Jump to content


Photo

The worst commentators


  • Please log in to reply
236 replies to this topic

#1 RTH

RTH
  • Member

  • 6,064 posts
  • Joined: January 03

Posted 24 January 2003 - 20:33

Your top ten worst motorsport commentators or summarisers and some examples of their own particular wit and wisdom ?

Advertisement

#2 Bladrian

Bladrian
  • Member

  • 1,491 posts
  • Joined: July 02

Posted 24 January 2003 - 21:21

There are actually 10 commentators? I thought there was Martin Brundle, and a crowd of scruffy know-nothing motormouths ...... :lol:

#3 David M. Kane

David M. Kane
  • Member

  • 5,402 posts
  • Joined: December 00

Posted 24 January 2003 - 21:22

The trio who do the FOX NASCAR races, they are a monument to Southern
ebonics, PLUS their idea of a great guest is the double yahoo...Terry
Bradshaw. Bradshaw was recently nicknamed "Rain Man" by his NFL partners
for many good reasons, none related to math.

His great moment was when he was the Grand Marshal at the Daytona 500 the
year Dale was killed. He did two things that REALLY annoyed me to the point
I wrote FOX a letter. He attempted to sing our National Anthem, I use
the word attempted out of respect for the language allowed on this site.
I respect that rule as being very correct. SECONDLY, he managed to contrive
a ride at speed around the track with Dale at a pretty good pace. He was
worst than a five year kid sitting on Santa's lap. He went so over the top
during this ride, it delayed the start of the race to the point that they
ended up NOT doing the normal pre-race prayer. It went downhill from there
and my wife swears that threw the whole karma of the event off to the point
that poor Dale was killed.

I know that is a very, very hard statement; and I don't mean it in a cruel
way. Its just that he is such a goofball, he drives me to distraction.

I know NASCAR is basically a southern sport, BUT that is not a license to
butcher the English language.

#4 Bladrian

Bladrian
  • Member

  • 1,491 posts
  • Joined: July 02

Posted 24 January 2003 - 21:35

Good description. Terry Bradshaw sounds like the sort of mouth-breather at which the following instruction should be directed:

"Hey you! Out of the gene pool! Now!"


:rotfl:

#5 JohnS

JohnS
  • Member

  • 295 posts
  • Joined: June 02

Posted 24 January 2003 - 21:43

Has to be James Allen.

Examples far too numerous to mention, but there are whole bulletin board threads full of the nonsense he comes out with.

He's so bad that, in true Test Match Special fashion, I turn the sound down and listen to the excellent commentary on Radio 5.

#6 Locai

Locai
  • Member

  • 1,952 posts
  • Joined: June 01

Posted 24 January 2003 - 21:45

Bob Jenkins, Jason Priestley, & Eddie Cheever on ABC for the first USGP at Indy.

Anytime Jack Arute says or writes anything related to the IRL.

NUFF SAID.

#7 WGD706

WGD706
  • Member

  • 956 posts
  • Joined: August 02

Posted 24 January 2003 - 21:53

Rick DeBruhl, Speedchannel's replacement for Bob Varsha, should let David Hobbs and Steve Matchett do all the talking.
There still is no concrete word yet as to who will be airing the F1 races in the States

#8 David M. Kane

David M. Kane
  • Member

  • 5,402 posts
  • Joined: December 00

Posted 24 January 2003 - 21:59

Fortunately I was at the that first Indy USGP. In fact, it was my first
visit to the Brickyard. In all of the furor, I forget to tape...thank goodness. You can't imagine what it is like to see a crowd of 300,000 for the first time in your life. It was pretty impressive. To go back there this year and see a crowd half that size was depressing. After the race, it
was pretty clear why! I am a racing junkie and even I have to say that was
one of the most boring events in my life...and that's NOT just including
racing, we're talking my whole life!

How did Jenkins get that gig? Matter of fact how does he get any of his
gigs. I think he is horrible. I moved to Indianapolis six weeks ago and he
is on the radio and TV constantly doing ads. He always starts by saying this is...who cares! Sorry, but he sounds like a sissy. I just turn the sound down now, otherwise I might go Postal.

On a more positive note, lets continue to wish Jason well in his recovery
from his accident.

