Ignorance isn't just in Yahoo Answers, but also in Yahoo News...?

Question

I can see a PETA member trying to do us harm, but to have a member of the media making ignorant statements to mislead the country about our dying sport just enraged me.

So what do you think? Is anyone else as upset about this as I am?

BTW, I aptly commented on his article and told him to leave the horse racing articles to the real horse reporters from DRF and Bloodhorse.

Answer 1

I think Dan is a bigot

he says one thing then something different



he makes it sounds like everyone that has anything to do with racing are all rich and drunks ,,

he is down on betting so what it's not his money

And he does show  his ignorance about horse's

I just read that c**p opps sorry

Answer 2

I love that this guy seems to know everything about the racing industry and has likely never sat on a horse or really watched how the track operates. This is disgusting. My hope is that people see this for the BS that it is.

Answer 3

I agree and Disagree with you on this guys article...

Dan Wetzel is totally way off on the economics of horse racing. Only a portion of the $15.6 billion wagered at tracks reach the pockets of the horsemen and the track owners.

His opinion that "Everyone says horse racing is suffering. Maybe in top-of-mind consciousness, but that’s it," is way off... He's wrong for saying that. The industy is hurting.

He also starts preaching  you need to keep on pushing for that changing the crowd appearance we see at the Kentucky derby... I didn't quite get that point he was making...

I mean yes he's right  that the crowds are changing at the big races? The richer class of people are showing up at the track more so then the "Paulies from the Rocky films"... I just don't see that being the solution for the horseracing industry. Horse racing needs Paulie and his money.

What about the early retirement of star horses? Okay he's got a point there...

I can't believe Curlin is still running its rare so enjoy it this year you might not see it for a while.

What about the Seabiscuit comment? He's only partly right...

Not touring superstar horses all over the country is only part of the reason. Horses don't have the same relationship to people today as they did in the 1920's - 1940's horses were still in use in most palces but times have changed.

Do we really weep for these horses? sure we do but not that much. So I say he's right about that one. I was getting angry until I read the "It would be humane and nice if this wasn’t so, but, hey, did anyone weep for the cow that became the saddle?"

That changes his stance and I think we need to take that into consideration before we dub him a PETA type.

and before all you PETA types reading this jump down my throat...

I don't think the fatal injuries we see happening is a need to ban horse racing, and I don't complain about PETA wanting to protest. I do complain about the lies, misinformation, charecter assanations, and the which hunts PETA tries to conduct to get their desired results. It's like you've gone mental.

I mean we eat, cows and pigs all day. I'm not going to be a hypocrit and get offended when they put down a race horse... I'm not a vegetarian, like all of you are. Even if I can live quite well as a vegetarian, I still like the taste of meat and yes I am a bad person according to PETA, but that's too bad...  

This articel Wetzel wrote reminded me of Randy Moss's comments on ESPN.

Race day medication can go take a hike I agree with Randy Moss on that although I am not for banning the whip. It really communicates as opposed to causing harm or making horses over exert. Horses will do that on thier own without a whip.

So Randy Moss was right and wrong in my opinion.

So I give Dan Wetzel a mix review here... I would NOT call this a good and accurate article... but I wouldn't be calling for his resignation and grouping him with PETA either.

Answer 4

He doesn't source it at all.  That's fine if it's presented as an opinion piece, but not if they try to pass it off as real news.

Ordinarily I would say that most people would recognize it as nothing more than one man's opinion, but the posts I've seen on here since Derby day indicate that an alarming number of people don't understand the difference between real, sourced news and hyperbole.

Answer 5

dan wetzel what an idiot

Answer 6

I don't like how he acts like the rich people at the Derby are the racing industry.  The guy apparently goes to the races once a year on Derby day and is sorely mistaken about who goes to the track on any other day of the year.  He makes it sound like the whole world gets dressed up and goes to the races and empties their pocketbooks every Saturday and it's just not true.  I've never seen anyone rich at the racetrack all dressed up in gowns or 3 piece suits.  To look at the Derby and say that racing is doing well because tons of people show up to it is just retarded.  It's like judging hockey by how many people watch game 7 of the Stanley Cup series or judging football by how many people throw parties on Super Bowl day.  There are very rare occassions when people will tune in to watch any sport... the health of the sport is not to be judged on those days alone.

I really didn't appreciate that he said that horse racing is oblivious to the deaths.  I realize that it's just his opinion, but I've been working really hard to show people that the industry is trying to change.  The Jockey Club along with the NTRA board set up a special safety committee today.  But that won't matter to racing's public image if PETA hops on this article and starts citing it as law.  And I agree that he's really damaging the sport because any casual viewer will not know any better... they'll think he really knows what racing is like.  The truth is, the average rich drunken idiot at the Derby are the ones who are oblivious.  They'll retreat back into the safety of their money and forget about a beautiful horse who I'll remember all my life.  And everyone in the racing industry will remember as the horse who finally caused us to make some much needed changes to the sport.