Gordon Kirby, reduced to podcasting and pontificating on the Internet, sent professionalism to new lows in the field of race writing. I used to believe Robin Miller set the bar to its lowest point, but at least he has a sick sense of humor. Kirby and his bitterness on a VoiceAmerica podcast the other night was excruciatingly immature.
Here is background for those of you lucky enough to have been doing anything else. There are a bunch of ex-cart employees who evidently have some quaint little podcast. Michael Knight is the host, Larry Henry does the announcing, and they had John Oreovicz and Gordon Kirby on as a ‘journalist panel.’ Although use of the term ‘journalist’ to describe either one is at best disingenuous. The one thing all have in common is that all picked the losing side in 1995, planted their flag there, and have refused to budge philosophically ever since. Some, like Knight and Oreovicz, play nice from time to time. Some, like Kirby, take the sleazeball route.
One of the guests on the podcast was Terry Angstadt of Indy Car. Instead of asking a ten second question about the direction of Indy Car, Kirby assaulted Angstadt for a minute and half then badgered him repeatedly. He pontificated about how much better he thought the sport was in 1993 when Nigel Mansel was driving in the Indianapolis 500. Basically, he spouted the same bitter ‘Tony George ruined
everything’ line of bullsh!t the militant few refuse to stop shouting even after fifteen years. Kirby lectured Angstadt on how busy he was that month of May in ’93 because it was so popular and his writing was in demand worldwide. Then he cited examples of how he can’t give his stuff away now (which may explain his presence on a podcast).
Retarded zealots ALWAYS make the same mistaken assumptions…that challenges facing the Indy Car Series are solely the result of the politics of the ‘split’ and not about anything else, such as evolution, self immolation (twice) or current economic conditions. I wonder whether Kirby and his fraternity have ever stopped to think that perhaps the reason their writing is no longer in demand is because they spent fifteen years writing about how they believed the sport died after 1995. Perhaps they, like cart, killed what they did for a living all by themselves. I know, I know…their egos will never allow for that reality.
Angstadt stated what any smart person would; that we can either wring our hands in angst and live twenty years ago, or we can evolve.
Kirby needs to retire. His unprofessional behavior discredits not only the sport, but his profession and himself personally. He is an absolute disgrace. He owes Angstadt and real racing fans everywhere an apology. He needs to grow up.
Defender of IndyCar 
I don’t understand why he would gripe to Terry about the split. If I am correct he wasn’t even around the sport back then. Seems like he wasted interview to me
nice try defender. i do not care what side of the “open wheel divide” you sit on, the ex-CART/CCWS fans, or the irl fans.
what terry angstadt did in that interview, is make himself and the league look silly, and probably upset izod as well. how can a high ranking official of a series not even know who is in his employ? this is not a fortune 500 company with over 1,000 employees, then it would be almost excusable. this is the current version of indy cars defender, with about 16 drivers right now. talking about a marketing campaign for your series biggest sponsor, naming driver’s who are not even in the series, and then admitting you need to look at a list to see who you employ now? you very conveniently side-step this main point and go straight to your same old tired drivel.
Editor’s Note: Nice try at diversion, Mr. Ishmynob (the utter lack of maturity possessed by cart knuckle draggers such as yourself and Gordon Kirby is utterly astounding, by the way). Have you or Kirby ever considered that perhaps Angstadt knows something those who steadfastly reject Indy Car but remain obsessed with it anyway do not? I did not think so.
forget the CART factor for awhile here, and examine the main issue. terry angstadt embarrassed himself, and the league yesterday, and this is one of the guys who has a position of prominence in that very league. i have emailed izod, and made them very aware of the whole interview, of which they already knew beforehand. let’s just say they were/are not happy about it.
