Jauronimo!

Tweet Apologies for going a tad off topic today. Things have been a little lean around these parts since the early to mid nineties as far as our NFL franchise goes. As a season ticket holder and loyal fan for over 22 years, I think we've hit rock bottom. The past 10 years since the jaw-dropping homerun throwback in Nashville have been pure torture from a fan's perspective. We're through four coaches since then and nary a winning or playoff season. Unfortunately the town lives and dies by this team's fortunes (or should I say misfortunes) and it has been calling for Jauron to be fired since last season. Looking past a potential new coach, is the looming possibility of the team moving out of town. The current 91 year old owner (and horseman) Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. has kept his word in keeping the team in Buffalo, but once his inevitable passing occurs, his instructions to his heirs are to sell the team. My guess is that the team will end up in LA, a large television market with a new stadium that is currently in the works. A shame really, but the economics of the matter is where the end game lies, and looking in the mirror, this town can no longer support an NFL franchise. The likes of Jerry Jones have changed the landscape and face it, trying to sell luxury boxes and personal seat licenses in a blue collar town, just isn't going to cut it economically for the price that someone will have to pay ($800 mil?) to buy it from the Wilson estate. So, I guess I'll just enjoy them while they're still here and not complain about the front office or coaching staff, cuz we're lucky to have a team here when it's all said and done.

I've been reading a lot about the late Bobby Frankel (RIP) on the interwebs and it seems that most folks are on one end of the spectrum or the other (loved him or hated him). The story that he missed a race for his sick dog though tells a lot about what he must have been about. Too bad he couldn't have gone out a winner (Ventura) in the Breeders' Cup, but his last entrant at Hollywood Park actually won!

I dabbled a little on Friday night at Hollywood Park and set a personal record winning six straight bets on the first five races (including two trifectas betting less than $3 on each). That's one I'll probably never top. The streak was halted after one win at Aqueduct on Sunday afternoon (while trying to stomach the aforementioned football team) at seven. Not bad, eh?

Top Chef Final Five tonight....will my boy Eli hang on to make the Final Four in Napa and keep some bragging rights alive with the Saratoga Resident. Fingers crossed in the Space Station. Stay tuned. Check here for a preview of tonight's epi.

What Would the Commish Do?

Tweet "Does all of this excitement "save" racing and bring us back to our glory days? I don't think so—because racing doesn't need a savior."
~ The NTRA CEO in his latest post Thoughts from 35,000 feet

My retort: Nope, we need just a commissioner, with some backbone and who has authority to make decisions for the well being of the sport. Why Hollywood Park for the next accreditation, a facility that most likely will be condos this time next year?? Does that make sense?

In addition to my comment, 15 other brave souls also commented. What would the over/under on a blog post by NBA commissioner David Stern be during the NBA Finals? Certainly more than the 16 generated by racing's CEO during Triple Crown season. But I digress. The two main chords that were struck here are: (1) Why the heck did the NTRA accredit Hollywood Park with all the turmoil and unknown that track is currently facing and; (2) Do we need a commissioner with authority?

Here are some of the better comments that touched on the Hollywood Park issue:

"I agree with other posters, why spend the time and resources accrediting Hollywood Park when its days are numbered? According to what I understand for accreditation, Hollywood Park spent $15,000 and the NTRA spent an additional $15,000 to perform the site inspection and other essentials. Why? Isn't that simply throwing away $30,000? Where was the NTRA or anyone else for that matter when the Inglewood City Council held public meetings to decide whether to pass the environmental impact report for the development? The minutes even show that the city council specifically said that the leadership of horse racing should have been present. It's likely that in a year the track will be a rubble pile much like Bay Meadows is now." ~Concerned in CA

"I'm very concerned about the future of Santa Anita given the track is about ready to be auctioned. What are the chances that racing will continue there after 2009 if ownership changes? It's already bad enough that we are going to lose Hollywood Park. " ~John Tucker

Concerned in CA's comment was right on point. She gets it. Why weren't racing's leaders at the public hearing? Makes no sense to me. What is our sport's position on losing a prestigious track such as Hollywood Park? Perplexing that only a grass roots effort is being put forth to save the track. (There is a website which outlines the issues and what you can do to help at savehollywoodpark.com.)

My commissioner comment also received some traction with others:

"Alex, my friend, as much as I respect and deeply admire you, you are the candy-man incarnate. Gene the Machine is spot-on: only one thing will save this sport, and it's the same thing that saved baseball after the Black Sox scandal; saved football from the AFL and basketball from the ABA; saved hockey from itself; and helped propel the PGA Tour to heights unimagined -- a Commissioner! As of this writing, only two "major" sports remain without a Commissioner -- horse racing and tennis, and both are on their proverbial death-beds. Jeez, Alex, how much more history do you need? Or, as my Dad liked to put it, "Whadda need, a building to fall on you, or wot (sic)?" And, please, don't tell me it can't be done. Don't give me all the "too many independent jurisdictions ..." and "too much state involvement" song-and-dance. With giants like Bob Lewis and Jim McKay before their deaths ... and more recently Gary Stevens, Jerry Bailey, Randy Moss, Andy Beyer, and others all on public record crying-out for a Commissioner, why does our game's (arguably) most powerful and influential figure -- YOU -- continue to dodge the concept like the plague? Where is that blog?" ~Octave-the-in Rave