#9 jonpollak

jonpollak
  • Member

  • 44,048 posts
  • Joined: March 00

Posted 24 January 2003 - 22:14

I Dislike
Louise Goodman
JeremyClarkson
Carlton Kirby
Crompos brother Neil
James Allen
Derek Daly
Jack Arute
Bob Jenkins

I Like
Jackie Stewart
Matin Brundle
Peter Windsor
James Hunt
Catherine Pic
Gerald Donaldson
That lovely woman on RAI
Ivan Capelli
Bob Varsha
Ben Edwards
Jeremy Shaw
Chris Economaki ( Iknow..I know,I'm nuts!?)
Bobby Unser
Sam Posey used to detest him...now i miss him,..funny that
Suzy Perry


Jp


ps. WGD706 :
Unless I am very much mistaken.....SPEED will cover all races

#10 masterhit

masterhit
  • Member

  • 1,837 posts
  • Joined: May 02

Posted 24 January 2003 - 22:18

Originally posted by JohnS
Has to be James Allen.

Examples far too numerous to mention, but there are whole bulletin board threads full of the nonsense he comes out with.

He's so bad that, in true Test Match Special fashion, I turn the sound down and listen to the execellent commentary on Radio 5.


Yes - James Allen really is this inept. Ironically, he was very good as a pit commentator, where he had a lot more time to think before he spoke, yet true race commentary requires a very different set of skills.

#11 mp4

mp4
  • Member

  • 584 posts
  • Joined: July 01

Posted 24 January 2003 - 22:31

Brian Williams.
CBC in 1987.
In Canada, they would show the races on a "tape delayed basis". That's not a problem, per say.
This moron would tell us, half way through it, who had won as he blabbed on inanely about how excirting the race would be.
He was and IS a complete idiot. The sad part of this would be the fact that the "National Broadcaster" still employs him...
Please don't get me started...

#12 Eric McLoughlin

Eric McLoughlin
  • Member

  • 1,623 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 24 January 2003 - 22:34

I would vote for Murray Walker as both the best AND the worst. Best for all the years he was associated with motor sport and for his contribution to popularising F1 in the UK. Worst for all his gaffs and cock ups. I still miss him though.

I don't include pundits as "commentators" as they don't really commentate. They "comment, which is a different thing. I have to say that Jonathan Palmer was the least effective of Murray's side-kicks in the years immediately after James Hunt died. He had a limited number of things to say and proceeded to say them at every grand prix. Yawn.

I'd like to see Ben Edwards coivering the grand prix races again.

#13 petefenelon

petefenelon
  • Member

  • 4,815 posts
  • Joined: August 02

Posted 24 January 2003 - 22:45

Originally posted by Eric McLoughlin
I would vote for Murray Walker as both the best AND the worst. Best for all the years he was associated with motor sport and for his contribution to popularising F1 in the UK. Worst for all his gaffs and cock ups. I still miss him though.

I don't include pundits as "commentators" as they don't really commentate. They "comment, which is a different thing. I have to say that Jonathan Palmer was the least effective of Murray's side-kicks in the years immediately after James Hunt died. He had a limited number of things to say and proceeded to say them at every grand prix. Yawn.

I'd like to see Ben Edwards coivering the grand prix races again.


I've said it before and I''ll probably say it again but with Murray a race was an event. Even if it was a Hungaroring drone-a-thon he'd find something bizarre to say - and if it was a good race he was outstanding. Sure, he went on a couple of seasons too long - seemingly due as much to pressure from ITV prompted by his fans - and he got to a point where his mistakes were a little embarrassing rather than funny (that's why I dropped my Murray Walker quotes page) - but Murray was the man as far as I'm concerned. He could even make FF2000 from a wet Silverstone sound interesting. And the Murray/James and Murray/Martin double-acts were priceless, once they'd worked out how to get along in the commentary box.

As for the worst....

well, having been obliged to catch the '95 French GP in a hotel room in DC, I have to say I now understand precisely what our transatlantic cousins say about Bob Varsha's limitations. But even he isn't as bad as James Allen, who seems to believe that having his orgasm at the start of the race and wittering about the significance of rubber afterwards is a viable commentary strategy.

