Picture this: During the upcoming Olympics, the second place finisher of a big race suddenly collapses and dies. Nonetheless, the crowd still celebrates with the winner, and the medal ceremony takes place as if nothing had happened. It's a tragedy, sure, but that's life, that's sport, and nothing should take away from the winner's glory.
That's not as far-fetched as it might seem. We don't like to rain on anyone's parade. No one seems anxious to boycott this year's Olympics, despite China's blatant and unrepentant violation of human rights and international law. We don't want to hurt our athletes, and that's understandable. Still, there was a time when celebrations were set aside in the face of tragedy, such as the wedding of my mother's cousin, for which, as the newspaper announcement put it, "nuptials were quiet owing to the late bereavement in the home."
Horses are not people, but the death of Eight Belles, the brave filly who finished second in today's running of the Kentucky Derby, then collapsed with two compound fractures of her front legs and had to be euthanized immediately, will put a damper on the post-race celebrations. Or at least it should.
