I covered Jeff Gordon for 23 years, or his whole career, and like most of the media, I rarely criticized him.
Thanks to his class, his professionalism, his accessibility and his general greatness, Gordon was one of those star athletes who was practically untouchable when it came to the media. It’s hard to criticize a driver who wins 93 races and four championships, and does it with humility and grace.
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Oh, there were times when Gordon made a bonehead move and took someone out — like every driver does — or lost his temper and created a ruckus.