House Subcommittee Hearings

[Scav]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

Certainly there are obstacles. But to me, looking into the options and considerations is more beneficial than just putting up our heels and not bothering, or blaming in on the "states rights" issues.

If it costs us $1 billion to save a multi-billion dollar industry, that's better than not spending the $1 billion and having no industry at all.

The industry is going no where.

Today was just a bunch of old people that have nothing better to do.

[Travis Stone]

I guess what I'm saying is people are really speaking-up about these issues now. But at the end of the day, what will come of it? Who takes the reins? Clearly our sport and industry has shown a significant inability to do so, so now the government is looking at holding our hand. If the government gets involved, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

Certainly there are obstacles. But to me, looking into the options and considerations is more beneficial than just putting up our heels and not bothering, or blaming in on the "states rights" issues.

If it costs us $1 billion to save a multi-billion dollar industry, that's better than not spending the $1 billion and having no industry at all.

Well in that case...

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

Certainly there are obstacles. But to me, looking into the options and considerations is more beneficial than just putting up our heels and not bothering, or blaming in on the "states rights" issues.

If it costs us $1 billion to save a multi-billion dollar industry, that's better than not spending the $1 billion and having no industry at all.

I love when you guys throw out that if we spend a billion then.....

Then what? Where is that money coming from? Trainers and owners and betters are getting hammered like the rest of the country. Do you guys who draw a salary from the business understand that one of the reasons that the sport is so screwed up from a financial side is because of sentiments like yours? When the takeouts were raised and handed over to state governments because there was so much money available. What are you going to do when LAD gets rid of racing because there are no horses left? Where is that billion going to come from? From the bettors? They can stand another takeout increase? from the owners? Like there arent enough owners getting out of the business now? Why do you think the Bob and Beverly Lewises of the world became sellers too? Because it costs so damn much to run a racing stable that even the really rich people needed to try to get some cash back. One of the problems in the sales business is that all the buyers have become sellers. This industry is not going to be saved by a federal racing commission that tests for steroids. It will be killed by people who will bleed it dry based upon the testimony of zealots and rumors and half truths.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

Certainly there are obstacles. But to me, looking into the options and considerations is more beneficial than just putting up our heels and not bothering, or blaming in on the "states rights" issues.

If it costs us $1 billion to save a multi-billion dollar industry, that's better than not spending the $1 billion and having no industry at all.

Are you even remotely aware of the work that is being done by a host of people throughout the industry on EVERY SINGLE TOPIC that was brought up today? Work that is being diminished and insulted by douchebags and buffoons like Randy Moss who don't know what they're talking about but are accepted as 'authoritative' because of some perceived knowledge gleened from 17 minutes of airtime on ESPN once a month?

Are you kidding me? This was a mockery today. No one who has been working tirelessly to change things in the game, and that have been making progress, were representated.. Their efforts were obfuscated by lies, misrepresentations and innuendo. I'm surprised that someone that makes their living in the game would perpetuate the crap that we just listened to for 4 hours... It's irresponsible to be unaware of what is actually being attempted and accomplished.

Sorry to be harsh about it but accepting the bullsh+t from the likes of Jess Jackson is outrageous.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

If the other major sports in society can do it, why can't racing?

Baseball, basketball, football... they're very similar in that each individual team is its own business, at its core, competing against other businesses in the same market.

The Mets want to out-draw the Yankees, they want to earn more money, they want a better bottom line. Yet under the umbrella for the "Good of the Game" they hold hands with the Yankees when it comes to new steroid testing procedures and other rules/laws.

In flabbergasts me that racing cannot do the same.

Because Travis the scope of racing dwarfs those other sports. Because horses are subject to a far greater chance of environmental contamination because of the levels that are tested at. Different labs get different results for the same medications. How is that uniform? You cant compare it to other sports simply because of the enormity of the number of athletes involved and because we are far more regulated than they are already. You work in the business, you should understand these basic things. I am not against a central regulatory body nor am I against greater regulation of medication but to do it wrong makes it worse than not doing anything.

[Jax Cajun]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

If the other major sports in society can do it, why can't racing?

Baseball, basketball, football... they're very similar in that each individual team is its own business, at its core, competing against other businesses in the same market.

The Mets want to out-draw the Yankees, they want to earn more money, they want a better bottom line. Yet under the umbrella for the "Good of the Game" they hold hands with the Yankees when it comes to new steroid testing procedures and other rules/laws.

In flabbergasts me that racing cannot do the same.

Racing is not the same because there is no revenue sharing. You don't perform, you don't get paid. And those that are getting paid the most are the ones who can afford the roids and keep their competitive advantage.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Jax Cajun

Racing is not the same because there is no revenue sharing. You don't perform, you don't get paid. And those that are getting paid the most are the ones who can afford the roids and keep their competitive advantage.

steroids are cheap and available to all. You dont have to like them but they arent expensive.

[Jax Cajun]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

steroids are cheap and available to all. You dont have to like them but they arent expensive.

I did not know that, I was just going by what Gary West said yesterday about winstrol.