Originally Posted by DonGuido (Post 1025490)

Yep, the favorite always wins the Derby. I don't listen to the "experts", the "analysts" and don't care what they say. I learned that I long time ago. I handicap and pick horses the same for any race, Derby or a 10K claiming. There ya go, my secret is out. :eek::D

Originally Posted by DonGuido (Post 1025490)

Yep, the favorite always wins the Derby. I don't listen to the "experts", the "analysts" and don't care what they say. I learned that I long time ago. I handicap and pick horses the same for any race, Derby or a 10K claiming. There ya go, my secret is out. :eek::D

Originally Posted by largo1 (Post 1025487)

I have greatly enjoyed the coverage in the past, just not this year. I enjoy watching the vignettes about each horse and owner/trainer/jockey. I know some people don't like that 'fluff" but I want to hear about, and see the horses.I don't know why 2 ice skaters have to play such a big role on Derby Day. In the past the "hoopla" as we call it has been really entertaining to watch. I don't want to turn on the race i minute before post. I want to be entertained.

Originally Posted by somerfrost (Post 1025512)

Come on folks, it's the Derby...I hear the same old tired complaints every year. Look, TV networks are successful by playing to their audience, how much of their audience is made up of hard core horse players? I suspect that the majority of those who were at CD yesterday attend once a year and the TV audience...many don't know which end of the horse goes into the gate first. They tune in for entertainment...the same folks who enjoy shows like Fashion Police and Entertainment Tonight, do you think they are interested in handicapping insights? Sure inane puff pieces by figure skaters and focus on hats and drinks drives us crazy but it's what the TV audience at large wants...grin and bare it!:o

Originally Posted by somerfrost (Post 1025512)

...grin and bare it!:o

Originally Posted by ateamstupid (Post 1025527)

I thought the coverage was great. We beg for racing to get national coverage and then do nothing but bitch when we get it. Yeah there was some vacuous crap, but there was also plenty of nuts and bolts coverage and plenty of well-produced drama.

As for the Derby itself, yes, it was boring as hell. Merry-go-round with nobody getting involved from the back. Whether you won or lost, that was not an exciting race other than the brief battle between Firing Line and AP.

Originally Posted by pointman (Post 1025532)

I mostly agree Joey, but Johnny Weir dressed as Foghorn Leghorn was a bit too much for me.

Originally Posted by somerfrost (Post 1025512)

Come on folks, it's the Derby...I hear the same old tired complaints every year. Look, TV networks are successful by playing to their audience, how much of their audience is made up of hard core horse players? I suspect that the majority of those who were at CD yesterday attend once a year and the TV audience...many don't know which end of the horse goes into the gate first. They tune in for entertainment...the same folks who enjoy shows like Fashion Police and Entertainment Tonight, do you think they are interested in handicapping insights? Sure inane puff pieces by figure skaters and focus on hats and drinks drives us crazy but it's what the TV audience at large wants...grin and bare it!:o

Originally Posted by somerfrost (Post 1025512)

Come on folks, it's the Derby...I hear the same old tired complaints every year. Look, TV networks are successful by playing to their audience, how much of their audience is made up of hard core horse players? I suspect that the majority of those who were at CD yesterday attend once a year and the TV audience...many don't know which end of the horse goes into the gate first. They tune in for entertainment...the same folks who enjoy shows like Fashion Police and Entertainment Tonight, do you think they are interested in handicapping insights? Sure inane puff pieces by figure skaters and focus on hats and drinks drives us crazy but it's what the TV audience at large wants...grin and bare it!:o

Originally Posted by Danzig (Post 1025547)

I refuse to accept that I cannot complain about them trying to cater to the survivor/honeybooboo/dancing with the stars/fashion police crowd.

Originally Posted by Danzig (Post 1025508)

I have only one complaint regarding the race.
I don't know who that dipshit couple was (he had a rose hat) but they need never appear again.

Thought the finish was good, I like having horses together with the finish coming up.

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat (Post 1025568)

No, I cannot agree with you at all.

If you want change you have to be vocal and if something that could be vastly improved never is one can at least bitch about it.

There is no excuse.

I cringed when I read however far back it was that NBC had secured the rights to the broadcast for X number of years, how ever many it was.

My friends who are not in to horse racing at all thought it was the most inane waste of time...

A beautiful thrilling and historic sport deserves better. I'll bet you one day, when NBC is done with it, some other network invests the time and resources and does it right.

This is just silly, pointless fluff and it is maddening to try to defend such a unique and riveting sport.

Sorry, makes me sick. I will not keep my mouth shut.



Right!

Originally Posted by ElPrado (Post 1025588)

That was Johnny Weir again. NBC needed to find something to pay them for.

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat (Post 1025568)

No, I cannot agree with you at all.

If you want change you have to be vocal and if something that could be vastly improved never is one can at least bitch about it.

There is no excuse.

I cringed when I read however far back it was that NBC had secured the rights to the broadcast for X number of years, how ever many it was.

My friends who are not in to horse racing at all thought it was the most inane waste of time...

A beautiful thrilling and historic sport deserves better. I'll bet you one day, when NBC is done with it, some other network invests the time and resources and does it right.

This is just silly, pointless fluff and it is maddening to try to defend such a unique and riveting sport.

Sorry, makes me sick. I will not keep my mouth shut.



Right!

Originally Posted by Merlinsky (Post 1025633)

Oh a great deal about it was ridiculous, but it just got the highest ratings since 1992. Apparently whatever they're doing works. I get complaining about just focusing on spectacle, but people love their sound and fury, don't they? Personally I wish they'd covered some of the stories we'd heard about in the other areas of the media. Dortmund's breeder's story that I posted earlier was making the rounds and yet the most you get from the tv coverage is 'wow what a big horse,' an interview with Kaleem Shah, and asking Baffert about having 2 top horses. Nice and all, but not taking advantage of a perfectly good excuse to bawl like a baby.

Originally Posted by pointman (Post 1025532)

I mostly agree Joey, but Johnny Weir dressed as Foghorn Leghorn was a bit too much for me.