Worst Announcer - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

sq764 · 01-04-2005, 11:19 PM

I had always thought Mike Battaglia was by far the worst announcer at any track in North America.. Until today when I actually watched replays of Tampa Bay Downs.. Beyond the fact that the guy screams, he is calling horses that aren't even in the picture..

In race 5 today on the turf, he is calling the 8 horse a runaway winner at the top of the stretch and he gets run down and beat by 3 lengths.. It's making my ears bleed.

Buddha · 01-05-2005, 12:29 AM

You should have heard his 4th race call. Horrible. That is all that can be said about it, and he couldnt hardly pronounce ferrari.

kingfin66 · 01-05-2005, 02:08 AM

I haven't heard the Tampa announcer, but it's hard to believe a worse announcer than Battaglia.

By the way, as I was suffering through another of his race calls this weekend, I had an epiphany regarding why he is so bad. It seems to me that he doesn't bother to, or is simply not able to, memorize the silks with the horses names. This means that when a horse makes a move, he would have to look down at his program for the name of the horse. The result is he will start calling the move, then there will be a long pause before he comes up with the name of the horse.

Horse racing announcers are, in my opinion, a big part of the game both for the entertainment factor and for the information factor. The bad ones make me appreciate the good ones that much more.

JustRalph · 01-05-2005, 02:27 AM

Battaglia is pretty damn bad..............

Never Forget......................

Somebody is "Gaining Ground" in every race

cj · 01-05-2005, 05:19 AM

The old Mnr guy was brutal, but he is retired, so he gets a pass. I think Battaglia is really, really bad. Its been awhile since I had TVG, so some are tough to recall. I'd like to see the Los Al guy get a t-bred gig, I think he'd be great.

Zman179 · 01-05-2005, 08:33 AM

Mike Battaglia is not a bad announcer IMO. It's not like he gets his calls wrong.

But Richard Grunder at Tampa Bay Downs is the absolute worst announcer in the game BY FAR. He's not only obnoxious, but he makes errors and he calls horses flying down the stretch when they're not even a threat to hit the board. There is absolutely noone worse than him.

Doc · 01-05-2005, 09:55 AM

Philly Park's backup announcer, Pat Cummings, is terrible, too. Thankfully he doesn't work full-time.

I also have a problem with Vic Stauffer...I think he blabs too much and doesn't concentrate on the position of the horses. Grunder at Tampa also stinks.

sq764 · 01-05-2005, 09:56 AM

See, I really like Stauffer, I think he's good..

It's got to be tough at Hollywood Park to call a 4 horse turf race and try to make it somewhat exciting..

cj · 01-05-2005, 10:04 AM

I hate Stauffer's "If XXX is going to win, he's going to have to make up 15 lengths in the final 1/4 mile to do it!"

I've never heard the Philly backup, but I love Keith Jones. Does a very good job, day in and day out. I used to here him at the Garden nightly. I think he even did the harness there, but not positive about that one. Maybe melman will know for sure.

Doc · 01-05-2005, 11:03 AM

I think Jones is top-notch as well. Yes, he used to do some calling at Garden but not sure about harness. He's also the announcer for the Philadelphia Phantoms minor league hockey team that plays at the Wachovia Center.

rokitman · 01-05-2005, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustRalph

Battaglia is pretty damn bad..............

Never Forget......................

Somebody is "Gaining Ground" in every race

Drives me nuts with that chronic "Gaaaaaininnnng grrrroounnnnd" and "They're riiiiiight togetherrrrrrrrr." Sounds like an old dopey-sounding cartoon character that I can't quite put my finger on.

sq764 · 01-05-2005, 12:05 PM

I think a top 5 worst announcer to add is the guy from Golden Gate, Tony Kalo (sp?)..

He's awful too.

Speed Figure · 01-05-2005, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cj

The old Mnr guy was brutal, but he is retired, so he gets a pass. I think Battaglia is really, really bad. Its been awhile since I had TVG, so some are tough to recall. I'd like to see the Los Al guy get a t-bred gig, I think he'd be great.

I'm so happy that guy from Mnr is gone.
It's cj IN FRONT.he never said who came in 2nd or 3rd.

Buddha · 01-05-2005, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speed Figure

he never said who came in 2nd or 3rd.

Nor does the Penn National announcer, and I never hear any talk about him not doing it

RXB · 01-05-2005, 01:04 PM

Unfortunately, in these times a thoroughbred player is often subjected against his will to the sights and sounds of harness racing. It is in this arena of rickshaw pullers where the worst of the worst are found. And the ruling Caesar Annoyance of the Ben-Hur world is Roger Houston at the Meadows. That man should not be allowed within 50 feet of a live microphone. Tough for me to handicap the 9th at Sunland while Roger is yelling "Onnnnnnnnne twennnnnny seven and threeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!" at the top of his lungs.

Speed Figure, if you didn't like Ol' Jim at Mnr, there's a harness announcer-- at Northfield, IIRC-- who mumbles incoherently for about two minutes and then leaves the bettors with "and there they are" at the wire. I guess his opinion is: figure it out for yourselves, I just work here.