OT: Speedvision F1 - *4* commentators?!

Cripes - 4 commentators in the booth? Isn't this a little excessive? I was tempted to post last year about David Hobbs and Sam Posey not liking each other, until Bob Varsha left to do the Tour de France for one race, and it was actually pretty nice to have only 2 commentators - not so much fighting to get a word in. I really don't want to hear them stay just this side of an argument (case in point - the new guy was speculating about a problem with a car, and Posey made a point of making sure to bring up that he was wrong after the pit stop showed no evidence of it). Actually I prefered the Fox Sports commentators last year, but I suppose Fox doesn't have any money left after NASCAR ;). Kendt PS- OMFG! They just now actually shut up for a few laps to let us enjoy the car sounds!

I kind of agree, why can't it be All-Bob Varsha, All-the-time? hehe "Kendt Eklund" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted text (16 lines)

> Cripes - 4 commentators in the booth? Isn't this a little excessive? > I was tempted to post last year about David Hobbs and Sam Posey not > liking each other, until Bob Varsha left to do the Tour de France for > one race, and it was actually pretty nice to have only 2 commentators > - not so much fighting to get a word in. > I really don't want to hear them stay just this side of an argument > (case in point - the new guy was speculating about a problem with a > car, and Posey made a point of making sure to bring up that he was > wrong after the pit stop showed no evidence of it). > Actually I prefered the Fox Sports commentators last year, but I > suppose Fox doesn't have any money left after NASCAR ;). > > Kendt > > PS- OMFG! They just now actually shut up for a few laps to let us > enjoy the car sounds!

You're missing the best commentary in the world - Murry Walker and Martin Brundle... Murray "And we're off to Brazil in two weeks time" Martin "I'm going to Malaysia before that Murray" Murray "Oh, I might come to" Doug "DoubleU" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:i6ko6.127297$[email hidden]...

Quoted text (22 lines)

> I kind of agree, why can't it be All-Bob Varsha, All-the-time? hehe > > "Kendt Eklund" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:[email hidden]... > > Cripes - 4 commentators in the booth? Isn't this a little excessive? > > I was tempted to post last year about David Hobbs and Sam Posey not > > liking each other, until Bob Varsha left to do the Tour de France for > > one race, and it was actually pretty nice to have only 2 commentators > > - not so much fighting to get a word in. > > I really don't want to hear them stay just this side of an argument > > (case in point - the new guy was speculating about a problem with a > > car, and Posey made a point of making sure to bring up that he was > > wrong after the pit stop showed no evidence of it). > > Actually I prefered the Fox Sports commentators last year, but I > > suppose Fox doesn't have any money left after NASCAR ;). > > > > Kendt > > > > PS- OMFG! They just now actually shut up for a few laps to let us > > enjoy the car sounds! > >

I agree with all that you say, but the "new guy" is Steve Matchett, and knows more about modern F1 technology than all the others combined. Keep Hobbs for comic relief, Varsha for clarity and order, and Matchett for color. Give Posey to the Tour de France or NASCAR. Now if they could just get the kind of sound they provide with Bernie-vision.... On Sun, 04 Mar 2001 04:24:49 GMT, [email hidden] (Kendt Eklund) wrote:

Quoted text (16 lines)

>Cripes - 4 commentators in the booth? Isn't this a little excessive? >I was tempted to post last year about David Hobbs and Sam Posey not >liking each other, until Bob Varsha left to do the Tour de France for >one race, and it was actually pretty nice to have only 2 commentators >- not so much fighting to get a word in. >I really don't want to hear them stay just this side of an argument >(case in point - the new guy was speculating about a problem with a >car, and Posey made a point of making sure to bring up that he was >wrong after the pit stop showed no evidence of it). >Actually I prefered the Fox Sports commentators last year, but I >suppose Fox doesn't have any money left after NASCAR ;). > >Kendt > >PS- OMFG! They just now actually shut up for a few laps to let us >enjoy the car sounds!

