RIP Dan Wheldon

The IZOD IndyCar Series lost a member of its team Oct. 16, 2011. Dan Wheldon, 33, died from the injuries he sustained in a large, 15-car crash just 12 laps in to the 2011 season finale at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Wheldon was a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, in 2005 and this season in 2011. He was the series Rookie of the Year in 2003, and he captured a series championship in 2005.

During Sunday's race, Wheldon started at the back of the bigger-than-normal field in the 34th spot. He had quickly moved up to the 24th position when the carnage-filled wreck occurred on the oval track. Wheldon's was one of the cars the went airborne and hit the catch fence above the SAFER barrier wall.

He was airlifted to the medical center where he later died. The race was red flagged immediately following the crash, and the drivers made the decision to run five laps in a tribute to Wheldon, rather than finish the race.

In a fact that, appropriately, didn't seem to matter, the championship for 2011 was won by Dario Franchitti. His competition for the award, Will Power, was involved in the crash. But there was no celebration. The tone of the day really hit home when ABC cameras caught Franchitti breaking down in tears while he was being strapped into his car for the tribute.

Following the coverage
I was in the middle of cleaning my apartment when I turned on the race, just a couple of laps before the crash. I turned on the television, sank back into my recliner and was set to watch the final laps of the season tick away.

But when the coverage cut to the 15-car crash, I bolted upright in the chair and uttered "oh my God." One of the first words that came to my mind was "carnage." Twitter has become a habit of multi-tasking during races for me, and part of my first Tweet after the crash read: "Whoa. Biggest carnage of the year."

I saw some drivers out of their cars, which is always a good sign. I also saw many safety team personnel rushing to attend to drivers in their cars, another good and familiar sign of the IndyCar Series.

From then until it was officially announced that Wheldon had passed away, I kept my eyes on the ABC coverage and on Twitter. Waiting for a word on Wheldon just gave me a bad feeling - seeing the helicopter blades fire up didn't help either. The whole thing reminded me of when Dale Earnhardt died; nothing was said until word came of his death.

Tragic memories
Another vivid memory that struck me was the death of CART driver Greg Moore on Oct. 31, 1999. That race was also the season finale, a race I remember watching at home as a 7th-grader. Moore's car hit one of the inside walls extremely hard and he sustained fatal head and internal injuries. I remember that no replay was shown of the crash, and commentator Paul Page's call of "An enormous crash! Oh my God."

Unfortunately, Wheldon's outcome was the same as Moore and other drivers. Guys like Paul Dana (2006), Tony Renna (2003) and Scott Brayton (1996).

Open-wheel racing has made some great strides in safety over the decades. Everything from improved helmets to the HANS device to the SAFER barriers which lessen impacts along the walls. And there are so many crashes that look horrific, destroying the race car, but the driver often walks away. It's so easy to forget that death is a possible, and very real, risk when drivers strap in.

It's certainly not something anyone involved with the sport, fans included, want to think about. Everyone will go into the offseason with this event weighing on them until the next race and especially at Indianapolis, where Dan won't be there to defend his Indy 500 crown.

Thoughts and prayers go out to Dan's family, his wife Susie, sons Sebastian (2 years) and Oliver (six months), and also to all of the other drivers and teams in IndyCar.

RIP Dan Wheldon.

Dan Wheldon takes a victory lap in the pace car after winning the 2011 Indianapolis 500. (Photo credit: Kyle Rule)

Austin Packers homecoming game

I took in my first Austin High School football game Friday night. The Packers played a decent game but eventually fell to Big Nine opponent Mankato East 24-13. It was homecoming week for the Packers, who are still winless on the season, and the defeat was a crushing blow in the last couple plays of the game.

With 1:37 left in the game, East led 18-13. To their credit, the Packers marched down the field, picking up some big first downs to find the red zone. The Packers failed to convert in the endzone on fourth and 13, appearing to end their chances. But a roughing the passer penalty on East gave Austin a new set of downs.

