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indyfan31
02-15-06, 03:59 PM
Originally Posted by TJ Simmers LA Times
February 15, 2006
Legge Shows She Has a Driving Ambition
Billie Jean King said she wanted more women's stories in the newspaper, and you know what a nag she can be — because she's a woman, of course, and now that I have your attention, please put down all sharp objects.

I wouldn't want you to break a nail.

Give me a break. I decided to give it a try, write about a woman, and probably waste a column. The important thing, of course, was to proceed with an open mind.

So I ignored the obvious topic Tuesday, the Clippers trading for a guy who wants to play for the Clippers, which is shocking news, and instead sat down with some girl who races cars.

Now how's that for a combination of turnoffs — a race car driver who happens to be a woman, who isn't Danica Patrick, and you've not only never heard of her, this one doesn't appear to be interested in posing for any cheesecake shots.

I still don't know how to pronounce Katherine's last name. I know it's Legge, but she's from England and I missed half of what she said because I couldn't understand what she was saying. So I don't know if it's pronounced "Leggy," or "Leg?"

The kid's 25, younger than both of my daughters, and I really don't care to hear what they have to say, but here I was expected to write down everything this English girl had to say, and I couldn't understand a word she was saying.

I'm here, though, because I trust Steve Brener, at times the best PR guy in town, and at other times … never mind.

Brener told me there was going to be a major announcement Tuesday night involving "Leggy," or "Leg," or whatever her name is, Champ Car, PKV Racing, and a bunch of other things I really don't care about.

It seems "Leggy," or "Leg," is some kind of racing phenom, the real deal, the winner the first time out a year ago in Atlantics — don't ask me — and shocking the racing world with a victory in Long Beach to win Southern California's top 2005 racing moment of the year award, although I don't ever recall getting the chance to vote. I believe I could have lived a very happy life, though, never knowing any of that.

But Brener said I was getting a big scoop on the announcement that the kid was moving from the minors up to Champ Car racing, riding for PKV Racing, the co-owner, Kevin Kalkhoven, putting down a ton of money on a woman with two days of experience in the bigger and faster cars. Oh boy, a Champ Car scoop.

Now I fear for every man, woman and child when one of my daughters drives to the grocery store, and this kid from England, who is used to driving on the wrong side of the road, is going to drive 200 mph, already bumping a guy out of the way in Long Beach to win.

They tell me, though, that this kid is something. OK, so Brener told me that, and last weekend he said Bob Baffert's horses would win both big races, and one of them is still walking toward the finish line.

It's a fact, though, that the kid won three races in her rookie season, and at the same level of racing that Patrick raced on for three years, while never winning once.

I could explain how Patrick and the kid could tangle one day, but then I'd be writing a story about two women, and I've got limits.

"Leggy," or "Leg," meanwhile, will make her Champ Car debut in the Grand Prix of Long Beach in April, and to use a racing term, which shows you what writing a story about a woman has done to me, the folks at PKV Racing will be delighted if the kid just finishes the race "with all four wheels."

I'll be delighted, meanwhile, to get back to writing about the Lakers, giving me the chance again to spend some warm, fuzzy moments with Phil Jackson. Or Jeanie Buss, if it will make Billie Jean happy.
Typical crap from Simmers, thinks he's funny. :shakehead

TravelGal
02-15-06, 04:44 PM
Just saw this elsewhere. What a waste of eyesight. Nice to have a big article and a picture but jeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

cameraman
02-15-06, 05:04 PM
I have never understood why assmunches like him are given columns in major fishwraps.

What a total waste of whitespace & ink...

tantra
02-15-06, 05:35 PM
I live in a semi-rural area in Central Ohio and the middle school student news paper reads better than that.

Hell, even the horses down the road at the stables write better copy than that.

Ankf00
02-15-06, 05:40 PM
The Bayless school of journalism

the s***** Bayless from ESPN, not the far more talented brother who is a cook...

NismoZ
02-15-06, 05:47 PM
The big problem though is having to be "funny" like that every damn day!

Lizzerd
02-15-06, 06:04 PM
Sounds to me like he is just another arrogant major market stick and ball guy, i.e., not a sports guy, that is being forced to write about something he knows nothing about.

That being the case, to make himself look credible all he can do is ridicule, saying, in essence, "I'm too good to give a crap about this leggy woman and you shouldn't care either, because I say so."

Translation: "I don't know squat about auto racing or this major event in my city, but dammit, I've got to make myself look good so I'll put down the whole concept."

