Standing up to Iraq carries price

Like most Americans, I support wholeheartedly President Bush'sdecision to send military forces into the Persian Gulf area to thwartthe aggressions of Iraq's Saddam Hussein.

My great reservation is that millions of Americans do not fullyunderstand that, in making a military move of moral and politicalprinciple, our president is placing some 50,000 American boys betweenIraq and a hard place. And when the going gets tough and we begin tocount the casualties, a lot of Americans will claim they weren'taware of the perils.

We know the Iraq side of the deadly jaws into which our GIs arebeing sent: a nation with a ruthless leader who has more than amillion almost suicidal troops under arms, an arsenal of mustard andnerve gases in artillery shells, bombs, missile heads - which Husseinhas used to win an eight-year war against Iran and the Kurds - andIraqis inspired by all the emotions of race and religion to believethat they can "annex" anything within their grasp. The "hard place"is the spot from which "the devil," the United States, assumes therole of destroying Saddam Hussein's Iraq so as to guarantee suppliesof Persian Gulf oil to the factories, schoolhouses and automobiles ofTokyo, Tallahassee, Toronto and Tipperary.

An awesome number of Arabs and Palestinians are siding withHussein, propelled by grievances, hatreds, notions of ethnicsolidarity that are centuries old.

My view from the start has been that Hussein is on a madmission, and that he will commit the lives of a million Iraqis, hisentire arsenal of chemical warfare, to make the gulf area a"graveyard" before he will retreat. The United States has entered anarena of warfare in which a lot of people are going to die. Those ofus who have exhorted the president to stand strong must not becomeweak-kneed when we begin to see what could be a gruesome price ofstanding up to a grotesque tyrant.

Carl T. Rowan is a nationally syndicated columnist of theChicago Sun-Times.

Award is really a credit to the men who give it

Today, I'm putting aside my disdain for tooting my own horn totalk about an honor I'm receiving.

There's a reason for that, which will become clear if you hear meout. On Friday, I will be among several people honored at the OneHundred Black Men of Chicago's 2000 Awards Benefit Gala: Investing inToday's Youth.

Others include: Alvenia Rhea Albright, American Express Co.,Patricia S. Harris, McDonald's Corp., Dr. Patricia Pickles, NorthChicago Public School system, Stanley Rakestraw, SCR MedicalTransportation Service and Steven White of AT&T Broadband & InternetServices. A special tribute will be given to Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.(D-Ill.).

I'm overwhelmed because this recognition comes from black men.

It took a lot of guts for them to do that.

After all, in some circles a woman who speaks her mind aboutabsentee fathers is considered a male-basher. My e-mails runneth overwith men outraged that I would dare suggest African-American men havean obligation to marry their baby's mama. When I warned women not toleave their kids with their boyfriends, some men thought I wasstereotyping them as abusers. And my advice that women demand theirlovers put on a condom to stop the spread of HIV; AIDS sent some menover the edge.

It would have been easy for this prominent group of black men toavoid dealing with any controversy honoring me may have caused byleaving me out of the mix.

But these are men with a purpose.

I've watched my husband get up on weekends_the only time we reallyspend together_to rush off to a meeting of the 100 Black Men as if hewere getting paid by the hour. Most of us talk about what needs to bedone to help more black youth obtain higher education, but thesebrothers sponsor a daylong session in which high school students canpractice taking the ACT test.

I've watched these men, many of whom are successful businessowners or are at the top of their professions, give up their preciousfree time to mentor someone else's son or daughter.

I've watched them carry themselves in such a way that withoutusing words, they showed young brothers how to act in a way thatreminds us all that, yes, there are many well-spoken, courteous,young black males who are about the business of building a future.

It is a work of the heart that makes a black woman's mouth water.

So when I was notified that I would receive the group'shumanitarian award for my work on behalf of young people, I wasoverjoyed.

But a funny thing happened.

There was one little problem they didn't consider.

The event was being sponsored by the Chicago Tribune's charitablefoundation, and I, after all, write for the Chicago Sun-Times.

In an ideal world, that wouldn't matter. But let's be real. Thenewspapers are competitors, and it is a bit sticky to have acompetitor's columnist basking in the spotlight at an event primarilyfunded by the other paper.

