So I was called out on forgetting alot of the weekend happening-ness, in particular, the Belmont Stakes. I think its time for another list:

-While it would have been awesome to see Smarty Jones win a Triple Crown, having been at the Kentucky Derby, made sure I caught the Preakness on TV, and made it to a horse track to bet on the Belmont, I think its fun that the dry spell will stretch for another year. Some say his loss hurts what horse racing could become this year, but really, I think the longer a horse goes WITHOUT winning a Triple Crown, the more exciting the chase becomes year in and year out. Though if one had to win it, this was a great story to get it done.

-Even more disappointing was “Purge” finishing dead last. That’s not part of the Exacta, is it? How much does a 9th place finish pay on my $2 bet?

-This makes it so much easier to get a decent EBAY price on a replacement Derby program, though. Mine got kind of, um, wet.

-I’ve only read two or three articles/posts/whatever about how Philly fans are cursed because this horse didn’t win, but if I read one more, Philly fans will officially join Boston fans and Cubs fans as the most pathetic people on the planet. Um, you booed Santa Claus, you’ll be lucky if your karma comes back around before your children’s children have grandchildren.

-Courtesy of ESPN Page 2, via SMP?, this could be the greatest quote about sports ever.

Watching Smarty Jones run the final stretch of the Belmont was like watching Cecil Fielder try to stretch a double into a triple.

Not that the death of President Reagan was unexpected (in fact, I’m starting to wonder if the very end was planned by the family somehow), but it’s certainly a sad moment. I’m really not sure it qualifies as a “remember where you were” moment, but for posterity sake, I was eating nachos at a horse track in Anderson, Indiana.

Here’s my list of “where were you when?” moments:
-Challenger explosion: In the lunch room at Glenwood Elementary School outside Toledo, Ohio. As a sixth grader, I thought it was really cool, then I remember all the “old people” crying like crazy and I guess it wasn’t that funny. But still kind of cool.

-Sept. 11 attacks: Just waking up for work in Columbus, heard someone on the radio talk about “a plane has apparently flown into the WTC.” Thinking it was some drunk in a CESSNA, I thought “Cool! Jackass!” Then I saw the video and while awe struck, it wasn’t all that cool.

Is that all? I think most of the rest involve sporting events or recreational drug use, and don’t seem all that important in this context.

So there’s no better feeling than breaking out the first batch of sweet corn of the year. And there’s no worse feeling than not being able to find a pot to boil it in, and having to improvise. Oh well, either way, I have sweet corn and steaks coming.

Needless to say, I gotsta go.

P.S.- A couple scattered thoughts as I wrapped up. “Miracle” really is a damn fine hockey movie about hockey, and Ohio State is about to can their men’s basketball coach for violating NCAA rules… here I thought that program ran everything by the books? Must be someone else’s books.