Is Bubba Wallace serious when he said he "need(s) to be replaced"? (Take our poll, too)
Memo to Bubba Wallace:
Never, EVER say something critical about yourself – even if you don’t necessarily mean it, or it’s said in sheer frustration – because your words may very well wind up coming back to haunt you.
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After Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race at Circuit of the Americas, Wallace was interviewed by Fox about his disappointing 37th-place finish, the end result of a crash with Kyle Larson just 11 laps into the race.
But it was more than just a disappointing finish for Wallace. It was his third DNF in the season’s first six races.
Not a good showing, at all.
Bubba told Jamie Little, “Just trying my hardest not to go down that slippery slope of self-doubt right here.”
That’s where Bubba should have left it, ended the interview and walked away.
But he didn’t.
Wallace then added in self-deprecating fashion, “Two weeks in a row of making rookie mistakes six years into Cup? Need to be replaced!”
Unfortunately, those last four words were the last thing Wallace needed to say about himself (or at the very least, the rookie mistakes need to be replaced), even if it was simply a reflection of his overall frustration this season.
While he had his best career season ever in five full-time Cup campaigns in 2022, Wallace still finished marginally in the whole big scheme of things: 19th position in the final standings. And he once again failed to qualify for the NASCAR Cup playoffs (he never has made the playoffs).
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Is Bubba Wallace serious that he "need(s) to be replaced"?: Take our poll:
https://poll-maker.com/poll4757878xbF2d9888-148
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But what he said Sunday after the race did not exactly paint a positive picture of where Wallace is right now in the standings (19th), his present mindset, and what direction he may potentially be going.
Simply put, he can’t say things like he did after the race. Not only does it paint a bad picture about himself, it also serves to potentially add self-doubt among his team members and crew chief Bootie Barker, wondering if they are working with a guy who doesn’t believe he can win, or considers himself a pretty lousy driver.
When Wallace dutifully claimed, “Need to be replaced,” one has to wonder what team co-owners Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin must have thought when they first heard those words.
Sure, they were overjoyed to see Wallace’s teammate, Tyler Reddick, earn his first win for his new team Sunday.
But Bubba being Bubba may very well wind up hurting him and the organization much more than his thinking those four words were just mere utterings of frustration.
It was one week ago, March 19 to be exact, that reports started breaking in both Charlotte and throughout the NBA that Jordan may be interested in selling much of his majority stake in basketball’s Hornets.
At the age of 60 – yes, it’s hard to believe he’s that old – Jordan may be looking at early retirement, and to spend time not only with his three adult children and grandkids, but also his own nine-year-old twins with second wife, Yvette.
He doesn’t need the Hornets as much as they need him. Heck, he’s still being paid quite handsomely from the $1 billion-plus lifetime deal he has with Nike for his Air Jordan brand.
No, Jordan does not need the Hornets. And that raises a question that no one – absolutely no one, to the best of my knowledge – has asked thus far.
So, I’m going to ask it:
If Jordan is truly intent upon selling his major share in the Hornets, could he potentially also be in the market to sell his share of 23XI Racing?
It’s not out of the realm of possibility.
When Jordan and Hamlin joined together to form 23XI in 2021, it was hailed as a breakthrough team ownership, one that had all the hallmarks of one of the biggest mantra’s of pro sports, namely, DEI.
No, I’m not talking about the old Dale Earnhardt Inc., but rather Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
As a Black man, Jordan becoming a powerful co-owner of what was hoped to someday be a powerhouse NASCAR Cup organization was huge news – and good news, at that – in a sport and a series that desperately needed more diversity and inclusion.
And being smart, Jordan and Hamlin chose Wallace to be the figurehead of the organization they would build around, along with veteran driver Kurt Busch, who would serve as a mentor to Wallace.
But now, with the Hornets potentially having a For Sale sign hanging on their front door, if Jordan is also looking to sell his share of 23XL, that may leave Bubba eventually without a job and a ride – particularly if he keeps making self-derogatory jabs about himself like he did after Sunday’s race?
Don’t get me wrong. I like Bubba – a lot. I think he’s good for the sport and the sport is good for him.
But he cannot let frustration, depression and disappointment get the better of him. If he publicly admits self-doubt, that’s going to have what could be a major trickle-down effect.
And the one person it is going to hurt the most is Bubba.
If the day comes where Jordan and Hamlin – or Hamlin and somebody else if Jordan does sell his share of 23XI (which would likely bring about the need for a name change, at the very least) – decide they need to make some changes, Bubba and his attitude would likely be the first to be looked at, if not to go.
Reddick isn’t going anywhere. He is one of the most promising young stars in the Cup game. And that 23XI was able to pry him away from Richard Childress Racing a year sooner than had been expected (due to Kurt Busch suffering a season-ending, and potentially career-ending concussion, as well as younger brother Kyle Busch being available after Joe Gibbs Racing decided to part ways with him), Reddick is unquestionably the future of 23XI.
Bubba’s future? After his comments Sunday, he may have taken care of that himself, instead of needing anyone else to make that decision for him.
Remember, words have meaning and words can hurt – both hurt others, as well as hurt yourself. As I said earlier, I really like Bubba and I would like nothing more than to see him bounce back from the COTA debacle and wind up winning next Sunday’s race at Richmond.
(Although, that appears unlikely, as Bubba’s best finishes in nine Cup starts at the little .750-mile bullring to date are 12th and 13th – and with seven other finishes of 25th or worse. It’s unlikely his current slump will get snapped there.)
Jordan is a winner, having led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships. While he may like Bubba, there’s one thing Jordan will not tolerate, and that’s someone who doesn’t believe in himself or his own talent.
I’ll leave things with this:
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Memo to Bubba Wallace, Part 2:
Dude, never, ever say you “need to be replaced.”
Because if you don’t start turning things around F-A-S-T, your words may very well lead to actions coming true, even if you really, truly didn’t mean them. And then you'll only have yourself to blame.
P.S.: I’m just trying to help.