Durkin Going Downhill
 

Unfortunately ... Tom Durkin ... once the best track announcer in the business ... is fulfilling many of the negative things which were said about him on another thread.

His call of the Gen. MacArthur stakes yesterday ... was nothing short of embarrassing.

He completely missed Naughty New Yorker's move along the rail. He was still focusing on the "battle" between West Virginia and Organizer when Naughty New Yorker took the lead at the eighth-pole ... and it wasn't until Naughty New Yorker had opened up a two-length lead at the sixteenth-pole that he finally said, "And now Naughty New Yorker makes his move."

Take a look at the replay on nyra.com ... it's really sad to see and hear.

Yeah, he is starting to slip a little. He isnt what he once was.

We all have bad days! (except for you BB ;) )

funny, i was watching those and i thought Durkin still has it. i loved the call in the 9th race where he said Northern Emblem "burts to the lead with a flourish"... "he wins by 3 emphatically"...great call, very creative.

that is a little bad. I wonder if he is calling the race through a video feed or through the binocs. If they do use video feed it could be a few seconds delayed as opposed to others. For example watch a tv program on digital cable and the same one on regular or attena and the digital is about 3 seconds slower.
If that is not the case that is kind of sad. I love the guy!!!!

It was only a five horse field ... and two of the five trailed badly throughout.

It's not as if it were a cavalry charge like the Kentucky Derby.

He still does a great job on most races ... but that special quality he once had is slowly slipping away.

He is not calling by watching a video feed.

Not to say he was using a video feed but "if" he was it wouldn't matter if it was a five horse field or a ten horse field the feed is still slower.

doing 'doubles' between races?

Hey BB, he just starting to join us in the senor citizen ranks. Happens to everybody sooner or later.

aren't we all?? going downhill that is...

I'd still rather have Durkin with a few slip-ups then I would most any other caller.

I know it and now we have to listen to that "nails on a chalkboard" Trevor Denman for the Breeders Cup. Will this be aired on any radio network?

I cant wait until people relaize that Mike Battaglia and the caller from Charles Town are the two best in the business.

After Durkin my favorite Larry Collmus.

And here comes Whirlaway !!!

Don't we know it.

that guy at FL, he always sounds agitated, like the race is keeping him from something...somtimes he calls the wrong horse a winner, LOL...anyway here's Durkin's call of the Gen Douglas MacArthur
http://www.racereplays.com/nybreds/i...ame=wednesday3

and the 9th race yesterday which was a thing of beauty down the stretch
http://www.racereplays.com/nybreds/i...ame=wednesday4

I think Larry Collmus, Luke Krytbosch, Vic Stauffer, and Kurt Becker(to name just four) are all better.:cool:

All great announcers, but "better" is a very subjective thing. what makes them "better" than Tom Durkin. Because i'll bet all of them would tell you he is "better" than they are.

Right, it could actually be that they are better at this point at simply making fewer mistakes. The guys mentioned are all in their prime. But overall better? I don't know about that. Like I said previously, I'll take Durkin with a few miscues anytime.

Why is Dooley always overlooked, hes fantastic.

Stauffer is a joke

Mike Rona at Golden Gate is good, he used to be the Thistledown caller until he was caught in a love triangel and had the **** beat out of him.

Luke is real good.

Battaglia couldnt call the police if he were getting robbed, hes a sack of dung

The guy in CA sounds like he was possessed by a constipated robot.

Watching him strut around Gulfstream, or talk on TVG, makes me want to vomit. Hes a horrible handicapper, hes a brutal racecaller, and he was a clown jock agent. For some reason he thinks hes important, I havent figured out why yet

He's still a good racr caller but he puts in a half ass effort sometimes. At times it seems like he doesn't want to be there, especially during the winter time. It's going to be weird without calling a breeders cup race but i'm also happy that trevor denman will be calling it.

See the great thing about race-calling and handicapping and horse racing in general, is that people have so many differing opinions. Vic Stauffer was one of the reasons i got into race calling. His American Oaks call in 2005 when Cesario won, literally made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. His passion, excitement, and love of the game came through in that call, and made me feel like maybe if someday I give someone that feeling, then i've done my job. Even with the occasional mistake i dont see how anyone couldnt like Tom Durkin, but there are probably people that hate him as a race caller. I know that throughout my career people will like and dislike my calls, and thats fine. I think as callers we do our best to be accurate and passionate at the same time. Just happens to be one of those jobs where people freely praise/criticize you on message boards! LOL

Where do you call

I've actually seen people criticize Durkin for being over-enthusiastic! To me, a great call whether it is claimers or the classic should be full of energy!

Good luck in your career!

Just completed my first meet at River Downs.

Good luck in your career. :D

He never has and never will have anything on Trevor Denmon! He can spot the horse that is gonna win at the 1/4 pole if the horse is last. Plus I was listening on the internet yesterday (When Desormeaux got DQ'd) and when they came to the finish he never even said who won, he said "And Its a headbob" common give me somthing Denmon always can tell who won even when its a headbob, he is old and over the hill they need some fresh meat up in the booth!!:p

Durkin has never been one to go out on a limb and call many close photos. Denman does it quite frequently. To not be able to call the horse Desormeaux won on yesterday in the 6th is amateurish. Even my 12 year old nepthew correctly called it.

Hes still a great announcer but you can tell his time is coming. Maybe they'll bring back John Imbriale..."And theyre off".

I agree Vic Stauffer is awesome, seems like a great guy also. I like when the race is really close and he just let's out a huge yell at the end, I love Hollywood Park Friday Night racing and kicking back and hearing his race calls. By the way Ballscalls are you the one that begins the race saying "and the rrrrrace is on"? Not sure but i've heard some good things about an up and coming race caller at River Downs.

That would be I!

That's awesome man, keep up the good work. Yeah i've heard them mention you on TVG a few times about you being an up and coming track announcer, everytime I hear something like that I don't forget.