Humphries has also done very well presenting aspects of Euro2008 and the times he presents Football Focus

AFAIK he started out on kids TV and was the youngest ever presenter of Match of the Day. He was good on the Olympics and I think he even did the SuperBowl. If the beeb are playing it safe on Legard as an old hand for commentary, I reckon he could be a shoe in for anchor given that he'd bring the coverage a more youthful edge.

He did start on Kids TV, but from then you could tell he was different to the rest of the idiots on kids TV these days. He then got the job on the new 'Sportsround' show and thats how he started his rise in the BBC sport ranks. He did present the superbowl and has seemed very knowledgeable on every sport he has been sent to report on.

Stole from? How can taking money from pay drivers be theft? Pantano and Glock financed their way into a drive near the bottom of the grid. Jordan was hardly the first owner to take money from up and coming drivers.

Pantano's problem is that he was blown away by Nick Heidfeld. When his monthly cheques for the drive stopped he was ditched. How can that not be fair? That's what happens when you pay to play.

As for the Russians, how can they not have performed due dilliegence on a purchase of that size?

A lot of teams went to the wall during the period Jordan was racing. I think he did a remarkable job keeping it afloat. As was pointed out earlier, if Honda had have got behind Eddie's team and not BAR, who knows what might have been achieved.

I think what is being said about Jordan here is completely defamatory. He ran a company for more than a decade then sold out. He's done nothing illegal.

I'm not trying to be argumentative about this, but I think the man deserves a defence.

But that doesn't necessarily make him a good TV pundit, which is, afterall, the point of the discussion in this thread. Today he bangs on about how hard done-by he was, how it was all different in his day and how today, everyone left in the sport is a wanker. F1 Racing dumping him was a reflection of the fact that his views on this sport are as irrelevant today as he is. The reason he has to shout is because nobody wants to listen anymore. It's just got a bit boring.

Just as nobody wants to hear constant sucking up to Hamilton, so too can the constant drones of the likes of Jordan saying that everything is shit, become equally as annoying.

If a team boss takes the contractually agreed funds to give a driver a seat then it's lawful, if he demands all of those funds up front and then demands more from a variety of friends and family then it's not. Neither is signing two drivers with one seat available and agreeing with one to be in the seat for the entire season and the other for some of the drives too.

These matters aren't defamatory: they're public knowledge. As is the debt load of the company when he sold the company. That you were unaware of these facts don't make them not so.

Indeed. Can you please link me to a place where this is all on the record and out in public?

I think he is good TV talent.

He is animated, quicky witted, funny, and IMO, credible.

I think that's what will make him a good TV pundit.

While the internet is hardly the repository of all of the world's information, particularly for anything that happened more than a few years ago, a quick search should give you all the information you require. Or you could do what I did, which is to speak to everyone involved over a number of years.

On which, Eddie Jordan would be truly awful as a pundit, as he literally has the memory of a goldfish and constantly forgets what he is saying even as he says it: he's a great laugh and entertaining company, and if I put his financial actions to one side I've always enjoyed talking to him, but he would be quite dreadful as a pundit.

Mate, I'd love the opportunity to chat to "everyone involved over a number of years."
But as I doubt that's going to happen, it would be interesting to read the goings on.
I've just had a search, and the "information" I "require" isn't popping up before my eyes.
A few links would be greatly appreciated.

Not to mention the fact he'd last about 2 minutes before somebody phoned up to complain about him swearing.

I doubt he'd last the first lap before shouting some obscenity down the microphone.

I really think he'd add character and personality to the show that's sadly lacking in ITV's effort.

I didn't know there was such depth of feeling from those apparently in the know.

I'd read Roebuck and others allude to the Jordan taking a lot of money from the sport and had fast dealings with some people.

But hey, Bernie Ecclestone has been ripping people off for decades!

But what's being alleged here sounds like outright fraud.

Will be interested to find out more when I have a little more time.

One word boys and girls.


Vodafone.

OK, I'll admit that was a total debacle.

Indeed, and then when you hear stories that when Honda paid them 10mil or whatever to help them with their engines after they nestled up with BAR, and EJ put it in his own pocket; you start to wonder.

A while ago i watch a show where EJ was trying to train some young offenders into being a race driver... In one eppisode he toook them all kart racing then after they all set a lep time he went out and beat all there times... Now he said it was "nothing about ego"... Bollocks was it...

The only thing EJ thinks about is EJ.....

Totally. I'd heard rumours but, as discussed above, I've never seen anything published which substantiates the allegations. Would be most interested if anyone can link me one.

You can add Pedro De La Rosa to the list of drivers that EJ ripped off.


EJ got Repsol and PDLRs backers to stump up more and more cash yet Pedro barely got to sit in the car.

Why don't we all just go to that thread where all this conjecture is coming from.
I hate having to read things twice.

Jp

I can't seem to find that thread. Can you please link it to me? I'd love to a read.

Err Can we get back on topic guys

sorry....
Jp

Matt Damon, who was apart of F1Digital+ from 2002, has confirmed he was eliminated at Part 1 of the proceedings.

Oh jesus, who cares.

When there's an announement there will be an announcement and everyone can speculate and postulate over how the coverage will be and create an expectation that can never be delivered on.

Ultimately I'm going to wait until, you know, 2009 to really worry about the BBC coverage. And even then, it's not the point. The on-track product is. ITV's coverage doesn't help my half-hearted interest in F1, but it's not the reason I have to convince myself to watch some weekends.