Wabbit
02-15-06, 06:06 PM
He did bring up one good point...

Is it 'Leg' or 'Leggy'? :confused:

FCYTravis
02-15-06, 06:07 PM
Pretty much what Lizzerd said. :gomer:

KLang
02-15-06, 06:15 PM
He did bring up one good point...

Is it 'Leg' or 'Leggy'? :confused:

I'm pretty sure on the Race Car Driver shows they pronounced it 'Leg'.

Dr. Corkski
02-15-06, 06:24 PM
I'm pretty sure on the Race Car Driver shows they pronounced it 'Leg'.I am pretty sure the "writer" was just trying to be a smartass. :gomer:

tllips
02-15-06, 06:39 PM
The Bayless school of journalism

the s***** Bayless from ESPN, not the far more talented brother who is a cook...


Are they really brothers??? I'm a big fan of the cook.

Opposite Lock
02-15-06, 06:47 PM
Are they really brothers??? I'm a big fan of the cook.

If you're referring to Skip, Skip and Rick Bayless are indeed brothers. However, I once heard a patron at Rick's restaurant (Frontera Grill - one of my favorites) ask Rick about Skip. He replied, "I wouldn't know - we're not close."

tllips
02-15-06, 06:54 PM
If you're referring to Skip, Skip and Rick Bayless are indeed brothers. However, I once heard a patron at Rick's restaurant (Frontera Grill - one of my favorites) ask Rick about Skip. He replied, "I wouldn't know - we're not close."


I guess they do look a little alike.

pressdog
02-15-06, 06:57 PM
He put what, nine minutes into writing that? Lazy and pointless.

Fio1
02-15-06, 07:07 PM
Sounds to me like he is just another arrogant major market stick and ball guy, i.e., not a sports guy, that is being forced to write about something he knows nothing about.

That being the case, to make himself look credible all he can do is ridicule, saying, in essence, "I'm too good to give a crap about this leggy woman and you shouldn't care either, because I say so."

Translation: "I don't know squat about auto racing or this major event in my city, but dammit, I've got to make myself look good so I'll put down the whole concept."

Ya, no s****! What a real idiot....and to think that LA Times actually spends money advertising at the Long Beach GP. Not to mention that the once or maybe still is president of the LA Time's kid used to race in Cart (Michael Chandler until 1984). :shakehead

Opposite Lock
02-15-06, 07:19 PM
Sounds to me like he is just another arrogant major market stick and ball guy, i.e., not a sports guy, that is being forced to write about something he knows nothing about.

That being the case, to make himself look credible all he can do is ridicule, saying, in essence, "I'm too good to give a crap about this leggy woman and you shouldn't care either, because I say so."

Translation: "I don't know squat about auto racing or this major event in my city, but dammit, I've got to make myself look good so I'll put down the whole concept."

Who was that tard writer in Denver a couple years ago, who was so proud to say that he was going to miss the race there intentionally? Sounds like the same guy.

Ankf00
02-15-06, 07:21 PM
Rick Bayless is the man.

Skip Bayless is a Sooner sympathizing, Vandy graduating, pathetic excuse for a journalist who was run out of Dallas, San Jose, and Chicago.

How he can hold a job at ESPN is beyond me... read his latest rant about the Winter Olympics and "The Gullibles" who compete in them? :rolleyes:

Ozarkian
02-15-06, 07:25 PM
I am pretty sure the "writer" was just trying to be a smartass. :gomer:

That part of him isn't smart, either.

Winston Wolfe
02-15-06, 09:57 PM
Simers is barely readable, and a "throwback" to the days when the sports hacks meant something..... before the darned innernet came about and took away truckloads of subscriptions and revenue...
Dood thinks he's funny.
Loves to write about the ownership of the Dodgers vs. the ownership of the Angels, Lakers v. Clips, Buss v. Sterling.... like I said, he's pretty much unreadable, and his stuff is so tired, lame and depressing....

Yeah, but he doesnt miss a free press luncheon anywhere. what a hack ! :shakehead

Dave99
02-15-06, 10:00 PM
Who was that tard writer in Denver a couple years ago, who was so proud to say that he was going to miss the race there intentionally? Sounds like the same guy.
Woody Paige?

Nice column, Simmers. Translation: "I don't care and it shows" :gomer:

Winston Wolfe
02-15-06, 10:04 PM
O.T. - Yo Dave, where's my "Mick and the fellas" disc ? :confused:

nissan gtp
02-15-06, 10:14 PM
he needs a good beatdown.

