Wow, this topic sure caused a riot.
Heh...not really. Back in January I gave some members of the "old boys club" some flak for posting callous BS on the Delaware board. Now I'm on the CASCAR board and getting shouted down. Tit for tat...and the message board cliquey-band plays on. 😀
I do hope that the newly formed Griddly Headz can make some amends for the mistakes of the past owners. If it IS the same guys hiding behind a new corp then the vomit is probably justified. But I haven't heard yet one way or the other.
Trev
Shadowracer, I took one "jab" at you, at that was at your own "jab" at Inside Track and Greg. As for the hinting at inside info, I was simply referring to the fact that anything related to Delaware always had a response from you, for example, people talking about the condition of the track, and you stating that "Well, I can tell you with certainty that there's lots of upgrades in the offing." Tell me if that doesn't sound like your speaking from inside info.
But I do love the not so subtle jab at me. Please, feel free to search the board for my negative comments about Delaware. Tell me where I've slung "BS" at the track. Ask anyone who knows me, I don't have a bad word to say about Delaware. I used to drive 2 hours from Toronto to watch Friday nite races, or the weekend Cascar races, Enduro's, the truck specials, an Alstar race.
Seems to me I'm only doing what you do. I guess you can say I'm giving a member of the "new boys club" some flak for posting callous BS about someone on the Cascar board, but as you say, whatever!
as far as i'm concerned Griddly Headz can go suck an egg......talk to whitlock, petey shepard, joel robinson and inside track about the quality of that company.........i don't care if it was taken over by their largest creditor.........they can still go suck an egg.........
p.s. so can powerwater and go racing.ca
Hi guys.
The only thing that bugs me about this thread is that you're not having it on my site!!! Thousands of views and not one comment. Geez. But you write novels here ???
Keep it up and I'll have to find some nice pictures and post them on my blog about the guys who read my site and run off to another to discuss it.... 😉
But getting back to the topic at hand...
I don't see what me posting that picture has to do with "journalistic integrity." There's no rule I know of that says that being "even-handed" precludes harsh commentary, if the situation warrants it. Besides, if Shadowracer is indeed a subscriber, then that says more to me about what he thinks about me and my magazine... and all I would say to him is "thank you." If everyone else had the same 'disdain' for my work, I would be driving a much nicer car.
I do take liberties on the blog that I don't take in the magazine. So, no, I won't be putting a picture of a pile of vomit in Inside Track.
By now, I hope people know what to expect from our different outlets. Besides, Jim Lapcevich says he likes the funny pictures, so we try to have some fun.
Sometimes, you gotta laugh.
In point form, here are some of my thoughts on the issue of the return of Griddly.
- In spite of the similarities, the new company is not the old company. It's my understanding that the new company does not know the whereabouts of Kerry Martens, the individual who headed the old company. There are, however, some individuals working for the new company, who were employed by the old company.
- It's my understanding that the new company's principle owner is the individual who was hurt the most (in terms of dollars lost) by the old company. The bankruptcy papers list that "5908 Holdings Ltd." was burned for $2,644,071.70 as a "secured creditor" and another $1,929.000.00 as an "unsecured creditor. " Ouch. Let me be clear: What was done in the past was not the new owner's doing and I can't fault the new group for trying to recoup some of their losses.
- The owner of the new company does not expect to get a penny back from Mr. Martens.
- It's my understanding that the new company will not be paying back any of the debts of the old company, as they did not incur those debts. Therefore, it's safe to assume that no one else is going to get a penny back, either.
- After posting my comment and the picture, we were contacted by a representative for the new company. He was very friendly and didn't threaten anything. He wanted it made clear that the new company had nothing to do with the old company. We never said it did, but I added an UPDATE comment to my original post, further clarifying the distinction.
- I posted the vomit because it turned my stomach to think that Griddly Headz was back in any form. The company associated with the words "Headz Gamez" and "Griddly Headz" did a lot of harm to a lot of people. And for the new bunch to slough it off with a cartoon character saying she had cleaned house, doesn't go far enough (IMO) in recognizing all the damage that was done. They don't have the right to be cute about this, IMO. And all those comments about their high morals and integrity - while at the same time implying a degree of continuity with the old company (e.g. photos from last summer's CASCAR races) - rubbed me the wrong way.
- I don't know this, but it's my hunch that the new company is using a name and branding that are similar to the old company in order to continue to use the NASCAR license. If so, it is unfortunate that this is necessary, given that the old company created so much bad will. I would compare what they're trying to do to starting a new energy company and calling it ENRON... or a gold exploration company and calling it BRE-X. I wouldn't want to start a company with that kind of baggage.
As mentioned earlier by someone else, Pete Shepherd isn't in a Roush Fenway Truck right now because of Griddly Headz / Martens. Period. Promises were made and broken regarding Shepherd's sponsorship for 2007. I feel especially bad about this because I put Roush in touch with Martens in the first place.
And then there are the people of Parrsboro, NS. It's disgusting what was done to them.
I don't want to speak on behalf of anyone else mentioned in this thread, as they can do so for themselves if they wish.
The bottom line, to me, is that the new owners might be able to have it 'both ways' legally, but they can't have it both ways when it comes to my stomach.
Sure, they can imply continuity in terms of the company's name and grandma sweeping out the locker room of the Martens brothers in a cutsie way. And they don't have to pay off the debts incurred by the old company. Fine.
But they do have to put up with my stomach turning when they call their company Griddly Headz Games and try to come off lilly-white like Mother Teresa. The old company, which has a very similar name to the new company, hurt a lot of people.
As I mentioned, the representative of the new company said we could conduct a proper interview within weeks and I hope that is the case. If that happens, I pledge to be "even-handed." And if I can put aside my "journalistic integrity" for a moment, I honestly hope they're successful in what they're trying to do. Canadian racing needs all the supporters it can get. It's just going to take a long time before I can get Kerry Martens' picture out of my mind when I think of Griddly Headz.
I went to post a comment one time for something but when i realized I had to sign up I said forget it, too lazy lol.