Mumbles speaketh (sorta)

[G.]

worth reading for lols


EDITOR's NOTE:
Vision Racing Team Owner Tony George contributes this feature, written in his own words, as a follow up to an official statement posted on this site July 10th, 2009.



After having a week off from racing I have had a chance to relax and reflect on the events that have taken place over the last few weeks. I have decided to use the Vision Racing website, in a therapeutic way, to help clear my mind and clear the air by sharing some of my thoughts:

Settling into a different routine after 20 years has been quite an adjustment. I must say, it was neither something I was expecting nor something I had given much consideration to, but not unusual given the time in which we currently live. All around me I see that people’s lives are being affected by the realities of a deepening recession, and we all hope it begins to turn around soon and that better days are what lie ahead.

I would be less than honest if I said that last February 2008, after we were able to unify open-wheel racing, I didn’t at least let the thought of possibly “dialing back the boost” a little bit slip into my mind. However, I knew there would be a couple of more years of hard work ahead of us, as we had asked for and been given the opportunity to provide the leadership of the sport going forward. Knowing that there would be reservations expressed by some in our ability to lead, I had confidence that the right team of people had been assembled to take it forward.

gots dem visions agin (http://visionracing.com/news/index.cfm?cid=23194)


Setting up to kick all the wimmenfolk outta the company...

[nrc]

You know, I don't even understand what he's trying to say with most of that. Something like "It's not my fault!" I think.

I do understand what this means:

In fact, I know that in the case of the IRL, every team that has ever competed in the series, since inception, has received support to some degree.

Eat it lemmings. Nobody ever found your hero's series worth bothering with unless he paid them.

[G.]

My question for the board has been not one of who is going to manage the company, but rather, who is going to lead it? There is a distinction.


Stay tuned for the next Tony George feature installment…

The takeover begins...



(hey, since it's a press-release, can we post the whole thing?


I feel as though after 20 years I am entitled to one. I understand that maybe they don’t feel that they owe me an explanation.

[nrc]

The takeover begins...

(hey, since it's a press-release, can we post the whole thing?

Mmmmm. It says "feature" so best leave it where it is. Wouldn't want to infringe their Kwality Kontent.

[stroker]

what a load of bureaucratic neo-business doublespeak crap.

You may feel that you're entitled to an explanation, Tony, so I'll give you one. You're a complete idiot and you f*****d up an American Institution. Your family, for some reason, deem you worthy of compassion and don't want to say so publicly. Fortunately, we don't.

[Gnam]

Higher gas prices were starting to have an affect on race attendance, mainly at NASCAR events, as people were beginning to have to make choices between discretionary spending and providing for their basic needs.But IndyCar fans were still turning out in support of a unified series.
:laugh: @ :tony:

Does the IRL know who their messing with? This is the guy that brought down CART AND the Indy 500 at the same time. Compared with that feat, destroying a half dead, totally fake, unpopular, unprofitable, miserable little club racing league like the IRL is child's play.

:p

[WickerBill]

So when does he start his own breakaway series, that races mainly on roads and streets, has three chassis and four engine manufacturers, great sponsorship buy-in, tracks clamoring for an event, and millions watching around the world on TV?

When does he start that series?

[Sean Malone]

"...contrary to popular belief, our family does not have an endless supply of cash to continue to pour into the League in the form of subsidy"

I have a picture of his sisters pounded this phrase into his head for the last 10 years.

"...Anyone who has any aptitude at all for running a business would realize that the task of creating and following through with a successful long-term plan is something that takes a great deal of time and patience. While the plan has been put into motion, and positive growth is evident, it will require much more time and effort to fully see the plan through. ..."

First, it's hilarious he speaks of people having aptitude! Long term plan? Hell, it's been 13 years and he's says it's going to take even longer! LOL!!! Some business acumen there TG!!

"...That being said, I continue to be perplexed by the board’s recent decision to relieve me from my responsibility as CEO of the enterprise. To date, I have not received a reasonable explanation as to why; the statement they released to the press not withstanding, I feel as though after 20 years I am entitled to one. I understand that maybe they don’t feel that they owe me an explanation...."