For a moment, it looked like the brothers might renege on thehonor.

And I really couldn't have blamed them.

African-American organizations have not yet reached the pointwhere they are not dependent on funding from outside of thecommunity. Even though there's a lot of black wealth in this city,there is also a great need. In order to award scholarships, conductliteracy and mentoring programs, or take kids out of the neighborhoodfor cultural excursions, these not-for-profit groups have to holdfund-raisers.

Even then, the effort often falls short.

The situation isn't anything to be proud of, but it's reality.There is good news though. Because more African Americans have movedup the corporate ladder, more of them are in a position to access thesame level of funding that is doled out by the charitable foundationsof major corporations to other communities.

Still, as long as there are not enough black professionals andbusiness owners who are willing to support cultural institutions, thearts, and humanitarian efforts, groups that are working to save blackyouth are still dependent upon corporate donors or government grants.

Just as they took a risk by honoring me in the first place, theytook the risk that the Chicago Tribune Foundation would not balk. I'mglad the foundation found the work the 100 Black Men have done toimprove the educational opportunities for young black males worthsupporting no matter who was being honored.

Real men know what it takes to get the job done.

Thank you, 100 Black Men of Chicago Inc., for being real men.

E-mail: marym@suntimes.com

ESPN bans NY Post reporters over Andrews video

ESPN banned staffers from the New York Post from appearing on any of its programming on Wednesday after the newspaper published photos this week taken from a video showing sideline reporter Erin Andrews nude in a hotel room.

The Post published three images from the blurry video Tuesday.

"While we understand the Post's decision to cover this as a news story, their running photos obtained in such a fashion went well beyond the boundaries of common decency in the interest of sensationalism," ESPN senior vice president of communications Chris LaPlaca said in a statement Wednesday night.

Newspaper reporters are regular guests on ESPN shows.

Post spokesman Howard Rubenstein did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press.

The News Corp.-owned Post was one of several TV networks and newspapers that aired or published images from the video, which Andrews' attorney says was shot without her knowledge. Andrews plans to seek criminal charges and file civil lawsuits against the person who shot the video and anyone who publishes the material, attorney Marshall Grossman said.

Kelly McBride, a journalism ethics expert with the Florida-based Poynter Institute, said it was unethical for news organizations to show images from the Andrews video.

"There is some illegally obtained material, leaked documents or video of a CIA person torturing a soldier, or stuff taken out of Gitmo, that I think has great public importance," McBride said. "But this doesn't do that at all.

"I actually do believe in giving the audience what they want to certain restraints, and I think this clearly crosses that line," she said. "I don't think with a straight face you could justify this on journalistic grounds."

The blurry, five-minute video shows Andrews standing in front of a hotel room mirror, fixing her hair in the nude. It's unknown when or where it was shot.

Andrews, 31, has covered hockey, college football, college basketball and Major League Baseball for the Disney-owned network since 2004, often as a sideline reporter during games.

A former dance team member at the University of Florida, she was something of an Internet sensation even before the video's circulation. She has been referred to as "Erin Pageviews" because of the traffic that video clips and photos of her generate, and Playboy magazine named her "sexiest sportscaster" in both 2008 and 2009.

It was not clear when the video first appeared on the Internet. Most of the links to it had been removed by Tuesday.

Every state but Iowa now has some law on the books dealing with video voyeurism, according to the National Center for Victims of Crime.

"With people disseminating these images over the Internet, there is a potential for people to abuse the victim again and again," said Ilse Knecht, the center's deputy director for public policy. "States have begun to recognize that it's not just some guy taking a picture and looking at it in a dark room."

Many of the state laws are based on a 2004 federal statute that prohibits recording anyone's "private areas" without consent under circumstances where the victim has a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Penalties vary in each state, ranging from fines to several years in prison. Connecticut's law can result in up to five years in prison.

Knecht said several states, including New York, have laws prohibiting people from disseminating these images. Knecht said it's not clear whether that applies to the media.

