Final Turn: 97 million shades of gray

Folks in high-profile occupations of considerable power and responsibility (perceived or otherwise) will inevitably face great criticism throughout their tenure.

Politicians. Fortune 500 CEOs. Athletes. The like.

A college football coach may finish 11-2 every year, win the conference championship every year, graduate 95 percent of his players every year, yet still endure disparagement from big-money boosters regarding the offensive play selection.

Just how it is. Comes with the paycheck.

Armchair quarterbacking is an age-old right, one of which we NASCAR fans take full advantage.

	MARTY SMITH •   E-mail Marty •   Opinion Archive •   Store: 'I Agree With Marty' tee

We're a belligerent band of George Straits. (We hate everything.) We're laser-quick to criticize, slow to commend.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still utterly bewildered by some of NASCAR's recent decisions. That's not likely to change. The inconsistency is troubling.

But having given considerable thought to such things during the past week, I better respect the difficulty of policing the sport.

This isn't football. It isn't black and white for 60 minutes. It's 97 million shades of gray. It's a million different parts on 50 racecars. It's a thousand personalities and a billion strategies. It's damn hard.

And I think every competitor in the sport respects the difficulty involved in NASCAR's position. That's why consistency is infinitely critical. Consistency breeds respect.

Handing Todd Berrier a three-race suspension for a second offense when he got four races for the initial offense isn't easily understood, especially when Lance McGrew got 25 points and 10 grand after NASCAR took his entire car at Loudon.

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Folks might rebut that McGrew isn't a repeat offender. Very true. But the fact is Berrier wasn't on probation entering Talladega. Still, the No. 29 was illegal and thus Berrier was due a penalty.

One-step up from McGrew's would suffice: A one-race suspension (which he served at Talladega), 50 points and $25,000.

Berrier should be racing this weekend in Kansas.

But that's just us: Marty Smith and the belligerent band of Hateful Straits, Armchair Quarterbacks for hire.

The opinons expressed are solely of the writer.