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Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
Another winter punch heading toward Ohio
Four teens restrain man, take items from his Akron home
Complaints against officer keep coming
Police: Ohio girl dies after fall into snow bank
Region makes way for latest batch of snow; cancellations rise
Cuyahoga Falls residents come home to find burning couch on balcony
Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
No City of Akron basketball tonight
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
Akron Zips:
Late surge gives Zips ugly road win
Tribe Matters:
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Garfield at Buchtel basketball
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Law, Love and Chocolate
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
OFCCP Report
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
By George Thomas
Beacon Journal columnist
POSTED: 08:24 a.m. EDT, Jun 06, 2008
History will be the order of the day when the Belmont Stakes gets under way Saturday.
Big Brown will be the latest horse to tease us with the possibility he has the right stuff to run into the history books as winner of the Triple Crown. His run will be made from the rail post position.
If Big Brown succeeds, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes will join a short and illustrious list of equine elites who get to have their fun on the track, then get to enjoy another type of fun when they're put out to stud.
Big Brown does not have history on his side. Of the past 20 horses with a shot at the trifecta, only three succeeded, the last being Affirmed in 1978. The steed also is battling a quarter-inch hoof crack that isn't a serious injury, but it can be annoying to a horse, said Randy Moss, who will call the race for ABC.
Moss said there hasn't been a Triple Crown winner recently for several reasons.
Owners who know they don't have a realistic shot at winning horse racing's top honor sometimes will rest their horses for one of the events, leaving them fresher in another event and allowing for an upset. Then, Moss said, the size of the field has gotten larger in time.
Another reason is more basic.
''Horses just don't have the same sort of constitution nowadays like they did in the old days,'' he said.
''It takes a lot more out of them to run three races like that. I think the modern thoroughbred has a little bit tougher road.''
His broadcasting partner, Jerry Bailey, a former jockey, said there are other reasons, too.
''The obvious one is that it's three different races, with three different distances on three different surfaces,'' he said. ''What makes it most difficult is the amount of time between races. You see less races [run] by horses. and the space is more. They're managed a bit more carefully. It just makes it very, very difficult.''
ESPN will begin coverage for the day with Today at the Belmont Stakes at noon, followed by The Belmont Stakes Special at 3 p.m. ABC (WEWS Channel 5 locally) picks up coverage at 5 p.m., with a 6:25 p.m. post time.
NASCAR races to TNT
It's time for NASCAR to shift gears. Fox's portion of the schedule is done, and TNT begins its six-race schedule at 1 p.m. Saturday with the Pocono 500.
Current driver Kyle Petty — as he did last year — will take a break from the heat of the track to offer commentary. It's his second year in the role for the cable network. Judging from his comments in a recent teleconference, he possesses the right attitude.
''[Working in the TNT booth] was just like sitting at home, having a Coke and a pizza, watching the race and talking intelligently about the race to each other. It's like you're sitting with your friends talking about the race,'' Petty said.
''It just happens that America is watching TNT and they are in on the conversation that you are having. You're being informative because race fans are not idiots and they know a lot more about the sport than we do at times. That's what was fun for me.''
Cause and effect
With the economy dipping and the price of gas rising, it's bound to hit people where it counts most: their leisure time. NASCAR isn't immune.
There have been reports that attendance is down on the circuit this season. However, you won't hear the Fox Network (WJW Channel 8 locally) complaining.
When race fans can't attend, apparently they watch. Ratings for the sport are up 2 percent, the first rise in three years for Fox.
ESPN's new realm
The Worldwide Leader will launch ESPN HD Radio this weekend to coincide with the Union of European Football Association's 2008 tournament.
What's the big deal?
HD radio, besides providing pristine sound, allows radio stations to program the way they want — in this case, an affiliate with HD technology can cherry-pick ESPN sporting events to air.
@16@17@99yes
History will be the order of the day when the Belmont Stakes gets under way Saturday.
Big Brown will be the latest horse to tease us with the possibility he has the right stuff to run into the history books as winner of the Triple Crown. His run will be made from the rail post position.
If Big Brown succeeds, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes will join a short and illustrious list of equine elites who get to have their fun on the track, then get to enjoy another type of fun when they're put out to stud.
Big Brown does not have history on his side. Of the past 20 horses with a shot at the trifecta, only three succeeded, the last being Affirmed in 1978. The steed also is battling a quarter-inch hoof crack that isn't a serious injury, but it can be annoying to a horse, said Randy Moss, who will call the race for ABC.
Moss said there hasn't been a Triple Crown winner recently for several reasons.
Owners who know they don't have a realistic shot at winning horse racing's top honor sometimes will rest their horses for one of the events, leaving them fresher in another event and allowing for an upset. Then, Moss said, the size of the field has gotten larger in time.
Another reason is more basic.
''Horses just don't have the same sort of constitution nowadays like they did in the old days,'' he said.
''It takes a lot more out of them to run three races like that. I think the modern thoroughbred has a little bit tougher road.''
His broadcasting partner, Jerry Bailey, a former jockey, said there are other reasons, too.
''The obvious one is that it's three different races, with three different distances on three different surfaces,'' he said. ''What makes it most difficult is the amount of time between races. You see less races [run] by horses. and the space is more. They're managed a bit more carefully. It just makes it very, very difficult.''
ESPN will begin coverage for the day with Today at the Belmont Stakes at noon, followed by The Belmont Stakes Special at 3 p.m. ABC (WEWS Channel 5 locally) picks up coverage at 5 p.m., with a 6:25 p.m. post time.
NASCAR races to TNT
It's time for NASCAR to shift gears. Fox's portion of the schedule is done, and TNT begins its six-race schedule at 1 p.m. Saturday with the Pocono 500.
Current driver Kyle Petty — as he did last year — will take a break from the heat of the track to offer commentary. It's his second year in the role for the cable network. Judging from his comments in a recent teleconference, he possesses the right attitude.
''[Working in the TNT booth] was just like sitting at home, having a Coke and a pizza, watching the race and talking intelligently about the race to each other. It's like you're sitting with your friends talking about the race,'' Petty said.
''It just happens that America is watching TNT and they are in on the conversation that you are having. You're being informative because race fans are not idiots and they know a lot more about the sport than we do at times. That's what was fun for me.''
Cause and effect
With the economy dipping and the price of gas rising, it's bound to hit people where it counts most: their leisure time. NASCAR isn't immune.
There have been reports that attendance is down on the circuit this season. However, you won't hear the Fox Network (WJW Channel 8 locally) complaining.
When race fans can't attend, apparently they watch. Ratings for the sport are up 2 percent, the first rise in three years for Fox.
ESPN's new realm
The Worldwide Leader will launch ESPN HD Radio this weekend to coincide with the Union of European Football Association's 2008 tournament.
What's the big deal?
HD radio, besides providing pristine sound, allows radio stations to program the way they want — in this case, an affiliate with HD technology can cherry-pick ESPN sporting events to air.
@16@17@99yes
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