Editor’s Note: Angstadt aside, how do you feel about Kirby’s bush league, unprofessional ambush, his dated pontification of the company line of an organization that killed itself, twice, and his impertinent badgering of Mr. Angstadt on a podcast hatched by former cart employees? Oddly, an IZOD senior VP with whom I am associated expressed disgust that otherwise smart people who refuse to budge from a period of history that occurred nearly twenty years ago. In his words, IZOD looks forward. Not backward. You may not be aware that Angstadt arranged the IZOD sponsorship. It is not surprising there are sub-humans out there trying to sabotage the IZOD sponsorship. Fortunately, IZOD views such idiots in their correct context: Fans who watch every single second of the coverage. My only problem with Angstadt, and for that matter Belskus, is that they speak in mostly non-human, Joe Heitzler-like buzzword speak. That drives me nuts. Speak plain English with no obfuscation.
so i suggest you stick to the main points of the whole interview, and forget blaming everyone and anyone who is not around anymore. try to stick to the present defender and think of ways to make sure we don’t see blunders like TA made yesterday again. it does set the irl version of indy cars back further than it already is.
Editor’s Note: To call that podcast an interview is to admit your abject stupidity. It was an attack by disenfranchised crybaby who made an ass of himself and set the entire sport back a few notches. He owes the entire racing community an apology.
i would like to know one thing kirby stated…how does newman/haas have over $25 millions dollars worth of sponsorship in 1993, a time you and your fellow irl bretheren continually state that open wheel racing was in decline? how does newman/haas get a driver the stature of the current F1 champion nigel mansell to come over and drive for them at that same time when you claim open wheel racing was being ruined and in decline?
Editor’s Note: Have you myopic ‘Tony ruined everything’ retardos ever even considered the differences in the world outside racing? Forget even that for a moment. In 1993, Paul Newman was breathing AND working. Carl Haas did not look like a fossil. They were associated with Mario. Why wouldn’t things have been better for them?
how do we go from that to right now, with newman/haas pretty much going from a first-rate team in CART/CCWS, to in less than two years of being in the irl, down to one car, with a pay driver, and barely any sponsorship?
Editor’s Note: Simple. Paul Newman is no longer breathing, Carl Haas resembles a fossil, Mario went from involved to nothing more than empty pontification and the Andretti who still has passion runs a four car, fully sponsored team.
i know you will skirt the issues with your tired old boring rhetoric again. you want to grow the sport defender? answer the questions maturely, and then we can get to the root of the problem and correct it. you might want to note as well, open wheel racing under the CART banner thrived through two recessions, so do not bring up the economy argument either. if the series was strong, it would get through with no problems. Paul Ishmynob
Editor’s Note: So if they had all of that going for them including the ability to survive recessions, how on earth could they have so brutally killed themselves, twice, instead of conquering the world? No offense, but those of you who refuse to budge from the early 1990s are among the most stupid people on the entire planet. Evolve. You watch every second anyway so why not try to enjoy it?
Paul Ishhmynob’s Note: no diversion at all defender, you are the one trying to divert. when it comes to angstadt, he knows squat. i am friends with one or morae’s best friends, and he has told me the mario has no prospects at all in indy car at the present moment. nice try. try to answer the above topic of the post…angstadt’s epic PR blunder. kirby also wrote unflattering things about CART/CCWS along the way, he just now has had enough and calls it as he see’s fit. this is not unlike you defender, you have your own beliefs, do you not? right or wrong?
Editor’s Note: No diversion. Kirby’s actions lacked ethics, professionalism, tact and maturity. He set the sport back. He owes ALL of us an apology. This is not to say Angstadt is brilliant. He seemed out of touch when clumsily blindsided, and his tendency to speak in buzzwords is quite annoying. I rarely put any stock in ‘friend of a friend’ connections, particulary when you can’t even spell the name of the driver in question. Let’s wait and see who takes the track after Brazil in St. Pete before all the fake hand wringing commences. Look, Kirby has been reduced to wailing on a podcast. He is bound to be pissed. But where did his dignity go?
Paul Ishmynob’s Note: i seem to recall a sub-human doing the same things to sponsors of the CART/CCWS…you defender. working closely with a big company dealing with izod, and knowing key izod personnel defender, they are questioning what they are spending their money on now. in that regard, izod is having regrets, that means looking backwards. how do i feel about kirby’s (your own word’s) bush league, unprofessional ambush? he has credibility. what is your excuse? every one of your blogs is the same thing, with cheap juvenile, bush league antics. i guess a guy openly pining for people’s death is not considered tasteless, classless and bush league? let’s see defender, over the years, making light of greg moore, paul newman, alex zanardi, calling for another board member’s demise (Lee). whatever.
