Arse Cup

Mark Johnson (spl) commentator : "the two path" what the feck is that all about?

I assume it is an Americanism, why doesn't he sod off there permanently?

What's wrong with English/British terms?

Whilst I'm on about commentators, what about the dream team at Doncaster for ATR yesterday?? Gordon Brown and Simon Mapletoft, have they ever had any interesting to say between them.

Another dream team a couple of days ago, Jason Weaver and Derek Thompson doing a joint effort, with Thommo constantly talking over "The Weavershark".

We deserve better surely!?
 
Thommo should be kept to race calling, where I think he does a good job, or on his manic run-arounds the public (total fluff, but the non-horseys like it) chatting up grannies and small kids. And paired off, he can never stop trying to upstage his colleague. Jason's fine, I think - after all, he is an ex-jock and does know what he's on about. But best left to front solo.
 
Jesus, Mick Fitz is fucking worthless out of the saddle.

World's Greatest Horse Race - Waley-Cohen as good as any pro. What a bellend.
 
I was trying to work out which horse Fitzy was watching when he said Reve de Sivola was jumping so well!

Rishi Persad and Richard Pitman want their invasive microphones shoved where the sun don't shine, (I'm surprised no jockey nor Willie Mullins did so) as does Gary Wiltshire who seemed to be half cut throughout most of today's coverage.

Aussie Jim's commentaries are getting worse and worse.
 
Trevor Hemmings is from Leyland, where I live now. The stories I've heard would suggest he is far from the nicest man one could ever wish to meet Mr Fitzgerald.
 
I don't think you get to be a 'self-made multi-millionaire' on charm and kindness, Euro!

Oh, dear, I wish Aussie Jim would get a pair of new bins or have his eyes tested: clearly calling horses as fallers when they've done nothing of the sort. Yes, they've skyrocketed or divebombed their jockeys, but they haven't F-A-L-L-E-N, Jim. Unhappy as their decanted pilots will be, the race results will read 'UR'. Called CARRICK MINES as a faller, when he propped and boinged Paddy out of the plate; said TAKE A BREEZE fell, when he never touched the grass but punted his jock; "RARE BOB has gone"... uh, where? His rider fell off, mate - the horse is still running. It's just plain inaccurate.
 
It's the ".....and we lost one there, it's erm, it's erm, uh, we'll get back to that, and they carry on and the faller was, erm, it was, erm, erm, erm, erm, it was Calgary Bay! " which gets me. Surely there should be a ban on commentators using "erm..." ??
 
Shadow Leader said:
It's the ".....and we lost one there, it's erm, it's erm, uh, we'll get back to that, and they carry on and the faller was, erm, it was, erm, erm, erm, erm, it was Calgary Bay! " which gets me. Surely there should be a ban on commentators using "erm..." ??
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I thought of this thread after hearing that during the race - he should be retired.
 
It always used to piss me off too when I heard commentators make mistakes and give out the wrong information. However recently I have been assisting the judge in the commentary box at two point to points and boy I can't believe how good they are and just how berludy difficult it it. I found it quite incredible how they memorised details so quickly and picked things up just using binoculars - OK its not a 40 horse race but I soon had alot of respect for them. As there is no photo-finish pointing, you have to use your eyes and rely on colours not number cloths which is nigh on impossible when you have only just been given them.

Its not an easy job commentating.
 
No, it's not easy, but if you decide to take it up, you ought to get it right. Aussie Jim doesn't reflect the action correctly too many times for it to be an occasional glitch out of loads of calls. I'd give way on unimportant things like dress sense or personality, provided the person didn't regularly call the action incorrectly. You know if a horse has come down - so why say it has when it hasn't? If you missed seeing it fall or failed to call it when you should've done, then just say it's riderless, rather than it's fallen.
 
I would agree that commentating is difficult and would be way beyond my capabilities but some seem to manage a lot better than others.

It seems to me that if you get a job with BBC it is a job for life. No-one seems to monitor the performances that presenters, pundits and commentators put in.
 
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The BBC, they almost ignore racing throughout the year, get the rights to cover the National meeting and make an absolute bollocks of it.

First race on Thursday went off at 14.00, the first sight of a runner in that race was at 13.57.

Talking heads all over the place the two Dicks, Pitman and Dunwoody, Wiltshire and Parrott, big Aussie Jim and, of course, the lovely Rishi Persad and Clare Balding.

