Holy Crap

[HP]

Mike I can see you have your mind made up about this, but the WHOLE point of the article is that PA and NM are NOT microcosms of racing at the major venues.  The big increase in fatalaties as AQUeduct is tied into the whole new \"racino\" thing, and it\'s all about cheap, bottom level horses.  

It\'s not like the writers are making stuff up.  The timing is important because it\'s Triple Crown season and yes, they are trying to make a splash, but I don\'t understand slamming the writers.  I\'m absolutely amazed that this many vets play ball on this kind of thing.  Some of these guys need to go to jail and nothing is going to change until they do.  

NFL is going to be facing major lawsuits and as others have pointed out there have been long articles about the NHL too.  This is worse because the horses don\'t have a union.  

As anyone who does crisis management in politics can tell you, you have to meet this kind of thing head on and deal with it.  You\'re not going to make it any better by saying it\'s \"old news.\"  Nobody cares, least of all people reading today\'s New York Times.  It\'s old news AND new news and it\'s also BAD news, period.  HP

[magicnight]

\"Read the Times every day, but not the lightweight sportswriters.\"

The concussion stories have been on the front page several times, as was the hockey goon story. But why let the facts get in the way of your good story, eh?

[miff]

... but the WHOLE point of the article is that PA and NM are NOT microcosms of racing at the major venues.

HP,

You cant be serious. The Times sole purpose was to \"expose\" the drugging of horses in ALL racing in the US,not just New Mexico/Penn. They would never get permission to write the article if it was solely aimed at two mickey mouse venues.The articles are clear shots at ALL racing and seek shock value.

Incidentally, meet exactly what head on? If you mean a PR exercise to give racing a clean appearance, will never happen no matter how they try to sanitize it.

Mike

[jma11473]

Miff is the same joker who writes \"clueless clowns\" in 1000 posts a year. Now someone else is attacking the industry and he says it\'s just bias. So he can post the same garbage repeatedly, but let anyone else bring out some facts and he turns. He has his head up so many asses he doesn\'t know which side he\'s kissing.

[jma11473]

Isn\'t that what you post at least 10 times a week though, \"clueless clowns\" and the rest of your garbage. So only you are allowed to call them out, but anyone else must be shut down? What a prick you are.

[miff]

\"Miff is the same joker who writes \"clueless clowns\" in 1000 posts a year\"


That you Joe Dope??

[HP]

I will lay off the invective because Mike actually posts some handicapping comments.  But I totally disagree with your take on the article, and I\'m wondering what type of \"permission\" you think this kind of thing requires.  The article doesn\'t talk about Saratoga.  It is squarely focused on bottom level claimers and in NY it\'s totally focused on Aqueduct, which is the \"bottom\" of NY racing.  I didn\'t see it as a broadside at all.  And the Derek Boogard story was TERRIFIC writing, so I disagree with your comments about lighweight sportswriters as well.  THAT series was award worthy, without a doubt.  I\'m not a hockey fan and I thought it was riveting and just an incredible story.

HP

[plasticman]

So, now we are seeing that using all the slots money to increase purses (so those increased purses would beget better racing which would beget better betting handles) was the WRONG way to distribute the slots money? How about keeping the purses at their pre-slots levels and taking ALL the slots money and seeding the betting pools with carryovers. Look at tiny harness track Dover Downs for example, ..their betting pools are MINISCULE. The harness racing action is pretty good and better than it was pre-slots era, but the betting pools are still very tiny. But, if that slots money went into the form of carryovers? (how about a 50k carryover seeded pick 4 pool every day, don\'t you think that Dovers betting pools would be much bigger if players were chasing that free 50k? Sure they would)


As far as the The Boogaard death goes, that has nothing to do with fighting in the NHL because if it did, wouldnt EVERY NHL Fighter meet his early demise? I didnt read the articles about this, but i\'m assuming that there was an \'outcry\' to ban fighting in the NHL. Also, Boogaard was a great fighter, it wasnt like he lost too many fights, it wasnt like he was constantly getting HIS brains beat in, it was normally the other way around. What about the fighters who Boogie man beat up who are still alive and living productive lives?

What about THOSE guys? Boogaard dished out more punishment that he accepted, same thing for Rick Rypien, he was also an \'amazing\' fighter who seldom lost fights. The interesting thing about Rick and Derek is that these guys weren\'t just ANY fighters, they were ELITE fighters, some of the best of all time.

Why would fighters who were considered in the list of all time greats be the ones dying if fighting was the main culprit? You would think that the guys who LOST those fights would be the ones more likely to have problems, no?

These fighters were not the \'jerry quarry\'s\' of their sport, and yet, as elite fighters go, they were dead while still actively playing as elite enforcers?

[miff]

HP,

Was specifically speaking of the Times Racing reporters that wrote the biased racing articles.

Those writers ever had to face a panel of legitimate vets/trainers/owners,they would be laughed out of the room.

Good luck, be careful, Bode may go forward and run off the screen.

Mike

[HP]

Good luck to you too Mike.  Bode would be doing that without my money!

What I know about fighting is...some guys can take a lot of punishment and it never shows and some guys take a few bad shots and can\'t talk anymore.  Boogard articles aren\'t really the point, just saying every sport has to face this kind of music on some level.  

HP

[JR]

Most people out there probably don\'t have a clue but, guess what buddy, they\'re the ones who decide whether this game gets subsidies. You better show them a little more respect or you might have to find another hobby.

[sighthound]

What is with the two ad hominen trolls coming out?

[trackjohn]

Guys:

  All of what is mentioned in the article has happened...some recent news...some old news...HOWEVER...perception IS reality...most of the folks who read the article don\'t remotely understand the intricacies of the \'game\' as those who post on this board...Even though this article (given the timing of it) might well be a classic hatchet job, most people will believe every word of it.  Everyone on this board better hope that ALL of the horses in Saturday\'s Derby come home safely...Comments??

John

[JR]

JB, I\'ve got a prop for you. You\'re an influential part of this industry.  I\'ll venture a guess a lot of big money players use your product. Stop selling sheets for these junk tracks. Watch their pools dry up.

[sighthound]

Joe Drape has always written hit pieces putting racing into the worse possible light.  Look at his history.  He is the PR mouthpiece for a certain segment of the industry with an agenda.

Notice that Joe is not writing about how NYRA officials have been caught with their hands in the bettor\'s pockets.

His \"Derby Week Exposes on Horse Racing\" are predictable.