Worst Derby Telecast in Years

[upthecreek]

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[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

Forget over the top, forget gay...

What I don't get, is who came up with the idea that having these two as co-hosts makes sense for a RACING TELECAST?

I have never understood that one.

What else do these two do other than racing shows on NBC? Do they do the Oscars red carpet? That's where they might be more appropriate with all the fashion crap.

I know, I know, it's the Derby and everyone gets dressed up for it...but it never gelled for me - the "serious" sports/handicapping guys mixed with Tara & Johnny.

BTW, did Twitter erupt after Mike Tirico said "we have to put up with THIS all day?"

I know he was joking, but in this current environment, I was worried he was going to be labeled a homophobe and fired 2 minutes later...

They are promoting an agenda, plain and simple.

[oughtoh]

I turned it on 8 minutes before the races went off. As soon as the race was over, I switched channels till the next race.

[burnsy]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

Who are these people who get so upset at a freakin television broadcast?

I really couldn't care less...just happy I can watch the race in HD...

Agreed, there's 99 minutes between races anyway. On TV they gotta do something besides talk horses for that long. The average "Derby Watcher" will change the channel if they did talk horses entirely. People should figure there's a ton of novice money in there. The people that are bitching, should not, you have an advantage over most, if you are seriously handicapping. What do you expect? 5 hours of track prattle? Sorry, never gonna happen on a network broadcast.

I fire up the grill in the yard, make Mint Julips and have fun. I'm not saying (the coverage) is great. But C'mon most of us are not watching for what hat or dress is "in" this year.......we watch for the minute or two they are running......it was serious racing on the line. Even if it were a bunch of track/analysis talk.....I would get sick of that too. It takes like 3 hours to run the three races leading up to the Derby.

[horses4courses]

Originally Posted by Inner Dirt

They are promoting an agenda, plain and simple.

WTF???

[Racey]

as usual Johnny over the top..lol

[Tom]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Tara and Johnny do Olympic figure skating and do the same act. And ABC once put Dennis Miller on football.

The network pays the money and has the right to disrespect our sport any way they wish to get viewers.

Then they should get rid of them - the ratings dipped this year.

[boys at tosconova]

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by Tom

Then they should get rid of them - the ratings dipped this year.

Post hoc fallacy.

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by Inner Dirt

They are promoting an agenda, plain and simple.

So it's a conspiracy to try and get you to act like Johnny?

[clicknow]

I don't watch TV anymore, but I think Stacy London and Clinton Kelly from What Not To Wear would be better than Tara and Weir; and that other gal, who used to judge / taste the food in the chef's contests.....she was very likeable, too. Both seem a little more down to earth and less over the top.

Or how about that guy from the fashion runway show, who always said "make it work!" He'd be perfect.......Tim Gunn.......I can see him in a top hat, full KY Derby dress, he had a lot of class.

I guess I'm hopelessly outdated by todays TV standards, they were on about when I pulled the plug back in the day.....

[chiguy]

I would be interested in them doing a feature on what "everyday" racing is like and pick a race run at Belmont or Santa Anita during the broadcast that features a nice field of claiming horses. Do some background on the grooms, exercise riders and trainers of the horses in that field as well as some stuff on each of the horses. Then show that race live during the telecast. I would want the grooms to be white though since I don't want to fall victim to liking Mexican or Central American folks through an NBC agenda.

[chuckster1968]

Excellent post, it is true, the real horse players and handicappers or the so called gamblers are the ones forgotten about on the the biggest racing days of the year.

I am not sure, but the pageantry is important but it suppose to be about the sport itself. I know you have time to fill, but if I was producing, and excuse me I may be in the dark here, but it should be treated like Breeders Cup Day. Expose people to the horses, the riders, the owners. The race itself. We here in Toronto, Ont. are doing the same thing to our Queen's Plate. A whole bunch of young people show up and do not have a clue. They come once a year party, carnival like atmosphere etc.


I agree, no one was better than Jim McKay. I agree, what has happened is like everything, there is just to much time, and too many other things to do. It is a day of instant gratification. The day when I was younger, like the Derby was to anticipate and compel you to want to watch for the 90 minutes. ABC use to show shots of the crowd, talk to trainers. The racing is an afterthought for the young and the celebrities.

We here have done the same thing. They treat the people who are horse players that day like we do not exist meanwhile, we are the ones who show up daily or weekly and keep the place going.

This is what happens, when there is too much overload and competition for the almighty dollar. Real gamblers and handicappers actually have to watch their money for their addiction, the one day a year crowd or celebrities do not care its one day..