Seattle Slew, the 1977 Triple Crown winner, earned $1.2 billion as a thoroughbred, then was valued at $24 million when he stood at stud in Lexington, Ky.
I went to visit “Slew’’ in the early 1980s before the Kentucky Derby.
One of his handlers at Spendthrift Farm asked if I wanted to see Seattle Slew breed. “Not really,’’ I replied.
But I already was there, so, why not?
A broodmare was brought into the circular open barn, and, to my surprise, Slew did not make an appearance.
An old exercise horse was led into the arena. “Fluffer,’’ the handler said before I could ask the question.
“Fluffer” is a porn and real estate term. The “fluffer” in real estate is a person who stages a home before it’s placed on the market and potential buyers are shown the property. The porn “fluffer” has a similar task you can figure out.
“Why?” I asked.
“He’s to sort of warm up the mare. If she kicks him, no problem. But if she was nervous and kicked Slew in the Crown Jewels, he’d be $4.99 worth of hamburger.’’
Great thoroughbreds like Seattle Slew (who died in 2002, presumably happy, at 28) and Secretariat are invaluable.
Sort of like great NFL quarterbacks.
The league has its own version of “fluffer” – a reserve quarterback. The second-, third-, and fourth-string QBs are expected to play in the exhibition games so the No. 1 quarterback doesn’t get hurt. The starter is not to be touched in practices, and teams don’t want him torched in meaningless games.
Yet, NFL quarterbacks are injured in real games. Always happens.
Ben Roethlisberger is out for the season. Drew Brees and Nick Foles are sidelined for several games. Alex Smith is still out from 2018. Cam Newton had off-season surgery, but he is reinjured and not recovered.
Overall, more than 20 quarterbacks have had injury issues already this season.
Most of them are not starters, and some are not players you’ve ever heard of.
But here are several backups who are on injured reserved or out for weeks:
- Drew Lock, drafted near the top of the second round by the Broncos.
- Trevor Siemian, former Broncos’ starter who was crushed when he took over as the Jets quarterback early this year after Sam Darnold suffered the strangest ailment for a QB – mononucleosis.
- The infamous Nathan Peterman.
- Blaine Gabbert, an ex-NFL starter.
- Drew Stanton
- Joe Webb
- Chad Henne, who has been a starter in the past.
- And last but not least, two Falcons reserve quarterbacks.
Mason Rudolph took over for Rothlisberger, and he was concussed.
Mitch Trubisky is hurt.
Patrick Mahomes is limping around on a gimpy ankle, and Josh Allen, who suffered a concussion, passed protocol and started last Sunday in a Bills victory.
The Saints and the Panthers have been fortunate that backups (Teddy Bridgewater for New Orleans and Kyle Allen for Carolina) stepped in and played well. The Jets have been lost at quarterback, and lost games.
A team is just one “roughing the passer’’ away from losing a quarterback for the season. Two seasons ago 77 games were missed by starting quarterbacks.
In 2008, Tom Brady was blown up in the first game and was out the rest of the season. The Patriots were out of the playoffs. They have won the AFC East every year since.
Teddy Bridgewater had a career game last week, but can the Saints really win the Super Bowl without Brees? He’s due back soon.
Lose a quarterback, lose a season.
They’re the most valuable players on the field – if they are special. Washington can’t win with Case Keenum, Dwayne Haskins or Colt McCoy, and Alex Smith is not playing. But, then, the D.C. team couldn’t win with Kirk Cousins, and probably couldn’t win with Joe Montana and Joe Namath in their best days.
Tony Reali, the host of ESPN’s Around The Horn and I had a professional disagreement the other day. I want the league to do more to protect quarterbacks. Reali says the NFL should protect everybody on the field. We’re not that far apart.
I just think, that as George Orwell wrote in “Animal Farm,” that “all pigs are equal, but some pigs are more equal than others.”
To me, quarterbacks are more equal. They sell tickets, draw crowds and ratings, and can be game-changers. Not always. The Packers don’t always win with Aaron Rodgers. But he gives the Packers promise and a quality quarterback.
The sarcastic old line about “putting quarterbacks in dresses’’ is not so outrageous.
Actually, you might put them in yellow jerseys, or call them “The Untouchables’’ or penalize the defense 25 yards for roughing the passer.
How about three points for the offensive team on a late hit to the QB?
Joe Thomas, considered one of the seven best offensive linemen in history (that’s being conservative), told me this week that “roughing the passer’’ should be a reviewable challenge – to determine if it happened or not.
I told him I believe offensive holding should be a five-yard penalty, just like defensive holding. He agreed. Maybe that would help offensive linemen guarding the quarterback.
I’m not sure of the best solution, but the league must look after its most important assets.
The thoroughbreds.
More from WoodyPaige.com:
- Woody Paige: It started with a phone call from ESPN 20 years ago; my road to 600.5 wins on Around the Horn – Part 2
- Woody Paige: John Elway should change roles if Broncos have another dreadful season
- Failed two-point conversion saves bettor from huge, embarrassing loss
- Cartoon: ‘Juiced baseballs are terrorizing MLB pitchers’
