Dwight Drane

Gotta go......I'll see you all in about 2 minutes and 13 seconds. I anticipate a new record for myself.

The Jockey Club has more technology than the CIA. They come around and DNA test EVERY horse in order to make sure they are what they sey they are. Blood samples, hair samples....it's pretty crazy. The worst job in racing is being the "Teaser". This is the stud who gets the females all hot and bothered right before the actual daddy gets to do his job. The Teaser has a worse case of Blueballs than Mark Foley at a Canisius High School Choral Concert.

With what? If his genes are carried on, it won't be with a racehorse.

Good deal. There is nothing better than a day/week/month at Saratoga.

Does your family still run horses? Not only this, but many horses get depressed once they stop racing. Like a human who retires and climbs the walls at home....some beings just need to work.

Their heads said he was a goner, but their hearts said try it. He wasn't expected to make it past a week, then they had a little momentum rolling with the healing process so they had to let it all play out.

Even if he went to stud, it doesn't mean he would have been a success. For 2 or 3 years he would get 100 mares pregnant at $75K a pop. When those horses start popping out and running, they might not be very good or not worth 75 thousand. It is like the stock market with the babies and a stud.....They would definitely get $20-30 million back from him, but they probably had him insured for that. I could probably go buy you a Kentucky Derby winner right now for $100,000 who is still able to breed....he just breeds slow horses.

Simon, it doesn't make sense that so many are put down, but at least people can see how fragile they are after all the attention and time was given to Barbaro. The owners could have put him down and collected the insurance check the day it happened, but out of compassion they tried everything they could. The rate to just be in the stall was $600 a day in the ICU, so they had to be pushing $500K in trying to save him. I don't know what he was insured for, but he was worth $40-60 million and it is possible that is what they will collect. The horse with the artificial leg is interesting. He most likely had a clean break under easier circumstances than a horserace. With all the dirt and crap out there, if the bone punctures the skin on the track, there is infection that would hit. The big thing with a horse is that their internal organs are not attached to their muscular and skeletal system like humans. They all sort of mishmash around in a general area and have a tendency to twist and cause major problems if a horse lays down too much. Also, a horse is +/- 1100 lbs so if they lay down a buildup of fluid can take place and fill up their lungs...congestive heart failure basically. Now....those facts set up how important standing is for the horse. If a horse breaks a leg, it now has to support over 1000 lbs on 3 legs...and on feet that are 40% as big as yours. Like humans getting bedsores, if a horse can't get weight off a limb then the foot starts getting irritated and circulation becomes poor. A sling really helped Barbaro out, but it takes a cooperative patient to use one. The ironic thing is that the original break didn't directly kill him.....it healed, but his other leg went bad at the same time and it was up to his previously broken one to save him. It just couldn't handle it. The guy with the artificial one had to have a good break, be calm enough to handle slings and surgeries, and get lucky along the way.

The jockeys hit them more for show so the yahoos betting on them can't complain it's rigged. One good pop let's them know it's go time, and some intelligent horses will slow down if you whip them. If a horse gets welts from a whip, the jock can get suspended.

It's a sad day for anyone that has ever had a connection with an animal. A great racehorse will trump an average human any day of the week. These guys give it their all out of pure competitive spirit, are left so empty after a 2 minute race that they can't do it again for a month, have daily aches and pains....and they enjoy every minute of it for an "attaboy", a pepermint, or a scratch of the forehead. If you aren't around these athletes, it is tough to understand. It is as if your family pet could run around your backyard and make you millions of dollars. You already love the guy for his loyalty and companionship....then he pays you back with amazing experiences and cash. You are forever in debt to these creatures because there isn't a damn thing you can do that will ever repay them. That is why I feel so bad for the connections.

Do you have a book of poetry published? I likey! Hey, that is great that you can get a cash grab while going to school. Can all of the military take advantage of that? If so, that is a sweet deal. Good for you.

1) I love pierogis 2) I love meatballs 3) You remind me of both

I'm guessing......grilled chicken breast sandwich with a bottled water?????

I love Chicago getting 7. Vegas always inflates the favorite for the SB. If this was a regular season game on a neutral field, it would be a Pick'em. I've seen Grossman play big games in college and he was awesome. I will probably play Chicago on some sort of moneyline as well.

I like New England because Harrison is hurt and Belichek knows it. They can play soft zone and double Wayne all day. Then they can blitz off Harrisons side, and concentrate on stopping the run up the middle and to the left. I really like Peyton and he deserves a championship shot, but it is going to be rough without Harrison at even 80%. On a side note...Chicago is going to explode on New Orleans. Defense and Special teams. It's going to be the Fridge Bowl again with NE and CHI.

This sounds like sciatica. You probably twinged your back at some time and have irritated the nerve. Hopefully it's something temporary, but if it's a disc problem which may be the case, it will pop back up now and then. I'd go talk to your doctor if it sticks around and he can run an Xray and MRI if it hurts you bad over time. Is the "pain" more of an uncomfortable feeling instead of a broken bone pain? Especially in your mid-lower thigh, it will feel like it's asleep, but will be sensitive to rub it, like a bunch of tiny needles. Some people get it to feel like a hot poker if it compresses you back long enough. I have this myself, and you'll hear a bunch of pregnant women getting this as the extra weight crunches the back. Hope this rings a bell.

1812 Overture

Willis for Calhoun and a 4th. Amen

Me too in Buffalo! And I want the team to win. Miller does take great angles and limits rebounds, but until we hoist a cup, I am not sold he is anything but a top 10 guy.

I had it on DVR and rewound it because it went about 3 minutes of play before a whistle. If the puck went into the crowd off of the save maybe they would have replayed it and talked about it. It was headed mid-upper right hand corner and he got the stick up, saving the goal. I'm not saying Thomas is better than Miller, but he was better than him yesterday.

Let's talk about the Bills!!!! Hey, I heard Brad Cieslak and his girlfriend went to the movies last night. I hear they bought a box of Milk Duds and took in the latest Disney animated film. Coy wire was nice enough to take his nephews to Chestnut Ridge Park and go sledding. They all looked really nifty in those winter hats made by Coy's clothing line. And let's not forget, Dick Jauron was busy as well, filling out his 1040 on TurboTax. Then it was off to bed with a relaxing cup of warm milk, his nightcap, and the autobiography of Brian Mulrooney.

Thomas had a save just as good on the other end in the 3rd. He was out of the net and was racing back in and slid face first into the net while blindly holding up his stick, and made the save. I think RJ and Lorenz already had their mouths full with Miller so they didn't really give Thomas his due. What a game though. Frasier let them play and the goalies did their part. That is how hockey should be played. I love Roy doing his Shi-tzu impression on Chara and getting swatted away. Good stuff.

I am convinced that one of the reasons the Pats seem to get more calls is because they can actually have a conversation with the referees. They may lobby the refs, but they are intelligent enough to do so. It's not "Yabba Dabba Whohaa Bling Bling".

He did make contact helmet to helmet...but Rivers finished it off by doing his best Derrick Roy impression he could muster. That's why they didn't make the call...plus the fact he didn't make multiple gang signs before he hit him like the SD kid did. They used to get the calls, but these guys are just that good. Smart guys all around....it's a simple formula. Did you notice they were playing their 3rd string back the majority of the game? I stopped thinking they were lucky a few years ago. The Bills need more of that instinctive intelligence.

I'm with you. As much as everyone hates to admit it, Belichek is one smart guy, and Manning is pretty swell himself. If Dungy is smart, they run and try to tire NE out. Should be fun. I think Chicago makes it, then gets killed by the AFC team.