license plate frames.....

So I'm driving home yesterday, minding my own business. About a mile from our house, I'm in the turn lane that leads to the neighborhood entrance. Suddenly, with no warning, a guy in an olive-colored Explorer evidently decides "Huh, I think I need to be in that turn lane, too! Heck, no need to look and see if anyone is coming, I'll just jerk the steering wheel to the left and go for it!" I was forced to stomp on the brakes and come to a screeching halt. I laid down on the horn, but there was no response from the other driver.

As he sped into the neighborhood (doing at least 45 in a 30), I noticed something about the rear of his car - NASCAR stickers. Not only that, the guy had a Bobby Labonte #18 license plate frame. Maybe it's just me, a license plate cover for an individual seems pretty odd.

All over town and across the country, people have license plate frames for their favorite pro and college teams. Our van has a UT frame, and my car has a big orange "T" in the back window. In the Nashville area, there are lots of Titans frames. But when you think about it, the majority of the license plate frames and other sports-related items on cars are targeted at teams. Other than NASCAR, I don't think there is another sport that does this for individuals. Think about the possibilities for the frames:

Phil Mickleson - "Phil Phanatic"

Davis Love III - "Luv Me Some Love"

Lance Armstrong - "Loopy for Lance"

OJ Simpson - "I used to date OJ, and I'm still alive"

As silly as I think the NASCAR driver frames are, there might be some merit in this after all.....