Well, it’s official. Television rules the sports world, utterly and completely.
That was confirmed this morning in a column in the Lexington-Herald Leader calling for the Kentucky Derby to be run during prime time.
That’s right, columnist John Clay argues that the Run for the Roses, the so-called “best two minutes in sports,” should be run under the lights so that more TV ad revenue can be generated.
“I think it’s inevitable,” four-time Derby winning trainer D. Wayne Lukas told Clay.
Wrote Clay: “I agree. It’s coming. It’s just a matter of time. With the lights now a successful and permanent fixture at Churchill Downs, with most every sport staging its most popular event before the largest possible television audience, the time has come for the Derby to take the plunge.”
Clay argues that horse racing is a dying sport, starving for revenue and attention. Moving its showcase event to prime time TV would spur the sport back to the limelight.
My gut response was: “Oh no! First TV takes away day baseball during the World Series; NBA playoff games run until almost midnight; and now the afternoon pageantry of the Derby is doomed!”
Coincidentally, just as I was reading the column, a woman named Kathleen called The Post, asking what time Saturday’s Derby will be run. She’s having her “ladies friends over for drinks and to watch the Derby.”
While I searched for the answer (FYI, post time is 4:24 p.m. MDT), I asked Kathleen what she thought of moving the race to night.
“Oh, I wouldn’t like that at all,” she said. “What about the tradition, and the parties and the women in their spring dresses and hats? It wouldn’t be the same at night. I hope they don’t change it.”
But they probably will.
What’s next, lights at Augusta National so we can watch The Masters, “a tradition unlike any other,” in prime time?
Trivia time
Which was the last horse to win the Triple Crown? (Answer below)
Polling
Two polls to catch up on today.
Tuesday’s “Lunch Special” poll asked readers if, 20 games into the season, they were more optimistic or less optimistic about the Rockies winning the National League West. About 62 percent said they were more optimistic.
Monday’s poll asked readers if they believed wide receiver Brandon Marshall has turned his life around now that he’s in Miami and has a $47.5 million contract. More than 1,400 votes were cast, with more than 69 percent saying that Marshall has not matured and the Dolphins will regret giving him a huge contract.
What I found interesting was that a lot of the posts to that column, and most of the emails I received (some of them pretty nasty), sided with Marshall.
Quotable
“He’s the best point guard in the NBA. Around here, we’ve said that for a couple years now, but I think finally the country is being able to see that.” — Kyle Korver, Utah forward, speaking to the
Reader’s rant
“I absolutely will not watch another NBA game again (missed MAYBE 5 all year) until players are fined for flopping. PERIOD. I am dead serious. The NBA has lost a devoted fan in a football town. Stern is the worst Commish in all of organized sports. It is obvious there is a lot of cheating and corruption in this sport, and I am tired.” — Chris N, posting on a column by
In case you missed it
Rockies right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez is 5-0 with a 0.79 ERA, plus a no-hitter. He’s a lock for NL pitcher of the month. And, by the way, he would become only the second Rockies pitcher to garner that award. The other? Greeley’s Shawn Chacon, who was 4-0 with a 1.04 ERA in April, 2003.
As Jim Armstrong points out in today’s Post, Jimenez has thrown 22 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings. And Carlos Gonzalez predicts Jimenez will go 33-0. (We think he was kidding).
Here are some other Jimenez numbers to chew on:
Trivia answer
Affirmed was the last to do it, winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes in 1978.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1720 or psaunders@denverpost.com
