The Sport of Kings… the Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports…

That’s not idle banter. We’ve been saying that for decades – and for good reason. The Kentucky Derby and its siblings (they’d hate me for that – so don’t tell them) are coming. And that’s exciting stuff!

I love the KD, not because it’s the most popular horse race in America, not because it signals Springtime, not because it’s a great opportunity for handicappers and gamers, but because: OK – all of them!

I used to live racing…. that’s all I did for 3 years… and it consumed me too. In order to be successful at handicapping, you’ll have to spend countless hours studying the horses and their connections. When I say hours… I mean it! I would handicap the day’s races over breakfast…. and again at night after leaving the track.

Back then, I relied on the Daily Racing Form and a little “computer” I bought at Radio Shack which ran on “basic” and I built my own program. It was essentially a numbers cruncher… but it made my life easier.

Today, I don’t follow the horses like I used to. I wish I could… I miss the challenge of handicapping and the excitement of the races.

Somewhere, it got too commercial. My library had dozens of books on the subject, and I barely scratched the surface. But today???? Wow… the titles are in the stratosphere, I can download them in a instant along with complicated software programs, charts, and my trusty Daily Racing Form.

But it’s beyond all that. I hope it’s just me, but I’m sensing a loss of interest in the sport itself. The problems are beginning to overshadow the fun!

Horses are injured and put down on TV! The great (IMO) series “Luck” shut down… not because of poor ratings, but because four horses died during the filming of the series.

Horses seem “manufactured”… no longer do we see the Stars from nowhere. They are carefully bred from carefully selected mares and sires. They are systematically raised, fed, trained and then separated from “family” and “friends” and inserted into the “race machinery”.

I guess I’m having a “PETA” moment. But what about the horses? Does anyone still care about the horses? I know I’m showing my age when I reminisce and show distaste for what is accepted as “progress”. The naturally born heroes are overshadowed by the genetically engineered runners that bring in Millions of Dollars at auctions – based upon their breeding and connections.

Having said all that, you’ll find me glued to my TV on “The First Saturday of May” for the “Run For The Roses” just as I always have (except for those glory years when I attended in person)… and I’ll have a favorite or two, and I’ll have a buck or two on them, and I’ll still love the “Sport of Kings” as I sit on the edge of my seat during “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sport”!

My Love/Hate relationship continues! This organization is such a mess… it’s total chaos down there at TB Central!

I have inside information here… inside my head… I hear voices you know! Once in awhile my voices tell me rumors, sometimes they tell me more than that… sometimes they even speak truth! I never know what to believe until it’s confirmed in the various “trusted” sources.

So, what’s up with the Trailblazers anyway? What do my voices tell me about their recent decisions? Why did they do the massive dance on March 15th? What was their motivation?

Well, let’s start with the Coach. He was fired because he could no longer “fire em up”. He couldn’t get anything out of his players…. his fault???? I’m not so sure.

The fans loved Gerald Wallace… so why trade him? Why couldn’t “coach” get the fire back in him? My voices say that he just wasn’t into the game anymore. He had more pressing issues that he’s been handling (or trying to). He’s going through a life changing event that is consuming him… he’s getting a divorce… and they’re never pleasant… maybe downright nasty????

Marcus Camby was also a fan fav, but he too was no longer performing. My “guess” is that he’s been consumed also… not by something so temporary as divorce, but on-going, lingering, mind and body consuming something… like Train sang, “don’t know what I was on, but think it grows in Oregon, so I kept on going, going right on through”. That’s the only “logical” explanation for his lack of enthusiasm and poor performance. hmmmmm could be???

Greg Oden… NOT a fan fav… but deserves mention here as a point to how low the TBs have sunk. I’ve NEVER liked this guy. I was sooooo upset when they drafted him over Kevin Durant (I was STILL smarting over the Sam Bowie / Michael Jordan mistake). And I was right! But I think it goes way beyond his fragile knees. I think he has mental problems as well. I believe he’s an Alcoholic… boy, those voices of mine are stretching here – aren’t they?

And as you know, my personal favorite punching bag is: Paul Allen… Wow what can I say that I haven’t already told you? Even my voices scream at me about this guy!

