I'm no horse racing fan by any measure of anything. I know absolutely nothing about the sport other than that as a kid (in the mid/late 70's) the Triple Crown seemed very doable.
I was listening to WFAN up here in the New York area this morning on the way home from caddying. I heard the host, Richard Neer, interviewing New York Times William Rhoden (who wrote an article in today's NYTimes) about yesterday's Kentucky Derby and the unfortunate ending that cost the only philly in the race her life after breaking both of her front legs. For a moment, the author seemed to be trying to suggest that horse racing is only a second cousin away from dog fighting amongst the pantheon of sports of the rich, famous, and bored amongst us. I turned off the interview. Was he nuts!
Then I came home and read the piece. Here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/sports/othersports/04rhoden.html?ref=othersports
After doing so, I had to rethink his points.
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Comments (5)
It's so sad that the horse had to be uthenized(8 belles was it?)
"Cincy" Jesse Owens | 05/04/08, 08:59 PM
Report Offensive CommentSorry gator, I am not buying the article. When the writer has to try to baloon the effect by citing "Deaths we don't know about" my scepticism increases.
Want a comparison? In 2007 there were 13 football related deaths. This does not include other serious injuries including paralysis (around 20 in 2007). (Unortunately for horses, there is no way to recover from something as innoculous in humans as a broken leg). This does not included things like the well documented short life expectancy of overweight linemen or side effecs of steroids.
I would put forth the football numbers are worse, and not merely because it's human vs animal. Most of the football deaths were easily avoidable as they resulted from heat related illnesses. In most ases there were caused by coaches not providing enough water breaks or pushing kids further than their bodies can hadle.
I'm no horse fan, but if you compare the arguments (and you can make some related to "The horses don't have a choice") I still don't see how you legitimately argue against horse racing and for football.
As a former farm boy and athletic trainer, I am for horse racing and football, just against idiot coaches pushing their players towards death for things as innoculous as water breaks.
Prove It | 05/05/08, 12:39 AM
Report Offensive Commenttypo - and - revisited the article.
4 direct deaths (ontact)
9 related (heat stroke, etc.)
3 possible additional deaths (could not verify caused by football)
didn't include a 2007 hard number for paralysis and serious injury
Prove It | 05/05/08, 12:50 AM
Report Offensive CommentRUGator: I am glad you gave a Rhoden a second chance. I remember the first time I had heard of him and was ready to turn him off for good in my mind. But I gave him the second shot you did. Now he's one of my top-3 favorite sports columnists. Rhoden writes more than sports, he writes the reality of this country most of us are in denial of. I read his column first thing yesterday morning, and then expanded on the thought linking this to Michael Vick - www.fannation.com/blogs/post/187715
I'm sure if it's widely read here, even more people will hate me than already do. Read and enjoy, or read and cringe. But I think the topic is a valid one to discuss with civility in an open forum here. This is America, right?
EastCoastKeith | 05/05/08, 09:00 AM
Report Offensive CommentClever name of this blog. I really do not follow horse racing but it is sad what happened to the Filly. I always wondered is there another way, one that she could have kept her life despite her injury?
J. HOVA: MISTER UNTOUCHABLE | 05/05/08, 10:15 AM
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