Durkin flubs call

[Skanoochies]

Tom sounded like he forgot who was leading turning for home in the Curlin. :confused:

[Grits]

I don't think it was a matter of forgetting anything. I have no idea what was wrong, or what may have happened during the call, but I was afraid something was wrong with him physically. He sound like he couldn't catch his breath. It was scary.

[Vinman]

Sounded to me like he was thrown off guard by a horse he thought was near the lead that was no longer there...who dropped back suddenly....he probably had to check the program for a sec.

Vinman

[firstoffclaim]

It did sound scary for a second, but I agree that he simply got lost for a few seconds.

[BIG49010]

Sounded to me like he was thrown off guard by a horse he thought was near the lead that was no longer there...who dropped back suddenly....he probably had to check the program for a sec.

Vinman

I think you right, he must of had that horse in his bino's and followed it back and the leader took off for home and he couldn't find him for a few seconds.

[dogkatcher]

Nice to see you don't crucify him like you would Trevpr.
jpw refreshing.

[gm10]

I think I know what you mean ... he mainly sounded bored to me.

[Grits]

I think I know what you mean ... he mainly sounded bored to me.

You really don't get any brighter do you? One has to guess you simply can't help it.

[098poi]

I watched the replay. Seems like a momentary lapse and couldn't recall Turbo Compressor's name for a second. Much ado about nothing.

[gm10]

You really don't get any brighter do you? One has to guess you simply can't help it.

But you couldn't guess that I wasn't being serious?

[Marshall Bennett]

Believe obesity takes its toll on Durkin at times.

[OTM Al]

It gets old

[Grits]

But you couldn't guess that I wasn't being serious?

No, I didn't realize you were not serious. I'm sorry.

[Grits]

It gets old

Yes, it does. And so do threads about racecallers coming from gentlemen who've never sat at a microphone or memorized a field of horse's silks in their adult lives.

[Steve 'StatMan']

No wonder the guy has problems with stress.

[castaway01]

Yes, I remember a heavy guy named Pavarotti, he had a lot of problems with breathing too, just couldn't sing...oh wait...

[Robert Fischer]

Sounded to me like he was thrown off guard by a horse he thought was near the lead that was no longer there...who dropped back suddenly....he probably had to check the program for a sec.

VinmanI watched the replay. Seems like a momentary lapse and couldn't recall Turbo Compressor's name for a second. Much ado about nothing.

exactly.

[The Hawk]

Yes, it does. And so do threads about racecallers coming from gentlemen who've never sat at a microphone or memorized a field of horse's silks in their adult lives.

I agree that it gets old, but to say you have to call a race to criticize an announcer is wrong. That's like saying you can't call a ride into question because you've never been a jockey, or have a negative opinion on an athlete because you can't play the game yourself. Listen to sports talk radio in any major city and you'll hear a lot worse than this. True, Durkin isn't an athlete, but he is a public figure, and while the weight remarks are completely out of line it's certainly fair to criticize (or gush over) an announcer's performance.

[Stillriledup]

I agree that it gets old, but to say you have to call a race to criticize an announcer is wrong. That's like saying you can't call a ride into question because you've never been a jockey, or have a negative opinion on an athlete because you can't play the game yourself. Listen to sports talk radio in any major city and you'll hear a lot worse than this. True, Durkin isn't an athlete, but he is a public figure, and while the weight remarks are completely out of line it's certainly fair to criticize (or gush over) an announcer's performance.

Exactly. If the public is paying your salary, they have every right to criticize.

[cj]

Forgetting a name isn't a big issue. What I find comical is his insistence on trying to determine if the pace is fast. Saying things like the first quarter is "extremely fast" then watching the leaders finish 1-2 makes him look pretty silly. He seems particularly perplexed with, though not limited to, turf sprints.

[Grits]

Exactly. If the public is paying your salary, they have every right to criticize.

It would be far more interesting to read over the numerous threads of the last year on racecallers and note EXACTLY how many comments posted here are "slice and dice" as opposed to "great job, fine call".

[Stillriledup]

It would be far more interesting to read over the numerous threads of the last year on racecallers and note EXACTLY how many comments posted here are "slice and dice" as opposed to "great job, fine call".

