Auto racing fans cringe when accused of being voyeurs of mayhem. Danger always has been a curious draw for mankind. Fans from Montreal to Redneck, Neb., do not flock to race tracks to check out the paint jobs or discuss tire pressure. When human bodies fly inches from a concrete ring, unhappy things can happen. Earnhardt lived, and revelled, with that knowledge every day.
Drivers accept that the possibility of sudden death is part of what makes their lives so special.
Maybe it's time the rest of us stop making excuses, too. The Maple Leafs needed a defenceman named Blake. Albert Belle's arthritic hip could prevent him from continuing his baseball career. The Faustina Sports Club of Etobicoke celebrates a Sportsman's Night, March 1. Ron Ellis, Sandy Hawley, Ron Lancaster, Paul Masotti and others.