Horsing Around With The Romneys
Late Night Frolic with a Funtastic article in SF Chron from gifted sports writer Scott Ostler
http://www.sfgate.com/...
Ann Romney's horse, Rafalca, had a bad mare day Tuesday, costing the U.S. a chance at a medal, thereby possibly weakening our government's muscle in political and diplomatic arm-wrestling with China.
I don't write politics and I'm loathe to use Rafalca as a political football. But I'm not the one who bought a dressage horse and flew it to the Olympics, with a rider in tails and top hat, causing my husband awkward moments as he runs for president on a man-of-the-people ticket.
I've read Scott's columns for years and he is always, always playing with his readers. From football to golf to Barry Bonds and Billy Beane, you can always count on Mr. Ostler to poke fun at the world of sport, not sports, as Mitt the Twit said recently.
http://www.motherjones.com/...
It's definitely worth reading through to the end and checking out the photos, whilst you're watching NBC's tape-delayed classic coverage...
It's horse dancing. I don't want to be one of those writers who mocks an event because he's too unsophisticated to appreciate it, but come on.
For five long minutes the horse moves about a low-fenced enclosure in the middle of the arena, prancing and skipping in a highly technical manner. Elevator music plays softly over stadium loudspeakers, providing a beat for the horse's steps. (Oddly omitted from everyone's set list: the Rolling Stones "Beast of Burden"). The crowd is absolutely silent during the routine. Nobody, moves, coughs or clears a throat.
It reminded me of the old sidewalk coin-operated ponies. You would plop your kid into the saddle, drop a quarter in the slot, and you and your child would get hypnotized. At least there was some danger involved. The machine could short out and launch your kid onto the sidewalk.
If I'm going to watch a rich person's sport, I'd rather watch Rolls Royce parallel parking.
Enjoy! See you all in the morning!
ma