(greatest sports commentators I've heard apart from Murray - John Madden/Pat Summerall, John Arlott, Phil Liggett).

pete

#14 Eric McLoughlin

Eric McLoughlin
  • Member

  • 1,623 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 24 January 2003 - 22:52

if you want other sports - nearly all BBC men

Football/soccer - Barry Davies and Alan Green

Horse racing - Peter O'Sullevan

Rugby Union - Bill McLaren

Rugby League - Eddie Waring (made Murray Walker sound coherent)

Gymnastics/Skating - Alan Weeks

Athletics - David Coleman (invented gaffs even before Murray - known as Colemanballs)

Gaelic Football/Hurling - (in Ireland of course) Michael O'Hehir. Not a BBC man, of course, although in his other guise as a horse racing commentator he used to guest for the BBC on the Grand National TV coverage. He had the (mis) fortune to be covering that section of the course during the 1967 Grand National when virtually every horse fell at the same fence. It's a classic piece of sports TV now. His son Tony commentates these days for Irish TV (RTE).

#15 David M. Kane

David M. Kane
  • Member

  • 5,402 posts
  • Joined: December 00

Posted 24 January 2003 - 22:55

I miss Sam Posey too. I actually thought he did a pretty good job. Unfortunately, he has some real health problems. Its very sad because he is
still relatively young. I also had the pleasure of meeting several times and he is actually very, very nice, a true gentleman.

#16 Gambino

Gambino
  • Member

  • 87 posts
  • Joined: January 03

Posted 25 January 2003 - 00:39

Originally posted by mp4
Brian Williams.
CBC in 1987.
In Canada, they would show the races on a "tape delayed basis". That's not a problem, per say.
This moron would tell us, half way through it, who had won as he blabbed on inanely about how excirting the race would be.
He was and IS a complete idiot. The sad part of this would be the fact that the "National Broadcaster" still employs him...
Please don't get me started...


Since I don't live in N-America I´ve never heard of this Brian Williams guy, but he sounds so terrible that I´d actually like to hear him. Strange, ain't it?

#17 TODave2

TODave2
  • Member

  • 244 posts
  • Joined: January 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 01:16

Yep - James Allen. "Are you ready... are you ready... three lights.... four lights..... five lights...." And spot on about the 'used to be good in the pits but now just is the pits' bit. He was actually quite good during all the strategy stuff.

Jonathan Palmer - interesting bit in Murray's book about how he said Jonathan was very knowable but did the public really want an 8 minute intricate chat about fuel consumption right in the middle of a race?

David Coleman?! Oh come on, you can't get rid of him simply on the basis of the Spitting Image puppet! ("Oh dear, I've got overexcited a lap too early, I'm never going to last" - head explodes).

I can't stand Steve Cram for the athletics now ("This is the Olympic Games, you're not meant to go that fast" - errr, what?!?)

Jeremy Clarkson went a bit arse for a while, but I thought on the last series of Top Gear he was excellent. Unlike that fat bloke who they drafted in to replace Quentin Wilson and basically just sounds like he's making it up as he goes along. With Quentin you always thought the guy actually knew just about everything about new and used cars (probably because he did, he was/is a car dealer for many years), but fat bloke just seems to be trying to give that impression... and fails.

And I'd quite like to cuddle Louise Goodman so can we leave her alone please :blush:


The one part of the current F1 line up I don't like is Jim Rosential. He's just 'Mr Bland Sports Presenter'. I can't stand it when he looks into the camera and starts talking about something and then half way through the sentence he turns to whoever is sitting next to him and then you realise that he's actually asking the person a question he just wants to 'involve' the audience by looking at us while he's asking. It drives me potty. And then there's the bit where he's waiting for the advert break to come up but he hasn't quite got enough to say to fill the gap before he starts so he starts... talking...... very........ slowly.......... with................ each..................... word..........................spaced.......................... out. Madness.

#18 flsp

flsp
  • Member

  • 150 posts
  • Joined: May 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 02:22

Originally posted by Gambino


Since I don't live in N-America I´ve never heard of this Brian Williams guy, but he sounds so terrible that I´d actually like to hear him. Strange, ain't it?


http://www.cbc.ca/sp...s_williams.html
He's not too bad in other sports but racing was just not his thing.

One I can't stand in North America is ABC's Paul Page. It's incredible the number of clichés he will use during a broadcast, plus for him the racing is always good, all the racers are great guys and so on... :rolleyes:

#19 Captain Cranckcase

Captain Cranckcase
  • Member

  • 740 posts
  • Joined: April 01

Posted 25 January 2003 - 02:49

James Allen.

"It's coming, it's coming, it's coming"

Advertisement

#20 Pikachu Racing

Pikachu Racing
  • Member

  • 5,478 posts
  • Joined: December 00

Posted 25 January 2003 - 05:33

Bill Walton. He's the biggest asskisser I ever heard.

