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January 26, 2010

How to solve problems with a hug

By Dave Briggs

How to solve problems with a hug

  

The best from our Post Parade Q & A feature
 
Past Posts
Favourite answers from past Post Parades
 
Angie Siller (above, Sept. 4, 2008):
You’re famous for your hugs. What’s your best story about surprising someone with a hug?
“I met a fellow at the LPGA open and gave him a hug to his surprise and Cal’s consternation. The man was a scoundrel who was suing my husband. He dropped the suit. I contend it was because of my hug!”
 
What’s the most annoying part of being married to a genius (Dr. Cal Stiller)?
“Not understanding half of what he says.”
 
Cal Stiller (Oct. 25, 2007):
 
What’s the best life lesson you’ve learned from your wife, Angie?
“Don’t compromise and you never go wrong giving someone a hug.”
 
Ian Fleming (Aug. 20, 2009):

 
What’s your motto?
“No one is as busy as they think they are.”
 
What’s your favourite dessert?
“Extra meat, no dessert.”
 
 The Commish
Everyone gets the “If you were the Commissioner of all of harness racing...” question. Here’s the best responses.
 
Moira Fanning (Oct. 18, 2008):
“Abolish all state and provincial racing commissions and make a single regulatory and governing body over the entire racing business, veterinary business, breeding business, etc.”
 
Jack Darling (June 18, 2009):
“The first thing I would do as commissioner is set up a committee with as much funding as possible that was in charge of promoting harness racing. I would encourage a massive and continuous media and promotional blitz at all the tracks to jump start interest in the sport. I would also promote the advantages and entertainment value of handicapping horse races and pari-mutuel wagering.”
 
Trond Smedshammer (Sept. 2, 2004):
“One thing that sets me off more than anything is qualifying standards. For the overnight races I don’t mind the track having set ways, but in stakes races when the owner pay stakes fees you should be able to race if you want to put up the starting fee. You shouldn’t have to worry about a horse making a break in the first start of the year off a qualifier and you’re going to miss a big race... Horses are fragile enough. They force you to go out and qualify them the day after you race so you’re not going to miss the next stakes races. Something like that should never, ever happen. The part about protecting the betting public, I don’t buy that because those qualifying lines don’t mean that much. Look at the thoroughbred business, they don’t have qualifying lines. It means nothing. Maybe a horse should show a line in 60 days.”
 
Handicapping Challenge
Post Parade subjects set the odds when asked the “chances the following will occur in the next 10 years”
 
One or more small Ontario tracks will close
Hugh Mitchell (Nov. 27, 2008) — ”50-1.”
Kelly Spencer (Jan. 5, 2009) — “10-1”
Ian Fleming (Aug. 20, 2009) — “10-1. With slots, the small tracks are in generally in better shape than the big ones.”
Nick Eaves (Jan. 14, 2010) — “Even”
Chris Roberts (Jan. 22, 2009) — “1-9”
Anthony Haughan (March 5, 2009) — “2-1. I hope I’m wrong.”
Chuck Keeling (March 26, 2009) — “1-1”
Darryl MacArthur (April 16, 2009) — “1-1”
Lou Liebenau (May 14, 2009) — “20-1”
Hec Clouthier (Feb. 12, 2009) — “3-1”
Jack Darling (June 18, 2009) — “2-1”
Sarah Lauren Scott (July 30, 2009) — “15-1”
 
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December 04, 2009

All I want for Christmas is a new colon, dearie

All I want for Christmas is a new colon, dearie

 
Past Posts
Favourite answers from past Post Parades
Kelly Spencer (above) (Jan. 5, 2009):
You dress up as Mrs. Claus each year to give out presents. What’s the best line you’ve heard from one of the seniors?
“Dearie, kindly tell your husband to bring me a new colon for Christmas.”
 
What’s your best-brush-with-greatness story - psychic edition?
“In a past life: I was a horse trainer in a famed Russian Circus. In this life: Billy Bragg is my friend on Facebook.”
 
Jimmy Takter (Sept. 16, 2004):
 
 
What do people often get wrong about you?
“A lot of times when you speak a different language, sometimes you can sound ruder than you actually are. Language can sound a little bit too tough. We don’t have the word ‘please’, for example, in Sweden. Here they always say, ‘please’. People coming from Europe never say ‘please’. People here say sometimes we’re rude.”
 
Frank Salive (April 10, 2008):
 
 
What’s your hidden talent?
“I used to be gifted in rapid calculations of multiplication and division. It’s been eroded from not using it much over the years.”
 