Somebody needs to sit him down and explain everything in detail using very small words. Has he really lived in such an ivory tower? Amazing!

Oh, and how ironic he quips of "dialing back the boost", a turbo reference.

[SteveH]

Has he really lived in such an ivory tower?

That's the same thought I had. Totally out of touch with reality. I suppose that's understandable when surrounded by yes men and an adoring group of place fans.

Perplexed? He'll get no argument from me on that one. :laugh:

[NismoZ]

Yes! "dialing back the boost!" I thought the same thing! The PUTZ! He KNOWS what would have been best all along, he just refused to DO it. (plus, I don't believe that "writen in his own words" crap either. There were no umms and uhhhs in there!)

[Napoleon]

Perplexed? He'll get no argument from me on that one. :laugh:

In fact now that he has described himself that way I think it would be perfectly acceptable that it be the epithet on his gravestone.

[EVL29]

Yes! "dialing back the boost!" I thought the same thing! The PUTZ! He KNOWS what would have been best all along, he just refused to DO it. (plus, I don't believe that "writen in his own words" crap either. There were no umms and uhhhs in there!)

Not entirely true. remember his original vision inluded 2.2 turbos. He just couldn't find any mnfs. that were interested.

The 4.0 gomerlumps were a necessity,not a choice. Even if the lemmings will never acknowledge it.

[pchall]

Not entirely true. remember his original vision inluded 2.2 turbos. He just couldn't find any mnfs. that were interested.

The 4.0 gomerlumps were a necessity,not a choice. Even if the lemmings will never acknowledge it.

I remember Tony's 2.2L V8 trial balloon. It was his first attempt to impose a specification through the hammer of Indy. None of the suppliers -- Ford and Chevy come to mind as the players paying for the valve covers at Cosworth and Ilmor -- wanted to pay for a new V8 or even just de-stroking one when the needed HP reduction for ovals could be done with the electronic pop-off valve. That was around 1993/4 if I recall and after the 1.8L V6 idea didn't fly among the CART owners.

"gomerlumps" :rofl:

[NismoZ]

OK, "He just COULDN'T GET IT DONE!" Whatever. I guess he can just blame others?

[Corner5]

"Important to note in all of this is, contrary to popular belief, our family does not have an endless supply of cash to continue to pour into the League in the form of subsidy."

How many times have we heard that IMS was the golden goose that paid for Irl?

TG is clueless, 13 years of OW destruction and he sounds like success was right around the corner. Delusional at best.

He's like Gov. Sanford, the more he talks the crazier he sounds.

sounds familiar- http://thediscust.com/?p=758

[emjaya]

The best part:


Stay tuned for the next Tony George feature installment…

There will be more of the "Thoughts of ex-Chairman George". :tony:

[oddlycalm]

There will be more of the "Thoughts of ex-Chairman George". :tony:
What I'm hoping is that his sisters answer him in some public way and lay out a strong case for what a douche bag he is and how much of their money he flushed down the rat hole (IRL) in his quest to buy himself some testicles...:laugh:

oc

[Napoleon]

The best part:



There will be more of the "Thoughts of ex-Chairman George". :tony:

Maybe he can put them in a little red book so that the IRListas can go around quoting him.

[Andrew Longman]

To date, I have not received a reasonable explanation as to why; the statement they released to the press not withstanding, I feel as though after 20 years I am entitled to one

Why is this playing out on his stupid ass web site? Why is he not picking up the phone and talking to his sisters? What sort of board meeting is it that decisions are not discussed?

Proof positive that the sport is screwed.

[73B]

So when does he start his own breakaway series, that races mainly on roads and streets, has three chassis and four engine manufacturers, great sponsorship buy-in, tracks clamoring for an event, and millions watching around the world on TV?

When does he start that series?

Good question. How would anyone start such a series?

Will motorsport be run like a dictatorship by some family or individual (ie. France, George, Ecclestone, Panoz), or will it evolve into a franchise model like other professional sports, where you buy a team and have representation on the board and ELECT the top guy. The latest Concorde agreement signed in F1 seems to go in that direction.

Do the likes of Penske, Ganassi, Coyne etc need to elect the boss, or is owner self interest partly to blame for the busted CART way back when?