Editor’s Note: So in addition to posting like a retarded second grader, you also evidently can’t read, which is also unsurprising. IZOD is committed for the long haul and the activation of that sponsorship will became painfully apparent to the handful of haters still fighting a war that saw you getting your behinds handed to you. Twice. Here are sound words of advice from an adult: Learn how to read. Then learn how to comprehend what you read. Then orient yourself in this century. You are likely to be much happier.
Paul Ishmynob’s Note: it was an interview. did he not ask questions of a guy who was there to be asked questions? that is called an interview anywhere else on this planet. using your logic, then i think the whole world of racing is owed an apology from you, who has set the world of racing back big time.
Editor’s Note: That was decidely not an interview. In an interview, the interviewer asks the interviewee questions, then allows the interviewee to answer the questions. Interviewers who pontificate instead of asking questions than badger the living hell out of the interviewee while he attempts to answer are unprofessional, lack ethics and do not deserve to even be on a podcast begun by disenfranchised cart enthusiasts.
Paul Ishmynob’s Note: but, but, indy car has the mighty indy500, that is where the sponsor’s want to be, is it not? that is what you and you ilk constantly pontificate, so what is the problem then? paul and carl managed to get sponsorship when they were in CCWS, when that series was floundering, and they did not have the mighty indy500, hmmmm. i will ignore your childish comments about paul and carl as well.
Editor’s Note: Spin it however you would like. The facts have not changed. Paul Newman is DEAD. Carl Haas is not that far removed from that particular fate. There is said to be infighting in that organization. Mario remains on the sidelines taking the crapper approach you have adopted. His son is fielding a multi-car, fully sponsored organization in Indy Car. If they want sponsorship, they can figure out how to get it.
Paul Ishmynob’s Note: a fully-funded four car team for mikey? go back and check on that one. more like a three car team with two fully funded rides and money from his third driver. again, ignore your idiotic childish remarks about paul. carl, and mario.
Editor’s Note: They may have FIVE in the 500, and do not forget about their cars in the support ladders. If Mikey can do it why can’t Deceased/Haas/Lanigan?
Paul Ishmynob’s Note: you know the answer to your questions defatso. CCWS killed itself off, i will give you that. CART did not. tonybucks throwing money at penske, ganassi, walker, rahal, fernandez, to get them to come over. yes, CART did it all to themselves. grow up defender. all i get from you when i even try to have a mature debate from you, is the same old BS. you openly pine for mature debates, but cannot give one back yourself. stick to your useless blog, thinking you mean anything to anyone. i just like coming here to expose you for the idiot you are, as well as your other moniker’s you drum up to make it seem like you have people come here. Paul Ishmynob…done with you idiot.
Editor’s Note: I think calls for a mature debate by a guy who uses a fake name such as ‘Paul Ishmynob’ is somewhat amusing, particularly when his debate tactics include words such as ‘defatso,’ ‘tonybucks,’ ‘idiot,’ and paranoid delusions about made up names debating with myself. Seek help. You exhibit potentially dangerous socipathic tendencies. You, like Kirby, lack honesty and maturity. Are you really done (please Lord, let that be true) or is that another lie?
If the dude of many obscene names would make his point in a sincere and well-mannered way I might actually read his commments. Maybe he should take up a new cause, like bringing back those t-shirts that change color when you wear them or promoting the musical stylings of Stryper.
Defender= BOZO the CLOWN
Gordon Kirby= Respected journalists for DECADES!!! Still on staff @ Autosport (since 1972?) & numerous magazines, BTW (unlike your worthless, blogging a$$). Kirby also has written an awesome book on Rick Mears (not exactly a “CART” guy) to go along with his other quality racing books. Call us when you stop writing in Crayolas
You do nothing but drive fans away from your blog with your endless moronic comments. Pi$$ing on Kirby just gives people the instant impression that your diapers are filled & you are eating your poop again. Congrats
Editor’s Note: How do you feel about Kirby’s unprofessional, unethical lapse on that podcast? That is the topic. Not me. I did not go on some podcast to act like a petulant child. Kirby is not being ‘pissed on.’ He is being taken to task for a blatant lapse of professionalism. Of course given the sophomoric tone of your cackling you are are obviously too ignorant to understand the problem. But thanks for attempting to read.