#21 Marcor

Marcor
  • Member

  • 1,198 posts
  • Joined: July 00

Posted 25 January 2003 - 10:10

Eurosport some years ago. I remember I guy who knows nothing about motorsport. he was chosen only because he speaks English and French...

TF1: I hated Bernard Giroux, too chauvinist...
A2 / France 2: Henri Bodiguel, he managed to ruin the 1978 South-African GP (one of the rare F1 race broadcasted by the channel)

When I watch GPs on TV I choose RTBF. Even if it's not perfect, It's better than the French comments.

#22 Milan Fistonic

Milan Fistonic
  • Member

  • 1,769 posts
  • Joined: September 00

Posted 25 January 2003 - 10:21

We had a couple of shockers here in New Zealand.

Tony Palmer and ex-driver Reg Cook were commentating on the single car qualifying runs for the 1984 Benson and Hedges long-distance saloon car race at Pukekohe. A black car took to the track and these two twittered on about the wonderful sound of the straight-six engine in the BMW 635 and how it sounded like it was doing 9000rpm whereas it was only doing 6800.

The only trouble was the car on the track - the only car on the track - was a V8-engined Holden Commodore.

#23 Ray Bell

Ray Bell
  • Member

  • 80,063 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 25 January 2003 - 10:33

How could I have not mentioned Bernie King so far?

He of many gaffs... wonder where he ever got to?

Towards the end of practice for the Oran Park Tasman (or whatever...) race that John Cannon contested in his March, the car could be seen being fitted with wet weather tyres...

Bernie was on the commentary and said something along the lines of "he's about to go and knock the tops off the wets in case it rains tomorrow."

They were on the car so the slicks wouldn't get stones in them as it was rolled back into the pits... those days it was considered important not to 'knock the tops off' or in any way round off the edges of the tread on wets.

But he wasn't alone. Not by any means.

#24 Lutz G

Lutz G
  • Member

  • 369 posts
  • Joined: May 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 11:18

I Dislike

Jochen Mass
Heiko Wasser
Aris Donzelli
Helmut "Scharping" G Mueller
Willy Knupp

I Like

John Watson
Marc Surer
Christian Danner
Ben Edwards
Allard Kalff
Jason Priestley (3)
Jack Arute (1)
Bob Jenkins (2)
Murray Walker
Heinz Prueller
Stefan Heinrich
Manfred Jantke

Originally posted by Locai
Bob Jenkins, Jason Priestley, & Eddie Cheever on ABC for the first USGP at Indy.

Anytime Jack Arute says or writes anything related to the IRL.

NUFF SAID.


Anytime? Ever wonder what the television announcers talk about
during commercial breaks?


(1)

30.6.2001 IRL/Richmond (257 KB). Talking about being polite: Someone doesn't like Ron Green at all...




(2)

8.7.2001 IRL/Kansas (332 KB). 65 laps have been completed. What's the meaning of the German word 'Schnauzer'? Bob Jenkins got the answer...




(3)


21.7.2001 IRL/Nashville (571 KB). 137 Laps completed.




:lol:

More of this stuff - wanna know what A.J. Foyt really thinks about Eddie Cheever?

http://www.geocities...9/samplese.html

;)



Lutz

#25 jonpollak

jonpollak
  • Member

  • 44,048 posts
  • Joined: March 00

Posted 25 January 2003 - 12:12

Lutz G:
Those are some great clips.....know someone in the truck do you?
I guess with access to things like this one can appreciate these boys doing what they do MUCH BETTER than we can.

TODave2:
Only because you mentioned the henious "Count Rosenthal" will I relent in my discourse about that 'jangles' woman.

Here is the thread on the same topic from the PC about 2 months ago
Sports Commentators


What does this threads creator think....?
Jp

#26 masterhit

masterhit
  • Member

  • 1,837 posts
  • Joined: May 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 12:23

Originally posted by jonpollak
Lutz G:
Those are some great clips.....know someone in the truck do you?
I guess with access to things like this one can appreciate these boys doing what they do MUCH BETTER than we can.

TODave2:
Only because you mentioned the henious "Count Rosenthal" will I relent in my discourse about that 'jangles' woman.

Here is the thread on the same topic from the PC about 2 months ago
Sports Commentators


What does this threads creator think....?
Jp


"That jangles woman" Classic! Plus another Perrin fan!