"If they knew at the time that the conduct was unlawful, then it's kind of sketchy," she said.

xkcd

xkcd webcomic, xkcd.com/

Deep geek webcomic. The characters are all stick figures, but that's not due to an inability to draw on the part of the artist. These are some of the most expressive stick figures you'll ever come across. Sometimes the jokes are about math. Sometimes the jokes are about the Internet. Sometimes a strip is about stick figures falling hopelessly in love and there isn't a joke at all. It's sweet, in a cartoon violence kind of way. Some are so geeky you'll have to keep Wi ki pedia, Slashdot and Boi ngBoing open in other tabs just to look up the references. Updates three times per week. Mandatory reading for some of you (you know who you are), totally incomprehensible to the rest. (Derek Winkler)

Por una Disputa de Tierras Asesinan a 22 Miembros de una Misma Familia

Por una Disputa de Tierras Asesinan a 22 Miembros de una Misma Familia

LIMA, Peru. -- Por lo menos 22 personas, en su mayoria ninos, integrantes de una misma familia fueron asesinadas en la region andina de Peru por un grupo de ocho sicarios, al parecer por una venganza vinculada a litigios de tierras, informo una fuente policial.

Entre las victimas de la matanza figuran 13 menores --de uno a diez anos-- y nueve adultos, incluyendo una pareja de ancianos de 73 y 75 anos, indico una fuente regional de la Policia.

Un nino de ocho anos, identificado como Eli Caqui, sobrevivio a los hechos de violencia, y es atendido por heridas de bala en un brazo y una pierna, segun el informe.

Todas las victimas pertenecen a una familia de apellido Caqui, que vivia en el caserio Queropata, en el distrito Chavin de Pariarca, departamento centroandino de Huanuco.

Un anciano tambien logro escapar de la masacre, dijeron.

"Se trataria de un ajuste de cuentas por litigios de terrenos", dijo Javier Fonseca, portavoz del municipio Huamalies, cercano al caserio, en declaraciones a una radioemisora.

Fuentes militares confirmaron que no fue un atentado guerrillero, aunque el departamento, una zona montanosa colindante a la selva peruana, es aun azotado por columnas del grupo terrorista Sendero Luminoso.

En el area tambien se han identificado actividades de narcotraficantes.

La familia, que se dedicaba a la agricultura, vivia en tres casas aledanas en las afueras del caserio, dijeron pobladores.

Los victimarios llegaron con la intencion de eliminar a toda la familia, por ello acribillaron a padres, tios, hijos y nietos.

La matanza se consumo con gran crueldad, segun advirtio la policia que llego al lugar y comprobo que dos ancianos, un hombre y una mujer, recibieron impactos de al menos ocho balas cada uno. Otras victimas, en especial los ninos, tienen perforaciones en la cabeza.

El crimen masivo se produjo cuando ocho desconocidos ingresaron a dos viviendas de la familia Caqui y amordazaron a todos sus integrantes. Luego les dieron muerte a sangre fria con disparos de revolveres y escopetas.

El menor sobreviviente relato que pudo ver a dos de los sicarios y dio sus caracteristicas faciales a la policia, que inicio una busqueda de sospechosos en las inmediaciones y en caserios cercanos, se informo.

Informes preliminares indican que la matanza se habria producido debido a problemas de posesion de tierras, que al parecer son comunes en esa region andina del pais.

Los lugarenos reclamaron ante la policia que el Ejercito reinstale en Queropata una base militar, que fue desactivada el ano pasado, ante la posibilidad de que puedan regresar los sicarios a generar nuevos brotes de violencia en la zona.

No sooner had the curveball locked Wily Mo Pena's knees for strike three [Derived headline]

face=+Bold; By Kevin Cooneyface=-Bold;

THE INTELLIGENCER

PHILADELPHIA -- No sooner had the curveball locked Wily Mo Pena's knees for strike three than Brett Myers leaped off the mound, took one step towards his catcher Chris Coste and tossed his glove high to the sky like a mortarboard.

"I wish I could begin to describe that feeling," Myers would say later, "but there's no way to. You have to experience it first hand to know exactly what it is like."

Years from now, that same description will probably fit the way Phillies fans will feel towards the amazing ending of the 2007 regular season.

You had to experience it to fully understand just how truly incredible it really was.

Behind the arm of Jamie Moyer and three other relievers, the Phils finally graduated from the role of perennial contenders to National League East champions Sunday with a 6-1 victory over the Washington Nationals before 44,865 fans at a rocking Citizens Bank Park.

