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TV announcers
I really haven't had a chance to listen or watch a race on TV in about five years. This past weekend Dick Bergren made a comment about me getting married. My wife wanted me to see it when I got home Sunday so she brought up the Tivo thing and replayed it for me. After I got done watching it I started listening to the announcers during the race. Its been a while since I ve watched a race so it was kind of interesting to here what the announcers where saying. I got one neighbor who cant stand Larry Mac. All he does is complain about him and says he ruins every race by saying stupid stuff. So I thought I would listen in and see what the big fuss was. I didn't think it was to bad but there sure are alot of fans out there who love some of those guys and who cant stand them. So I guess I'm more curious to know who is the best announcers and who they need to get rid of. I know a couple of years ago when Monday Night Football hired Dennis Miller I was so pissed cause that guy sucked. He was a funny guy in general, but after that year of announcing I couldn't stand to listen to him. Needless to say Monday Night Football canned him. It didn't matter how famous he was, what mattered is that he wasn't any good at announcing football. So just cause you know alot about a sport doesn't meen your going to make a good announcer. Point being, who should stay and who should go.
June 7, 2005 in Race week | Permalink
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Bob Jenkins was the best. Bob, Benny, and Ned were great together
Posted by: Chris | Jun 7, 2005 8:46:23 AM
i like dw as an announcer, but his 'boogity, boogity, boogity' kind of gets on my nerves...........
i also think chris meyers does a great job with the fox pre-race show
Posted by: theodore | Jun 7, 2005 9:25:12 AM
I like the fox guys in general. It's when it switches over to NBC that I have issues.
Ever since they've had that Wally Dallenbach on there, he's made it horrible. He and Allen Bestwick obviously don't get along and it carries over into the broadcasts. Their rift doesn't belong in race coverage. We're watching for the race, not for the bickering. I hear that Allen won't even be in the booth this year, which means they're probably letting Wally stay in there. In my opinion, Wally is really, really annoying. He has a "know-it-all" approach to just about everything. But my fav is DW. He tells it like it is most times.
Posted by: Mandy24 | Jun 7, 2005 9:39:40 AM
Sorry to say it but I can't wait until the Fox part of the season is over. I dislike every one of their announcers - Chris, Jeff, Mike, Larry and most of all DW. The race broadcast should be about the race, not about them and their big egos. The next time one of them talks about "my peeps or my people" I'm going to throw up. DW is the most obnoxious and egocentrical person on TV. Can't wait until Benny and Wally are back. Bill Weber will be great!!
Posted by: Diane | Jun 7, 2005 10:10:49 AM
FOX isn't the best but I don't get why people complain. They are fan friendly, the announcers always include fans in the Trackside show. What do fans want?
the perfect broadcast? Not going to happen. If you don't like the broadcast, turn off the sound and turn ont he radio. Quit complaining, most of the ones who complain must not have been a race fan back in the mid80's when I started watching. ONly half the races were televised.
FOX or NBC should hire Ned Jarrett, he had the best voice in TV for NASCAR.
Posted by: 19Jay12 | Jun 7, 2005 10:32:54 AM
I'll give the FOX guys this, at least they don't take themselves TOO seriously. i mean, they aren't above making fun of themselves on TV and they have some fun. You wanna talk about someone who needs to be kicked out of the announcer's booth....John Madden. I'll take Miller over him ANY day.
Posted by: mayorjimmy | Jun 7, 2005 11:21:20 AM
19jay12: "Quit complaining, most of the ones who complain must not have been a race fan back in the mid80's when I started watching. ONly half the races were televised."
I'll up that ante. I started watching NASCAR when there were no live events. The few shown were three weeks late and on ABC's Wide World of Sports.
I don't really have a problem with any of the announcers. Boogity gets on my nerves
sometims and I miss seeing BP. but other than that its OK.
Posted by: Marc | Jun 7, 2005 11:43:56 AM
I personally like FOX the best because the guys know the sport. They understand what's goin on with the race and the sport, they were in it just a few years ago. Mike Joy is a great commentator, he understand racing and has been doing it forever. I personally don't like Chris Myers down in the Hotel...he looks more out of place at a race than anyone I've ever seen. Hammond is ok, but he finds trouble finding words to say so, they are ok.
NBC I have a problem with. Allan Bestwick is a great commentator, he has been doing it for years (MRN). Benny Parsons is ok, he understand racing and the cars, but is a little behind on todays racing. Dallenbach is horrible. He is funny at times, but he just doesn't cut it as a broadcaster. I like FOX better, but both have their flaws.
I would love for Eli Gold to come back. Guy has the best racing voice I've ever heard. I love Buck Baker in the booth with TNN several years back with Gold. Those broadcasts were great.
Posted by: kris | Jun 7, 2005 11:44:53 AM
buddy baker, not buck, my bad.
Posted by: kris | Jun 7, 2005 11:46:39 AM
The main problem wit FOX is Jeff Hammond's awkward red tan. he must jump in a tanning bed 30 minutes before the broadcast.
Posted by: 19Jay12 | Jun 7, 2005 11:53:23 AM
definitely looks like it. ive met jeff in person, and he definitely doesnt look like that when i met him.
Posted by: kris | Jun 7, 2005 12:22:33 PM
I know that he was a pit reporter, but man I miss Dr. Jerry Punch.