No doubt, most comments are not kind.

[Stillriledup]

Forgetting a name isn't a big issue. What I find comical is his insistence on trying to determine if the pace is fast. Saying things like the first quarter is "extremely fast" then watching the leaders finish 1-2 makes him look pretty silly. He seems particularly perplexed with, though not limited to, turf sprints.

Durkin has a bit of a harness racing 'backround' if you will, and in harness racing, the callers always call the 'fractions'. I believe that a harness caller never really 'loses' that desire to call out fractions or to comment about a fast pace.

Trevor Denman, while not from a harness backround, usually uses the 'fast pace slow pace' stuff early in HIS calls too.

[cj]

Durkin has a bit of a harness racing 'backround' if you will, and in harness racing, the callers always call the 'fractions'. I believe that a harness caller never really 'loses' that desire to call out fractions or to comment about a fast pace.

Trevor Denman, while not from a harness backround, usually uses the 'fast pace slow pace' stuff early in HIS calls too.

I don't mind the fractions, he just isn't that good at interpreting the times. Trevor tends to look at the horses more and bases it on the effort of the jockey, and I think he does a better job. He isn't always right, but Durkin rarely is to be honest.

[sonnyp]

i know this is a sacrilege, but i never cared for the guy. i grew up with cappi and i believe the only comment he ever made outside of calling the race was when he was obviously impressed by dr. fager and uttered"and they won't catch the good dr. today".

[Lasix67]

Let it go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Stillriledup]

I don't mind the fractions, he just isn't that good at interpreting the times. Trevor tends to look at the horses more and bases it on the effort of the jockey, and I think he does a better job. He isn't always right, but Durkin rarely is to be honest.

I hear you, i'm not familiar with Durkin on a day in day out basis, but Trevor is fairly decent with predicting pace. He's pretty simplistic about it, if two horses have gone 'well clear' of the pack, he'll give his "couldnt be going any faster" call. He seems to be better at predicting fast than predicting slow. When he makes a mistake, it usually him thinking the front runner is going 'an honest clip' when in fact, the horse is crawling and loose.

[The Hawk]

Forgetting a name isn't a big issue. What I find comical is his insistence on trying to determine if the pace is fast. Saying things like the first quarter is "extremely fast" then watching the leaders finish 1-2 makes him look pretty silly. He seems particularly perplexed with, though not limited to, turf sprints.

Absolutely, 100% agree with this. It's my biggest issue with Durkin, by far.

[Grits]

Let it go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Too many here don't operate that way. It would be too civil. It would border on kind.

Durkin had a pause, or quick hesitancy, at a point in another race before the afternoon was over today. Maybe some of you didn't catch that one. But, trust me, he did.

I have no earthly idea what the reason may be; I've never met the man. It could be--he ain't got it anymore, as many who've been ripping him a new one have indicated in page after page of posts this year. It could also be something to do with his health, or the fact that he's so damn fat, again, something many have noted--which is absolutely his own business. Not ours.

What I do know is this.

It takes a strong man, one with guts, integrity, and more care for this game than either of you have, here, to make the decision he made this Spring. To openly discuss, revealing to the public the problems of stress, the anxiety and panic attacks that are so debilating he's had to undergo therapy. He chose to--step down--from a job that he has done for years. I doubt anyone made this man do this, or even urged him to do so.

You boys (and you ARE boys, you're not gentlemen as I usually term each of you) keep firing, there at home, malcontent and small, in obscurity behind your keyboards--each of you certainly have had a far greater impact on this sport than Tom Durkin. And you've surely earned your right to continue to knock him in the damn dirt at every opportunity.

Worth noting, too. The fact that many of you bitched about the new Triple Crown caller, Larry Collmus, saying he'd fall flat on his face. That he was boring as hell. Every one of you were proven dead ass wrong on that one, huh!!! He sailed through each of them, never missing a beat.

It takes a pessimistic, with little else to do, less than successful man, to spend the hours finding fault with "public figures" at the rate at which some of you do. -- I hate it for you.

[PaceAdvantage]

gasping for air? dumb title, and totally inaccurate.

Grasping for the name is more like it...

I hate threads with inaccurate titles.