Larry Collmus no longer NYRA announcer

[jay68802]

Originally Posted by Bobskim

Hey PA, do you have iPad replacement insurance? Think I fried the iPad.

Sorry Bob, learn to hold your liquor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3eN6WvERaM

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by FantasticDan

Unless has a lousy agent, yes, I believe his contract was on par with Durkin.

So the guy who fills the shoes of the most well known and best announcer in the business (and arguably of all time) deserves to be paid the same?

Why in the world would NYRA feel compelled to pay incoming replacement Collmus the same as outgoing all-star Durkin? As if the two were somehow equals? They were not.

I'm not trashing Collmus here. I think he's a good announcer. I'm just saying, it's ludicrous to think he deserved the same contract as Durkin.

At the time of Durkin's departure, NYRA, I would think, had its pick of multiple replacements vying for the job...NYRA was in the driver's seat.

The reason Durkin was making that much at the end was because DURKIN was in the driver's seat.

[pandy]

I'm happy for John. He's a gentleman, a nice guy, and a very good announcer. I don't know what Larry was being paid but obviously NYRA didn't want to keep paying it. If I was running NYRA, I would not pay anyone a fortune to be the announcer because these tracks, even NYRA, barely break even and NYRA may be on the brink of extinction if not for the casino. Having a great announcer is terrific if you're making a big profit on the racing, like they did years ago. The bottom line is, I doubt that the announcer has much of an effect on the handle, if any, so paying someone a fortune is essentially a waste of money. And, when you really break it down, outside of a rare few stars like Denman and Durkin, the rest of the announcers are good to average, so as long as you have a good announcer, that's all you need.

Luckily, we got to hear Durkin for a long time, when things were good.

[chenoa]

I enjoy John Imbriale's race calls. Ultra-consistent announcer. Well deserved.

I'll go along with the probability is was more about money than anything else.

But, why over pay a guy that screams over the mic and tries more by the year to add a little Durkinism charm to his calls.

There will only ever be one TOM DURKIN, afterall.

[TBrady]

Originally Posted by Suff

I'm willing to be wrong that FL is in play. What's up with Larry Colmuss? The topic has Leaped-Frogged over where's tom brady moving to. Greenwich Ct, latest.

Big to differ there Mr. Shortpants.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

So the guy who fills the shoes of the most well known and best announcer in the business (and arguably of all time) deserves to be paid the same?

Why in the world would NYRA feel compelled to pay incoming replacement Collmus the same as outgoing all-star Durkin? As if the two were somehow equals? They were not.

I'm not trashing Collmus here. I think he's a good announcer. I'm just saying, it's ludicrous to think he deserved the same contract as Durkin.

At the time of Durkin's departure, NYRA, I would think, had its pick of multiple replacements vying for the job...NYRA was in the driver's seat.

The reason Durkin was making that much at the end was because DURKIN was in the driver's seat.

Durkin was more popular than Collmus, had a longer tenure, and was surely paid more.

He was not actually a better announcer though. Durkin was a highly overrated screamer. Collmus is better, and I am thankful the TC was never won until Durkin was gone. They would have needed to clean up Durkin's booth afterwards.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by pandy

. If I was running NYRA, I would not pay anyone a fortune to be the announcer because these tracks, even NYRA, barely break even and NYRA may be on the brink of extinction if not for the casino. Having a great announcer is terrific if you're making a big profit on the racing, like they did years ago. The bottom line is, I doubt that the announcer has much of an effect on the handle, if any, so paying someone a fortune is essentially a waste of money.

Correct. Marje Everett discovered this decades ago.

[FantasticDan]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

So the guy who fills the shoes of the most well known and best announcer in the business (and arguably of all time) deserves to be paid the same?

Why in the world would NYRA feel compelled to pay incoming replacement Collmus the same as outgoing all-star Durkin? As if the two were somehow equals? They were not.

I'm not trashing Collmus here. I think he's a good announcer. I'm just saying, it's ludicrous to think he deserved the same contract as Durkin.

At the time of Durkin's departure, NYRA, I would think, had its pick of multiple replacements vying for the job...NYRA was in the driver's seat.

The reason Durkin was making that much at the end was because DURKIN was in the driver's seat.

Durkin was an outgoing all-star, but Collmus was an incoming one. He was already the voice of the NBC triple crown and Breeder's Cup, which actually did put him in a unique "driver's seat" among the group of elite track callers. Not really a stretch to imagine that NYRA coveted him and paid him accordingly..

[PhantomOnTour]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Durkin was more popular than Collmus, had a longer tenure, and was surely paid more.

He was not actually a better announcer though. Durkin was a highly overrated screamer. Collmus is better, and I am thankful the TC was never won until Durkin was gone. They would have needed to clean up Durkin's booth afterwards.

Durkin was a screamer?
Wrong
Collmus is the screamer

[GMB@BP]

750k doesnt seem that much, wasnt Del Mar paying Trevor 400k just for like 7 weeks of work a decade or so ago?

[castaway01]

Originally Posted by PhantomOnTour

Durkin was a screamer?
Wrong
Collmus is the screamer

Yeah, it's funny how subjective even "screaming" is because I thought Durkin brought drama, not "screaming". When Collmus tried to Durkinize a race and make it dramatic, it seemed forced.

The idea that Collmus is better than Durkin is absurd, but that's a really high standard to live up to so he didn't need to be.

[Redboard]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

750k doesnt seem that much, wasnt Del Mar paying Trevor 400k just for like 7 weeks of work a decade or so ago?

I heard vic stauffer was getting $60k for his 16-week gig at Oaklawn. This could just be a rumor so if Vic still posts here, maybe he can set the record straight.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by TBrady

Big to differ there Mr. Shortpants.

Couldn't make the Super Bowl this year, huh?

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by GMB@BP

750k doesnt seem that much, wasnt Del Mar paying Trevor 400k just for like 7 weeks of work a decade or so ago?

No.

There are some VERY absurd claims in this thread. Keep 'em coming. I need the laughs.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by castaway01

Yeah, it's funny how subjective even "screaming" is because I thought Durkin brought drama, not "screaming". When Collmus tried to Durkinize a race and make it dramatic, it seemed forced.

The idea that Collmus is better than Durkin is absurd, but that's a really high standard to live up to so he didn't need to be.

I think they were both scremers a lot of the time.
I mush prefer Johnny I over both - not even close.
Larry is good, but I never got into Durkin at all.

1. Richard Grunder
2. Johnny I
3. Tony Calo