Jimmie Johnson is AP Athlete of the Year

“Athlete: a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/athlete)

For years I attended high school with 1,000 other guys, proclaiming my love for a sport that few considered a true sport. I proclaimed myself a fan of a driver in his late 40s who drove for a medicine that helps older men with certain medical issues. So, yeah, I’m used to being on the defensive about arguing that NASCAR is a sport, the drivers are athletes and that I love Mark Martin no matter what he drives.

The last fact isn’t that important in today’s arguments about whether or not Jimmie Johnson, a man who just, “sits in a car and drives in circles,” according to most people who don’t know anything about NASCAR, really deserves to be called the “Athlete of the Year.”

Johnson (far left) has won four straight NASCAR Sprint Cup titles, a feat that has never before been accomplished. Today he accomplished another feat never before done by a NASCAR driver: Win AP Athlete of the Year

And while I may just be preaching to the choir here (as most of you that read this here blog are already fanatics of the sport) I feel it necessary to defend the sport that most feel isn’t a sport.

Did I mention that Tiger Woods was just named AP Athlete of the Decade, an honor that he most definitely deserves as he was the dominant golfer in the decade, but no one argued that Tiger isn’t an athlete. Instead everyone pointed to Tiger’s recent “transgressions” as a reason why he may not deserve the award.

Jimmie Johnson—love him or hate him NASCAR fans—deserves this award more than anyone else this year. Who else could argue that they deserve to be the AP Athlete of the Year?

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has a case, but he’s not done with his season yet. Alberto Contador won the Tour de France (but who in NASCAR paid attention to the final stage of the Tour, held on the same day as the Brickyard 400?). Roger Federer had a heck of a year in tennis (and he did finish second to Johnson in the voting) but he ultimately came up just short.

And I will claim ignorance on how the Associated Press decides who is their Athlete of the Year. I mean, I know a bunch of editors and writers vote, but what do they ask to consider as criteria for the award, other than excellence in one’s field? Oh, and being an “athlete”.

NASCAR haters across the globe unite in proclaiming the sport a “Non Athletic Sport Centered Around Rednecks.” Problem with their argument is within the nickname itself. They proclaim the non sport a sport, albeit centering around rednecks. One blogger even said this about Johnson: “Plus it just kind of seems like the fastest guy on the planet or the best tennis player of all time is a slightly better athlete than a guy who pushes a pedal down and tilts a steering wheel.”

Johnson (front) won his third Brickyard 400 this year

Cue Jimmie Johnson, who laughs at all the NASCAR detractors in this world. “I've looked at other sports, particularly baseball, and I've seen plenty of out-of-shape, fat players,” said Johnson. “So to anyone who wants to go head-to-head with me in athletic ability, let's go. I talked a lot with [former NFL player] Jason Sehorn about this, and I don't know how exactly you measure athletic ability, but I know my 5-mile run time will destroy most NFL players.”
And there goes the bombshell everyone has been waiting for...Jimmie Johnson, a NASCAR driver, calling out NFL players on athleticism. Or at least I think he did. It’s tough to call something a sport, tough to define what athleticism is, and even tougher to argue that NASCAR is a sport and its drivers are actually athletes.

As a fan of Mark Martin I have to point no further than the man that most NASCAR experts consider the most fit driver to proclaim that NASCAR drivers are actually athletic. Now the AP validated my thoughts. I know it won’t change your mind if you’re one who considers NASCAR a “Non Athletic Sport” but maybe you’ll reconsider it after hearing that even the AP considers NASCAR drivers athletes and went so far as to name one their Athlete of the Year.

Congrats Jimmie Johnson, you’re opening the door for NASCAR, even more than you already have.