Packer quarterback Sean Coffey tried multiple times to put a pass in the endzone in the hands of a receiver. On the final play of the game, Coffey was looking to connect with wide receiver Zach Wessels. The pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown as time expired.

Wessels was slow to get up, dejected for being oh-so-close to giving his team a homecoming win.

It wasn't a bad game for the Packers, considering they're now 0-4. This might have been their best shot at a victory all season.

After a scoreless first quarter, East ran in for a touchdown with four minutes left in the half. A failed extra-point attempt left the score at 6-0. Then the Cougars kicked a field goal with 24.2 ticks remaining in the first half, making the halftime score 9-0, still within reach for the Packers.

But it was the Packers who struck first in the second half. They had two receivers wide open for a touchdown reception, narrowing East's lead to 9-7. Later in the third quarter, the Packers defense came up big on third-and-goal as they stopped the Cougars in their tracks, making them settle for a field goal and a 12-7 lead.

Austin answered with a touchdown late in the game on a lucky play with a tipped pass that ended up in the hands of a Packer. They decided to go for two, but the failed conversion left the score at 13-12, the only lead of the game for Austin.

There was too much time left though because, despite Austin intercepting East, the Cougars were able to come up with a touchdown on another possession. It gave them that 18-13 edge leading up to the final drive of the game.

Even though the Packers lost, it was still a good game to mark my first one in Austin. I was itching to go to a high school football game, and I wasn't disappointed.

Sheppard, Delmon out of Minnesota sports

In recent weeks, or days, two players who I never really cared for in Minnesota sports are no longer a part of Minnesota sports teams. They would be James Sheppard (Wild) and Delmon Young (Twins).

Hallelujah! No more Shep
I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw on Twitter that Sheppard had been dealt to the San Jose Sharks for a third-round draft pick in 2013. I was so excited that a) he was gone, and b) the Wild actually got something for him in return.

Loyal readers of this blog know my disdain for the not-so-offensive-minded forward. I believe his last regular season of hockey (2009-10), he tallied just six points. Six. That's pretty pathetic for any NHL player, let alone a forward.

As the ninth pick overall in 2006, Shep was the pet project of former General Manager Doug Risebrough. This young kid has not spent a game in the minors, which is really too bad for his sake. Riser promised a superstar-caliber player. Instead, he looked flat and clueless on the ice.

The Wild and the Sharks have made a few deals during this offseason, which isn't something you see all the time. It really doesn't matter though. What's important is that Shep can go be below-average somewhere else.

No more Delmon either, at least not for the Twins
Bumbling outfielder Young was also just sent to the Detroit Tigers. It worked out well; he got off the Twins bus and walked into the Tiger locker room at Comerica Park instead of the visiting locker room.

This was a trade a couple of years ago that sent pitcher Matt Garza to the Tampa Bay Rays. I was a fan of Garza's stuff and was disappointed to see him go, especially after the great playoff run by the Rays. But Young was supposed to come in and be a superstar, much like Sheppard for the Wild.

Well, we waited and waited, but stardom didn't happen. The only reprieve I gave him was at the start of the season last year when he showed up a few pounds lighter, looking fit and ready to play. He did much better offensively last season, so I came around a little for him.

Fast forward to this year and those pounds seemed to have come back. He is a staple in left field, where he looks more uncomfortable than a fat kid in a health-food store. It had become automatic to cringe each time a ball was hit in his direction. His fielding style can be quite awkward.

Need proof? Just think back to when he twisted his ankle earlier this season. That's a pretty odd way to go into the wall and try to play a baseball, don't you think?

Of course, during his first game with the Tigers, playing against the Twins, Young hits a homer. That just figures. But I'd rather have him on the opposing team now. And since he's still in the division, the Twins will see him enough that they can all try and hit some balls Young's way. Then he can do what he does best, look awkward and uncomfortable while trying to make a play.