He WILL sell the team! That according to my loudest voices… the quieter ones say that he’s opened up huge salary opportunities, gotten some great help in the upcoming draft (thanks to the Net’s stupidity) and therefore will stick it out for one more season. BUT – somewhere out there is a person or a group that knows a good deal can be made, and it’s time to strike that deal!

So, goodbye to all above, and I’m glad they’re gone (and my voices tell me why I’m glad) Join me in those beliefs, or don’t… either way, I’d like hear from you….

Shhhhhh…. Can you hear it?

There’s a loud roar coming from the Pacific Northwest… If you listen closely, you’ll hear laughter, crying, joy, despair… yes, it’s a cacophony of human outcry…

The Trailblazers slashed and cut and maimed and yes… killed like Brutus and the Gang of Senators attacking Caesar.

Fired: Head Coach Nate McMillan

Traded: Fan favs: Gerald Wallace, and Marcus Camby…

Released: Greg Oden – thus the cheering (at least from me) who is a big, …. well that’s it… just big…. not talented, not physically gifted, not attractive even… what were they thinking when they drafted HIM number one instead of Kevin Durant????? What were they thinking? Oh Yeah…. they wanted to repeat the fiasco of ’81 when the passed up Michael Jordan for… a…. hmmmm…. what’s his name? … ummmm  a very forgettable; Sam Bowie…. also big and… yep that’s all, just big.

So the cheering crowd is chanting Oden, Oden… gone at last! … and the coach too…. although I personally believe that HE wasn’t the problem as much as the owner and his entourage.

As you’ve read here before… owner; Paul Allen has left a huge wake of failures behind him…. and one huge success: Microsuck! And I’m not sure he had anything to do with that story either…. except befriending Bill Gates.

So, who did the Trailblazers get in this carnage? Who cares? they’re going nowhere, their season is shot, their organization is in shambles… look for a sale of the team soon…. and maybe an exodus from Portland.

Just Sayin…

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Disclaimer: It’s only one game into the new Basketball season.

Fact: Portland Trailblazers beat up on Philadelphia.

Conclusion: Maybe I was a bit hasty in my assessment of the Blazers (not of Paul Allen).

Last night, I attended the opening night of this 2011-2012 NBA Basketball season for the Portland Trailblazers at the Rose Garden.

Believe me: the final score is NOT indicative of how lopsided the game was. The TBs  fell behind in the first quarter (2 – 0) but gained the lead and never looked back. They out performed the Sixers in every aspect of the game.

Now what makes this important to me? Well, I had written them off (as my previous posts indicated) as forever-inept… AND having lost their star players: Brandon Roy, Greg Oden (again), and LaMarcus Aldridge (albeit temporarily) – I felt (knew) that front office decisions in the last minutes since the lockout and before the opening game once again meant doom for the team.

I haven’t seen any good decisions there in years (ever?)…

But, I have a friend (Jeff) who’s a BIG TB fan… and yesterday he told me that this is the BEST team that’s ever worn the TB colors! Huge! I know!… so, I decided to attend the opening night game to see for myself (thanks for the Cap and for the Chalupa).

My good friend Matt from Las Vegas is here visiting, he’s always up for a challenge, (He’s NEVER seen the TBs win in person – now THAT’S a challenge) so off we went…

I was surprised. Jeff might have been right! Again, it’s way too early to be singing their praises, but what I saw from the last minute additions to the team is impressive!

UPDATE:

Tonight, the Sacramento Kings came into the Rose Garden and were slaughtered as if lambs amongst lions. I’m impressed again.. and especially with the star of this game (and IMO last night’s game too): Gerald Wallace!

Not there’s a real ironic twist: A man with the initials “GW” that I can like!

DOJ says Full Tilt was a global Ponzi scheme
20 September 2011

By Dan Igo

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Tuesday that Full Tilt Poker operated as a “global Ponzi scheme” and that its primary owners, including poker professionals Howard Lederer and Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, defrauded the site’s players out of hundreds of millions of dollars.

