Shane Hmiel

[rstroud]

Well, I am new to the board, but I'd like to know what everyone thinks about the Shane Hmiel issue? I have very hard opinions regarding his incident, but before I post them, I want to hear form others. I was banned from another forum for disagreeing with the administrator on the subject. I can only hope that this forum os different and more tolerant.

[Nascar8]

Wow, being banned because you were standing by your point of view! Jeezzzzzzz!!!

I say give the kid some time, keep him out of a race car for 3 or 4 more years, give him the resources and all the help he requires to beat the addiction.

I've been a dope head a long long time and it ain't easy to just drop the habit.
Been clean for 16 years now but appreciate all the wonderfull help I got from friends and familly.

i just hope that this kid gets another shot, he's talented and sponsor friendly IMHO!

Thanks!

[rstroud]

Yeah, some forum administrators are control freaks and get off by having the "my way or the highway" approach. They're good at turning the whole deal around as if it were your fault when something gets blown out of proportion. But, that's ok. I can live with it if they can!

You are entitled to your opinion concerning the drug issue, but I am much less forgiving when it comes to drug abuse. In Shane's case, NASCAR has already given him a golden opportunity by allowing him to race again after his first infraction. I didn't like it when he got busted the first time, but I suppose everyone deserves a second chance. I had just began to put his ordeal to rest and begin to pull for Shane when his stupidity caught up with him once again. He let his team, sponsors, his family, friends, and especially his fans down big time! He may recover from his addiction once again, but I doubt his career will ever recover.

If it were upto me, Shane would never race again in any NASCAR sanctioned series. All other series should follow as well in my opinion. There is no room for any type of substance abuse in this type of sport where other competitors can be so easily and sometimes unknowingly put at risk. I do not condone any type of substance abuse anywhere, but Shane had an opportunity that many can only dream of and he didn't respect it enough. I hope the high he got was worth it.

I just do not see that it is the responsibility of us to continually get help for addicts that are not seriously seeking it.

[Martin6]

we pretty much don't care what is said here...not sure that anyone has ever been kicked off...Although our group has run some people out i think...but thats their own problem, not ours.

Shane Hmiel...*shrugs* what can you say... He's got issues...and hes probably not the only nascar driver with issues...I just don't think that he should be banned for ever. I say let him run the ASA Late Models since they aren't in the same boat as nascar and maybe he'll be able to get back on the boat and get back to nascar one day.

[rstroud]

I don't think any administrator has the right to ban anyone just for the strong opinions about topics or for their disagreements. As long as someone is not just causing trouble for no reason or using profanity or vulgarities, I say leave them alone! I do not agree with a group ganging up on a poster for those same reasons either. Forums are for discussion and for blowing off a little steam from time to time. Controversial topics are what makes them great!

I just have no use for druggies whatsoever! People know better unless they have legitimate mental issues which prevent them from making sound decisions. I think we need to stop treating it like a sickness and start getting tough. I agree that once an addiction has been reached, it isn't easy to stop or be cured. BUT....I also believe that an addiction is ALWAYS preventable in every case. It is all about setting priorities and keeping them is the correct order in life. As much information that is constantly broadcasted about the dangers of substance free of charge, there is no excuse for anyone not knowing about it.

Shane Hmiel knows better....NASCAR has already punished him once and gave him another chance.....HE blew it, no one else did it for him. I don't care if he does come back again. I will never pull for or support him again.

[Rumor]

I don't see, by what you said, that anyone would find that reason to kick off.

Yes, we have differences, it may be heated at times with disagreements, but you can say what you want, for the most part, without fear of being banned.

I know there's been a few Chad has banned, and I got ticked at one because all he ever said was Jr.'s gonna kill someone. But I won't go into anymore detail on that here.

Anyway, about Shane. First of all, the kid needs help. If he was supposed to get help the first time, it didn't work. If it takes a clinic, then send him to one and get him off whatever he's on, be it illegal's or prescriptions. I have said that 2 strikes and he's out. He got a chance and blew it. But, and this is a big but, if he's clean and stays clean, give him another chance, and that's it.

Martin does have a good idea, start him in late models, or something and have him work his way back up. Prove that he does want a career in racing and that he can be productive.

