Quote:
Originally Posted by dilanesp
This isn't right.
The only proper response is NOT to minimize it. You maximize it. "This guy cheated, we accept no excuses, and he needs to find another career" is the ONLY really acceptable narrative given the public hit we took.
Our sport doesn't have any credibility, so nobody will ever believe any claim that it is just an overage. And in any event, an overage in other sports can get you 2 years. That is what we should aspire to.
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The reason the sport took such a big hit was because it wasn't communicated well and Baffert made a mistake going on TV.
Right now when I talk to people that only casually follow the sport, they think the horse was juiced with steroids, EPO, designer drugs etc..
I think you are crazy if you think that's the result the industry should want (maximize it).
What you want is to tell the truth and make sure people understand it.
You want to make sure they understand exactly what the horse tested positive for, what it is used for, that it is a legal therapeutic overage, that it was a very small amount, that Baffert will get due process, and that the punishment will fit the crime. The end.
I have to agree with the posters here that think "Baffert hate" is impacting the thinking. Set aside suspicions. Those are irrelevant until you find a syringe loaded with an illegal substance, someone whistle blows on him, or they find a serious positive. He had what is typically a slap on the wrist positive, but he has a history of them, this was the Derby, and he's being a pain in the ass about it. So the punishment will and should be more severe. But the communication was still a debacle.
