It's funny a lot of the things he said struck a chord in me as I've expressed similar thoughts in the forums this year (although in, perhaps, less diplomatic terms).
But regardless, it was a nice, compelling, way to finish off on, and I just wanted to link to my favourite article Damien Smith piece while I'm at it:
http://www.autosport.com/journal/article.php/id/758.
Of course it is in some degree because it relates to my favourite subject, but I just liked the deep background he put in to it, it said (even though I often disagreed with his opinion) he was a student of the sport even if it was often with different perception of it than mine. I like reading material like that, Nigel Roebuck is one of my favourite writers, and I habitually disagree with most of his opinions
I am buying Motorsport every month now, precisely for the reasons Damien described in his parting article - depth of analysis, breadth of coverage, profile and authority of the contributors, and most importantly _gravitas_ (even the magazine itself feels heavy and substantial in comparison to any other motorsport mag).
Print can't compete with on-line for breaking news, or even event recapping. But what it can do is put the thoughts, opinions and context of the sport into our hands every month. It can transport us back to relive great moments of the past and seamlessly weave it with the present. I really love how print can do that in a coherent way - it's one thing on-line can't compete with given its necessary catering for the attention deficit generation.
I think Damien 'gets it' and I think that bodes well for Motorsport, I look forward to reading his contributions there.
