I agree with him and I’m certainly glad I do after the statement, “This battle is over getting the rights to slot machines, to slots revenue in New York State, and anybody that suggests otherwise is either lying or STUPID.”

That’s the spirit! :D

Quote:

… blind allegiance to NYRA.

The other two regulars also appeared to prefer NYRA. I agree with you – and presumably them – that the player will suffer if NYRA loses the franchise. That might also explain any apparent NYRA support among horseplaying DRF columnists.

Did anybody else who listened get the impression Bob Fox was being dogged? Sounded almost like the moderator could have used the assistance of a leash and a muzzle. :lol:

I have a blind allegiance to NYRA? Good to know. When I have criticized them for past decisions was I...what...throwing up a smokescreen? Has it occured to you that one of the reasons may be because I know the people who are currently running NYRA and believe them to be extremely competent? Or, perhaps since you consider me to be blindly following them, I guess I must be hypnotized. Also good to know.

The basic problem is that people on the internet feel free to make unknowledgable and random accusations. NYRA is a favorite target ( Andy Beyer is another ) and I often find myself compelled to offer at least kernels of truth to at least attempt to even the playing field ( you know....truth vs. lies ). To those that make these unknowledgable accusations I guess this is some sort of blind devotion when in fact it is just an attempt to insert some accuracy into the usual internet blather.

Here's something else for you....since you know that I was fired at NYRA doesn't it make sense that if I had a bias it would be against them?

TLG-
In my post I did mention that you probably have an allegiance to the current administration.I do agree their are issues that you do take a stand against NYRA.
I also don't know how Andy Beyers name got into this post,I have always thought he was great for racing.
Along those lines NYRA fired Harvey Pack who was the best ambassador of racing that NY racing has ever had.
Now,you can tell me that this administration is great,but if you go to the grandstand at Aqueduct or Belmont you'll hear a different stoty.
The real knock on NYRA,is that as an organization they have failed for over 30 years.
Can this administration turn it around ? Who knows.Are they extremely competent,as you say.I haven't seen anything to indicate this.The last administration did lower the takeout.As a player this is what is important.
I also am aware that many of their problems are politically motivated,which is not necessarily their fault,but if the governing organization in charge of racing is not able to work with the politicians,what chance does racing have to prosper ?

Aaron
 

First of all, you misunderstood my post. But that's to be expected.

Let me say something else....." NYRA " did fire Harvey Pack....that is correct. The " NYRA " that fired Harvey Pack was run by Terry Meyocks. That is the same " NYRA " that fired me ( not to in any way put myself in Harvey's league ). Terry is no longer running NYRA and has absolutely nothing to do with it. " NYRA " is a name....the people running " NYRA " at the present time are NOT the ones in charge when the rampant problems were created. Those people are gone.

Firing Harvey was a dark day indeed.
It is like spitting on Santa at the mall.
There is a special place in HELL for Terry - that offers only greyhound racing - all day, everyday. At Charlestown. :mad:

We can go round and round debating the issues...there is your truth and mine and somewhere in the middle is THE TRUTH. I can only react to what I see day by day in the trenches. I keep my ears open to what is being said at the track and it is not flattering. If what you say is true, and I believe you believe it to be, where is this change? Where is the fairness to the racing customer? This is the administration that took away free admissions to its account holders and placed the blame on Eliot Spitzer who was not even governor at the time. What happened to our parking lot? This really shows lack of consideration for the racing public. How come previous administrations were able to keep the lot open to its patrons? This is the administration that put in inferior betting machines that were turned down by New Jersey because they were not bettor friendly. Doesn't it make more sense to facilitate betting in any way possible, rather than make it more difficult? The track has become one obstacle after another to interfere with the racing publics pleasure at being there and placing bets.

LOL, only in the fuzzy world of NYRA-land would this hold any truth. NYRA is toxic in name & reputation, 2 very important business issues. In corporate land when a company changes hands, either from being purchased privately or from changing its leadership, the new guards GET IT ALL, including its repuation and its good will. And recall, that accountants will almost always consider a company's Good Will as an asset or, in NYRA's case, a deficit.

Aaron
 

The parking lot was taken away by the Port Authority. Blaming that on NYRA invalidates your arguments.

Next thing you know people will start blaming bad weather on NYRA. It's as silly as it is tiresome.

Wait a minute -- are you telling me that the weather is not their fault? Come on now! LOL.

