Friday Hound Blogging

Hey, anybody watch the Oscars this year? Borrring. How about the Grammys? ZZZZZZZ. Country Music Awards? Who you trying to kid? You want hot award action, you got to be in Abilene at the annual Overlord Thank God We Made It Another Year Without Having To Get A Job Banquet and Swap Meet.

Now, we know about this through our good friend whom we don't know, Mr. Dave Bergmeier, Senior Entertainment Editor for the Abilene Reflector Chronicle Observer Times Beacon Press Dispatch Post Review who covers these proceedings each year like white covers rice. Ain't that right editor Dave?

Two men instrumental in the success of racing greyhounds were saluted by their peers during Wednesday’s National Greyhound Association banquet at the Elks Club.

Yeah baby. Why, just in the last year more states have outlawed greyhound exploitation racing , more tracks have closed and more legislatures where there are tracks open are considering laws to bounce the overlords right out into the job market. Now that's some serious success right there. Donald Trump wishes he had success like that.

Tim Leuschner, general manager/simulcasting at Jacksonville Greyhound Racing, Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., and president of the American Greyhound Track Operators Association, was the banquet honoree and Herb “Dutch” Koerner, Hays, a breeder, owner and kennel operator, receive the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. Koerner was long-time board member and former president of the NGA board of directors. He has been inducted into the Greyhound Hall of Fame.

Tim Leuschner? The same Tim Leuschner who's organization is trying to throw the overlords under the bus in Florida so they can make more money? Hmmm...seems like you might want to exercise a little more due diligence in picking your honorees there Bub. Oh, and one program note: Herb “Dutch” Koerner will not be able to attend the banquet. Accepting his award will be his probation officer.

Emcee Bill Lee, who traveled from Denver to salute his friend, said Leuschner started at entry level in Colorado tracks in 1968, and through hard work and integrity worked his way up to upper management. Lee said many people may not realize Leuschner is an accomplished musician.

Oh, tell it MC Bill. No one plays the kazoo like the Timster. In fact, after the festivities he'll be giving a concert out by the curb at the bus station. Got to get up the fare to get back home donchano.

Karen Keelan, immediate past president of AGTOA, a Florida-based greyhound track operator, and Walmart Greeting School Trainee, admired Leuschner’s sense of humor and the fact that his lack of skills and abilities hadn't kept him from reaching upper management in the greyhound racing industry. In fact, having no talent for anything remotely useful had pretty much guaranteed him a bright career as an overlord. "I was particularly impressed with how his sense of humor got him through rough times," she said. "When I told him track owners in Florida were going to side with Grey2K to get rid of greyhound racing which would probably mean he'd be out of a job since most of the tracks left are in Florida, he just laughed and laughed. Course he was drunk at the time, so that may have had something to do with it."

Herb 'Dutch' Koerner was recognized with the initial Lifetime Achievement Award and Gary Guccione, executive director of the NGA, said he was the perfect first choice. "After all, he did avoid prison," Guccione told the audience. "Not all of us can say that." He read several letters that had been used at to help reduce Koerner's sentence at his trial.

The industry needs to have advocates like Koerner, a producer who is greatly respected and handles himself with dignity in and out of the spotlight, Dean Miner, Wheeling, W.Va., a greyhound owner said. The industry, in tough times, needs to keep its message in front of the public, and Koerner has done his part.

Well, if by doing his part you mean becoming a convicted felon, then yeah, we guess Koerner's your guy, right Skyp?

Skyp is active, bouncy, happy and very friendly. He is very affectionate. He will seek you out and will stay next to you for pets. He gives kisses. He is a quick learner. He likes to play with toys. He has cute floppy ears. He is very comical, inquisitive, and a cute boy. Skyp would do well in a working family home with well-mannered children. He would do best as an only dog, as he is a bit pushy with other dogs. He has a lot of energy since he is young and is a greyhound mix. He would make a great jogging partner. For more information about this dog, and other rescued racing greyhounds looking for homes, go here. If you don't know about the plight of racing greyhounds go here.