Everytime I tune into ESPN, the lyrics: “And I think to myself… what a wonderful world,” plays in my mind, until, that is, someone starts breaking down NASCAR highlights on Sports Center.

When Louie Armstrong wrote that classic lyric, I think we all know what he was referring to, at least in the wide world of sports version.

He was talking about Ken Griffey Jr., scaling the outfield fence, to rob a would-be homerun. Or maybe he meant a clutch Michael Jordan fade away jumper over an outstretched defender.

I can safely say he wasn’t referring to several high-powered vehicles zipping endlessly around in circles.
A sport is defined as an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature.
I just can’t see bringing myself to understand how controlling machines around a track could be considered an athletic activity.

The idea of this column, however, is not to get into the logistics of whether or not NASCAR meets the requirements of a sport; it is designed to demonstrate why it should not qualify as a true sport.

When I refer to a true sport I’m talking about the crack of a bat and the pop of a ball hitting a glove, the feel of the football, the hard-hits and the determination to gain that one last yard.

And I can’t forget the smooth finger roll, the shot attempt swatted into the fourth row and the emphatic slam-dunk.

Baseball, football, basketball, hockey, soccer, boxing and golf: these qualify as true sports. And NASCAR falls somewhere closer to poker and cheerleading.

The racing amounts to watching moving advertisements compete for the top spot.

Don’t get me wrong I know I wouldn’t cut it in NASCAR today, but how much training does it really take to succeed in NASCAR? Really the car does all the physical work.  

It’s an interesting skill and it has to take a lot of time to master, but in NASCAR technology is the great equalizer.

What really distinguishes the driving skills from one another? I have never heard a physical skill set that many drivers possess.    Anytime you get the feeling that your friend sitting on the couch, eating some potato chips looks a great deal like the guy in the victory lane, it has to bring a pause.

There are exceptions but some of these guys are not athletes, generally they don’t have to take care of their bodies to succeed. How can something like NASCAR be considered a sport? The physical demands just are not there.

So please NASCAR, really no offense, but stop taking away from the real sports action. I heard Spike TV is looking for a something interesting to boost ratings…