If the charlatans of the sporting press are to be believed, Jeff Gordon is back; he's resurgent; he's discovered a newfound confidence; he's got a fire in his belly that's been missing the last few years ... and on and on and on. Hmm. I wonder if any of this apparently newfound mojo is a result of having finished 13th, second, sixth, and second in the first month and leading the standings? Nah, can't be.

What we have here is a chicken-and-egg thing, of course: Is he revived because of the great start or is the great start the cause of the revitalization? Honestly, I don't particularly care. I just know I'm already tired of reading this story in its 8,002 variations and I just need someone to give me an idea of what the statute of limitations on the Jeff Gordon is back stories might be?
 
I mean, does he need to finish in the top 13 at Bristol in two weeks to still be back? Or, let's say he finishes 16th at Bristol but then "rebounds with a solid seventh at Martinsville" -- was he not back at Bristol but he'll then be back to being back if he runs well at Martinsville? Or what if he then craps out at Texas ... heavens, what then?

Seriously, can we give this narrative a rest already? I have just a ton of Kurt Busch and Penske are back stories I need to get caught up on ...