[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Doesn't bother me. In fact I'd prefer less coverage on television and other media of the Derby, America's Cup, Daytona 500 and the Indy 500.

I couldn't care less about any of them. I think that more and more people feel this way.

I think that it's hard to get excited about a sporting event when you have no connection to it. In team sports like baseball, football, basketball and hockey the teams represent a city or region. I know that the players on these teams don't come from the places that they represent but most sports fans feel a connection to their home town team.

It's the same for college sports. You want to see your college team or your kid's or parent's college team do well. You might also feel a connection to a college team from your home town.

But in sports like The Kentucky Derby, unless you've placed a bet, you don't really care who wins. Most people don't care. I look at the internet to see who the winner is but it's not like I really give a hoot.

The only exception it comes to the Belmont Stakes, if the horse has won both the K Derby and the Preakness. Then we're looking a history possibly being made. That's one fo the reasons Tiger Woods was so popular. People who had no interest in golf were suddenly tuning in each week to the "Tiger Show" because they knew they were watching something special. It was something might only happen once in a lifetime. Maybe once ever.

The other exception is if you play a sport or have some other connection to it. Millions of people play golf and tennis and bowling so those sports get an audience.

I spent my life in the golf business so I enjoy watching golf. I watch the majors more than the run of the mill event because, again, history might be being made. Golf's majors and a few other tournaments are very exciting to me but I can understand how they are not to people that have never been involved in the game.

The same goes for tennis. I played a bit in my younger days but never seriously so I really have no interest. But I'm sure that there are millions of tennis players that tune in every week.

But unless you feel some kind of connection to a sport or a team most people have only a passing interest.

A 12-1 shot one this year. I saw that and thought "If only I had put $100,000 on that horse." But that's just a passing fantasy.

A few years back I was working at a club where the members had a Kentucky Derby pool. I was asked to get in and they drew horses. I won, but I didn't even watch the race. I wasn't even all that interested then. It was five or ten bucks and I thought, I'll throw it in and will probably lose.

I'm more interested in how to make a good mint julep.