think you need to take a look at the political climate: the infighting between GF and KK, GF's hissy fit firing spree, the dwindling numbers, yadda yadda yadda... Ever heard of the straw that broke the camel's back? It's not that Robin was saying anything new. They'd just had enough.

Now, stop beating that dead horse and let it go.

I'll let it go, but only because there's a race this weekend and there are other things to talk about. :)

But I still say RM's been far more critical (publically) of KK since being fired than he ever was before, other than the article that got him fired. Maybe in private he was always spitting vinegar, but in public he was walking on eggshells and cashing the man's cheques.

jono

Spicoli

04-21-07, 10:19 AM

I'll let it go, but only because there's a race this weekend and there are other things to talk about. :)

But I still say RM's been far more critical (publically) of KK since being fired than he ever was before,.......................
jono

Maybe, just maybe, there's more to be pizzy about? :saywhat:

Yep.

Insomniac

04-21-07, 10:27 AM

Maybe, just maybe, there's more to be pizzy about? :saywhat:

Yep.

I'm thinking it's a chicken/egg thing. The KK "lying" thing didn't just start, so there was a period of time he worked for CC and KK was "lying" but he didn't report it. I'm not questioning his integrity in any way though. CC was getting worse from the optimism in 2006 (possible merger, DP01, 2007) and Robin was getting more critical of CC as well.

I'd personally think it's human nature to not shred your employer. I don't think the behind the scenes stuff RM was talking about in his chat would've come out from his mouth (or keyboard) as harshly if he was still employed by CC. He'd still be critical of CC though.