LOL!! How I miss Murray - we don't get him here in Japan. In fact we have our own Japanese version but he seemed to be missing from this race for some reason. Darren --------------------------------------------------------- TopGear Offline GP3 League http://topgear.dhs.org/cgi-bin/main/ In line with the F1 Calendar --------------------------------------------------------- "Douglas Ellison" <mailbox@*spam*douglasellison.co.uk> wrote in message news:nKuo6.9565$[email hidden]... : You're missing the best commentary in the world - Murry Walker and Martin : Brundle... : : Murray "And we're off to Brazil in two weeks time" : Martin "I'm going to Malaysia before that Murray" : Murray "Oh, I might come to" : : : Doug : : : "DoubleU" <[email hidden]> wrote in message : news:i6ko6.127297$[email hidden]... : > I kind of agree, why can't it be All-Bob Varsha, All-the-time? hehe : > : > "Kendt Eklund" <[email hidden]> wrote in message : > news:[email hidden]... : > > Cripes - 4 commentators in the booth? Isn't this a little excessive? : > > I was tempted to post last year about David Hobbs and Sam Posey not : > > liking each other, until Bob Varsha left to do the Tour de France for : > > one race, and it was actually pretty nice to have only 2 commentators : > > - not so much fighting to get a word in. : > > I really don't want to hear them stay just this side of an argument : > > (case in point - the new guy was speculating about a problem with a : > > car, and Posey made a point of making sure to bring up that he was : > > wrong after the pit stop showed no evidence of it). : > > Actually I prefered the Fox Sports commentators last year, but I : > > suppose Fox doesn't have any money left after NASCAR ;). : > > : > > Kendt : > > : > > PS- OMFG! They just now actually shut up for a few laps to let us : > > enjoy the car sounds! : > : > : :

No thank you. Retire Posey. Simple solution to a simple problem. Or better yet, keep Posey doing the F1 coverage for Speedvision. Since I don't have it, I won't have to put up with him. nixx wrote:

Quoted text (27 lines)

> I agree with all that you say, but the "new guy" is Steve Matchett, > and knows more about modern F1 technology than all the others > combined. Keep Hobbs for comic relief, Varsha for clarity and order, > and Matchett for color. Give Posey to the Tour de France or NASCAR. > > Now if they could just get the kind of sound they provide with > Bernie-vision.... > > On Sun, 04 Mar 2001 04:24:49 GMT, [email hidden] (Kendt > Eklund) wrote: > > >Cripes - 4 commentators in the booth? Isn't this a little excessive? > >I was tempted to post last year about David Hobbs and Sam Posey not > >liking each other, until Bob Varsha left to do the Tour de France for > >one race, and it was actually pretty nice to have only 2 commentators > >- not so much fighting to get a word in. > >I really don't want to hear them stay just this side of an argument > >(case in point - the new guy was speculating about a problem with a > >car, and Posey made a point of making sure to bring up that he was > >wrong after the pit stop showed no evidence of it). > >Actually I prefered the Fox Sports commentators last year, but I > >suppose Fox doesn't have any money left after NASCAR ;). > > > >Kendt > > > >PS- OMFG! They just now actually shut up for a few laps to let us > >enjoy the car sounds!

On Sun, 04 Mar 2001 17:31:12 GMT, [email hidden] (nixx) wrote:

Quoted text (7 lines)

>I agree with all that you say, but the "new guy" is Steve Matchett, >and knows more about modern F1 technology than all the others >combined. Keep Hobbs for comic relief, Varsha for clarity and order, >and Matchett for color. Give Posey to the Tour de France or NASCAR. > >Now if they could just get the kind of sound they provide with >Bernie-vision....

Sorry, I'd forgot the new guy's name. Yeah - I definitely get the impression that Sam feels most threatened by the change. Maybe something's in the air. Speedvision hinted at some news about thier coverage between now and the Malaysia race... Kendt

Honest Question? Btw: What is it with Sam Posey? Apparently he hops from one arena of racing to another. Anyone know whats the poop on this?.....Cheers Thom_j. | "Kendt Eklund" <[email hidden]> wrote in message | news:[email hidden]...<snipped> | > I was tempted to post last year about David Hobbs and Sam Posey | > not liking each other,<snipped again> | > (case in point - the new guy was speculating about a problem with a | > car, and Posey made a point of making sure to bring up that he was | > wrong after the pit stop showed no evidence of it).<snipped again>

No one wants him. "Thom j." wrote:

Quoted text (14 lines)

> Honest Question? Btw: What is it with Sam Posey? Apparently he > hops from one arena of racing to another. Anyone know whats the > poop on this?.....Cheers Thom_j. > > | "Kendt Eklund" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > | news:[email hidden]... > <snipped> > | > I was tempted to post last year about David Hobbs and Sam Posey > | > not liking each other, > <snipped again> > | > (case in point - the new guy was speculating about a problem with a > | > car, and Posey made a point of making sure to bring up that he was > | > wrong after the pit stop showed no evidence of it). > <snipped again>

