Game Needs Some Snarl

- You might have read about, or saw snippets from, the snarly testimony by David Addington before a House subcommittee late last week. Addington, the current chief of staff and former legal counsel to Vice President Dick Cheney, practically growled and HISSSed at the Democrats who had the unmitigated gall to question him about his shadowy role in introducing and spreading the culture of the harsh treatment and torture of detainees from Guantanamo Bay to Iraq to Afghanistan, and beyond. Addington was thoroughly smug, arrogant, and disrespectful, not only to the Subcommittee members, but, in turn, to the people they represent, whose right to know about potential governmental violations of international law and human decency is part of the freedom that we're told our troops are fighting for over there.

The proceedings stood in stark contrast to the recent House subcommittee hearing, entitled “Breeding, Drugs, and Breakdowns: Killing Time Before the Elections.” Or something like that. For one thing, last week's hearings concerned a topic that we should all actually care about; as opposed to some convenient industry bashing prompted by a statistically rare fatality that happened to occur at the Derby.

And these latest hearings were, of course, completely lacking in the self-inspection, self-reflection and self-flagellation that we heard from some racing industry witnesses, and which we have been hearing and reading throughout the industry press and blogosphere for weeks now.

One thing we all seem to agree on is the need for a strong leader - a "commissioner of racing." And whaddya know, Addington figures to be out of work before long. (And I say that even acknowledging the unlikely [he says with a mixture of hope and desperation] possibility that Senator McCain will win in November. The senior Senator from Arizona isn't nearly as conservative as he's presently tryi ng to make himself out to be, and I have little doubt he'd quickly dispatch creeps like this guy.)

I think it might be good for the industry to display a little snarl instead of the current passivity. "Mind your own business; we're dealing with it," Unitary Commissioner David Addington might have scolded Rep. Whitfield. "Besides what are you going to do? Open the Interstate Horseracing Act? Ha! Do that, and you'll all be wondering where a lot of your special interest money went. And what are you going to tell your constituents back home who you'd be threatening to put out of business? And the parents whose school aid depends on revenue from racing and simulcasting? Yeah, go ahead. Interstate Horseracing Act my hairy ass! Do you have any other questions?"

To his credit, NTRA President Alex Waldrop issued a vigorous statement himself, though without the rude reference to his rear quarters. He decried the notion of governmental involvement, while "nearly shouting" according to Ray Paulick's surprisingly engaging live account.

Whether Waldrop is the guy to unify the industry remains to be seen. But for now, all this brooding and moping is just unbecoming for true degenerates like us. Horse racing is what it is. It's a game, one with millions at stake for everyone involved. As such, and, on this continent, true to its very American roots, it has its ample rough'n'tumble side along with measurable doses of seediness, sleaziness, and cheaters. Whatsmore, a great deal is asked of the horses, and a small number of them get hurt or killed. Didn't you know all that when you signed up? Is there any difference between this and the securities markets? Or the NBA or the NFL?

Surely, it hasn't been a great month for the sport. But I don't see anything so horrible going on here. A couple of drug positives for prominent trainers - yeah, what else is new? A jockey whipped his horse wrong and got immediately suspended; so, people don't screw up? The handicap division is weak because horses retire early? That sucks. Guess I'll have to bet on the 99,000 other races instead. And the sport therefore can't attract new fans? That's unfortunate; but it's mostly their loss (though I'd love to have their money in the pools).

If this attitude makes me guilty in your eyes of not taking this all seriously enough, then so be it. There's enough stress and heartache in the world, this is supposed to be fun. To be sure, part of that enjoyment is thinking about the issues the industry faces, forming opinions, debating them with friends and in chat rooms and blogs, doing what one can to be heard. But obsessing over them at the expense of appreciating every chance one gets to contest this irresistible game isn't fun at all. And it ain't fun reading and hearing about it over and over either. So please cut it out already. HISSSSS!