The win -- coupled with the Mets' 8-1 meltdown to the Marlins at Shea Stadium -- sent the Phils forward to the National League Division Series against either the Padres or Rockies. That series will begin on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park.

It also ended an amazing pennant race that will go down as one of baseball's biggest collapses. The Mets became the first team in baseball history to lose a seven-game lead with 17 to play, awaking the echoes of the 1964 Phillies.

"We never gave up on ourselves and each other," said second baseman Chase Utley, who was 1-for-3 with an RBI in the clincher. "We knew the character we had here. We knew that we could do it."

It is the club's first division championship since the "Macho Row" boys nearly ran wire-to-wire in the magical summer of 1993. This time, the Phils did it completely in reverse. They were alone in first place for only two days during the entire season -- Saturday and today. But as the Mets would undoubtedly vouch to this morning, that last one is the only day that truly matters.

"I always thought that we had a lot of character with the guys in this locker room," Phils manager Charlie Manuel said. "They just were not going to be denied. And now, we're going."

Sunday began as a showdown of 40-plus year olds pitching indirectly against one another from 110 miles apart.

But by the time Moyer -- a 44-year old native of Souderton who skipped school to go to the Phillies 1980 World Series victory parade -- got to the mound at 1:35, Mets starter Tom Glavine, 41, was already headed for the showers after yielding seven runs and five hits in just one-third of an inning of work to the Marlins.

"You could tell that something positive was obviously going on there," Moyer said. "But we still had to go out and get the job done ourselves."

"The Marlins could have scored 50 runs and it wouldn't have mattered if we didn't take care of business," shortstop Jimmy Rollins said.

Rollins would tally the first run of the game in the first, scoring on an Utley sacrifice fly to right. The lead would swell to 3-0 in the third when Ryan Howard beat the Nationals' shift and slammed a single into right, scoring Carlos Ruiz and Rollins.

Rollins added an RBI triple in the sixth -- his 20th of the year -- and Howard slammed his 47th homer of the season in the seventh to wrap up the scoring.

That's all the support the pitching staff would need. Moyer was effective in allowing a run and five hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. He gave Manuel a bridge to the bullpen trio of Tom Gordon (2/3 of an inning), J.C. Romero (two innings) and Myers, which closed Washington out with one hit and no runs.

"Jamie was exactly what we needed today," Manuel said. "He was strong and he worked well against that lineup. And those guys at the back of our bullpen have been strong all the way through this."

And after years of knocking on the door and being rejected for the wild-card, these Phils finally learned what it took to get over the first hump and into the post-season.

"You can't rely on anyone else," Rollins said. "When it comes down to it, you have to win your games and control what you can control. We did that and all of this happened."

Kevin Cooney can be reached at kcooney@phillyBurbs.com.

No sooner had the curveball locked Wily Mo Pena's knees for strike three [Derived headline]

face=+Bold; By Kevin Cooneyface=-Bold;

THE INTELLIGENCER

PHILADELPHIA -- No sooner had the curveball locked Wily Mo Pena's knees for strike three than Brett Myers leaped off the mound, took one step towards his catcher Chris Coste and tossed his glove high to the sky like a mortarboard.

"I wish I could begin to describe that feeling," Myers would say later, "but there's no way to. You have to experience it first hand to know exactly what it is like."

Years from now, that same description will probably fit the way Phillies fans will feel towards the amazing ending of the 2007 regular season.

You had to experience it to fully understand just how truly incredible it really was.

Behind the arm of Jamie Moyer and three other relievers, the Phils finally graduated from the role of perennial contenders to National League East champions Sunday with a 6-1 victory over the Washington Nationals before 44,865 fans at a rocking Citizens Bank Park.

The win -- coupled with the Mets' 8-1 meltdown to the Marlins at Shea Stadium -- sent the Phils forward to the National League Division Series against either the Padres or Rockies. That series will begin on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park.

It also ended an amazing pennant race that will go down as one of baseball's biggest collapses. The Mets became the first team in baseball history to lose a seven-game lead with 17 to play, awaking the echoes of the 1964 Phillies.

"We never gave up on ourselves and each other," said second baseman Chase Utley, who was 1-for-3 with an RBI in the clincher. "We knew the character we had here. We knew that we could do it."

