Monday, June 07, 2004
Smarty Jones and Ethics In Sports
One thing I noticed about last weekend's Belmont race was the winning horse's jockey. He was apologizing profusely. I now heard why.
Dick Geraurdi, Philadelphia Daily News' resident horse expert, explained this situtation this morning on the radio. Apparently two other jockeys, knowing their horses did not have a chance to win, purposely tired out Smartey Jones early, allowing Birdstone to win. Geraurdi said Smartey Jones' jockey had no choice but to do what he did.
This raises some ethical questions. If you know you can't win should you take out the best person (or animal)? Or should you just simply try to do your best and try to win?
At the end of a hockey playoff series where the Flyers are losing, I sure as heck feel like injuring the other team. But that's the wrong thing to do.
I know the Belmont is hard. I'm sad a good story will not be one for the ages. I truly want to see a triple crown winner, Philadelphia connection or not. But losing this way doesn't sit well. If this is the case, we will never see a Triple Crown winner unless you get a horse who is good as Secretariat. And that doesn't seem likely anytime soon.
One thing I noticed about last weekend's Belmont race was the winning horse's jockey. He was apologizing profusely. I now heard why.
Dick Geraurdi, Philadelphia Daily News' resident horse expert, explained this situtation this morning on the radio. Apparently two other jockeys, knowing their horses did not have a chance to win, purposely tired out Smartey Jones early, allowing Birdstone to win. Geraurdi said Smartey Jones' jockey had no choice but to do what he did.
This raises some ethical questions. If you know you can't win should you take out the best person (or animal)? Or should you just simply try to do your best and try to win?
At the end of a hockey playoff series where the Flyers are losing, I sure as heck feel like injuring the other team. But that's the wrong thing to do.
I know the Belmont is hard. I'm sad a good story will not be one for the ages. I truly want to see a triple crown winner, Philadelphia connection or not. But losing this way doesn't sit well. If this is the case, we will never see a Triple Crown winner unless you get a horse who is good as Secretariat. And that doesn't seem likely anytime soon.
