From today\'s Times
Don Groth, president of Catskill OTB, said the new security measures would be costly and unnecessary and would not have averted the scandals.
\"I wonder if we\'re reaching for every possibility,\" Groth said. \"There are costs. I don\'t know that every idea can be afforded.\"
When will this guy be fired? Please spare us this idiotic input (from Day 1, when he was familiar with Derrick Davis after Mr. Davis\' dazzling no-bet spree at Catskill preceeding the Cup). At the very least, spare us his misuse of the English language. Can this idea be afforded? If I was president of Catskill OTB, I would be trying to persuade people that I would bring in Sherman tanks if necessary. Instead Groth dangles the horror of \"reaching for every possibility\" (earth to Groth, that\'s precisely what good management is, reaching for every possibility, you know, to improve your product? duh hey?) and refers to budget constraints (\"well, we can\'t afford to fix it\" - way to reassure your customers G).
Has any racing executive ever betrayed less knowledge of the process and product? I know this is a tough question. Barry Schwartz, in the same article, is a regular Abraham Lincoln by comparison. HP
There are reasons why Groth\'s latest is even more idiotic than it appears, which is saying something. How someone like Groth ends up where he is & why he can\'t be fired is explained in an article in the Albany Times Union today re the political lobbying involved in naming a new pres at Capitol OTB. Groth and the OTBs have a strong enough lobby that they have successfully avoided the efforts of the NYSRWB, which is supposed to be in charge of overseeing OTBs in NY, to conduct security audits, and apparently it\'s going to take legislation before that changes. One thing that Chairman Michael Hoblock could point to in seeking such legislation are complaints from irate fans. They can be sent to: info@racing.state.ny.us
BTW, you\'ve made it very tough for Chris, unless he simply adopts Groth\'s statement as the best fix six quote of the day, although it is early & perhaps the Autotote execs will come out of hiding later today. As I see it, they are the only ones who have & can continue to trump Groth.
I\'m betting, before this affair is over, Don Groth will also be hauled away in handcuffs. His initial comments of knowing Derrick Davis very well and then back tracking like crazy is just a tad bit too suspicious. No doubt he\'s a dumbass, but his comments on the security issues, leads me to believe he\'s a part of this. A total investigation of all Pik 4/6 tiks over the last 5 years is a must. No way, no how did knowledge of this loophole in the security system just begin this October.