Seahawks' Golden Tate criticizes NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson

LOUDON, N.H. — Jimmie Johnson has two titles he is especially proud to have linked to his name. Five-time NASCAR champion. AP Male Athlete of the Year.

Johnson was swept into a brief Twitter feud this week because of his inclusion as a nominee for male athlete of the year at the ESPY Awards.

Seahawks receiver Golden Tate posted on his account, @ShowtimeTate, "Jimmy johnson up for best athlete???? Um nooo .. Driving a car does not show athleticism."

• "I've driven a car on unknown roads at night at 90mph no big deal. No sign of athletism."

"Apologies for my offensive comment to NASCAR fans. I actually read up on it and NO I couldn't race a car 150 mph," he wrote.

So wow, you just defined athlete to be your own ideal.

I don’t like your definition and will not abide by it. And I will bet Tate WOULD NOT be able to drive with 6 months of training.

Just like Tate requires some intuition about the ball field, you can’t teach intuition on the race track.

Obviously, you aren’t a open wheel star, so your definition of a pro driver ..... sucks. Or you’d obviously be a pro if you had that intuitive grasp of the car and road.

There is a saying I like to quote to people who think they can drive a luxury car fast and that makes them a pro (or even tried their hands at amateur racing):

“There are two things all men think they are the best at, sex and driving.”

Obviously, that isn’t the case.

So wow, you just defined athlete to be your own ideal.

I did? How? Be specific.

I don’t like your definition and will not abide by it.

Won't "abide by it"? Are you a scriptwriter for a Gone With the Wind remake or something?

Obviously, you aren’t a open wheel star, so your definition of a pro driver ..... sucks.

I never gave a definition of a "pro-driver". It's very hard to argue against someone's imagination. Or you’d obviously be a pro if you had that intuitive grasp of the car and road.

I did it for money. Should we get a dictionary out and look up "professional"?

Why don't you call up Howe in Beaverton, MI and price out an asphalt chassis and suspension and then Masterbilt for a dirt chassis. Then slide over to McGunegill for a price on a sealed engine.

Price out sheet metal fab, and ten sets of Hoosiers, a rig to haul your car, weekly fuel bill and that will be a starting point for about 60% of your budget. There's more. Much much more.

Now do you know what the best paying feature win of all time for the fastest oval asphalt cars in the world (Supermodifieds) paid? $10,000. About enough to freshen the motor, buy a couple sets of tires and haul to the next race. Usually they pay about $3-4000 to win. There isn't one in 500 people in this country that could name a Supermodified driver.

You just don't know enough about the sport to know the difference between a "pro" and making a living at it.

There is a saying I like to quote to people who think they can drive a luxury car fast and that makes them a pro

Ooh a quote. I'm impressed. I've carried motors in the back of my pickup that cost almost as much as an entire luxury car and changed them out standing in a muddy fairground parking lot at 1am with flashlights.

That's short track racing for just about everybody. Something you don't know a damn thing about.

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