You don’t have a podcast for a reason! How would want to listen to BOZO the BLOGGER???
Editor’s Note: Where did I say I WANTED a podcast? I already did 15 years on radio and have had two additional successul careers since. I am content letting the keyboard be my sword.
You are so professional that you don’t even have the balls to LINK the podcast you pooped your Pampers over! Grow a pair & allow your 7 readers to actually LISTEN to all of Knight’s guests & cast their own unbiased opinion (as opposed to listening to YOUR VERSION of what Kirby & company actually said.
Editor’s Note: So sorry. http://www.voiceamerica.com/voiceamerica/vepisode.aspx?aid=44538
You babbled on about Kirby being limited to podcasting & blogging… as usual you were WRONG & MISLEADING. Knight & his guests have a long history in U.S. Motorsport… they have proved they know what they are talking about. Call us when your resume reflects those gents on the podcast.
Editor’s Note: My resume already does. But again, I was not the unprofessional buffoon reduced to podcast ranting. They may have a long history in the business but each one of the participants was formerly employed by cart, and each one has at one time openly displayed the retardation wrought by choosing the wrong side when the boycott broke out. Look, take my advice. Get out of 1995 and join the rest of us in 2010. It is pretty nice up here. Those of us who have enjoyed Indy Car since long before cart was hatched still believe we have a swell sport despite mismanagement that has plagued the sport for almost all of its decades.
Funny… I can Google Gordon Kirby, Mike Knight, Larry Henry, & John Oreovicz & get their RESUMES. However typing in “Defender” doesn’t pull up yours.
Until you have the stones to put your REAL NAME on this toliet paper (you might as well scribble out with crayons…) then you are the one that looks like a retard!!! At least Miller, Kirby, Knight, Oreovicz & all the real contributers to our sport have the BALLS to put their names to their work.
Editor’s Note: This is not work. I do not get paid for it and it is basically for my own amusement. I rather enjoy the childish reactions I can elicit by those who do not possess the ability to react in a human fashion. If you pay attention to nothing else, kindly focus on this: This blog is not about me. It is about the unprofessional, ethics deprived ranting of Gordon Kirby, who I believe owes the sport an apology for his actions on that former cart employee podcast. Most of the names you mention are not contributors to the sport. They are destroyers of the sport. All of them need to grow up and plant their pompous asses into the correct century; some more than others. Is there any part of this statement about which you remain confused? Kindly keep all future commentary confined to the topic. Thanks.
you’re getting your arse handed to you today. everywhere. :popcorn: do you even know what you’re defending anymore?
you do understand that nobody with an ounce of racing knowledge and nobody with a true appreciation for AOW history gives a FF anymore…..don’t you? watching you defend something that really does need to be defended, is like watching a trout flop on the ground trying to get back into the stream. eventually it tires and just lays there. and eventually it just accepts the inevitable. eventually the sun gets to it and it bloats. flys start to converge on the carcass and the stench becomes unbearable. it rots. after the maggots eat the flesh, the skeleton remains for mother nature to flush it away into oblivion…….like it never existed. you are a trout.
Editor’s Note: Sort of like the twice defunct cart series. Look, ‘ol 157…this is not about me, and frankly I really do not care what anyone thinks of me. What I AM interested in is an exchange of banter related to the unprofessional, ethics deprived ranting of someone hellbent on destroying the sport in the most embarrassing manner possible. I want these people, and the more childish of you who divert away from the actual topic to focus on what is important. An apology by Gordon Kirby. Please keep future commentary confined to actual topics. Thanks, ‘ol 157.
lol defender you are a genius.
Duhfender there you go again trying to talk with Tony George’s $#@* in your mouth!
Editor’s Note: Given the unprofessionalism, pettiness and immaturity of Gordon Kirby’s recent podcast attack of Terry Angstadt, is it really any surprise that like minded cart-centric sycophants would rush to his defense in equally vulgar and childish fashion?
Give ’em hell, Defender! You speak for the true believers!
And, jeez Louise, do none of your detractors understand what capitalization is?