BTW, does anyone know that Louise Goodman worked for Tony Jardine's P.R. company?

As in a lot of jobs, it's a case of who you know..

Juts to lower the tone even further, continuing the Jardine/Goodman link, I am reminded of Harry Hill's joke - "Confucius say: a secretary's job is not permanent until screwed on desk."

#27 2F-001

2F-001
  • Member

  • 4,244 posts
  • Joined: November 01

Posted 25 January 2003 - 12:35

asked by masterhit:
''BTW, does anyone know that Louise Goodman worked for Tony Jardine's P.R. company?''

I didn't, but it's not really a surprise. Is this before, or since, she worked at Jordan GP?

#28 masterhit

masterhit
  • Member

  • 1,837 posts
  • Joined: May 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 12:39

Originally posted by 2F-001
asked by masterhit:
''BTW, does anyone know that Louise Goodman worked for Tony Jardine's P.R. company?''

I didn't, but it's not really a surprise. Is this before, or since, she worked at Jordan GP?

Cutting and pasting from ITV-F1's profile on Louise Goodman:

"After more travelling she returned home with the offer of a job from Tony Jardine - now an ITV-F1 colleague - to work for TJ's nascent PR company. From this she landed the role of PR officer for the Leyton House F1 team before she moved on to join Eddie Jordan's new team."

(P.S. Travelling is always a good excuse used by people to explain gaps in their C.V.)

#29 Lutz G

Lutz G
  • Member

  • 369 posts
  • Joined: May 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 13:19

Originally posted by jonpollak
Lutz G:
Those are some great clips.....know someone in the truck do you?


No that's just the way we got the us feeds over here in european pay tv a while ago.... Someone must have forgotten to turn the mics off during breaks ;) But it took not that long until Jason & Co noticed "The Website" :lol:



Lutz

#30 Mark Beckman

Mark Beckman
  • Member

  • 782 posts
  • Joined: July 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 13:27

I usually just ignore commentators but 2 get my goat, Chris Economacki and John Smailes.

Will Hagon although not a bad commentator, does have a terrible habit of rolling off long stories of 50's and 60's of absolutly unknown incidents involving totally unknown drivers to a modern young audience.

#31 petefenelon

petefenelon
  • Member

  • 4,815 posts
  • Joined: August 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 13:59

Originally posted by Lutz G

Anytime? Ever wonder what the television announcers talk about
during commercial breaks?

Lutz


The marvellous John Hindhaugh and friends at Radio Le Mans have a habit of leaving the mic open after they meant to. A nice incident from this year's Miami ALMS round...

This is a repost of something I put on Usenet last autumn. It all happened while I was listening to the Internet feed of Radio Le Mans.

The American Le Mans Series has fantastic live commentary broadcast over
the Internet by the same crew who do Radio Le Mans, led by the utterly
brilliant John Hindhaugh, a man who could do James Allen's job in his
sleep. He's the best racing commentator I've ever heard, bar none.

Unfortunately once in a while they forget to switch the mic off after a
race or qualifying session - they did tonight.


For anyone who isn't familiar with John Hindhaugh's commentary (1) he's
excitable (2) he knows his stuff and calls a spade a spade and (3) he's
from the North East (of England of course!) and delivers his opinions
rather firmly! He and the rest of the Radio Le Mans crew are in Miami
for the ALMS race this weekend, and it's been a rather stressful
qualifying session. And now the real trouble starts.



[There's already been one burst of conversation with John and Joe joking
about Johnny Herbert's chances of winning races - which they regard as
fairly minimal despite a quote Joe got about Herbert being in with a
chance - then more dead air...]

John Hindhaugh, 2348...... after a bit more dead air.

(Dramatis Personae: John Hindhaugh, lead commentator and quite the best
in the sport at the moment, and Joe Bradley, his pit reporter. Joe also
calls a spade a spade.)

[John is clearly annoyed at having to come to the track early
tomorrow and get the broadcast kit going. Apparently there is a TransAm
qualifying session at 8 and then nothing for many hours...]

JH: "NO, I'm not coming out in the morning, they can **** OFF!"