Thanks Mike!!! I thought so and wanted to say it but I thought I'd present it in the question form to keep me out of the **flame-arena** hahaha <g> Cheers Thom_j. "Mike Donnelly Jr" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted text (20 lines)

| No one wants him. | | | "Thom j." wrote: | | > Honest Question? Btw: What is it with Sam Posey? Apparently he | > hops from one arena of racing to another. Anyone know whats the | > poop on this?.....Cheers Thom_j. | > | > | "Kendt Eklund" <[email hidden]> wrote in message | > | news:[email hidden]... | > <snipped> | > | > I was tempted to post last year about David Hobbs and Sam Posey | > | > not liking each other, | > <snipped again> | > | > (case in point - the new guy was speculating about a problem with a | > | > car, and Posey made a point of making sure to bring up that he was | > | > wrong after the pit stop showed no evidence of it). | > <snipped again> |

Actually Speedvision has a fairly small staff and most of the announcers cover mulitple subjects. Posey is like Hobbs, in that they both drove at a time when drivers raced in all sorts of series. F1, Trans Am, Nascar, Indycar, Sportscars. So his experience is widespread. He is a slow talking Texan but not as bad as Hobbs used to be on ESPN's F1 broadcasts when he was often sloshed on the job. :) Prost and his Koop de GRACIE comes to mind :) dave henrie "Mike Donnelly Jr" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted text (20 lines)

> No one wants him. > > > "Thom j." wrote: > > > Honest Question? Btw: What is it with Sam Posey? Apparently he > > hops from one arena of racing to another. Anyone know whats the > > poop on this?.....Cheers Thom_j. > > > > | "Kendt Eklund" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > > | news:[email hidden]... > > <snipped> > > | > I was tempted to post last year about David Hobbs and Sam Posey > > | > not liking each other, > > <snipped again> > > | > (case in point - the new guy was speculating about a problem with a > > | > car, and Posey made a point of making sure to bring up that he was > > | > wrong after the pit stop showed no evidence of it). > > <snipped again> >

On Mon, 05 Mar 2001 00:45:07 GMT, "Dave Henrie" <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted text (10 lines)

> Actually Speedvision has a fairly small staff and most of the announcers >cover >mulitple subjects. Posey is like Hobbs, in that they both drove at a time >when drivers >raced in all sorts of series. F1, Trans Am, Nascar, Indycar, Sportscars. >So his experience >is widespread. He is a slow talking Texan but not as bad as Hobbs used to >be on >ESPN's F1 broadcasts when he was often sloshed on the job. :) Prost and >his Koop de GRACIE comes to mind :)

Is Posey a Texan? I always thought he was a well-educated New Englander (with training in architecture and/or literature?)... More the George Plimpton type than the the A. J. Foyt type... (Enough '70s references there? Man, I'm feeling old... :) "But in a way, fear is a big part of racing, because if there was nothing to be frightened of, and no limit, any fool could get into a motor car and racing would not exist as a sport." -- Jim Clark

Dave Henrie wrote:

Quoted text (7 lines)

> > Actually Speedvision has a fairly small staff and most of the announcers cover > mulitple subjects. Posey is like Hobbs, in that they both drove at a time > when drivers raced in all sorts of series. F1, Trans Am, Nascar, Indycar, Sportscars. > So his experience is widespread. He is a slow talking Texan but not as bad as Hobbs used to > be on ESPN's F1 broadcasts when he was often sloshed on the job. :) Prost and > his Koop de GRACIE comes to mind :)

Dave -- Was this meant to be a joke, or have you been reading the Orlando Senile again? ESPN is owned by ABC, which in turn is owned by Capital Cities and they all share commentators and crew with Speedvision, which is owned by someone in the mix, but damned if I know whom. Be that as may, ESPN has a fairly large staff -- I used to live in Bristol, CT, where ESPN is HQ'd. Not even counting the NASCAR commentators shared among those entities, you have Silent Sam (Texan? Not quite -- he grew up with a large silver spoon in his mouth in Sharon, CT, in the Berkshires, a stone's throw from Lime Rock), Dyvid 'obbs (sloshed? I've been to a Lotus Owners' Group party with Hobbs -- he's about as much of a drinker as Carrie Nation, though he will have a beer, thank you -- he DOES like to joke around on air a lot), Steve Matchett (ex-Benetton wrench), Bob Varsha, Mike Joy, Dorsey Schroeder (TransAm), Derek Bell, Glen Jarrett (Dale's bro), Calvin Fish, Doug Nye (an excellent writer), Alan deCadenet, the ever-annoying John Bisignano, Paul Page, Dr. Jerry Punch, and a huge bunch of No-Namos. IMHO, there are too many people in the commentator booth for ESPN's F1 coverage (IMHO, there are too many people in the booth when Sam Posey's there alone...). I gotta say, though, even worse than Sam was Sam with Bobby Unser -- when it sounded like they were gonna punch each other out any minute -- and Sam and Bobby with Danny Sullivan -- who, if he's not actually really, really, REALLY dumb, certainly sounds like it. Word I got from a very secret squirrel is that Sam is a golden boy with ABC, even though they get reams of letters asking if he couldn't be assigned to, like, snowmobile racing or "The Wonderful World of Newts" or something. He's been with them for a long, long time. Then there's the (excuse me while I gag) DEAN OF AMERICAN MOTORSPORTS JOURNALISTS, Chris "What's it like out there?" Economaki, who could single-handedly make the most exciting race sound like a seventh-inning slump in a sandlot league ball game. Thanks God he's in semi-retirement. He makes Leon Mandel sound erudite. Best race announcer regardless of category? Hands down, Ned Jarrett -- and I'm not a huge NASCAR fan. He's quiet, knows what he's talking about, and gentlemanly. He should run classes for some of the other ninnies.

