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#1
01-06-2014, 10:23 AM
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Joel Stein: "Now I get it"
Terrific entry for ABR website about understanding racing's appeal..
http://www.followhorseracing.com/en/...-now-i-get-it/ "a long social event punctuated by sports..."
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All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind. ~ Joseph Conrad A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right. ~ Thomas Paine Don't let anyone tell you that your dreams can't come true. They are only afraid that theirs won't and yours will. ~ Robert Evans The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. ~ George Orwell, 1984. 
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#2
01-06-2014, 10:28 AM
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That was really cute. I imagine all of us with small kids can sympathize with his son's tears upon learning his pick had scratched. Been there.
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Gentlemen! We're burning daylight! Riders up! -Bill Murray
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#3
01-06-2014, 10:33 AM
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Which is why I think actual track attn still matters.
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#4
01-06-2014, 12:11 PM
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Reminds me of when my wife finally came to Sam Houston with me. We were in the grandstand and she went downstairs for a smoke break. She did not come back for about 30/45 minutes. When she did, she was all wide-eyed and excited. She says " Did you know that the horses are right out there!" pointing in the direction of the paddock. I told her that she missed the race and she didn't care, she was going back out to see the jockeys and horses for the next race.
 Also, I have been trying to get my 14 yo son to go with me to Sam Houston for simulcasting and he flat out has refused. No biggy, not forcing the kid to do this. This past weekend, I asked him to go with me opening night at SHRP and he said "Sure!". I asked why the change of heart and he tells me that " He will go and watch the races live but has no interest in watching them on TV". Baby steps I said to myself....baby steps 
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say, fools talk because they have to say something" - Plato
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#5
01-06-2014, 12:16 PM
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Quote:
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#6
01-06-2014, 12:48 PM
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Quote:
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#7
01-06-2014, 06:11 PM
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What he describes is what they've been trying to market as racings appeal for the last several years.
In the glory years of the sport, it was said "there is little of the true spirit of sport and good feeling among people who attend the races. It is all envy, jealousy, cynicism, hatred, disrespect for authority --- even the humor is sardonic." And in those same glory years...horse racing dominated pool halls in every city. Pittsburgh Phil had amassed a fortune in his early 20's -- A.) without ever having watched a horse race before in his life and B.) by betting on horses through the bookies that operated in Pittsburgh's Pool halls. He did it simply by keeping records of horses names, as well as the winners running time and their margin of victory, thus allowing him to create something resembling a homespun result chart. If you look to the time period when horse racing was as big as any sport in the entire country (1880s through mid 1920s) -- it wasn't popular because it was some social event, held at beautiful venues. Not in the least. If "getting" horse racing means accepting it as a social event, where people wear hats, sip on cocktails, watch celebrities athlete make bets, and chat with each other for 30 minutes in between races ... I sure as hell don't get it.
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