It is the club's first division championship since the "Macho Row" boys nearly ran wire-to-wire in the magical summer of 1993. This time, the Phils did it completely in reverse. They were alone in first place for only two days during the entire season -- Saturday and today. But as the Mets would undoubtedly vouch to this morning, that last one is the only day that truly matters.

"I always thought that we had a lot of character with the guys in this locker room," Phils manager Charlie Manuel said. "They just were not going to be denied. And now, we're going."

Sunday began as a showdown of 40-plus year olds pitching indirectly against one another from 110 miles apart.

But by the time Moyer -- a 44-year old native of Souderton who skipped school to go to the Phillies 1980 World Series victory parade -- got to the mound at 1:35, Mets starter Tom Glavine, 41, was already headed for the showers after yielding seven runs and five hits in just one-third of an inning of work to the Marlins.

"You could tell that something positive was obviously going on there," Moyer said. "But we still had to go out and get the job done ourselves."

"The Marlins could have scored 50 runs and it wouldn't have mattered if we didn't take care of business," shortstop Jimmy Rollins said.

Rollins would tally the first run of the game in the first, scoring on an Utley sacrifice fly to right. The lead would swell to 3-0 in the third when Ryan Howard beat the Nationals' shift and slammed a single into right, scoring Carlos Ruiz and Rollins.

Rollins added an RBI triple in the sixth -- his 20th of the year -- and Howard slammed his 47th homer of the season in the seventh to wrap up the scoring.

That's all the support the pitching staff would need. Moyer was effective in allowing a run and five hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. He gave Manuel a bridge to the bullpen trio of Tom Gordon (2/3 of an inning), J.C. Romero (two innings) and Myers, which closed Washington out with one hit and no runs.

"Jamie was exactly what we needed today," Manuel said. "He was strong and he worked well against that lineup. And those guys at the back of our bullpen have been strong all the way through this."

And after years of knocking on the door and being rejected for the wild-card, these Phils finally learned what it took to get over the first hump and into the post-season.

"You can't rely on anyone else," Rollins said. "When it comes down to it, you have to win your games and control what you can control. We did that and all of this happened."

Kevin Cooney can be reached at kcooney@phillyBurbs.com.

Hendrick committed to Earnhardt Jr., Eury Jr.

Team owner Rick Hendrick won't split Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his embattled crew chief despite their slow start to the season.

Tony Eury Jr. has always been under intense scrutiny as crew chief for NASCAR's most popular driver, but it has hit a new level this year as the No. 88 team has just one top-10 finish through five races. Earnhardt heads to Martinsville Speedway this weekend ranked 19th in the standings.

"Both Junior and Tony have told me that if they thought they needed to be split, that they understood," Hendrick said Wednesday in a national teleconference. "That's my call, and I'm not ready to make that call. Not even close. I am convinced that they're better together.

"We've got the right combination, and I think we're going to be able to prove that to you guys soon."

Hendrick said Earnhardt, a notorious late riser, was at the shop early Wednesday morning and participated in a three-hour team meeting aimed at turning the season around.

"He's all over it," Hendrick said. "Dale is as focused, maybe even more focused then I've seen since he's been here. Dale's taken all the suggestions that anyone has to heart, and we've got to give him the best stuff out there."

Earnhardt and Eury, who are cousins, have worked together in some form for all but a portion of the 2005 season.

Because the two bickered so much at the end of 2004, they were split the next season by Earnhardt's stepmother, Teresa. The results were disastrous for Earnhardt, who had the worst season of his nine-year career, and they were reunited with 10 races left in the year.

Earnhardt decided in 2007 to leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. for Hendrick Motorsports, and Eury negotiated a release from his contract to leave with him. But results have been mixed: they've combined for just one victory, and despite running strong all of last season, they faded during the Chase for the championship and finished last in the 12-driver field.

The disappointing close to their first year with Hendrick reignited the simmering Eury debate among Earnhardt's enormous fan base, and it has escalated through the first month of this season.

Earnhardt last week asked for relief from the constant criticism Eury has faced from fans and media.

"The guy that I feel bad for is Tony Jr. He gets criticized so badly," Earnhardt said at Bristol Motor Speedway. "Everybody in this room, and some of you have criticized him, know how smart a guy he is and that he's a good mechanic and a solid crew chief. He just wants to do this for a living, just like I do. I'll take the fall. I'd rather be crucified than him.

