Weekend Hot Clicks

Author:
Brett Smiley
Publish date:
Jun 8, 2014

Harsh Tonalist

California Chrome co-owner Steve Coburn. (NBC/YouTube)

California Chrome finished in a disappointing fourth-place tie Saturday in the Belmont Stakes, becoming the 13th horse since Affirmed notched horse racing's triple crown in 1978 to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness but fall short at Belmont. As evidenced by his fiery expression and pointed finger, Chrome co-owner Steve Coburn expressed outrage that the winning horse Tonalist and others in the field did not participate in the Derby or Preakness (or neither), saying "This is the cowards's way out." Watch the rant, which felt more like a Sgt. Slaughter WWE promo than a post-race interview, below.

A salty Coburn did not shy from his stance this morning. Rather, he made an ill-advised analogy about California Chrome's plight -- having to race three times in five weeks, and against some rested colts in the final leg of the Triple Crown. Coburn told ESPN:

"These people nominate their horses for the Triple Crown and then they hold out two [races] and then come back and run one. That would be like me at 6-2 playing basketball with a kid in a wheelchair. They haven't done anything with their horses in the Triple Crown. There were three horses in this race that ran in the first two -- California Chrome, Ride on Curlin and General A Rod -- none of the other horses did. You figure out. You ask yourself, 'Would it be fair if I played basketball with a child in a wheel chair?'"

There's a point in there about an equal playing field but Coburn knew what he signed Chrome up for. Also, does Coburn even play basketball?

Controversial Call Infuriates Rangers

The Kings downed the Rangers 5-4 in double overtime of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals after the Rangers once again opened a two-goal lead to start the game. Without going Full Coburn, Henrik Lundqvist justifiably fumed when the referees didn't call goalie interference on Dwight King on this goal that pulled the Kings within 4-3. Here's what New York Daily News headline writers had to say about that.

Johnny Manziel, Bizarro Kenny Powers, and Mariano Rivera III Drafted

The MLB draft lacks the bells and whistles of Radio City Music Hall but it did deliver some entertaining moments: the Padres drafted Johnny Manziel in the 28th round; the Yankees selected Mariano Rivera's son, a sophomore pitcher at Iona, in the 29th round; and best of all, the Yankees also drafted Sean Carley, a real-life version of Kenny Powers. Here's what Powers once said about playing in New York: "You mean Jew York? It's f***ing great."

Cheerleader of the Week