Dave99
02-15-06, 11:01 PM
O.T. - Yo Dave, where's my "Mick and the fellas" disc ? :confused:
O.T. - Yo WW, they be burned already. Just need an addy to send to (manic refused that info to me, the cad!). :p

P.M. me an address to mail to and I'll do so asap. You will not be disappointed... I gar-ron-tee it! :thumbup:

mueber
02-16-06, 08:48 AM
Sometimes the ignorant bluff their way through it by acting like smart-asses. I'm sure the love it over at CrackFor'em.

Don Quixote
02-16-06, 11:04 AM
Woody Paige?


Yep, Woody wrote the horrible column in Denver. He has since moved on to New York, I think. Totally self absorbed ultra cute ahole.

rabbit
02-16-06, 11:38 AM
Whatever you guys do, DO NOT send this guy hatemail. DO NOT send him anything. Ignore him. I work with too many guys like him, the types who fondle themselves under their desks while reading their hatemail. It's the only reason they write this type of stuff. It's cheaper than pornography.

Andrew Longman
02-16-06, 11:44 AM
Blame too the editor that let this stuff go to press.

The point of the piece is to not have a point?

To bring something to our attention that is so unimportant that the only thing he can say is its unimportant? Why even bring it up then?

The LA Times used to be a great paper, but if their editors let this stuff out, let alone keep guys like this on staff, they'd fallen farther than I thought.

mueber
02-16-06, 01:21 PM
Blame too the editor that let this stuff go to press.

The point of the piece is to not have a point?

To bring something to our attention that is so unimportant that the only thing he can say is its unimportant? Why even bring it up then?

The LA Times used to be a great paper, but if their editors let this stuff out, let alone keep guys like this on staff, they'd fallen farther than I thought.

In rereading it, no self-respecting editor or newspaper would let this go to press, and it has nothing to do with the author's opinion of Katherine Legge. It's sexist, stupid, and ignorant

oddlycalm
02-16-06, 03:43 PM
In a world where dumb is cool and lazy is stylish this guy is a savant.

oc

Rocketdoc
02-18-06, 10:49 PM
Typical crap from Simmers, thinks he's funny. :shakehead


Billie Jean King, a women?

Had me there....

vancouver
02-19-06, 02:31 PM
I still don't know how to pronounce Katherine's last name. I know it's Legge, but she's from England and I missed half of what she said because I couldn't understand what she was saying.

Whatever, British accents are not that incoherent.

I know many Americans people who can understand me perfectly.

nrc
02-19-06, 02:45 PM
Whatever, British accents are not that incoherent.

I know many Americans people who can understand me perfectly.

Some Americans have problems with the more extreme British accents. But this guy was either being a buffoon or he was just sauced on free booze. Probably both.

theunions
02-19-06, 02:48 PM
If Shav Glick was still there, do you suppose he might have set this young whippersnapper straight?

I'd like to think so given his reputation, but in practice I'm not sure...

JohnHKart
02-20-06, 10:57 AM
This guy has constantly demonstrated he is a complete moron and obnoxious buffoon/idiot even when writing about stuff he knows like Baseball and football. I ignore him totally. He constantly has letters printed about him in the Times and most people do not like him. I guess the point is he's supposed to be funny or something and different than the normal serious sports columnist. He's not funny and he's useless!! Too bad people like Shav were made to retire by the Tribune pillagers who have purchased and proceeded to destroy this newspaper, yet Simers stays. He's the worst.

John

oddlycalm
02-20-06, 03:21 PM
We should have an award every year for both the motorsport journalist and the non-motorsport journalist most deserving of being banned from the word processor for life.

oc

Ankf00
02-20-06, 03:49 PM
So he is LA's local Skip Bayless... contrarian just to be a contrarian...

Dr. Corkski
02-20-06, 10:13 PM
We should have an award every year for both the motorsport journalist and the non-motorsport journalist most deserving of being banned from the word processor for life.

ocAnd the Kate Shaw Award goes to,,,,

:gomer:

pchall
02-21-06, 01:29 PM
Some Americans have problems with the more extreme British accents. But this guy was either being a buffoon or he was just sauced on free booze. Probably both.


Just a hack using a cliche as he types his pile of crap.

Even the worst of Cockney and other bad accents are disappearing because of nationwide broadcasting of radio and tv "BBC Standard English".