Posted by: Michael | Jun 7, 2005 12:34:46 PM
Oh my! This is the perfect topic for me to vent about! DW is the most bias person ever! He favors certain drivers and bashes the rest of them. He seems to overexaggerate small little incidents. Stick to the facts, DW. Jeff Hammond's lisp mixed together with his country accent is enough for me to mute my tv during the FOX broadcast. Mike Joy's cheesy comments are enough to drive me to insanity. Larry Mac is good for the most part but he has quite a problem with pronouncing names (ex. MacMary). Amen for Chris Meyers. As for NBC, I have no idea why Wally's on there. He's so out of place. Benny is probably the best that they have. Allan Bestwick's hair annoys me. OK, now I've got that off my chest.
Posted by: Nicki | Jun 7, 2005 12:36:05 PM
Oh yeah, one more thing. If Bill Weber ever says, "You don't have to look it up because we already did" again, I just might have to start wearing earplugs during the NBC pre-race broadcast. OK, that's it for me.
Posted by: Nicki | Jun 7, 2005 12:40:09 PM
well, thankfully we wont have to hear that because he and alan bestwick are switching places this year so, alan will be saying it lol.
Posted by: kris | Jun 7, 2005 12:58:09 PM
Niki said - DW is the most bias person ever! He favors certain drivers and bashes the rest of them.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that notices this. Another thing I noticed is that he likes to associate who he's talking about to him and also jinx's them. A few races ago he called Reed Sorenson "my little buddy" and two laps later Sorenson got caught up in a wreck. I like Benny over at NBC for the most part and can't stand Wally or Wally's World!
Posted by: Kathy | Jun 7, 2005 1:17:36 PM
I personaly like DW and most of the Fox crew. I know there is ALOT that can't stand him nut I think most of them seem to be Dale Sr. fans for one reason or another. I can't stand Benny Parsons or pretty much anyone at NBC. As far as announcers peroid go, you just can't me Al Micheals and John Madden.
Posted by: Hoosier Rebel from RNO | Jun 7, 2005 1:30:45 PM
I can't stand Chris Myers with his lame jokes and seeming inability to learn the basics of the sport. I'm not much fonder of arrogant Bill Weber. But clueless Jeanie Zelasko is an embarassment to broadcasting -- the worst there is.
I like most of the others very well. DW sometimes needs to be reined in when he strays too far from the race at hand into storytelling though. And while Benny Parsons is a dear he does seem to be past his prime -- he loses track and mixes up the various drivers too often.
IMO Dick Bergren is the absolute best of the pit reporters but Wendy Venturini is coming up fast as she gains experience. One day I believe that she will be the best of the best.
Posted by: MBVoelker | Jun 7, 2005 1:31:02 PM
I'll second the comment about Jeannie Zelasko. Thank God she went back to baseball for the rest of this season.
I don't have anything specifically against any one announcer, but I'm tired of them bring up stuff from three weeks ago and rehashing it, and now with the video thing right when they get out of the car after a crash. "You don't know who to be mad at? Let us show you.". And then they complain about drivers losing their cool. I've started watching the broadcast, muted, and gone back to listening to MRN.
Posted by: Jessie | Jun 7, 2005 1:45:17 PM
DW is fine for the first 5 or 6 races, and then he gets a little old, but he doesn't bother me that bad. Wally Dallenbach is not that bad. He isn't the funniest guy, but he is somewhat intelligent.
and that Krista Voda, who is leaving Nascar Nation, she is HOT. I want her phone number.
Posted by: 19Jay12 | Jun 7, 2005 1:51:09 PM
Mostly, I'm ok with it all. I have noticed recently though that Larry Mac can be counted on to say "He just ran the fastest of this race" several times as the race goes on.
Uhm - These are professional race teams with huge budgets and all kind of specialists.
They SHOULD be adjusting their cars and making them better as the race progresses.
Posted by: Mel | Jun 7, 2005 1:51:33 PM
ok - it should have been "He just ran his fastest lap of this race".
Trust me, you've heard it ... you knew what I meant.
Posted by: Mel | Jun 7, 2005 1:53:58 PM
Dick Berggren is the only keeper from NBC or FOX. If you want great coverage, drop all the idiot skits and graphics, and bring the MRN guys to the booth. Both TV broadcast teams are getting so annoying that I turn the volume off on the TV and crank up MRN anyway.
Posted by: TSPF | Jun 7, 2005 2:06:56 PM
Come on, how many green flag laps do we miss each week for interviews, skits, the cutaway car, the virtual crewchief? Keep the skits and interviews in your 14-hour pre-race show. All the graphics and toys are is a sponsorship game- we don't REALLY need basics of racing explained to us each week. And TV didn't need to tell us about it each week either, until companies paid big $ to get their cutaway/virtual garbage on the air.
Posted by: TSPF | Jun 7, 2005 2:11:18 PM
I have to agree with most everyone tht Fox covers it best... I am tired of the Boogity gig tho... BUT like someone said... all the announcers on Fox seem to know the deal and it's always nice to see and hear the more relaxed version of tv... NBC well all the announcers I feel are boring. I think the thing I will most about Fox is Dick B. and his pit road and garage reporting... ESP after a wreck and he shows em the tape... whoever came up with that idea... THUMBS UP to em... But in general all the announcers on FOX can stay! I dread it switching to NBC and I really have a problem with the possiblity of ABC/ESPN gettin the rights... ABC in Atlanta has a bad habit of blacking out the race in Atlanta and showing it later.
Posted by: M Benson | Jun 7, 2005 2:35:35 PM
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