Authentic!

Posted on November 16, 2020 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

Bob Baffert

On the TunneySide of Sports November 16, 2020 #822 Up next… Authentic!

After further review… Authentic went wire-to-wire in the 2020 Breeders Cup at Keenland Race Course in Lexington, KY. Authentic, owned by Spendthrift Farms LLC, went the  1-1/4 in 1:59.19 with Jockey John Velazquez aboard. Authentic was trained by legendary trainer Bob Baffert who is the most decorated trainer in American horse racing. He has dominated the sport winning the Kentucky Derby six times and the Triple Crown twice in the last five years.

However, it is the word authentic, not the thoroughbred, that sheds a negative light on Baffert. Authentic as defined by thesaurus: ”worthy of acceptance because of accuracy” which also may define Baffert’s legacy. He has gained the enmity of his rivals who believe that he has persistently cheated. These suspicions were fueled by 29 failed drug tests by Baffert’s horses over the last four decades including four in the last six months.

Looks like thoroughbred racing is under suspicion again. I say, again, because my family has been in horse racing for the last 70 years, but in administration, not training or ownership. My father, Jim Sr. recruited by the California Horse Racing Association served 20 years as Steward at southern California tracks, namely, Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, and Del Mar.

Mind you, my dad had never been on a horse let alone was knowledgeable about racing rules. But he had been an established sports official and could recognize a foul when he saw one. At that time, in the 1940s, horse racing had fallen under suspicion of “fixing” races mostly through jockeys abuse during races. Dad had to learn “the ropes” as to what types of fouls needed to be corrected. During his 20-year racing experience, he not only learned what was happening but was honored as one who was responsible for “straightening things out.” Integrity matters!

My brother, Peter, had a similar role in California Horse Racing as the General Manager of Golden Gate Fields in Albany for 30 years. Under his watchful eye, thoroughbred racing held steady.

Horse racing leaders must again defend a culture of performance-enhancing and painkilling drugs which are undermining the credibility of one of America’s sports. Baffert said recently, “I want to have a positive influence on the sport of horse racing. Horses have been my life and I owe everything to them and to the sport to which I have been so fortunate to be involved.”

Will you maintain a high level of integrity in your job?

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Stories from Jim’s adventures and people he has met can be found in “On the TunneySide of Sports” books now on sale just in time for Christmas giving. See the website for products.

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Thank you!

Jim Tunney

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Stadiums!

Posted on November 9, 2020 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

On the TunneySide of Sports November 9, 2020 #821 Up next… Stadiums!

After further review… From the old saw, “I never met a (fill in the blank) I didn’t like,” I can honestly say I never met a stadium I didn’t like. In fact, to be in a stadium as the NFL Referee ready for the kickoff is where I wanted to be on Sunday afternoon.

Today’s 2020 novel COVID-19 pandemic that caused empty stadiums across our country just sickens me. It’s tragic to see stadiums, particularly the new Los Angeles and Las Vegas stadiums, having games without seats filled with fans.

In my 31 years as an NFL referee, I worked in dozens (lost count of the exact number) of stadiums where NFL games were played. Going back in time, my love for stadiums perhaps began when my dad was a football game official and I would carry his officiating bag as we walked through the south-east gate and down that ramp into the official’s dressing room at the Pasadena Rose Bowl. I was 6 or 7 at the time. Later I was able to sit on the Pasadena Junior College bench alongside Jackie Robinson! What’s not to like about that?

The Los Angeles Coliseum was always a favorite. The official’s dressing room was located in the bowels directly underneath the press box and we (the officials) would enter the field at the 50-yard line. Further, I officiated one of my first high school football games in that Coliseum and many college (USC & UCLA) and NFL (LA Rams) games as well. The L.A. Rams abandoned the Coliseum and moved to Angles Field in Anaheim, California, which was never it’s equal.

As an NFL official, I was able to “open” the Kingdome, first home of the Seattle Seahawks as well as the Superdome in New Orleans, although I had officiated several Saints games including Super Bowl VI (Dallas vs Miami) in Tulane University Stadium earlier.

In my home state of California, the Oakland (Raiders) Coliseum was always fun with the “Black-Hole” loud and raucous. My first game with the San Francisco 49ers was in Kezar Stadium with the seagulls on the field. The Niners then moved to Candlestick Point in South San Francisco where I worked many championship games. They now occupy Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. While I have attended NFL games there, the stadium was built after I retired.

It was special for me to travel to New York City to work games in Yankee Stadium where the Giants played their home games. Officials were housed in Manhattan and rode the subway to the stadium in the Bronx, then after the game took the subway back downtown to get to either Kennedy or LaGuardia to fly across the country. I eagerly awaited a return to NYC.

Space prevents me from writing about so many other opportunities provided me by the NFL.

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To contact Jim, go to www.jimtunney.com or email jim@jimtunney.com.

Many of the stories about stadiums as well as NFL players and coaches can be found “On the TunneySide of Sports” – 2 books now bundled at the reduced price of $35. Tax and shipping free!  Send a check to Jim Tunney Youth Foundation (501c3) P.O. Box 1440 Pebble Beach, Ca. 93953.

Thank you!

Jim Tunney

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MMQB

Posted on November 2, 2020 by Jim Tunney Ed.D

On the TunneySide of Sports November 2, 2020 #820 Up next… MMQB

After further review… MMQB (Monday morning quarterbacking) has been an American tradition on Monday mornings following weekend football games. The pundits, i.e., the “experts” criticize coach(es) of their favorite (or sometimes not-so-favorite) T*E*A*M for calling certain plays or failing to W-I-N by making the wrong call. Although I am not familiar with other countries, it may be the same there as well. With our world being globalized, it would be easy to assume that the concept of MMQB has caught-on everywhere. BTW, it is not necessarily Monday morning, since this happens whenever the opportunity arises.

You can count on this criticism happening to Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay Rays manager, whose decision it was to “pull” starting pitcher, Blake Snell, from the mound in the 6th inning of game six of the World Series last week. Cash, whose contract was extended through 2024, said he was “sticking to the Rays managerial process” and that while Snell had done well in the first 5 innings he would be facing Betts, Seager, and Turner for the third time in this game.

Snell said later he was upset and disappointed. He had thrown 73 superb pitches striking out 9 and had the Dodgers guessing on what pitch to expect. He was the Rays dominate force that evening on the Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Twitter “blew up” after Snell was “given the hook” by manager Cash. If you watched that game and saw the faces-of-relief in the Dodgers dugout, you could feel the momentum shift from the Rays to the team in Blue.

The final game won by the Dodgers 3-1 was their first World Series victory in 32 years. While that may not seem unusual for other MLB teams, it certainly was the longest for the Dodgers. It was a most exciting win for Clayton Kershaw, the strength of their pitching staff. Perhaps the only downer was third baseman, Justin Turner who batted third in the Dodgers-lineup with a .320 average, being tested positive for Covid-19 and had to be pulled from the lineup.

Managers make decisions “on-the-spot” with what is their best thinking at that time. Second-guessing from one’s living room couch is always easier.

Will you give coaches and managers credit for putting themselves on-the-line?

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Thank you!

Jim Tunney

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