"Barton Brown" <[email hidden]> wrote > Sam with Bobby Unser I don't think you can ever get lower then that. When did that happen Bartus? English-Canada had to suffer Bobby Unser/Brian Williams during the IndyCar races in Toronto/Vancouver and the F1GP in Montr�al until last year. From flipping channels during French commercials, Bobby Unser is the WORST racing announcer ever. Period. He always said the same thing each race. "That's not smoke that's water smoke!", or the famous SEEMENT walls. He also had the guts to insult Paul Tracy all the time on National Canadian TV. Brian Williams : "Thank you Bobby, I know you have a plane to catch" (Brian had to show that Bobby is a "big shot" and makes an appearence on Canadian TV each race by telling that) Bobby Unser : "Now Tham thar is cawled marbuls, And tham thar thangs are rolled up lattle-itty-bitty pieces of the tahrs, an' if ya's drive over tham, ya's might wand up hittin' that thar see-ment wall..." -- when it sounded like they were gonna punch each other out

Quoted text (17 lines)

> any minute -- and Sam and Bobby with Danny Sullivan -- who, if he's not > actually really, really, REALLY dumb, certainly sounds like it. > > Word I got from a very secret squirrel is that Sam is a golden boy with > ABC, even though they get reams of letters asking if he couldn't be > assigned to, like, snowmobile racing or "The Wonderful World of Newts" > or something. He's been with them for a long, long time. > > Then there's the (excuse me while I gag) DEAN OF AMERICAN MOTORSPORTS > JOURNALISTS, Chris "What's it like out there?" Economaki, who could > single-handedly make the most exciting race sound like a seventh-inning > slump in a sandlot league ball game. Thanks God he's in semi-retirement. > He makes Leon Mandel sound erudite. > > Best race announcer regardless of category? Hands down, Ned Jarrett -- > and I'm not a huge NASCAR fan. He's quiet, knows what he's talking > about, and gentlemanly. He should run classes for some of the other

ninnies.

"Jeff Vincent" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > On Mon, 05 Mar 2001 00:45:07 GMT, "Dave Henrie" <[email hidden]> > wrote: > > > Actually Speedvision has a fairly small staff and most of theannouncers > >cover > >mulitple subjects. Posey is like Hobbs, in that they both drove at atime > >when drivers > >raced in all sorts of series. F1, Trans Am, Nascar, Indycar, Sportscars. > >So his experience > >is widespread. He is a slow talking Texan but not as bad as Hobbs usedto

Quoted text (9 lines)

> >be on > >ESPN's F1 broadcasts when he was often sloshed on the job. :) Prost and > >his Koop de GRACIE comes to mind :) > > Is Posey a Texan? I always thought he was a well-educated New > Englander (with training in architecture and/or literature?)... More > the George Plimpton type than the the A. J. Foyt type... > > (Enough '70s references there? Man, I'm feeling old... :)

You are correct sir. Sam was born in NYC, but he grew up in Sharon Ct. Why Sharon Ct? Because that was the office location of Lime Rock Park, which his family owned. Not a bad leg up in the race driver biz. Sam, by the way, was the first person ever to lap LRP in an FV without lifting. Flat fucking out, as they say. It had been deemed impossible until Sam went and pissed everybody off by actually doing it. Sam may come across as a putz more often than not, ( my favorite "Poseyism" is the "Ferrari Fact" that " all Ferrari Sports and GP championships were won with 12 cylinder engines"), but he really wasn't a bad little driver. Way is he used as a commentator? Well, has it occured to people that he really IS among the more presentable ex-drivers? If Revson had lived, if Amon wern't so into his sheep ( no cracks please), If Jarier wern't too well adjusted to have anything to do with it, perhaps we would have better color commentary. Lets's face it. You know the old saying. " Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't teach, criticise." Color commentators were those that were busy doing, they have no special skills or training at speaking. They arn't in the booth because they can talk, they're in the booth because they used to be able to drive. It's when you let the *Color* commentators run the show that you get into trouble. KFG

