Advertisement

HEY, WILLIE! You left Swervin' Ernie Irvan off your list of all-time Ernies? Shame on you

ken willis, the daytona beach news-journal
·3 min read

HEY, WILLIE!

He didn't have a traditionally spelled name, and he was not among your top-10 sports Ernies of all time (Sunday, Sept. 4), but your Sunday 3-dotter reminded me of Virgil Earnest (Ernie) Swervin' Irvan. 

MIKE

HEY, MIKE!

There’s a lot going on here, so let me start with the basics.

The list of sporting Ernies sprang from mention of boxer Earnie Shavers’ recent death. Shavers didn’t spell his first name in the manner we’re accustomed to seeing Ernie spelled, but that wasn’t gonna hold up proceedings.

Now, back to “Swervin’ ” Ernie Irvan, the 1990s NASCAR star whose 15 career wins included the 1991 Daytona 500. Quick perusal of his bio shows that his parents also chose to spell his first name like the adjective (earnest: showing sincere and intense conviction, but I digress).

Ernie Irvan's checkered career included this Victory Lane scene following the 1991 Daytona 500.
Ernie Irvan's checkered career included this Victory Lane scene following the 1991 Daytona 500.

And like the American Dream, Dusty Rhodes, Ernie’s given first name is Virgil. Who knew?

Should Ernie Irvan have made my top 10? Let’s see what others say . . .

ANGRY AT NASCAR: Cut the BS; no more stages, no more playoffs . . . just race! | HEY, WILLIE!

THRU THE GEARS: Darlington: Erik Jones king for a day; Chase Elliott spins, Kevin Harvick fumes

HEY, WILLIE!

Ernie Irvan doesn’t make your top-10 sports Ernies of all time? NASCAR is still a sport, right?

Ernie was a pretty big deal, right? Doesn’t he deserve more love than Ernie Grunfeld?

BRAD

HEY, BRAD!

OK, let’s review the list: 1. Ernie Banks, 2. Ernie Nevers, 3. Ernie Els, 4. Ernie Stautner, 5. Ernie Davis, 6. Ernie Lombardi, 7. Ernie Harwell, 8. Ernie Holmes, 9. Ernie DiGregorio, 10. Ernie Grunfeld.

You could make an argument for Ernie Irvan replacing any of those from No. 7 through 10. But then I’d just argue right back, and where would that get us?

By the way, Ernie Irvan now lives just west of us in Ocala, where he and wife Kim, along with daughter Jordan, are heavy into the equestrian world. Son Jared has been successfully racing late-model stockers throughout Central Florida for several years.

HEY, WILLIE!

TONY

Larry Holmes went down but not out in his title defense against Earnie Shavers (right), who packed boxing's biggest punch throughout the 1970s.
Larry Holmes went down but not out in his title defense against Earnie Shavers (right), who packed boxing's biggest punch throughout the 1970s.

HEY, TONY!

“Acorn” was one of the nicer nicknames Muhammad Ali ever gave an opponent.

HEY, WILLIE!

Thanks for another entertaining 3-dot column and, as a Providence native and Providence College fan, thanks for including the irrepressible “Ernie D,” Ernie DiGregorio.

And, although nobody asked for it, here's my salute to non-sports Ernies: Hemingway, Kovacs, Pyle, Shackleton, Pantuso, Bishop, Borgnine, Ford and the guy who was singing when I met my wife in Myrtle Beach, Ernest Evans.

DONNIE

"Ernest Evans"
"Ernest Evans"

HEY, DONNIE!

Trust me, if I’d found any athletics in his background, I wouldn’t have resisted adding Tennessee Ernie Ford to that list.

And yep, you got me. I assumed Ernest Evans was some long-ago torch singer who charmed Holiday Inn lounges along the Mid-Atlantic. Turns out, he’s Chubby Checker.

The great Tennessee Ernie Ford, bless his pea-pickin' heart.
The great Tennessee Ernie Ford, bless his pea-pickin' heart.

HEY, WILLIE!

Will central Florida be blanked out on coverage of Dolphins games again?  If so, how can we follow the team?

SAM

How often will you and your neighbors get to watch Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins this year?
How often will you and your neighbors get to watch Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins this year?

HEY, SAM!

As much as you can trust my research, you can trust this: It looks like the Orlando CBS affiliate (WKMG) will be showing your Dolphins each of the first two Sundays but not the third.

There are a lot of variables, such as whether the Jags are playing at home or away, an AFC or NFC opponent. You can check the WKMG website weekly to learn the good or bad news on your own.

LOOK HERE: NFL schedule for Orlando market's CBS affiliate

Not sure if this helps or not, but it’s the most local-TV research I’ve done in a while. Generally, in recent years, I just throw up my hands and say you’re on your own.

Below, you’ll see why as an emailer is still fired up over the hit-and-miss attempts to run (and broadcast) the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona.

HEY, WILLIE!

I had to call my provider to find out what channel the race was on (Sunday ). I was directed to channel 355, which I’d never heard of. 

After going through the TV guide, the heading for that channel said two words in Spanish, but NASCAR was broadcasting on the channel. Then came the red flag with 21 laps to go, and all of a sudden I'm watching a replay of the Bucs playing PRESEASON football.

What a way to treat customers.

CHARLIE T

HEY, CHARLIE!

I’m thinking it could’ve been worse. They could’ve just kept you on that channel for three hours watching the rain.

HEY, WILLIE!

Your Sunday column was close to an apology to Phil Mickelson and the LIV Tour. PGA Tour execs have been forced to change the payouts and extra money has been added to the majors.

It’s much like what we had when the USFL was going after NFL players in the same manner. 

DEXTER

HEY, DEX!

Haven't you heard, it should've been an apology to Ernie Irvan!

Actually, no apologies from this corner to Lefty, Greg Norman or anyone joining the Saudi tour for anything beyond spite (Norman) or riches (basically all the others).

Not gonna condemn them, either, except when they read from the talking points and pretend they’re doing it in order to spend more time with family or, as Bryson DeChambeau added, “future family.”

— Reach Ken Willis at ken.willis@news-jrnl.com

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: NASCAR's Ernie Irvan, '91 Daytona winner, shortchanged! | HEY, WILLIE!