Effing Michael Wilbon

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by miraja2

Why do you say that? I'm not saying you're wrong, I've just never heard that accusation leveled at him before.

As for Wilbon's comments on the show, I didn't see this episode but in years past I always get the feeling that every time the TC season rolls around, Kornheiser acts like he really cares about horse racing, and Wilbon acts like he hates it. My guess is that it is just part of their schtick, and neither really cares, although I don't really know.

Wilbon may not be racist in an overall context, but when he discusses racing -- going back to Kornheiser having including Secretariat in his Top 10 of the Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century Poll -- his rhetoric is tinged with an obvious view of horse racing as a bastion of white, elitist privilege. He has no cultural tie to the game and obviously no interest in its' gambling aspect, so he simply relies on his instinct to dislike the sport because of who and what it historically represents in his mind. I doubt he knows much about how the game was dominated by afro-american trainers and riders during from the post-Civil War until the Gambling Blackout (1908-1910).

That's fine. At this point it's become a schtick on PTI, and every time he says anything about the sport, he just displays a small-mindedness. I stopped watching the show in 2006 when I started doing ATR full time 4-7pm, and even though I'm available to watch now, the two of them have become such caricatures of themselves that I find it difficult to sit through.

[Revidere]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Wilbon may not be racist in an overall context, but when he discusses racing -- going back to Kornheiser having including Secretariat in his Top 10 of the Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century Poll -- his rhetoric is tinged with an obvious view of horse racing as a bastion of white, elitist privilege. He has no cultural tie to the game and obviously no interest in its' gambling aspect, so he simply relies on his instinct to dislike the sport because of who and what it historically represents in his mind. I doubt he knows much about how the game was dominated by afro-american trainers and riders during from the post-Civil War until the Gambling Blackout (1908-1910).

That's fine. At this point it's become a schtick on PTI, and every time he says anything about the sport, he just displays a small-mindedness. I stopped watching the show in 2006 when I started doing ATR full time 4-7pm, and even though I'm available to watch now, the two of them have become such caricatures of themselves that I find it difficult to sit through.

He's obviously never seen this board before!

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Wilbon may not be racist in an overall context, but when he discusses racing -- going back to Kornheiser having including Secretariat in his Top 10 of the Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century Poll -- his rhetoric is tinged with an obvious view of horse racing as a bastion of white, elitist privilege. He has no cultural tie to the game and obviously no interest in its' gambling aspect, so he simply relies on his instinct to dislike the sport because of who and what it historically represents in his mind. I doubt he knows much about how the game was dominated by afro-american trainers and riders during from the post-Civil War until the Gambling Blackout (1908-1910).

If this is his assertion, wouldn't there perhaps at least be some truth to it in the game today? Or at least, even if it isn't true, I'm not sure it makes someone a "racist" if they wanted to make that argument. Sure things were different in the nineteenth century, but so what?
For example, I think today's Republican Party is also a "bastion of white, elitist privilege." Now, during the 1850s and 1860s the Republicans were the antislavery party and the Democrats were the conservatives. But I don't see how that's a particularly relevant point when discussing politics today. Wouldn't the same be true for horse racing?

On the whole, however, I continue to doubt whether Wilbon gives horse racing enough thought to really hate it for any particular reason. A year or two ago when the topic of Zenyatta was brought up he said something about only caring about her if they were serving up some tasty Zenyatta burgers (or something like that). Now, does he really want to eat a horse burger? I doubt it.
I think its just what passes for comedy on that show.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by Kasept

the two of them have become such caricatures of themselves that I find it difficult to sit through.

On this point I certainly agree with you.
When it first came on I watched it two or three times a week.
Now I probably watch it two or three times a year.