"Every time I read in the paper that people are on his case I feel like I'm sending my brother to jail for a crime I committed."

Earnhardt also acknowledged that his team is not meeting expectations.

They failed to silence the critics Sunday, when Earnhardt fell a lap down at Bristol before needing NASCAR's "free pass" to return to the lead lap and finish a distant 14th to winner Kyle Busch.

Mark Martin on Wednesday defended his Hendrick teammate and said Earnhardt is under tremendous pressure because he's the son of NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt, a seven-time champion who was killed on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.

"The biggest thing that Junior needs is support, a pat on the back," Martin said. "The guy is doing an incredible job. He's carrying a heavier load than any human being could be expected to, and you know what? He's fast. He was fast at Bristol. You can't just look at the black and white of the finish at Bristol and comprehend how he ran there.

"Right now he just has to keep focused and not listen to all the mania that's going on around him. That team is going to be strong, they were strong at Bristol and didn't get an opportunity to show it. Over time, they will."

Hendrick cautioned that it may take several races for Earnhardt to reach Victory Lane. He's currently riding a 26-race winless streak dating to Michigan in June.

"You just don't go from running 10th to winning every race," Hendrick said. "So the idea is just to keep inching it up, getting it better, working on areas. Our goal is to make the Chase and win races. To lead, to be competitive. That's always been my goal."

Hendrick committed to Earnhardt Jr., Eury Jr.

Team owner Rick Hendrick won't split Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his embattled crew chief despite their slow start to the season.

Tony Eury Jr. has always been under intense scrutiny as crew chief for NASCAR's most popular driver, but it has hit a new level this year as the No. 88 team has just one top-10 finish through five races. Earnhardt heads to Martinsville Speedway this weekend ranked 19th in the standings.

"Both Junior and Tony have told me that if they thought they needed to be split, that they understood," Hendrick said Wednesday in a national teleconference. "That's my call, and I'm not ready to make that call. Not even close. I am convinced that they're better together.

"We've got the right combination, and I think we're going to be able to prove that to you guys soon."

Hendrick said Earnhardt, a notorious late riser, was at the shop early Wednesday morning and participated in a three-hour team meeting aimed at turning the season around.

"He's all over it," Hendrick said. "Dale is as focused, maybe even more focused then I've seen since he's been here. Dale's taken all the suggestions that anyone has to heart, and we've got to give him the best stuff out there."

Earnhardt and Eury, who are cousins, have worked together in some form for all but a portion of the 2005 season.

Because the two bickered so much at the end of 2004, they were split the next season by Earnhardt's stepmother, Teresa. The results were disastrous for Earnhardt, who had the worst season of his nine-year career, and they were reunited with 10 races left in the year.

Earnhardt decided in 2007 to leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. for Hendrick Motorsports, and Eury negotiated a release from his contract to leave with him. But results have been mixed: they've combined for just one victory, and despite running strong all of last season, they faded during the Chase for the championship and finished last in the 12-driver field.

The disappointing close to their first year with Hendrick reignited the simmering Eury debate among Earnhardt's enormous fan base, and it has escalated through the first month of this season.

Earnhardt last week asked for relief from the constant criticism Eury has faced from fans and media.

"The guy that I feel bad for is Tony Jr. He gets criticized so badly," Earnhardt said at Bristol Motor Speedway. "Everybody in this room, and some of you have criticized him, know how smart a guy he is and that he's a good mechanic and a solid crew chief. He just wants to do this for a living, just like I do. I'll take the fall. I'd rather be crucified than him.

"Every time I read in the paper that people are on his case I feel like I'm sending my brother to jail for a crime I committed."

Earnhardt also acknowledged that his team is not meeting expectations.

They failed to silence the critics Sunday, when Earnhardt fell a lap down at Bristol before needing NASCAR's "free pass" to return to the lead lap and finish a distant 14th to winner Kyle Busch.

Mark Martin on Wednesday defended his Hendrick teammate and said Earnhardt is under tremendous pressure because he's the son of NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt, a seven-time champion who was killed on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.