[devilmaster]

If the old CART is repeated, then it will be a failure. The old model and even the newer three amigos model showed that the current team owners couldn't look past their own teams to the betterment of the sport as a whole.

People like Penske and Ganassi won't change their stripes now....

[nrc]

If the old CART is repeated, then it will be a failure. The old model and even the newer three amigos model showed that the current team owners couldn't look past their own teams to the betterment of the sport as a whole.

I'm not sure that's true. For all it's problems the end result hugely successful for 20 years. It took the greatest possible stress factor to finally break it. I would sure have liked to seen what would have become of it without Tony's help. :\

[oddlycalm]

Why is this playing out on his stupid ass web site? Why is he not picking up the phone and talking to his sisters? What sort of board meeting is it that decisions are not discussed?

You answered this yourself in another thread when you referred to your experience with dysfunctional family businesses. The simple fact this got posted to his team's website demonstrates that he's an overgrown child. The fact they let him piss $600 million down a rat hole in the first place amply demonstrates how incompetent the rest of the family is.

oc

[dando]

If the old CART is repeated, then it will be a failure. The old model and even the newer three amigos model showed that the current team owners couldn't look past their own teams to the betterment of the sport as a whole.

People like Penske and Ganassi won't change their stripes now....

What killed C^RT, IMO, is the greed that came from the MPH IPO. From '98 to '00 the owners were just looking out for themselves and ca$hing in. By the time the Amigos took over, the hole was already dug. 5' 6". :(

-Kevin

[devilmaster]

I started a really long post that went into reasons and things i remember from the good old days about some rule favoritism and whatnot. I also went into more recent incidents like how cotman would be fired by Uncle Gerry because he penalized (properly) Tracy for being an idiot.

I was getting too much into the minutiae of my thoughts and i was losing the point. So try number two.

Simply, the one who runs the show, whether its a dictator or a board appointed leader, has many rules and guidelines. But Rule #1 is simple - always put the betterment of the sport above everything else.

I just don't believe that anyone from the regular cast of characters in NAOW can do that or will allow someone else to do it.

As for the :tony: temper tantrum, to be a successful dictator, you have to be intelligent, smart, devious and one step ahead of everyone else. Tony has none of those traits. I still believe the tantrum was a catalyst which made everything else fail quicker.

[Sean Malone]

I started a really long post that went into reasons and things i remember from the good old days about some rule favoritism and whatnot. I also went into more recent incidents like how cotman would be fired by Uncle Gerry because he penalized (properly) Tracy for being an idiot.

I was getting too much into the minutiae of my thoughts and i was losing the point. So try number two.

Simply, the one who runs the show, whether its a dictator or a board appointed leader, has many rules and guidelines. But Rule #1 is simple - always put the betterment of the sport above everything else.

I just don't believe that anyone from the regular cast of characters in NAOW can do that or will allow someone else to do it.

As for the :tony: temper tantrum, to be a successful dictator, you have to be intelligent, smart, devious and one step ahead of everyone else. Tony has none of those traits. I still believe the tantrum was a catalyst which made everything else fail quicker.

You got farther than I did. I started a long post...deleted it and said to myself WGAF. :)

[73B]

Simply, the one who runs the show, whether its a dictator or a board appointed leader, has many rules and guidelines. But Rule #1 is simple - always put the betterment of the sport above everything else.

I incorrectly lumped Panoz in with the group of dictators. In retrospect, he is really more like a Precept, Regent, Duke or Earl. He is given the authority by the rulers in France, to run the show in the colonies.

It seems to work. From the little I know about LeMans, I don't get the sense they are about to blow up. Who runs the show there? Why has it continued to work decade after decade?

By the same notion, what about GP2? Pretty solid in Europe and Asia... last I heard. Yes it was conceived by Ecclestone and Briatore. And yes it is still a Dallara chassis... but it does have a Renault V8. :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GP2_Series#GP2_Series_cars

Could the Regent who represents GP2 over here be the key to NAOW's future?

[devilmaster]

You got farther than I did. I started a long post...deleted it and said to myself WGAF. :)

Damn you Sean..... you can always make my posts sound so much better.... :laugh:

Cause that's what I shoulda wrote. ;)