I have seen people who got clean and stayed clean, I've seen them fall back into the hell they were in. It can work, but he has to want it to work.

And Nascar8, congrats on being clean for all them years! :smile:

[YELLOW TOAD]

Funny.....that's how I came about here. I was banned from another forum for posting this thread:

RUSTY WALLACE TO SECURE NEW SPONSOR IN '05.


Then I posted this picture.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v254/YELLOW_TOAD/9634fd4d.jpg

LOL!

I got Banzored.......and even got emails that threatened my kids. MY KIDS!

My pictures here are laughed at and not taken so personally.......it's a good, fun group.

Welcome to the forum!

[rstroud]

LMAO....that's hysterical! Some people are so insecure that they cannot handle others' points of view on anything. None of us have to agree, but we don't need to take our ball and go home from the playground when we get mad!

[Roof-Cam]

I think were missing the point. As much as we all hate them, nascar has rules, the rules were borken, twice. Action must be taken.

on the flipside, getting him help does nothing if he does not want it. Only when he wants it, will it work.

[rstroud]

You're exactly right. Getting anyone help who does not have their mind set that they want it is useless.

The administrator (Mr. Jason Stix Buckley, Motorsports Lounge) of the other forum I referred to that banned me on this subject kept telling me how I needed to be educated on this subject. It was as if he were some authority on drug addiction?? He kept posting links to supposed websites with what he called facts on addiction. He became angry when I refused to accept his "educational materials" and when I refused to accept his attempt to force feed me his views. Then he began this crusade to make it look like I was breaking the rules of his forum, disrespecting him and other members (he was the only one who attacked me), and accused me of launching a personal attack on himself as well as Shane Hmiel. He began to send me personal emails and when I responded, he then accused me of harrassment and threatened me with legal action. Of course, I only accepted this threat as a challenge and told him to go ahead and try to take legal action. Needless to say, he banned me for life (I am still crying about it...LOL) and I am still waiting on his "legal action"....I suppose he thought he was talking to some teenie bopper??

I made the comment on Motorsports Lounge that I didn't see that substance abuse was a sickness as many studies want us to believe. Slapping these people on the wrists over and over, sending them to rehabs or etc. is only treating a symptom and does nothing for the problem. I feel that this approach only caters to the drug users. It is always a choice to use drugs or other imparing substances. No one makes anyone do them and it is not like catching a bug unwillingly. Once addicted, then it can become an illness, but the person brought the illness on themself.

A person such as Shane who had a golden opportunity to drive a racecar is held to much higher standards. They know what the rules are before they break them, so I do not see that any sympathy is necessary once they do. Being impaired at 190mph is inconceiveable as far as I'm concerned.

NASCAR is a place of employment just as the places in which we work and I personally do not like working beside someone who uses substances when I work hard to provide for my family without ever even giving the thought to using. Many of us have to endure this. It is an unnecessary risk that employers should have no tolerance for. If people want to do drugs, let them....but they should be not allowed to work in any environment. We need to get tough on this growing epidemic instead of just saying we are.

Until our justce system decides it is tired of this problem and begins to make examples of all users who are caught (first time offenders should be treated just as repeat offenders), the problem is only going to get worse. The US needs to stop being so soft and start reforming.

I hate to get on my soapbox, but this issue really enrages me...especially when I see the problem taken so lightly.

[Rumor]

oh geez,

Sounds like you had a mess of problems with that guy. As I said before, I am familiar with him. I never posted on any of his boards, but I read enough to know he's pretty full of himself. He used to have pictures in his signature like he was some hip dude. HAHAHAHA.

I still can't see what his problem was. You made an opinion. If he didn't like it, oh well that was his problem. Has his forum now become some mind control, yes sir we agree with you, board? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

But you are always welcome here. We may not agree, but we can respect each other enough to agree to disagree.

Oh, and yellow toad has some hilarious 'pictures.' :biggrin:

[Martin6]

YellowToads pictures are always great...I have never been offended by any of them...I wish he'd do more actually...I think if we could get a picture of Tony Stewart on Jimmy Specers body...that would be funny...Seems like tony is headed there...but he knows how to drive atleast...and has talent...He's an idol for fat race car drivers everywhere!