...But Ross that's the point. People do care. In fact, for those in Britain who have been brought up on a diet of Raymond Baxter, onto Murray Walker and finally James Allen through the years, this particular BBC 'transfer window' is as important - if not more so -than say ... who is driving for Ferrari in 2010 for example. Hence the hunger for the latest morsel of information about it.

Personally the commentator announcement doesn't bother me. I'm delighted with the shortlist of three for the main role, and so the enjoyment of listening to any of them will take care of itself.

If it's Legard as tidytracks suggests, then fine. He likely won't be everyone's cup of tea - initially anyway. His authoratitive tones will be a culture shock for many, particularly the typical couch potato read-about-'Lew'-in-The Sun-types who watch it just for the smashes. They'll all be saying "Who's this geezer?" He is an exceptional public speaker, as anyone who has been to some of the Formula One car launches he has introduced in recent years will testify.

D.M.N, You're in good company. Wattie occasionally used to make that mistake as well. It's Nick Daman, who incidentally worked with the F1 digital set-up as pitlane interviewer for five seasons or so, not just '02.

So let's actually wait until we know who's doing it. All this random and pie in the sky rumour mongering and 'sources' adds nothing. I know some of the people who have been shortlisted and no one has correctly linked them to the roles they are being considered for.

If everyone waited for news nobody would be able to claim 'I told you so' bragging rights would they. This is an internet BB. That shit is important.

In fact, if this thread was never created, and no one began discussing it, the announcement would probably not have been discussed on this forum until a few days after.

Actually, it probably wouldn't start until next years inevitable 'BBC Coverage is Shit' thread.

Well, if that happened I'd mark the poster as Ignore and a Troll (unless he provided a balanced argument, with reasons).

Little update:

*A small team was out in Belgium this weekend on a "reconnaissance" mission. They will also be in Italy, and a dress rehearsal at one of the final 3 races (most likely Brazil).
*Sarah Jane Mee of Sky News, Central News and Pulling Power fame is in the frame in relation to the BBC's coverage.

Tomorrow marks the end of an era for British Eurosport. The last time they will ever screen an event controlled by Formula One Management before all the rights including all the support races are handed to the BBC.

?
very cryptic post. I can only assume that you are referring to the Porsche coverage.

Yep.

Just a note to put the BBC's commitment to Motorsport in context.

The MotoGP was live on the RED button last light with an "as live" repeat nearly 3 hours later.

On BBC2 at the same time as the race was a top gear REPEAT.

And there are people on here talking about GP2 and Porsche supercup let alone F1 free-practice.

It's nice to dream I guess.

A couple of notes on that point:
*Live coverage was scheduled for BBC2 from 18:45 - 20:00, with race start time 19:00.
*Dorna, changed the startime to 20:00 (15:00 local US time) at last minute, without consulting international broadcasters.

What is 'last minute' since I knew it was 20:00 days ago.

Dunno - but it was originally scheduled to start at 19:00. I'm not surprised that it wasn't aired live, at most it would of got 1million viewers, last night, BBC2 got:

6pm - Dragons' Den - 1.3m (8%)
7pm - Top Gear - 2.4m (11%)
8pm - Charley Boorman: Ireland to Sydney by Any Means - 2.6m (11%)
9pm - Earth: Climate Wars - 1.7m (7%)

MotoGP on BBC2 would of ran from 7:45 to 9pm, and it almost certainly wouldn't be able to achieve 2.6m.

I agree, thats was the point I was making to people who think the the beeb are going show GP2 and Porsche supercup. THEY WONT

They may offer GP free practice on the Red button but if it clashes with Olympics or Wimbledon it will get bumped for sure.

Also if Qualifying clashes with Stricly come dancing and World cup/Olympics/Andy Murray at Wimbledon they will bump it to the Red button and repeat later on BBC2.

I cant wait for the Boards on here when that happens. It will be bring back ITV.

As a follower of a minority interest (GP2) of a minority interest (F1) sport, I agree. This weekend, Setanta bumped the GP2 decider race to an auxilliary channel* so that they could show soccer instead. I expect the BBC to do something similar with their on-demand channels.


* I don't have that channel as it's part of my cable companies 'arm & a leg for something you'll only watch occasionally' packages.

Taking the MotoGP point into account you have to consider that more people will be happy to watch GP free practice than want to watch even the MotoGP qualifying in this country.

It was the RACE they didn't show live, not the Qualifying.

F1 free practice will appeal to a VERY SMALL die-hard audience, I'd imagine it to be less than a MotoGP race to be honest.

I only bother with Setanta's practise coverage because that's where most of the current paddock gossip gets an airing as the commentators waffle away to compensate for the 'paint-drying' lack of on-track excitement.

I know, that wasn't my point.

In addition they didn't show qualifying at all, and they did show the race live, just via the red button:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport...kes/7609039.stm

They did show the race live but on the red button. Also, if GP2 et al were to be shown, it would be on the red button.

BBC red button is much more accessible than ITV's crappy web feed.

On the qualifying note, the BBC are only showing the qualifying session for Valencia, no other rounds remaining.

I know, the Red Button is covered in my origional post

Andy.

Id rather have it on ITV4

And I've just heard a rumour that ITV may have some involvment in FOM related coverage after all for next year.

if its gp2 or whatever,i can cope with that,im more bothered about the F1 being FOM led