Straight Up (the river without a paddle)

Tweet It's one of those opinionated days again, while wondering whatever happened to Big Chuck?

Lexi's at it again, can the man pat himself on the back more than any CEO in history? He's been a busy guy earning that $425K+ compensation package, writing letters to the editor to the venerable NY Times, keeping UP his blog and making sure everyone knows his Safety Alliance project is gaining momentum. The fact that it can't be enforced is besides the point. Don't worry about that, we've got 55 tracks who've PLEDGED their support. Super. He's garnered a whole 4 comments on his Bloodhorse article today and not one is positive. The fact that he keeps harping on the PETA factor and the Eight Belles tragedy is evidence that he continues to shine the light on the sport's vulnerabilities in his efforts to show that the industry is doing something about it. I don't think this is what we want to remind people of, or get the PETA folk riled up again.

Face it folks, we need a leader who people will follow. Look at David Stern as an example of a true leader. Even Gary Bettman created the Ice Bowl on New Year's Day, a tradition gaining momentum and turning the spotlight on a sport that has its own issues. We have a trade group with no enforcement abilities, a "consensus builder" in his own words. During the congressional hearings Arthur Hancock stated "The army needs a general", boy was he on point. He makes a point (every week) to say they are making progress on safety, but the NTRA takes no position on the slaughter bill.

I found the NTRA's 2007 Form 990 which shows they had $12M in revenues and $9M in expenses and have over $24M in combined cash and investments (at 12/31/07). Television spending was $2.6M (over $5M in 2006). He talks of a "limited marketing budget" and "breaking the bank" on his blog. Looks to me like there's some cash in the pot. Man, don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining. Rudderless ship, indeed.