Back in the dark days of World War II, individuals such as journalist Ernie Pyle and cartoonist Bill Mauldin faithfully reported the reality of war on the front lines, living with and in Pyle's case dying alongside the troops.  One of Maudlin's cartoons, which as usual with his work at the time featured as its main characters two war-weary soldiers named Willie and Joe, made a none-too subtle comment about the quality of Army food.  In case you can't make out the caption, it reads, "I coulda swore a coupla krauts wuz usin' that cow for cover, Joe.  Go wake up th' cooks."  In the lower right hand corner of the drawing sits a pile of empty C and K rations containers.  Ask anyone who was there for a full explanation.

This came to mind when considering a couple of recent articles on ESPN, which really ought to be more truthful by officially changing its name from Entertainment and Sports Programming Network to Excessive Sucking-Up Propaganda Network.  First up is Rusty Wallace, who maintains the lamentable professional condition he has clung to ever since retiring as a driver of morphing from one striking the pose of an independent free spirit unafraid to challenge the powers that be into a toady of the lowest order with this column.  In it he swears up and down from his seat in the super-secret NASCAR mobile castle replete with spy cameras pointed every which way but loose he clearly saw the debris giving cause for the caution at California which ever so conveniently bunched the field at a time when the race was nearing its end and Jimmie Johnson was waffle-stomping the field.  You know, the debris FOX with its ten zillion dollars' worth of ten zillion high definition cameras couldn't find?  And if the caution was legitimate, exactly why couldn't NASCAR couldn't be bothered to inform anyone exactly where the debris was so it wouldn't look like they were throwing a bogus yellow for the sole reason of putting the outcome in doubt?  Then again, how accurate can NASCAR's cameras be, since at Daytona they couldn't find Clint Bowyer's car sliding across the track on its roof and on fire to boot?  We know NASCAR believes its own propaganda about how everyone unquestionably loves it, but come on.  For a more realistic assessment of the situation than that offered by ol' Russell, check out Marty Snider's column from yesterday.

As disheartening as the above is, it pales when compared to the blatant PR piece by Rupen Fofaria about how everyone is happier than a school-hating kid on a snow day going to Mexico for this weekend's Busch race.  But of course.  And all NASCAR fans just l-o-o-o-v-e road courses, right?  (I do, but then again I am from California.  'Nuff said.)  Teams looking at the logistics of starting the season by going to Florida, then California, then Mexico -- by the way, it's rather a long drive from anywhere North Carolina to Mexico City -- followed by Las Vegas... naah, won't cost a dime to do all that.

Besides, it's a culturally enriching experience for NASCAR to visit south of the border.  And what, you think that means teams and drivers will take the time to immerse themselves in a study of items such as Aztec history and culture, maybe brush up on the country's colorful and often troubled political history, perhaps take a gander at the social and economic disparity that permeates its society?  Oh don't be silly.  There are far more important reasons to go.  After all, Denny Hamlin apparently can't find any decent Mexican food north of the border.  Psst... Denny... when you come to Infineon there's a restaurant in Concord -- that's Concord in California, not Concord in North Carolina -- named Agave that has fantastic Mexican cuisine.  You really need to give it a try.

Enjoy the weekend anyway, everyone.