The Commish
Everyone gets the “If you were the Commissioner of all of harness racing...” question. Here’s the best responses.
Ron Gurfein (March 20, 2008):
“I would create penalties for performance-enhancement such that if a guy continuously takes horses from established trainers and always improves them, they would be banned for life. Any trainer who wins 40 per cent of his races or 50 per cent of his races is doing something wrong and deserves to be evicted by his peers.”
 
Jim Simpson (May 22, 2008):
“Ban one-handed whipping.”
 
Hugh Mitchell (Nov. 27, 2008):
“I would make myself the industry’s benevolent dictator, but I wouldn’t last long.”
 
Handicapping Challenge
Post Parade subjects set the odds when asked the “chances the following will occur in the next 10 years”
 
Betting on harness racing will reverse the current trend and start rising?
The Ontario government will change the slots-at-racetracks deal and give the industry a smaller cut of slot revenue
Hugh Mitchell (Nov. 27, 2008) — “Even money.”
Kelly Spencer (Jan. 5, 2009) — “4-1”
Chris Roberts (Jan. 22, 2009) — “3-1”
Hec Clouthier (Feb. 12, 2009) — “4-1 (or less if we don’t get our act together)”
Jack Darling (June 18, 2009) — “3-1”
Sarah Lauren Scott (July 30, 2009) — “20-1”
Ian Fleming — “10-1. The current deal is good for everyone.”
 
 
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November 16, 2009

One screams to release stress, another while his daughter is driving in NYC

By Dave Briggs

The best from our Post Parade Q & A feature

Past Posts

Favourite answers from past Post Parades

Rick Zeron (April 29, 2004):

What is the best advice a mentor ever gave you?
“My mentor, Andre St. Amour, who used to be a top driver at Rideau Carleton, told my wife, ‘You let him scream, because he will never have a breakdown’.”

On a scale of 1 to 10 how competitive are you?
“I’d say 23, but my family says it’s way over that.”

David Scharf (May 1, 2008):

What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?
“Getting into the passenger seat with my daughter Nicole on her 17th birthday to go driving in New York City. And next February I get to do it again when Lauren gets her license.”

You can only do one of the following: (1) Win the Hambletonian again; (2) Go on stage with The Boss at Madison Square Garden and sing backup for one song or (3) Sit behind home plate as the Yankees clinch the World Series at home. Which do you choose?
“If you meant ‘sit behind home plate’ as in I was the CATCHER, then that’s my choice hands down!! But if you meant as a fan, I’ll probably be sitting somewhere else in the ballpark so my choice is easy, I’d want to win the Hambletonian again.”

Ron Gurfein (March 20, 2008):

Deep thoughts first. What is the secret to life?
“Always think positively. Never let negatively enter your body. Love everybody. Don’t involve yourself with hatred or fears. Don’t waste mental energy on things that aren’t positive.”

You’re more stylish than most trainers. What’s the secret to dressing well?
“I’m the only trainer that grew up in Manhattan.”

The Commish
Everyone gets the “If you were the Commissioner of all of harness racing...” question. Here’s the best responses.

Cal Stiller (Oct. 25, 2007):
“I would appoint John Campbell with complete executive authority for 10 years.”

Chuck Keeling (March 26, 2009):
“Allow horseplayers to legitimately participate in the decision making process; in other words, make all industry stakeholders truly answer to its customers.”

Hec Clouthier (Feb. 12, 2009):
“Drastically reduce the medication we give our horses. Unlike other athletes, our athletes (horses) have absolutely no say in what is put into their bodies. A man who I truly respect, Jack Kopas, was fond of saying the best medication for a horse was Dr. Green (as in green pasture). Enough said.”

Handicapping Challenge
Post Parade subjects set the odds when asked the “chances the following will occur in the next 10 years”

Betting on harness racing will reverse the current trend and start rising?
Ron Gurfein (March 20, 2008) — “It has already. We’ve hit rock bottom. Now the trick is to keep the trend going up for awhile.”
Moira Fanning (Oct. 18, 2008) — “2-1.” Ontrack betting? 50-1”
Hugh Mitchell (Nov. 27, 2008) — “100-1.”
Kelly Spencer (Jan. 5, 2009) — “2-1”
Chris Roberts (Jan. 22, 2009) — “3-1”
Chuck Keeling (March 26, 2009) — “10-1”
Hec Clouthier (Feb. 12, 2009) — “4-1”

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