Laughable Gazette 'editorial' decries Toga college day

[hockey2315]

Originally Posted by Gander

I guess the question is what took NYRA so long to go after new (young) blood? Skidmore has been around forever and its the perfect college for kids to gamble. These kids have all the money. Their parents are loaded and they drive 60K cars and live in 600K condos. The rules have changed.
Its about time.

This is a really stupid post.

[Indian Charlie]

1. Why do people read newspapers.

2. Isn't that the hometown of PG1985? Anyone living in the same town that he does should be given some leeway, as obviously there is some sort of intelligence dampening field at work around there.

3. People clicking the link to read that story can only encourage them.

4. Who cares what some schlub writes in a newspaper (see #1 above).

[Gander]

Originally Posted by hockey2315

This is a really stupid post.

Thanks for reading it. If they (Skidmore students) werent the perfect demographic to go after, do you think NYRA would put forth the effort?

[Pedigree Ann]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

T(though everyday there is college day so I hear )

Fridays, certainly, and the weekend. On Wednesdays and Thursdays it's harder to justify skipping those afternoon classes, since you have to go to class the next morning and the amount of beer consumed at the track might interfere with that goal. (IDs? We don't need no stinkin' IDs!)

Former UK instructor and mother of two current UK students

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by Pedigree Ann

Fridays, certainly, and the weekend. On Wednesdays and Thursdays it's harder to justify skipping those afternoon classes, since you have to go to class the next morning and the amount of beer consumed at the track might interfere with that goal. (IDs? We don't need no stinkin' IDs!)

Former UK instructor and mother of two current UK students

as a former UK instructor, you should know that you only need to go to class on days that there are tests!!

[viscount26]

Originally Posted by Scav

The tail that comes out for College Day at Keeneland makes it worth it alone

Now if some would bring their Mother's, the yearly treck to Kentucky would be
even better

[hockey2315]

Originally Posted by Gander

Thanks for reading it. If they (Skidmore students) werent the perfect demographic to go after, do you think NYRA would put forth the effort?

I really wish I hadn't. I'm not sure how you formed it (well, I have an idea), but I can assure you that the picture you have of Skidmore students is pretty far off the mark.

Anyways. . . There's no denying that horse racing needs to attract younger fans, but Saratoga College Day will inevitably and ultimately prove ineffective and worthless (as if NYRA will have a way of measuring) because it is yet another demonstration of the industry's fatal flaw: its unwillingness to showcase the only element of racing that actually matters to the bottom line - the betting. It's fine to lure college kids in with drink specials and ipod nanos, but what's going to bring them back when the party stops? Maybe they should give away vouchers or have some sort of beginner handicapping contest or seminar with Andy in addition to the karaoke and balloon animals. If the goal is to bring in younger fans and subsequently increase handle and ensure future handle when all you old folks are gone, then why can't we just admit that? It's not like the event is going to hurt anyone, and I'm sure it'll bring in a little temporary money for NYRA and provide some eye candy for Scav, but in the end it'll be just another misguided attempt to reach a group that those in charge don't really understand.

The Gazette piece, which could be detrimental, is so far off base and surprising that I wonder if the same idiot politicians who were behind the UIGEA, have blocked slots in KY, etc... tied up Heller and Cusano and wrote this themselves. I thought we as a society (particularly in the Northeast) were moving out of the anti-gambling dark ages, but this is a step back.

[ateamstupid]

Aside from the fact that it's not even well-written, this editorial is more proof that playing the horses has some bizarre stigma that playing the lottery, poker, blackjack or even slots doesn't have. That inexplicable double standard is exactly the reason why I feel NYRA and similar organizations need to have days like these. Not only to attract new blood, but to disprove this unfair stereotype held by many that racing is somehow a more degenerate form of gambling and is just for old folks.

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Aside from the fact that it's not even well-written, this editorial is more proof that playing the horses has some bizarre stigma that playing the lottery, poker, blackjack or even slots doesn't have. That inexplicable double standard is exactly the reason why I feel NYRA and similar organizations need to have days like these. Not only to attract new blood, but to disprove this unfair stereotype held by many that racing is somehow a more degenerate form of gambling and is just for old folks.

Welcome back Joey......hope to see you at the Spa.

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by hockey2315

I really wish I hadn't. I'm not sure how you formed it (well, I have an idea), but I can assure you that the picture you have of Skidmore students is pretty far off the mark.

Anyways. . . There's no denying that horse racing needs to attract younger fans, but Saratoga College Day will inevitably and ultimately prove ineffective and worthless (as if NYRA will have a way of measuring) because it is yet another demonstration of the industry's fatal flaw: its unwillingness to showcase the only element of racing that actually matters to the bottom line - the betting. It's fine to lure college kids in with drink specials and ipod nanos, but what's going to bring them back when the party stops? Maybe they should give away vouchers or have some sort of beginner handicapping contest or seminar with Andy in addition to the karaoke and balloon animals. If the goal is to bring in younger fans and subsequently increase handle and ensure future handle when all you old folks are gone, then why can't we just admit that? It's not like the event is going to hurt anyone, and I'm sure it'll bring in a little temporary money for NYRA and provide some eye candy for Scav, but in the end it'll be just another misguided attempt to reach a group that those in charge don't really understand.

The Gazette piece, which could be detrimental, is so far off base and surprising that I wonder if the same idiot politicians who were behind the UIGEA, have blocked slots in KY, etc... tied up Heller and Cusano and wrote this themselves. I thought we as a society (particularly in the Northeast) were moving out of the anti-gambling dark ages, but this is a step back.

Combine those three into one and I'm totally there.