"All they have to do is ****in' power it up!"


sounds over it, and JH ranting in the background>

JH (angry) "There's a huge gap in the middle of the day, I'm not
coming in for 8 o'clock in the morning, they can **** off! Not a
chance! They can aaaall **** off! There's nothing on the track until
11:30!"

now he's mumbling about things being crappy ;)

[The problem of the national anthem now raises its head - someone's due
to sing this at the opening of the circuit]

JH: "Can you just make the point that there's a chapel service at quarter to
eight that you won't want to be doing it over" [this makes
sense when you see what's happening later)

JH: "No I'm not on the PA at that time..... who is....? B*st*rd!"

[bit more slience]

Now they're having trouble with the singer who's meant to sing the
national anthem to open the track! -- all that could be heard is John
talking to Joe. Joe is somewhere outside the commentary box...

Evidently the singer feels he needs a little something extra to help him
drown out the church service...

JH: "So he's not a singer then?"

JH: "But he can't sing without reverb? What's the matter with him"

JH: "Tell him it's not ****in' karakoke, it's the national anthem!"

[pause]

"No, no, Bob's packin' in... where are you Joe? Right, I'm comin' out -
where are yer mate! I'm comin' out....."

[sounds of John leaving the commentary booth]

[silence].... I'm tempted to keep listening.

2356 - sounds of a row outside the commentary box, indistinct but
clearly raised voices...

JH and Joe come back inside

JH: Who is he? Who is he Can't sing without reverb!
(Joe sings the US national anthem in a fake American accent with lots
of reverb)

[cut to repeat of a recorded quote from Joe about Herbert "thinking he
was in with a chance"]

Midnight - silence - I think they've noticed. :(

pete

#32 Lutz G

Lutz G
  • Member

  • 369 posts
  • Joined: May 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 15:30

Originally posted by petefenelon


The marvellous John Hindhaugh and friends at Radio Le Mans have a habit of leaving the mic open after they meant to. A nice incident from this year's Miami ALMS round...

This is a repost of something I put on Usenet last autumn. It all happened while I was listening to the Internet feed of Radio Le Mans.

(...)

JH and Joe come back inside

JH: Who is he? Who is he Can't sing without reverb!
(Joe sings the US national anthem in a fake American accent with lots
of reverb)

[cut to repeat of a recorded quote from Joe about Herbert "thinking he
was in with a chance"]

Midnight - silence - I think they've noticed. :(

pete


:lol: Have you recorded that? I would love to have it as *.mp3. Would be perfect for "The Website" ;)

Lutz

#33 RTH

RTH
  • Member

  • 6,064 posts
  • Joined: January 03

Posted 25 January 2003 - 15:55

I have to say motorsport commentry standards in uk are at an all time low , we have never had so much air time and its never been handled so badly.

The move from BBC to ITV for the '97 season on , was predictably a huge disappointment.They bid 10 times what the BBC were currently paying and tried to justify it to themselves with longer and extra programmes (now long since gone ) - yet were incapable of filling it with anything informative.

Eight advert breaks per hour are unbearable , OK I guess we all try to fill the gaps by switching to RTL etc and as previouly mentioned the BBC Radio 5 commentary is excellent - typically 20 minutes of the programme is lost to adverts - funny on ITV a football match also 90 mins NEVER has the live action been interupted.

All of us know motorsport is not everyones cup of tea - but then with football , rugby , snooker, darts I cannot get the channel off fast enough. Its no good employing journeymen continuity announcers for this job , we need people talking to us with passion, knowledge and dedication to motorsport not "Some bloke off the football we haven't got a job for anymore - he can do it "

I wouldn't keep any of the ITV team , they were not up to it when they started and now they are tired and stale as well, thats my view. They could usefully try out some potential new staff at each race to find a team with aptitude for the job.

But then I would not bet on ITV keeping the Grand Prix beyond the end of the contract they paid a very high price the companies have built up big debts and will need to make big cuts against the major drops in advertising revenue. After the F1 gravy train hits the buffers we may see a return to BBC TV with rather more elegant and compact coverage.

AS Pete Fenelon so rightly said earlier Murray had the ability to make even the dullest race an EVENT . After the ITV move he became fearfull of saying anything in any way critical which might offend his new masters - that was sad. The joy of James Hunt was he just did not care , he spoke from the heart, at the end of a race might easily say "Well what a load of rubbish that was - they should be made to give the spectators their money back "

Contrast that to the present team who tell us every GP "That was the most exciting race I have ever seen " when quite obviosly the opposite is the case , it insults the viewers intelligence.

Oh for the days of Raymond Baxter, Rodney Walkerley, Raymond Spotiswoode, and John Tate -- before broadcasters said "You was ".


