So yesterday, I'm in my office
And I was talking to the front desk about the NFL championship games and as a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan, I am of course very excited about the upcoming Super Bowl. The staff at the front desk are as well, and we were talking excitedly about the next two weeks leading up to the big game, and one of the young ladies asked me about how the betting line works.
I gave a rudimentary seminar on the ins and outs of sports betting and what the numbers all mean, and somehow mentioned horse racing as well. There used to be a very popular racecourse down here and a couple of the staff had been there with their parents many years ago and were asking me questions about horse racing betting, about which I actually know a little bit for reasons best outlined in another post, and for whatever reason in the middle of the discussion I made the statement “My father told me there was only one newspaper in the United States that will never deliberately tell you a lie.“
The ultra-Trump lady who was doing her work and not part of the discussion, but listening intently, abruptly turned around, faced me with that angry look, that piercing gaze that they give you right before they’re going to attack you for being whatever you happen to be, and I very offhandedly continued: “…and that newspaper is the Racing Form.” When they looked at me quizzically , I stated that you cannot lie to professional gamblers knowingly, or they will never pay attention to you ever again.
I have never seen anyone deflate as quickly as this lady did. She thought I was going to say the New York Times or the Washington Post or some other “lefty“ publication ( and yes I know that neither of them are lefty but these people think the Communist party is behind them). She just sat there with her mouth open, trying to figure out what to say or not say, and I looked over at her and said, “Were you going to add something?“
She just turned back to her work. Speechless.
It truly was a great moment in “sports history”. You had to be there for the full effect.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I actually pictured the scenario in my head.
Good luck in the Super Bowl!
I have wasted a lifetime at the racetrack
and to this moment, I still go every day.
I don’t know any other place to go.
the toteboard flashes and I move in.
–from “The Horse Players” - by Charles Bukowski
As a diehard (and disappointed) Steeler fan... I'm rooting for the Eagles this year. Go Eagles!
I want to see a Pennsylvania team win. Sick and tired of KC taking everything.