"When I hear talk about "saving the sport", it usually strikes me as very self-serving. I'm a fan, in no way connected with the industry........if you're serving yourself instead of me, don't ask me to save you. If the sport were to become truly motivated by what was good for the public, then the public would become motivated to support it." ~Screamingbird

"I cannot agree with your statement that racing doesn't need to be saved. It does; from its leadership that continues to remain apathetic towards its customer and unyielding to work together for the benefit of all. Horse racing's future is anything but rosy. Betting is everything in this game and the average age of the bettor is getting older and older. Perhaps you were serendipitous in finding a twenty something who knew about horse racing. Most young people have no idea and no interest in the sport because at some point the sport stopped trying to get their attention. Horse racing gave up a long time ago on its customer and became too self-absorbed. Now we're feeling the effects of that. Horse racing will always exist, what form though depends on what actions and what lengths the leadership is willing to take." ~Concerned in CA

"This sport needs a central authority, central marketing, international connections, modern track facilities to draw a younger audience, art events, music, so much could be done! One successful Triple Crown season cannot do enough for the sport - we can learn from the NBA how it is done. One Michael Jordan was not enough to make the NBA what it is today, either." ~Angelika Hala

"Thanks for wanting our input: 1. Get a Commisioner (sic): racetracks are like teams, they need to co-ordinate the rules. Get a commissioner and "they will come." ~Rachel A. (for real!)

Hmm...even though there were only a couple handfuls of commenters, the theme was ringing loud and clear. Do you think Roger Goodell would squander money on a track that could go dark, or would he be out fighting for the track to survive? Bud Selig suspended Manny 50 games for drugs....how powerful an example is that? So, what would a real commish do...go accredit a track being turned into mixed-use development or go to the meeting to try and prevent its demise?

Did You Know...

Tweet This month's edition of DYK has a little history and a little future...first this week in racing history:

- 72 years ago (yesterday) Bing Crosby announced plans to open a racetrack and call it something like the Del Mar Turf Club. Appears to have been a pretty good move.

- 15 years ago (yesterday) the Fair Grounds suffered through a fire supposedly started in the jockey room, that destroyed the grandstand.



- 25 years ago today, the first $1 million race for 2 year old thoroughbreds took place called the Hollywood Futurity, which was won by Fali Time with Sandy Hawley in the irons.

To find some of the best TBA posts on history check out Colin's Ghost and Brooklyn Backstretch, both who excel in this area.

Finally, a little future (and fun) with the 25th running of the Futurity this Saturday (now called the Cash Call Futurity (G1), did you know that in post position 4 will be one Axel Foley by Officer (by Morganza), coming over across the pond for trainer John Best, with Michael Baze up? Just thinking about it had me humming a certain melody........i apologize in advance to everyone who will have this tune in your head all day today.

Paved Paradise?

Tweet Fittingly, an article in The LA Times appeared on Pearl Harbor Day, discussing the possible demise of Hollywood Park after the summer 2009 meet as "the owners plan to demolish the park, once known as the "Track of the Lakes and Flowers" because of its six lakes, a waterfall and sprawling greens. In its place, a mixed-use commercial development is envisioned, said Inglewood Councilman Daniel Tabor. The proposal includes 600,000 square feet of commercial space, up to 27 acres of parkland, a refurbished casino and about 4,000 homes."

The article also references a group called Save Hollywood Park a site that "has been created to promote the preservation and continued operation" of the famed race track. I'd be interested to hear what our West Coast bloggers are hearing out there. Consolidation is something being bandied around the industry, but I don't think this would be one of the tracks they had in mind to help the cause. I regret I've never had the chance to visit any of the West Coast tracks to date (they're on the list), I just hope it doesn't close before I have the opportunity.

I'd be remiss if I didn't comment on the farce that was billed as a home Buffalo Bills game in Toronto yesterday. We arrived around 1pm and found a nice parking spot about 5 blocks from the Rogers Centre and immediately found a bar/restaurant to have a little lunch and adult refreshments at, while catching the early games (place that rhymes with Scooters). Unfortunately it was the highlight of our day (other than the crowd bailing out the young female singing the Canadian National Anthem by drowning out her weak attempt) as the game was as boring and quiet as I've ever seen or heard in 23 years of attending pro football games. The place was a morgue, had 7,000 empty seats, and was attended by as many Miami fans as Buffalo fans. A game we desparately needed and one I always look forward to (a Florida team playing in frigid Buffalo). I felt like I was at a corporate event, like a rock concert. I am not planning on riding up again, I will be selling my seats for the next six games in the series. It's all about the money in the NFL, it just makes me appreciate horse racing even more so. I drank the kool-aid about how it was good to regionalize the franchise. All I did was buy overpriced tickets (the guy sitting next to me scalped his for $50) to a game that was basically a neutral site with fans who sat on their hands and didn't know how to support the home team. Steve Simmons of The Toronto Sun has a pretty good handle on what transpired in today's column. Ok, I promise not to discuss the Bills again until next August, when I say as I always do "this could be the year." At least I made it home in less than two hours.