What do you think of the present Channel 4 WRC Rally presentation team ?

#34 later

later
  • Member

  • 122 posts
  • Joined: March 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 16:03

Originally posted by Locai
Bob Jenkins, Jason Priestley, & Eddie Cheever on ABC for the first USGP at Indy.

Anytime Jack Arute says or writes anything related to the IRL.

NUFF SAID.


I would have to agree. Even my 10 year old daughter caught mistakes.

Her favorites were when Bob Jenkins referred to a Sauber as "that blue car" and when Cheever called Montoya "palm"...

#35 Jordi #99

Jordi #99
  • Member

  • 90 posts
  • Joined: December 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 19:16

Carlton Kirby... :rolleyes:

In Catalan TV, thankfully, we get Marc Gené's commentary. Oriol Servià and Alonso also did some bits last year. Maybe this year De la Rosa will be the commetator! We also had Joan Villadelprat.

I love Ben Edwards and Jeremy Shaw... thanks to them I began loving CART and I learned English! :up:

#36 maurors

maurors
  • New Member

  • 21 posts
  • Joined: March 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 19:39

Hi...
really impossible to listen is RAI commentators... I don't remember the name...
they are (except Ivan Capelli...who is non objectiv..) really poor tecnically... repeat the same sentences
every race for every championship for every driver and every team...
He has, overall, the bigger tongue to slap ferrari team ad MS that I have ever seen...
it is a shame.

on the same line is cesare fiorio... is like a bottle of valium.

...really good are: M Forghieri and not bad P Leopizzi on D+F1.
Ciao, and sorry for my english

#37 Ray Bell

Ray Bell
  • Member

  • 80,063 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 25 January 2003 - 20:45

Originally posted by Mark Beckman
I usually just ignore commentators but 2 get my goat, Chris Economacki and John Smailes.

Will Hagon although not a bad commentator, does have a terrible habit of rolling off long stories of 50's and 60's of absolutly unknown incidents involving totally unknown drivers to a modern young audience.


Poor John... he hasn't been the same since he had that crash.

Will was the one who pulled off that brilliant piece of commentary when Brock passed Moffat round the outside of the Sandown esses after twenty laps of being held up by him in 1980. Remember, it was Moffat's first drive of a Commodore and he'd lost seven laps in the pits, Brock was heading for his umpteenth Sandown 500 win in a row, Moffat just wouldn't let him by.

Will had predicted that, this being the last lap, Brock wouldn't bother trying to get by any more. He had a substantial lead... there was no reason to chance anything.

Then Brock pounced, over the hill and plunged round the outside, neat as anything.

"Well I never!" Will exclaimed... "...that Peter Brock would do that on the last lap..."

Like most commentary, Will did it very well. Though I guess he is getting a little stale now. Then again, I guess he doesn't do commentary at all these days?

He's far from being a well man, too, from my observation. It's been a long haul from that first day when Bruce Redhouse introduced him to the world at Warwick Farm... was that 1964?

#38 jonpollak

jonpollak
  • Member

  • 44,048 posts
  • Joined: March 00

Posted 25 January 2003 - 20:52

Originally posted by RTH
I have to say motorsport commentry standards in uk are at an all time low....


brilliantly done....

I could not have said it better had I stayed up all night explaining!!!

thanks,
Jp

#39 maurors

maurors
  • New Member

  • 21 posts
  • Joined: March 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 21:00

..... and name is......

Gianfranco Mazzoni.... :clap:
please send him in nuova Guinea jungle ...
bye

Advertisement

#40 MaTT2799

MaTT2799
  • Member

  • 77 posts
  • Joined: February 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 21:57

As I mentioned over in another thread, the American sounding guy who does the commentary on Motors TV gets my vote. If any of you were watching today he was the guy who did 1975 I believe. One such instance I remember was during the Dallara Nissan Series review. It went something like this.

"So we have Zonta leading, from Leinders, Wilson and Montagny

*Pause - squint at badly written script*

(Wilson and Leinders collide in the meantime)

*Pause - still reading script*

"Ai ai ai!! Wilson and Leinders have collided!"

:rolleyes:

#41 Vitesse2

Vitesse2
  • Administrator

  • 41,776 posts
  • Joined: April 01

Posted 25 January 2003 - 22:18

Originally posted by MaTT2799
As I mentioned over in another thread, the American sounding guy who does the commentary on Motors TV gets my vote.


