Most Annoying Announcer

[castaway01]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

So did a mess up FOUETTE?

What's the story with her.

I was told FOO-ET

Wrong?

fwe-tey

(This should really be my last post here. Going out correcting a Hall of Fame announcer on a ballet term sums me up so well.)

[cj]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

So did a mess up FOUETTE?

What's the story with her.

I was told FOO-ET

Wrong?

Can find any word this way:

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/fouette

[cj]

Originally Posted by ReplayRandall

Once I leave the track I don’t do racing at all,” Denman said. “I follow two horses I have that run in South Africa and maybe some English racing. But once I break from the track, I break from it. I did not watch the [Kentucky] Derby until a few days later. I’m really into soccer and that takes precedence.”

Denman said one of his favorite days in semi-retirement happened recently during the European Championship and the Copa America tournaments, when he watched soccer from 9 a.m. until midnight.

https://www.racingfuture.com/content...el-mar-meeting

Which all goes back to the point he didn't do the work to learn how to pronounce names. Some do, some don't.

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by castaway01

fwe-tey

(This should really be my last post here. Going out correcting a Hall of Fame announcer on a ballet term sums me up so well.)

Exactly which Hall Of Fame are you referring to?

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by cj

Which all goes back to the point he didn't do the work to learn how to pronounce names. Some do, some don't.

Learning is one thing. Blowing it off when someone is in good faith trying to help is quite another.

[exactatom]

I truly do not understand why people have the need to get on here and criticize
a track announcer. There is so much that can be improved in the sport to get in back to the way it used to be when fans would climb trees just to see a race.

Food for thought:

A. This is a very tough job just to remember the names/silks and then forget them 25 minutes later when a new set of silks/names run in a race. Rarely do you ever hear a broadcaster stumble or forget names. To those of you that think is easy enough to be in a position to offer criticism, take a tape recorder and try calling a race.

B. The reason we all go to the track is to pick winners. While I love the calls each of you make and in your own way are special no horse I have ever bet on runs faster because of a racecaller.

The announcers make a lot of sacrifices for us. They travel nomadic schedules, deal daily with scrutiny and get very little fanfare. While I, like everyone else, has their favorites, I take my hat off to each of you that are in the field and thank you for the enjoyment you have given every fan.

Now let someone post some great announcing stories instead of a thread named "annoying announcer".

[craigbraddick]

Originally Posted by exactatom

I truly do not understand why people have the need to get on here and criticize
a track announcer. There is so much that can be improved in the sport to get in back to the way it used to be when fans would climb trees just to see a race.

Food for thought:

A. This is a very tough job just to remember the names/silks and then forget them 25 minutes later when a new set of silks/names run in a race. Rarely do you ever hear a broadcaster stumble or forget names. To those of you that think is easy enough to be in a position to offer criticism, take a tape recorder and try calling a race.

B. The reason we all go to the track is to pick winners. While I love the calls each of you make and in your own way are special no horse I have ever bet on runs faster because of a racecaller.

The announcers make a lot of sacrifices for us. They travel nomadic schedules, deal daily with scrutiny and get very little fanfare. While I, like everyone else, has their favorites, I take my hat off to each of you that are in the field and thank you for the enjoyment you have given every fan.

Now let someone post some great announcing stories instead of a thread named "annoying announcer".

Just as a follow up to a couple of posts...

When I am not racing, I also barely follow it. I am involved with a non-racing business that takes up my time but also would rather follow my interests of caring for senior and special needs dogs, golf, social history and television archiving than anything else.

For me the biggest thrills of being a race caller are when someone you have never met tells you they really enjoy your work, but one day a guy who is housebound told me: "Your voice makes me feel like I am at the races again." It was on a phone call, (somehow he got through to the booth) I had a lump in my throat trying to call the next race.

[dryrunguy]

@exactatom, agreed. Can I throw in a hilarious race call? I know you all have all seen it, but just in case you haven't, this is classic.

