Okay, look--Ragozin was a jerk, probably still is. He broke every deal he ever made with me and Dennis Heard, he tried to screw me when he thought he had me over a barrel, causing me to leave and set up shop competing with him. I never met anyone who really liked him with the possible exception of Friedman, and that was as much a question of common interests (same politics) as anything else. He also took credit for other people\'s ideas and greatly inflated his historical importance (see \"History Lessons\" in the Archive section of this site). There\'s plenty not to like.
But HE STARTED THE DAMN COMPANY. He was the first to create and sell ready-to-use performance figures in this country, he built a succesful business out of it. He came up with the concept that is now known as \"sheet theory\", which eventually was advanced by others including myself, and now is a major factor not just in handicapping but in managing top racehorses. He made figures for 50 years.
So-- the \"new\" \"Ragozin\" team issues a press release about the sale, and puts a post announcing it on their site. The statements only mention Ragozin in passing, leaving it unclear whether he will still be involved. Now, it should be completely obvious that if he is they would say so-- he\'s the name guy, literally the guy who wrote their book. So the \"new\" guys have made a cynical decision to be ambiguous in order not to lose more customers.
Guys-- if Ragozin has indeed retired, not making a big deal about it, especially given the way you have bestowed deity status on him over the years,is an egregious slight. This is the equivalent of George Halas or Al Davis retiring. You\'re just going to let him go quietly and hope nobody notices?
