* Pitchers Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens should have to back up because they throw the ball harder than most pitchers and batters can't swing fast enough.
* Shaquille O'Neal should keep one hand tied behind his back because he's bigger and stronger than most NBA players.
* New England quarterback Tom Brady should have to wear a patch over one eye because he sees the field better than most quarterbacks and has an unfair advantage over defenders.
* Roger Federer has to keep his shoes tied together on the tennis court because he's faster than most opponents.
* Tiger Woods can't hit his driver because he hits the ball farther than his competitors.
Obviously, none of those things will ever occur - and shouldn't. Maybe it's fine in horse racing to make sure every horse is carrying the same amount of weight, but don't try that argument when it comes to auto racing.
If the weight has to be the same, what about the driver's strength? If a male driver can bench press more weight, does that mean he might have an unfair advantage over Patrick when it comes to controlling the car and a penalty would have to be assessed to give Patrick, or any other woman, the same chance to win.
And why would Gordon, or any NASCAR driver, whine about unfair advantages? If you watched the Coca-Cola 600 Sunday night, there were more wrecks in five hours than you'll see on an icy Boyle County rural road in three months. While some of the wrecks were pure accidents, many more were caused by careless - or stupid - driving.
If intentionally hitting another car in the rear at 195 miles per hour is not considered gaining an unfair advantage, then why would Gordon worry about what Patrick's weighs. It's even funnier that Gordon, a former open wheel driver, says he won't compete in the Indy 500 again unless the weight is equalized. Based on the problems he's having on the NASCAR circuit, he's got more than enough to whine about there without worrying about Patrick or any other female driver.
