Coward is such a harsh word
Coward.
That 6-letter word evokes emotion and provokes response, and in the case of California Chrome co-owner Steve Coburn, tore asunder a “feel good” period of five weeks between jewels of the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.
Throw in cheater, another emotion-evoking word, and Houston, we have a problem.
California Chrome, Breathe Right strip and all, became the darling of the sports world after winning the Kentucky Derby (and I have the ticket to prove it, just need to cash it in) and came under scrutinous eyes after finishing first in the Preakness. Life was bed of roses (and Black-Eyed Susans) for the thoroughbred.
A funny thing happened on the way to immortality, though. California Chrome finished in a dead-heat for fourth place (I guess it matters for the betting line; more on that in a minute) behind Tonalist, Commissioner and Medal Count.
Then, somebody from NBC stuck a microphone under Coburn’s cowboy hat and, unfortunately for Coburn, he obliged. The 61-year-old man managed to throw “cheaters” and “cowards (well, actually “coward’s way out”) in one emotionally-packed sentence.
That’s difficult to do when describing any sporting event.
If you had bet Tonalist across the board (as I had California Chrome in the Derby), you’d be a bit richer with the $6 bet producing $37 (20.40, 9.60, 7.00). I didn’t crack $20 with California Chrome.
Commissioner paid even better, doling out $23.20 to place and 13.20 to show. Medal Count also paid out $13.20 to show. Somebody out there felt California Chrome (who, to his credit was stepped on early in the race and will need time to mend) would finish fourth because the Superfecta with him paid out $3,808. Of course, those who selected Wicked Strong in fourth received $5,728.50 for their correct prognostication.
I happened to be up Monday morning and watched Coburn’s mea culpa to everyone up before 9 a.m. He cried. He gave Tonalist his due, finally, and tried to swallow back the venom he let flow over the previous two days. (He managed to offend wheelchair basketball players, too).
Coburn brought his wife Carolyn along to help mend fences. Maybe if Mrs. Coburn could’ve been a bit more proactive, as a good wife always seems to be, his hat would’ve been pulled over the mustache before stupid things came out of his piehole.
So, after three Triple Crown winners in five years in the 1970s, it’s been since 1978 when Affirmed last did the trick with teenager Steve Cauthen in the saddle. Seattle Slew did it the year before and Secretariat blew the field away in the Belmont to win the crown in 1973.
Not to bore you with all the details, but history is filled with horses that opted to run in just the Belmont Stakes. Man O’War, one of the greatest thoroughbreds of all time, went in reverse by skipping the Kentucky Derby (the owner didn’t like running in Kentucky) and winning the final two jewels of the Triple Crown.
Microphones, video cameras, cell phones … all can lead to a case of “foot-in-mouth” disease, as Mr. Coburn found out.
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Just a couple notes …
— Is there anything more exciting than an overtime Stanley Cup playoff game, especially in the Finals? Keep the 4-on-4 and shootout stuff, sudden death is where the excitement is! The longer, the better, too.
— I feel the same way about the final set in a tennis major. Last man (or woman, or men, or women, or man and woman) standing should be rewarded with the victory.
— I really enjoy watching basketball and with the NBA now down to two teams and all the garbage put aside, I sat and watched Game 2 last night. That LeBron James is pretty good! In no other team sport can one player take over a game, positively or negatively.
— I’m rooting for the San Antonio Spurs. The longevity and loyalty of Greg Popovich, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli to one organization should be rewarded with one last title, although the Spurs do have two Frenchman (Parker, Boris Diaw) on the team.
— Saw videotape of the Orioles’ Manny Machado acting badly in Sunday’s game with the Oakland Athletics. His argument the bat slipped out of his hand and went in the general direction of A’s third baseman Josh Donaldson holds about as much sway as Ben Stiller’s White Goodman cracking Kate Veatch (played by his wife Christine Taylor) intentionally on the head with a well-aimed dodgeball.
— I have a way to end all baseball scrums (see Machado incident). Any player who crosses the “imaginery line” of the infield is automatically suspended for a game. Figure the defense has five fielders and a pitcher (with a baseball), but the offensive team has a batter (with a bat) and two coaches, plus four umpires. Sounds fair to me! Who wouldn’t love paying the big bucks to watch a Class AAA or AA team in the big league park!