After a one-year ban from the Preakness Stakes and still finishing out his suspension from the Kentucky Derby for medication violations, trainer Bob Baffert is back this weekend with his horse, National Treasure, running in the second leg of the Triple Crown in Baltimore, Maryland. Detractors say it is detrimental to the horses to compete in the Triple Crown, expecting them to run so hard in three races of such magnitude with only two weeks’ rest separating each event. Many horses have been euthanized over the last several years due to injuries from artificial surfaces, performance enhancers, and exhaustion, among other things. Should there be more time in between the races? Is something happening in the industry that the public doesn’t know about? Are trainers, owners, and even fans asking too much of these animal athletes to risk their lives in the sport of kings?
Do the Lakers have a chance for a comeback against the Denver Nuggets? Will the injuries that LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been accumulating keep them out of the finals? Would they benefit from making the kinds of plays they are famous for instead of attempting the big three-pointers that exacerbate their injuries?
Jim Brown, possibly the greatest running back in NFL history, has passed away. A legend on and off the field as a player, actor, and unfailing advocate for civil rights along with Muhammad Ali and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he was also a humble and gracious man. Despite meeting resistance when he retired from football after a nine-year career to become an actor, he likely saved himself some major health problems while playing in the years of the suspension helmet. Did he somehow know that too many more hits to his head could cause permanent damage?
It takes all kinds when it comes to the interesting, and often weird, objects that people collect, and sports memorabilia is no different, as seen in the purchase of Ty Cobb’s dentures for $18k. Now there are questions about their authenticity. How can collectors be assured they’re getting the real deal and not a fake without definitive provenance?
Email Fred, Art, and Mark with questions and comments at sportsfred@aol.com