"The biggest thing that Junior needs is support, a pat on the back," Martin said. "The guy is doing an incredible job. He's carrying a heavier load than any human being could be expected to, and you know what? He's fast. He was fast at Bristol. You can't just look at the black and white of the finish at Bristol and comprehend how he ran there.

"Right now he just has to keep focused and not listen to all the mania that's going on around him. That team is going to be strong, they were strong at Bristol and didn't get an opportunity to show it. Over time, they will."

Hendrick cautioned that it may take several races for Earnhardt to reach Victory Lane. He's currently riding a 26-race winless streak dating to Michigan in June.

"You just don't go from running 10th to winning every race," Hendrick said. "So the idea is just to keep inching it up, getting it better, working on areas. Our goal is to make the Chase and win races. To lead, to be competitive. That's always been my goal."

Hendrick committed to Earnhardt Jr., Eury Jr.

Team owner Rick Hendrick won't split Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his embattled crew chief despite their slow start to the season.

Tony Eury Jr. has always been under intense scrutiny as crew chief for NASCAR's most popular driver, but it has hit a new level this year as the No. 88 team has just one top-10 finish through five races. Earnhardt heads to Martinsville Speedway this weekend ranked 19th in the standings.

"Both Junior and Tony have told me that if they thought they needed to be split, that they understood," Hendrick said Wednesday in a national teleconference. "That's my call, and I'm not ready to make that call. Not even close. I am convinced that they're better together.

"We've got the right combination, and I think we're going to be able to prove that to you guys soon."

Hendrick said Earnhardt, a notorious late riser, was at the shop early Wednesday morning and participated in a three-hour team meeting aimed at turning the season around.

"He's all over it," Hendrick said. "Dale is as focused, maybe even more focused then I've seen since he's been here. Dale's taken all the suggestions that anyone has to heart, and we've got to give him the best stuff out there."

Earnhardt and Eury, who are cousins, have worked together in some form for all but a portion of the 2005 season.

Because the two bickered so much at the end of 2004, they were split the next season by Earnhardt's stepmother, Teresa. The results were disastrous for Earnhardt, who had the worst season of his nine-year career, and they were reunited with 10 races left in the year.

Earnhardt decided in 2007 to leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. for Hendrick Motorsports, and Eury negotiated a release from his contract to leave with him. But results have been mixed: they've combined for just one victory, and despite running strong all of last season, they faded during the Chase for the championship and finished last in the 12-driver field.

The disappointing close to their first year with Hendrick reignited the simmering Eury debate among Earnhardt's enormous fan base, and it has escalated through the first month of this season.

Earnhardt last week asked for relief from the constant criticism Eury has faced from fans and media.

"The guy that I feel bad for is Tony Jr. He gets criticized so badly," Earnhardt said at Bristol Motor Speedway. "Everybody in this room, and some of you have criticized him, know how smart a guy he is and that he's a good mechanic and a solid crew chief. He just wants to do this for a living, just like I do. I'll take the fall. I'd rather be crucified than him.

"Every time I read in the paper that people are on his case I feel like I'm sending my brother to jail for a crime I committed."

Earnhardt also acknowledged that his team is not meeting expectations.

They failed to silence the critics Sunday, when Earnhardt fell a lap down at Bristol before needing NASCAR's "free pass" to return to the lead lap and finish a distant 14th to winner Kyle Busch.

Mark Martin on Wednesday defended his Hendrick teammate and said Earnhardt is under tremendous pressure because he's the son of NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt, a seven-time champion who was killed on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.

"The biggest thing that Junior needs is support, a pat on the back," Martin said. "The guy is doing an incredible job. He's carrying a heavier load than any human being could be expected to, and you know what? He's fast. He was fast at Bristol. You can't just look at the black and white of the finish at Bristol and comprehend how he ran there.

"Right now he just has to keep focused and not listen to all the mania that's going on around him. That team is going to be strong, they were strong at Bristol and didn't get an opportunity to show it. Over time, they will."

Hendrick cautioned that it may take several races for Earnhardt to reach Victory Lane. He's currently riding a 26-race winless streak dating to Michigan in June.

"You just don't go from running 10th to winning every race," Hendrick said. "So the idea is just to keep inching it up, getting it better, working on areas. Our goal is to make the Chase and win races. To lead, to be competitive. That's always been my goal."