Thursday, April 08, 2010

The Tiger and the Horse

Pretty interesting that one sporting event-The Masters- will get plenty of media attention this weekend because its star is back and one other event-The Apple Blossom-drops off the radar because a star decides to sit this one out.

The Masters for ESPN and CBS will be a ratings monster while The Apple Blossom is relegated to HRTV and to a Daily Racing Form webcast.

Sure it it always cool to see Zenyatta run but after the Rachel Alexandra pull-out, the exciting rivalry aspect that caught the attention of so many people went out the window. Now its more like, oh yeah, the Apple Blossom is this Friday night, I almost forgot.

Well, at least this weekend watching Zenyatta and than the Derby preps on Saturday, I can still yell, scream, cheer and boo the horses and the Jockey without penalty, unlike the Masters where everyone is told to whisper and clap politely. At least one banner-pulling plane in the sky above the Augusta National Golf Club got it right.

1 comment:

the Source of the James said...

In all fairness, horse racing does not translate into compelling TV the way the networks elect to do it.

You have two minutes of action surrounded by crap like two men sitting in a pick up truck singing Row Your Boat.

You have Tom Durkin calling races.

You have cutaway shots of women in marginal and unattractive clothes, looking sweaty and uncomfortable.

You have owners and trainers in the victory circle clearly pissed off about being on camera and acting snotty with the interviewers.

I've learned to prefer HRTV... I don't have to sit through all the no-talent crap and I get to see what I came for without getting a headache the size of Texas at the end..