And people love Tony Stewart because?

Throughout the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cut this year, the media took turns slathering love on every contender, it seemed, except Carl Edwards, despite the fact that he led the points for quite some time during both the "regular" season and the "playoffs."

I understand the fascination with Jimmie Johnson during the chase, as he the five-time champion could never be counted out and had made a habit of being at his best during the final 10 races.

But Tony Stewart? During the telecast of the season finale, everyone fawned all over Stewart, and found every reason to dismiss Edwards' chances. Now, in the end, they were right -- but only by the narrowest of margins. As it turns out, Edwards lost doing exactly what had kept him in the hunt all year long; he finished second, while leading the most laps, but that wasn't enough as Stewart won the race and the title. They actually tied in points, but Stewart won based on his five race wins (all coming in the final 10 races).


So Stewart was indeed good, but it's not like Edwards wilted under the pressure or anything.

The bias toward Stewart was ridiculous. It was seemingly all about his "hunger," and "drive," and "intensity," etc.  Truth of the matter is that all of those are synonyms meaning "Tony Stewart is a jerk."

This is the same guy who was famous for being petulant during his early years in NASCAR, slapping a recorder out of a reporter's hands, etc.

I've been a member of the sports media, and although I was only rarely around personalities on the professional level (I actually met Stewart briefly years ago, when he was in the Busch Series, and he was rather unapproachable), I know there is a tendency in the media to want to feel like you've tamed the savage beast. You like getting a quote from the hard-to-get, like feeling like you're in good with someone who could explode at any time. If you need any more proof that the media loves jerks, look at how many people still consider Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens relevant well after they realistically are.

And it doesn't hurt that Stewart makes for a good quote. Jerks can be like that.

And while everyone on his team and in the garage was giving Stewart love prior to the race, behind the scenes was the fact that he'd basically fired his crew chief after a string of mediocre finishes earlier in the chase. Think that crew chief had anything to do with his resurgence?

But at least the media didn't have to deal with the disappointment of Edwards winning.