WDRB Sports Journalist. Writer. Photographer.
Derby week is here. The Kentucky Derby is not. In the parlance of the sport, days on which a track holds no horse racing traditionally are called “dark days.” At Churchill Downs, and all over the Derby city, these are dark days indeed. A ban on mass gatherings because of the novel coronavirus that has…
Prediction is a messy business. Those of us who cover horse racing have known this for a long time. I know I’ve told the story about the old guy at the racetrack who gave me some advice I’ve never forgotten, “I don’t need to know what happened yesterday. Tell me what will happen tomorrow.” That’s…
I write to you today as a member of the vulnerable population. As one of those with “underlying conditions.” I’m not that old. I’m 51. But I’ve had two strokes, because of high blood pressure, which now is treated with three medications. Like much of Kentucky, if the state surveys are to be believed, I…
The commercials used to try to sell us products. Lately, as the nation settles into its second month under a coronavirus cloud, they are trying to sell us hope. Maybe I’m falling prey to the frustration that everyone else seems to be feeling, but lately, I’m not buying. JP Morgan Chase offers the message that,…
Every once in a while, this needs to be said. Today seems like a good time to do it: We need to keep our eyes on the ball. COVID-19 cases in New York, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called the “canary in the coal mine” in the U.S. battle against the novel coronavirus, appear to…
As Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has rolled out more information on the modeling the state is using to plan for what it sees as a peak in the COVID-19 pandemic in the state somewhere around early May (sooner in some projections), several have written to me wondering about the math. I’m not a statistician. I’m…
I grew up in a rural part of Kentucky. A distinct aspect of life in such places: When a funeral procession passes by, you pull to the side of the road and stop. You show some respect. You acknowledge the passing of a life, the grieving of a family. Maybe you’re in a rush to…
It was another grim news day. Today, the United States surpassed 3,700 dead from the fast-moving coronavirus COVID-19, more than the number killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, more than were killed at Pearl Harbor. Today, Americans were told for the first time by the Trump administration that the number of dead from…
Years ago there was a board game based on a book titled, “The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook.” The popular book, which then became a series of books, provided tips for handling various catastrophes. It was entertaining, because most of the things in the book were things most of us would never encounter. And it brought…
For 25 years, at least, I’ve been hearing about disruption. The internet was a disruptive technology. Streaming video disrupted the entertainment industry. Wikipedia was disruptive. Anybody use encyclopedias anymore? In 2016, Donald Trump ran for president as the candidate of disruption. He drew support from people fed up with Washington, promised to “drain the swamp,”…