The DOJ filed a motion to amend an earlier civil complaint against Full Tilt Poker to include “additional allegations, claims, and defendants concerning a fraudulent scheme by Full Tilt Poker and its Board of Directors concerning the misuse of players’ funds,” according to a memorandum sent out by Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney from the Southern District of New York.

“Full Tilt was not a legitimate poker company, but a global Ponzi scheme,” Bharara said in a statement. “Full Tilt insiders lined their own pockets with funds picked from the pockets of their most loyal customers while blithely lying to both players and the public alike about the safety and security of the money deposited.”

Lederer, Ferguson, former CEO Ray Bitar and Rafael “Rafe” Furst, all owners of Full Tilt Poker, are accused of distributing approximately $443 million to themselves and other owners of the company. The amended complaint alleges that Full Tilt mixed player funds with operating funds, despite public claims to the contrary by the site.

The DOJ said that by the end of March, Full Tilt Poker owed approximately $390 million to players worldwide, including $150 million to American players, but had less than $60 million in its bank accounts.

“Full Tilt Poker allowed players to gamble with — and lose to other players — this phantom money that Full Tilt Poker never actually collected or possessed,” the DOJ said in a memo.

Lederer, Ferguson and Furst were not included in the original April 15 indictment against the founders of Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars and Absolute Poker. Those three sites were accused of bank fraud, money laundering, illegal gambling offenses and violating the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. All three stopped taking American players shortly after the indictment.

Repaying players has been a totally different matter. PokerStars has paid more than $120 million to American players, and has had no significant delays in paying its international customer base. Full Tilt and Absolute Poker, meanwhile, still owe their players millions of dollars..

The amended complaint claims that Lederer personally received $42 million in company funds, while Ferguson was allocated over $85 million in distributions, but only received about $25 million of this sum.

An unnamed Full Tilt Poker pro received at least $40 million in distributions, while also receiving millions of dollars characterized as loans by Full Tilt. Over $4 million of these loans have not been repaid.

The amendment also states that up until April 2011, Full Tilt Poker continued making payments of up to $10 million per month to its owners, despite the company’s liquidity issues.

Full Tilt Poker’s website stated as of yesterday that players’ funds were “safe and secure.”

The DOJ is seeking $40 million from Bitar, $41.8 million from Lederer, $25 million from Ferguson and $11.7 million from Furst.

(Reprinted from Casino City Times)

The great equalizer visits New York’s Belmont Stakes! [gplus count="true" size="Medium" ]

All this week, I felt pretty confident that AK would take this race. It definitely was his to lose! The race between between AK and Shackleford proved to be the ONLY thing to consider.

After all, S loves the front end, but can’t hold on… AK loves to come from behind to take the win… especially since the Belmont is the longest race of the Triple Crown at a mile and a half!!

How could a come-from-behind horse with the stamina of AK NOT win???

Answer: When the great equalizer comes to the track!

The Weather!

It’s a mess there as I write this. Not only is it a sealed muddy track, but it’s compacted! I’ve watched the early races there today, and it’s obvious to me that front runners rule the day!

So, with that said…

Here are my picks for today’s Belmont Stakes IN A VERY LOOSE ORDER:

1 – Brilliant Speed – Pedigree, Stamina, BS has it! Was forced wide in KD – expect much better here.

2 – Animal Kingdom – just too good to ignore – but can’t catch the winner in this slop!

3 – Master of Hounds – why did the 5th pl KD finisher ship home to Ireland and then ship back here for this????

4 – Prime Cut – The early challenger to Shackleford without a doubt, and may the leader at the first turn.

5 – Shackleford – I’d like him more if he had a better Post Position, because he’ll be pushed at the start.

6 – Nehro – If you’re playing the exotics (and you should in a 3Crown race), this bridesmaid must be included.

7 – Santiva – Has early speed, so cannot be ruled out if speed counts as much as I think it will today.

So,

I’ll play AK to PLACE behind my other first 4 picks and ahead of them as well for the trifecta and superfectas. Then AK to SHOW behind them. Throw in a mix of all the picks above and you’re looking at some expensive tickets. So, throw darts, flip coins, meditate and play the odds OR do some serious handicapping, and you’ll get paid with those above…

Good Luck!