I've said it before but WE DESERVE BETTER!!!"
 
I think the commentators in most sports are blinkered themselves half the time.They focus too much on what is happening at the front when,there's a mile or so to go, than what is happening mid div.

Agree about Aussie Jim though,pension time.
 
Why on earth are Wiltshire and Parrott hauled out for these occasions? Wiltshire just came over as a daft shouty gob - just when we thought Barry Dennis had been sidelined!

Mind you, Ch.4 was totally top-heavy at Lingfield today, too: Taarnyaar, Mike Cattermole, Emma Spencer AND Jason Weaver? Whyyyy? Jason's enough - knows what he's on about, and surely the SP shows on screen are enough without someone glottally-stopping them as well?
 
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The point with McGrath is that he is getting worse and worse all the time yet still gets employment! I'd have thought that when Smithy & whoever else it was who was put to grass at the end of last year were put out that McGrath might've made that list. It's particularly daft in the case of the BBC when they have such talent as Darren Owen and Barty standing in the wings.

I've been told that a well known hack (no names!!) does a good take-off of McGrath - [assume Australian accent] "and as they come in to jump the first....no, don't mind if I do.....they all jump it and....oh, I wouldn't say no......as they approach the second.....oh a top-up would be nice....." and so on and so forth, you can imagine the rest. Next time I see him I must ask him for a rendition....
 
GG was the other to go.

At least the new boy David Fitzgerald is giving us what we want,good concise commentaries with no name dropping crap.
Think he's one for the future.
 
I find this intrusion of charging into people's conversations quite dreadful. There wasn't a single owner or trainer whose conversation with connections wasn't barged into today - Clare was actually pawing at someone's sleeve to pull them away from their post-race discussion with journos to ask some facile rubbish. Look, the BBC (and for that matter, Ch.4, etc.) aren't sponsoring the damn meeting, and you don't have the right to interrupt people all the time. I preferred it when the winner gave a few words from the winner's dais when accepting the trophy - not when surrounded by gurning hangers-on (who the hell was Mr Cheesy Grin in the background to Ginger McCain?), jostling hacks and snappers, and assorted types running in and out shot to slap backs, shake hands, high-five, thumbs-up, you name it. It's like a bloody funfair! And the same old platitudes from the presenters, anyway.
 
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Just watching some replays and, as I thought when it went out live, Simon Holt completely misses ATRAAF (Hills) going badly wrong behind just over 1f out in the 3 pm Listed race at Lingfield. Everyone goes past the post, yet not a word. It was Mike Cattermole who mentioned quite a bit later sympathy to connections, but not to mention an in-running incident like that is unusual for Simon, who spots them and usually makes a diplomatic remark himself.
 
Mr R M Johnston, 7lb claimer, on board BROTHER TWO in the 7.05 Bumper at Fairyhouse. Wanker of the Week award for continuing to clout away at the horse when it had faded to oblivion, being overtaken by kids on their Tri-ang trikes. Lovely-looking chestnut, I was much taken with him as he went to start, very nicely-behaved, which is not what I can say for the little tosspot on board.
 
krizon said:
Mr R M Johnston, 7lb claimer, on board BROTHER TWO in the 7.05 Bumper at Fairyhouse. Wanker of the Week award for continuing to clout away at the horse when it had faded to oblivion, being overtaken by kids on their Tri-ang trikes. Lovely-looking chestnut, I was much taken with him as he went to start, very nicely-behaved, which is not what I can say for the little tosspot on board.
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Your little tosspot got 21 days "in the hole" to cool off Kri!!
 
Oooooh! That's very good news, OTB - hope that smarts as much as the horse's rear-end would've done. Those Irish stewards ain't messin', are they? Thanks for that, Bridle - glad it wasn't just me thinking wtf is he doing!
 
I know there are people around, one who used to post on here, who think that Richard Hills is a God in the saddle but he can ride some very ill-judged races.

He was on Thubian for Sheikh Hamdan and William Haggas in the last at Goodwood, went off the heavily backed 2/1 joint-favourite and he had him well out of his ground in second last place as they came into the straight. The horse 'flew' down the outside and was challenging for the lead in the last furlong or two but he couldn't make the second effort to go past the winner Action Front.
It was the horse's seasonal debut and it should have been a winning one. The phrase "given too much to do" would be very apt here.
 
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