YouTube

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by craigbraddick

Just as a follow up to a couple of posts...

When I am not racing, I also barely follow it. I am involved with a non-racing business that takes up my time but also would rather follow my interests of caring for senior and special needs dogs, golf, social history and television archiving than anything else.

For me the biggest thrills of being a race caller are when someone you have never met tells you they really enjoy your work, but one day a guy who is housebound told me: "Your voice makes me feel like I am at the races again." It was on a phone call, (somehow he got through to the booth) I had a lump in my throat trying to call the next race.

I've said it before, but to me a lot of it was just hearing that familiar voice. Going to Hollywood Park and hearing Vic's voice wafting over the almost-empty grandstands with the changes. It's like the feeling of mom and apple pie.

It's actually not that important to me during the race. I can watch a horse race without any sound at all. I probably would have loved the announcer-less Keeneland back in the day.

But the familiarity of that voice. When I was a kid, a guy with a deep voice named John Ramsey announced most of the major pro sports in Southern California. And especially at baseball games, he wasn't necessary at all. I kept score. I knew who was up- the only use I got out of Ramsey was the substitutions. But it was still that familiar voice- it was part of the experience of being at the ballpark, as much as the Dodger dogs and the lines at the restroom.

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by exactatom

I truly do not understand why people have the need to get on here and criticize
a track announcer. There is so much that can be improved in the sport to get in back to the way it used to be when fans would climb trees just to see a race.

Food for thought:

A. This is a very tough job just to remember the names/silks and then forget them 25 minutes later when a new set of silks/names run in a race. Rarely do you ever hear a broadcaster stumble or forget names. To those of you that think is easy enough to be in a position to offer criticism, take a tape recorder and try calling a race.

B. The reason we all go to the track is to pick winners. While I love the calls each of you make and in your own way are special no horse I have ever bet on runs faster because of a racecaller.

The announcers make a lot of sacrifices for us. They travel nomadic schedules, deal daily with scrutiny and get very little fanfare. While I, like everyone else, has their favorites, I take my hat off to each of you that are in the field and thank you for the enjoyment you have given every fan.

Now let someone post some great announcing stories instead of a thread named "annoying announcer".

To quote a lyric from the iconic musical Hamilton....

"LET'S GET THIS GUY IN FRONT OF A CROWD!!"

[cj]

Originally Posted by v j stauffer

To quote a lyric from the iconic musical Hamilton....

"LET'S GET THIS GUY IN FRONT OF A CROWD!!"

That didn't work out very well for Hamilton.

[JustRalph]

Originally Posted by cj

That didn't work out very well for Hamilton.

[Suff]

Tom Durkin to Collmus was seamless. Larry stepped in for a Legend. Not easy.

I like Vic stauffer calls a lot. But only play his tracks big days. Listening to Pete Aeillo also a fit for me because he knows the barn population and works in custom florida knowledge that can't be replaced.

I wish NYRA would bring larry back for Saratoga. He calls the TC, FASTIG, and no one deeper than larry, birmingham to Belmont. He should be in the box at Saratoga imho.

[Suff]

Stabile's calling on a learner's permit still and Imbriale a utility player. Larry at Saratoga just for respect of the institution.

[v j stauffer]

Originally Posted by Suff

Tom Durkin to Collmus was seamless. Larry stepped in for a Legend. Not easy.

I like Vic stauffer calls a lot. But only play his tracks big days. Listening to Pete Aeillo also a fit for me because he knows the barn population and works in custom florida knowledge that can't be replaced.

I wish NYRA would bring larry back for Saratoga. He calls the TC, FASTIG, and no one deeper than larry, birmingham to Belmont. He should be in the box at Saratoga imho.

Not easy indeed. I experienced the same thing when I followed Tom Durkin in 2000 at Gulfstream.

At that meet a patron said " you sound a little like Tom Durkin " I said it's because I'm not good enough to sound "exactly" like him.