Eric

TLG-
How come the Port Authority was able to allow other administrations to use their lot? Were the inferior betting machines put in by the present administration? Were NYRA ONE admissions taken away by the present administrations after being in place for about 10 years? If the current administration is so customer conscious how come they charge their customers $1.00 for grandstand admission, but $4.00 for preferred parking when they know the parking lot was taken by the Port Authority?
Your arguments are not valid because you deem not address any problems that NYRA has. There are so many negative attitudes permeating the workings of NYRA, it allows very little patron friendly feelings. When Barry Schwartz was the CEO, there were far fewer complaints heard from the populace. Now, that population has dwindled. Just go to the third floor grandstand and you will see your administration in action. It is pitiful to see how this pastime is becoming, truly, a past time. Please take off you blinders and really look at what racing at the track has become. It is NOT a pretty picture.

The free admission for NYRA-One customers were taken away by the State when an ages old law was uncovered. Once again....I guess that's NYRA's fault.

Don't forget, so was the spousal badges, overnight passes, will-call passes and so on. Under that archaic law only owners, jockeys and trainers could get free admission. NYRA fought hard to get spousal badges back, and so did Getnick & Getnick (Neil Getnick) because they realized the law was foolish and hurt racing; and that NYRA shouldn't be penalized and have to deal with such foolishness.

Eric

I don't think anyone would argue that past administrations at NYRA did some horrendous things and much of today's problems stem from them. However, what people also don't seem to realize is the incredible strain that is placed on NYRA by the State...and yes much of it stems from the abuses committed by past administrations. However, the current leadership has tried very hard to change things....and has in many ways.

Unfortunately because the current NYRA is fighting to keep the franchise other possible problems may not be getting the attention they perhaps deserve. It is basically an untenable situation. My hope, and belief, is that should the current administration retain the franchise, and subsequently change some of the state statutes then many of these problems will be dealt with. It isn't as though I have seen anything from the other bidders as to how they will move things forward.

TLG,-
I agree with your last post,that much of today's problems at NYRA stem from past administrations.You are also correct that we haven't seen much from the other bidders.A question I have for you is " why would trainer Gary Contessa and former jockey Jerry Bailey support the other groups ?
In what ways has the current admistration tried to change things to make the track a "bettor" place to attend races ?
The one thing I will give the current administration credit for is that they did stop the swing in odds flucuations after the races had gone off ? That is a plus.
This administration has probably lost more on track regular bettors than any of the prior administrations.If you would walk around Aqueduct you would find many familar faces missing.Most of these people did not stop betting,they are betting at other venues.For instance, there is a large group of sheet players who now frequent the "The Palace" in Nassau County rather than go to the track.If NYRA is not going to try to get people into the track to bet horses,then they are just another group bidding for NY's slot business.
Since you know what is going on at NYRA,why not list the problems and how NYRA plans to do to correct them ?
Another question I have and I don't think their is an answer to- Is why after all these years has the state become so anti NYRA ?
As you say,NYRA inherited problems from the other administrations.Most of those problems were allowed to go on for 30 plus years and the state looked the other way.Why all of sudden come down so hard on NYRA ? The state could have quietly made a deal to let NYRA to continue to run NY racing,while the state in cojunction with NYRA, controlled the slot business,which would allow the state to keep all their patronage jobs which are run through the OTB's.

I think its wishful & naive to think NYRA can keep the franchise. The business model before slots came (plus other factors) defined NYRA. Now the run is over. New business approaches have nothing to do with NYRA's past sins or the good & improved new leadership; NYRA is OVER. The only chance is IF the courts decide that NYRA owns the land (or any land for that matter). That's why NYRA is being squeezed so hard, for cash & delaying slots. It was already decided months ago --- months ago --- that NYRA would go. It's the way corporate moves happen. Most of you here talk of ROI regarding horses; the deciders in NY racing need to present an ROI to some major investors. I think the model will be, Keep racing non-profit (ie, NY STATE gets the bucks) and make the casino portion generate big dollars-4-profit, giving the investors an ROI. PLEASE, don't think I side with that squeeze play, it's just so clear to me having seen sharks & whales behave before. And just one final thought: I think the hard-2-grasp concept of "what-the-heck-is-NYRA anyway?" IOWs, what kinda legal entity is NYRA, made it easy to dump. My concern is will the new leaders make us pay bucks for THEIR signal?