Why does Rice play Texas?

GreenbutGame called me out in a recent comment.

'Out of curiosity, what would you do differently?'

I normally prefer to cast aspersion from the comforting recesses of the heckler's seat and generally have nothing constructive to contribute to a conversation; that said, I am also never one to avoid making an ass out of myself and will do so again.

I don't know how to design or build an airplane but I do know when one does not handle properly or when it needs some work. I can't tell you when to play a cover two but I know when the other team puts thirty points on the board, whatever strategy you are using is not working.

I fly airplanes because I am not smart or qualified enough to do anything else. I have never had a real job or worked in a corporate environment so I am ignorant of the politics and bullshit that is involved with getting anything done.

The cockpit is not the place to worry about who is right, only what is right and rank means nothing when a course of action is required.

Having no knowledge of what parties are involved in the dealings with the NTRA and the laughable process Mr. Waldrop refers to as the Alliance, I am going to work with a few assumptions:

1. I have reached the position with a certain amount of inside information at my disposal (I know where the bodies are buried).
2. I have a firm grasp of the inner workings of the industry.
3. I care about the game more than my own job.

When President Kennedy announced the goal of landing a man on the moon, NASA had a total of just over 31 minutes in suborbital space flight to work with. It had not developed the technology that was required to develop the technology to launch a man out of Earth orbit.

But NASA had the vision, knowledge, faith and financial backing to persevere.

Racing needs an Apollo program.

I guess financial backing is the place to start since every incompetent imbecile in this game is too stupid to do what is right.

Approach the Sheikhs. Promise them whatever it is they want but get their money. Use it to clean up the game. Ban every and all drugs and use the money for universal testing.

Dr. David Marlin, renowned equine exercise physiologist, in his book Equine Exercise Physiology, states, "The efficacy of frusemide in reducing pulmonary vascular pressures during exercise has been extensively demonstrated; however, evidence for its efficacy in preventing EIPH (exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage) has been lacking."

Pullthepocket, in a recent post, shows the Shibboleth of the first time lasix angle. Lasix is not used to prevent bleeding. It is used to mask the other drugs trainers use. Eliminate lasix and take a big step toward eliminating drugs.

Identify the players in this game. The trainers and owners who have the respect of the industry and not just the talking heads. Jerkens, Servis, MacAnally, McGaughey and Nafzger...probably others too. Call in the jockeys, the owners that really care, Lael stables, the Whitneys, whoever else.

Above all else, bring in the government. Whether it be the states attorney's general or the Attorney General of the United States, make sure that the racing industry knows you are calling on big brother to watch the entire proceedings.

The top of the list is the elimination of drugs. No ifs, ands or buts. No prevaricating, no trying to appease the jagoffs that just don't get it. Make that your legacy and damn the rest of them. Why the RICO act can't be used against trainers that violate the drug policy, I don't know but try to get it in the mix.

Impose crippling fines on any trainer and owner that violates the rules.

Will this ruffle feathers and possibly alienate somebody? Absolutely but they won't have a leg to stand on when your policy is no drugs and they are the ones who won't go for it. How do any of these players hope to make a persuasive argument when the message is 'We are for drugs in the game'?

If the fight is the elimination of drugs, nobody can stand up to that and look good. Once that is in the bag, everything else is gravy because the legitimacy of your position will be established.

Eliminate the drugs and forget everything else. Do what is right.

We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.