He was probably trained by Carlton Kirby ..... :rolleyes:

#42 MaTT2799

MaTT2799
  • Member

  • 77 posts
  • Joined: February 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 22:22

Hehe, yup. I had barely watched 5 seconds of one of the programs before Kirby claimed that Brabham were owned by Gordan Murray :). There are 3 F1 Legends commentators, Kirby, that American guy, and the guy who used to do F3000 on Eurosport and some club racing on ITV who is actually quite good.

#43 TODave2

TODave2
  • Member

  • 244 posts
  • Joined: January 02

Posted 25 January 2003 - 22:32

Someone on here a few months ago mentioned about how the BBC coverage used to feature Raymond Baxter and a Scalextric set!! :D It makes me lol now just typing it!

I can't for the life of me remember who it was who mentioned it on here, but I think it was the early Seventies coverage that was like this. Whoever it was, please tell us more!

#44 Vitesse2

Vitesse2
  • Administrator

  • 41,776 posts
  • Joined: April 01

Posted 25 January 2003 - 22:42

Guilty m'lud!

http://www.atlasf1.c...tric#post824201

#45 BS Levy

BS Levy
  • Member

  • 41 posts
  • Joined: January 03

Posted 26 January 2003 - 00:16

Having worked an announce booth or two and knowing that the "insider story" and the "pablum for the Great Unwashed" are two different products, I think it might be more productive to say who we like rather than who we dislike. For me, even if he was never a GP front-liner, I've always liked the insider humor of David Hobbs and the knowlegable, easygoing comfort of Benny Parsons in NASCAR. We may be a bunch of bumpkins over here in the US of A, but we're not dull and stuffy like some of those warts you have overseas.
Also, realize who the networks are pitching to. I'm not defending them, but if you do strictly insider stuff, you get an audience of a few dozen who will find fault with everything anyway....
I liked it better when there was less science and commerce and more hangovers, myself.
BS Levy

#46 William Dale Jr

William Dale Jr
  • Member

  • 405 posts
  • Joined: April 00

Posted 26 January 2003 - 01:42

Originally posted by Ray Bell
Poor John... he hasn't been the same since he had that crash.


What do you mean, Ray? What crash?

Originally posted by Ray Bell
Like most commentary, Will did it very well. Though I guess he is getting a little stale now. Then again, I guess he doesn't do commentary at all these days?


No, Will still does commentary on SBS for all the Procar events and most of the bike events shown on Speedweek.

#47 Bladrian

Bladrian
  • Member

  • 1,491 posts
  • Joined: July 02

Posted 26 January 2003 - 06:22

Originally posted by BS Levy
I liked it better when there was less science and commerce and more hangovers, myself.
BS Levy


Succinctly put. Yes. :clap:

#48 RTH

RTH
  • Member

  • 6,064 posts
  • Joined: January 03

Posted 26 January 2003 - 10:29

Originally posted by jonpollak
[B]

brilliantly done....

I could not have said it better had I stayed up all night explaining!!!

thanks,
Jp [

Thank you CJ for those kind remarks, Surprisingly lobbying people in power or organisations does quite often bring results if enough like minded do it. So I would urge everyone reading who have now to accept the ITV feed as their main source of watching the Grand Prix to write in detail to :- studio@itv-f1.com and tell them as calmly as you can manage what you are unhappy with and what changes and improvements you would like to see made to what they do in, as much detail as you can then perhaps because of the fantastic power of this medium for the first time in history we can see viewers calling the shots - after all by watching you are paying their wages its time they woke up to that fact , we have had excellent contributions to this discussion now lets see if that can be turned in to lasting change for the better.

Gentlemen your keybords are waiting./B]



#49 bschenker

bschenker
  • Member

  • 523 posts
  • Joined: March 02

Posted 26 January 2003 - 11:03

That lovely woman on RAI



His name is Luana Ravegnini, on this site you can find something moor.
http:digilander.libero.it/iceberg86/luanaravegnini/page1.html

#50 jonpollak

jonpollak
  • Member

  • 44,048 posts
  • Joined: March 00

Posted 26 January 2003 - 11:39

Originally posted by bschenker


His name is Luana Ravegnini, on this site you can find something moor.
http:digilander.libero.it/iceberg86/luanaravegnini/page1.html


Thanks bschenker!!!!
Unfortunamento that link don't work per mio...
But THIS ONE DOES

Mile Grazie

Jp