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by Cardus

There are some dim bulbs in the "Electric City."

Ever since Harry Downey died

[Gander]

Maybe Skidmore has changed. My bad. It was a while ago I ran around with some of them, all of which seemed to have cash coming out of their ears and believe me, I wasnt hallucinating getting picked up in cars that cost more than my college education.

Sep 4th is a great day to do this. Friday afternoon, first weekend back. Man I envy those kids. I went to college in a dumpy city whose biggest attraction was a minor league hockey team and a small time division 1 college basketball school. These kids get to live in a town with a racetrack, most live within a drunken walk to. The bars suck, but hey you cant have everything.

I agree with you Joey, NYRA should at least make an attempt to have more fun days like this for a different demographic than what is normally seen at the track. I dont know how much better looking the women can get though. Saratoga has that down and doesnt need much help in that dept!

It sucks that horse racing has this stigma. It isnt fair but easy to assess why when you look around at many of the people who hang out at OTBs and the racetrack. I do think slots very much has this stigma also. At least up here. Most people who live here think the majority of people who frequent the harness track (or racino place) are trashy degenerates.

[2MinsToPost]

Originally Posted by geeker2

Clearly someone lacks an understanding of Addiction.

I love the reference to Art Schlichter in the comments section as if his childhood was a perfect example of child rearing.

He now covers college football for a local radio station, it appears he has really turned his life around.

[geeker2]

Originally Posted by 2MinsToPost

He now covers college football for a local radio station, it appears he has really turned his life around.

That is fantastic news -

[GenuineRisk]

What's infuriating to me about the sanctimonious "but think of the innocent children" tone of the article is that far more financial damage has been done to college kids by the credit card industry aggressively marketing to incoming freshmen who don't understand what they're getting into. Gambling at the track is much simpler- make the wrong choice, you lose your money. But let's pick on the racing industry instead, because that's easy and safe.

And yeah, as someone posted earlier, clearly the writer has no understanding of addiction.

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

What's infuriating to me about the sanctimonious "but think of the innocent children" tone of the article is that far more financial damage has been done to college kids by the credit card industry aggressively marketing to incoming freshmen who don't understand what they're getting into. Gambling at the track is much simpler- make the wrong choice, you lose your money. But let's pick on the racing industry instead, because that's easy and safe.

And yeah, as someone posted earlier, clearly the writer has no understanding of addiction.

What's infuriating to me is that the Gazette just got 100 times more web hits than they do in a normal week by posting this rubbish. So what does everyone think they will post more of?

[Travis Stone]

Originally Posted by Cardus

That's a great point.

I ceased reading newspapers the day that internet chat rooms were created.

Much better source for news.

Hahaha....

But in all seriousness, newspapers are dying a slow death. Many have shut down, others have moved operations completely online. There's no shame in moving your paper to the internet as that's where the future is.

As an aside... I recommend the book "Black & White and Dead All Over" which is about a murder in the halls of a major NYC newspaper (likely the NY Times). The author writes about how the paper industry is dying etc., all with the backdrop of a thriller.

[chucklestheclown]

If the goal is to bring in younger fans and subsequently increase handle and ensure future handle when all you old folks are gone, then why can't we just admit that? It's not like the event is going to hurt anyone, and I'm sure it'll bring in a little temporary money for NYRA and provide some eye candy for Scav, but in the end it'll be just another misguided attempt to reach a group that those in charge don't really understand.

Two golf claps

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

What's infuriating to me about the sanctimonious "but think of the innocent children" tone of the article is that far more financial damage has been done to college kids by the credit card industry aggressively marketing to incoming freshmen who don't understand what they're getting into. Gambling at the track is much simpler- make the wrong choice, you lose your money. But let's pick on the racing industry instead, because that's easy and safe.

And yeah, as someone posted earlier, clearly the writer has no understanding of addiction.

I hear you. Those poor innocent babes are binge drinking like there's no tomorrow. They have less healthy habits than gambling already.

It's been a problem for me for years. My state figures we'll all end up in the gutter if we have gambling (nevermind that there's a Harrah's down the street on the reservation). Since I can't get TVG or HRTV (again, cable company doesn't want me to use it as a gateway to, I dunno, heroin) I have to scrounge around the internet as best I can nowadays. Can't have a satellite dish in my current situation. I'd probably have trouble hanging out at a racetrack, even if we had one, without folks thinking I was a degenerate. They freak about poker as it is. I'm wary about telling people horse racing is my favorite sport because they flat out judge you, even as they plunk down cash for the NCAA tournament.

It's hard to dispute how integral betting is to the sport and how fun it can be to have an "I told you so" where you earn money, but then amongst ourselves we talk about improving the breed and things that are chalk full of romantic ideals for this sport which to me could use a different pitch maybe then strictly 'hey kids come gamble!' Is there a way we could romanticize it just a smidge? For me? I want them feeling something more than 'yes! I won $500!' when they watch something incredible, e.g. when Tiznow won the 2001 BC Classic. Something should stir in there. Let them know it will, that we don't just want their money (even though we could really use it and who are we kidding we do really really want their money). Tell them there's magic to be had, or at least mention it a bit instead of expecting them to stumble on it once they get there. Of course sometimes I wonder if enough people are into that as much as they are just getting the cash out of the college kids' wallets.

[Linny]

All those kids are betting on sports and poker but racing is a no-no.
The attitude is the same as the state's which encourages lotteries (I think there are about 5 different lotteries in NY) and is happy to have slots revenue and racing revenue, but which then passes legislation restricting tracks and OTB's. For example, the slots were humming along on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday while tracks and OTB's are forced to be closed.