On Sun, 04 Mar 2001 18:21:19 GMT, [email hidden] (Kendt Eklund) wrote:

Quoted text (16 lines)

>On Sun, 04 Mar 2001 17:31:12 GMT, [email hidden] (nixx) wrote: > >>I agree with all that you say, but the "new guy" is Steve Matchett, >>and knows more about modern F1 technology than all the others >>combined. Keep Hobbs for comic relief, Varsha for clarity and order, >>and Matchett for color. Give Posey to the Tour de France or NASCAR. >> >>Now if they could just get the kind of sound they provide with >>Bernie-vision.... > >Sorry, I'd forgot the new guy's name. Yeah - I definitely get the >impression that Sam feels most threatened by the change. Maybe >something's in the air. Speedvision hinted at some news about thier >coverage between now and the Malaysia race... > >Kendt

I write Speedvision continually regarding their coverage. Early last season, Posey was just plain idiotic (more so than now). I wrote an email complaining, and I'm sure others did as well. He quieted down a lot after that. Matchett is a former mechanic for Benetton, and has written a couple of great books on F1. He has been covering or involved with the sport for years, and has an intimate knowledge of the sport. He is the real article. I feel sorry for Sam, though. I think he has some disease (Parkinson's?) that makes his hands shake uncontrollably. Sad thing for a guy who basically made his living from his reflexes.

On Mon, 05 Mar 2001 08:22:02 GMT, "ymenard" <[email hidden]> wrote: >"Barton Brown" <[email hidden]> wrote >> Sam with Bobby Unser >I don't think you can ever get lower then that. When did that happen >Bartus? Rings a bell- wasn't that an Indy 500 some time ago when CART was still at Indy? Kendt

Quoted text (9 lines)

>"Kendt Eklund" wrote > ymenard" wrote: > >"Barton Brown" wrote > >> Sam with Bobby Unser > >I don't think you can ever get lower then that. When did that happen > >Bartus? > > Rings a bell- wasn't that an Indy 500 some time ago when CART was > still at Indy?

I've always watched the Indy500 on ABC, and most of the years it was Paul Page and cie, with Bobby Unser. I can't remember Sam in the group, perhaps he was there really. It must have shocked me to have the two worst announcers in the same race ;-) -- -- Fran�ois M�nard <ymenard> -- May the Downforce be with you... -- http://www.ymenard.com/ -- People think it must be fun to be a genius, but they don't realise how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world.

In article <3aa4250e.3640374@news-server>, [email hidden] (nixx) writes:

Quoted text (8 lines)

>I write Speedvision continually regarding their coverage. Early last >season, Posey was just plain idiotic (more so than now). I wrote an >email complaining, and I'm sure others did as well. He quieted down a >lot after that. Matchett is a former mechanic for Benetton, and has >written a couple of great books on F1. He has been covering or >involved with the sport for years, and has an intimate knowledge of >the sport. He is the real article. >

I like Matchett. He brings the technical side to the discussion that I enjoy. Even if I *don't* always understand it...<g> >I feel sorry for Sam, though. I think he has some disease >(Parkinson's?) that makes his hands shake uncontrollably. Sad thing >for a guy who basically made his living from his reflexes. Yeah, I've noticed that too... :( Eldred -- Dale Earnhardt, Sr. 1951-2001 Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett GPL F1 hcp. +28.67...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73 Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you with experience... Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

ESPN, circa 1990: Bob Varsha (speaking of Mansell's muscles): "I shook hands with Nige the other day. His wrists are like my legs, they're inCREDible!" David Hobbs: "Who says your legs are incredible?" --David --- "Barton Brown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... [snip] Dyvid 'obbs ([. . .]he DOES like > to joke around on air a lot), [snip]

In article <989dt9$la1$[email hidden]>, "David Karr" <[email hidden]> writes: >ESPN, circa 1990: > >Bob Varsha (speaking of Mansell's muscles): "I shook hands with Nige the >other day. His wrists are like my legs, they're inCREDible!" > >David Hobbs: "Who says your legs are incredible?" Hobbs is VERY entertaining to listen to...<g> Eldred -- Dale Earnhardt, Sr. 1951-2001 Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett GPL F1 hcp. +28.67...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73 Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you with experience... Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.