Collmus to replace Durkin?
 

That's the rumor making its way around Twitter.

No disrespect to Collmus, who calls a fine race, but I think that'd be pretty disappointing. To replace the best in the business, who can tell the story and drama of a race unlike anyone else in history, with -- to me -- the most milquetoast announcer at a major racetrack in America would be a letdown. John Dooley really deserves a shot on the big stage. DT villain Vic would also be a more suitable replacement IMO.

that's the thing, no one can replace durkin. whoever it is will have a tough row to hoe.

While Durkin is irreplaceable, I really love Larry behind the mike. I guess I think the opposite. I loved him at Monmouth. I enjoy him at Gulfstream. He announces the Charles Town classic every year with excitement. Just a difference of opinion I guess. Altough I do think Dooly is tops also.

Listening to Durkin, its as if he is telling us a story.
Listening to Collmus, its as if he is reading us a book.

I'd like to see John Imbriale get it.

Collmus is turning into the Ryan Seacrest of announcers. It's not that he's bad...it's just how in the heck does he get all of the top gigs?

Exactly. Wish I'd been smart enough to come up with that analogy.

Why stop there? Larry Collmus should call Royal Ascot! And the Canadian Triple Crown!

Dr. Dave Rodman!!

John G Dooley!

If anyone was listening to TVG yesterday afternoon while Frank Mirahmadi was broadcasting, he said that he did apply for the announcer's role and was rejected approximately two weeks back. (He actually said that he received the e-mail while he was on the air at TVG with Nick Hines.) Yesterday, he stated that expected NYRA to make an announcement in 24-48 hours.

For those thinking John Dooley, wasn't he part of the NYRA staff at one point as an understudy and left New York to take an announcing position in the midwest?

The leading candidates would still be Larry Collmus, Sam McKee, and Vic Stauffer (given the west coast connection with Martin Panza and team).

Racing only two nights per week, you have to wonder if the announcer's booth at the new Big M has just gotten too crowded for both Sam and Ken - in fact, have heard Ken calling at Pocono Downs a couple of times over the last two weeks.

Didn't Collmus just sign on for Churchill? He's going to jump ship already?

Truthfully I hope it's not him. While I think he's an excellent caller, I personally like him in smaller doses. I know I look forward to hearing him at Gulfstream after enduring a couple of months of winter in the northeast. Hearing him is like a sign that better racing is here and spring is right around the corner. I also can't help thinking about summer and the many days I have spent at Monmouth listening to his relaxed style. I'll always associate him with those venues.

It's that style that I'm not sure that I could listen to for the foreseeable future calling what I consider the best racing in the country (I'm aware that I'm biased). Whoever it is has tremendous shoes to fill. I could listen to Durkin call cockroach races, he's simply the best. I'm with Joey, I hope it's Dooley.

Ray Paulick ‏@raypaulick · 15m
If reports true that @larrycollmus new race caller at @TheNYRA, then both @GulfstreamPark & @ChurchillDowns have announcer job openings.

TV report its Collmus

http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S3530849.shtml?cat=30


From another board; today at 10:30am , maybe the answer .

"NYRA making "major" announcement tomorrow at 10:30am. Assume its the new announcer."

Maybe IMbriale does winter racing calls like before and Collmus keeps doing Gulfstream as Durkin once did i believe, then comes north for Belmont on. ?

David Grening ‏@DRFGrening · 7m
At 10:30, @larrycollmus will be named NYRA's new track announcer. He is not scheduled to start however, until April 2015.


Meh.

Larry Collmus is like the Fullback or lead-blocker for our man Travis Stone.

Maybe, Travis will land the Churchill Downs, or Gulfstream gig now. I believe he's done past work for both entities.

Hard to replace a legend...LC is fine but not much excitement with his calls IMO.

[quote=Benny;992608]TV report its Collmus

http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S3530849.shtml?cat=30


From another board; today at 10:30am , maybe the answer .

"NYRA making "major" announcement tomorrow at 10:30am. Assume its the new announcer."

Maybe IMbriale does winter racing calls like before and Collmus keeps doing Gulfstream as Durkin once did i believe, then comes north for Belmont on. ?[/QUOTE]

Collmus starts NYRA job in April 2015. Imbriale will call Belmont fall meet and Aqueduct from Dec-Mar. Collmus keeps Gulfstream winter gig. After this year Imbriale will call Dec-Mar and Colmus will do the rest of the year. Per David Grening on twitter.

I feel the same.

I hope behind the scenes, Dooley got a pay raise from CD as a persuasion to stay.

I also highly doubt that happened.

At some point if you are a fellow announcer do you just give up?

It's getting pretty ridiculous at this point. He's simply not that much better than everyone else.

All I can think of is the guy has no personality outside of the track and he's safe because of that.

They'd rather deal with him than hiring someone who posts on message boards and/or someone that does impersonations.

They can and will always use age and experience with the younger guys.

I give this hire a big MEH

I think that Larry is a good caller and he seemed like a nice guy the one time I met him. My qualms with him though is I've found that since he's moved on from his Monmouth/Suffolk days he's tried too hard in some of his big race calls, and that seems to have become an unfortunate theme. For example, his BC Classic call last year was painful, IMO. At Monmouth he was one of my favourite announcers, and I would sometimes play the signal just because of that, but now I rarely pay attention to his calls. I think if he could go back to what got him to where he is then he would be great for the NYRA circuit. There were other guys around that I hoped would get the gig or are good enough for the gig, but here's to hoping it works out for the best. And Larry, if you're reading this, take it as good criticism!

I would be absolutely shocked if Dooley received a retention bonus from Churchill given that he calls for two other tracks including Arlington.

That said, I would love to see him come into the Kentucky circuit at Churchill. Building that base and with his Arlington background, having him replace Mike Battaglia at Turfway would be a major score for east coast racing.

"Into the final furlong, ‘My Wife Knows Everything.’ ‘The Wife Doesn’t Know.’ They’re one, two. Of course they are,”

“To the outside, ‘The Wife Doesn’t Know. ‘My Wife Knows Everything.’ ‘The Wife Doesn’t Know.’ ‘My Wife Knows Everything’ more than ‘The Wife Doesn’t Know!”

Just reading this transcript alone, I couldn't tell who won the race.
This is Collmus' career highlight. An obscure claiming race at Monmouth on a weekday. Yawn

I suppose a Viral video really can take you far in life.

When did Turfway become an East Coast track? And I think most would consider TP a decided step down from the Fair Grounds.

I disagree; Collmus is a very good race caller, and your cited example is akin to Robin Williams (RIP) with his Mork character, which brought him to the public eye. Larry Collmus wouldnot be hired by Gulfstream, CD and NYRA and the BC etc. if he was a one note guy. I like his calls and find him intelligent and witty as well as an accurate racecaller who doesn't miss much. I will certainly enjoy hearing him in the future.

FTFY

Totally disagree, this just happened to be a fluky call that mainstream America picked up on and went viral. He's a very good race caller that has had a lot more career highlights than you are giving him credit for.

FYI both Arlington and The Fairgrounds are owned by CD.

I like Collmus and Dooley, but neither are spectacular. Frankly I am not aware of anyone who is spectacular waiting in the wings, so I don't really see the big differences among the "top" guys out there.

Collumus has the sweet snowbird deal now--GP late fall and winter, NYRA otherwise. As was mentioned, Durkin did this years ago.

Agreed.

For some, they might just be happy where they are and don't want to move. For example, Robert Geller is extremely underrated and belongs at bigger tracks than at Emerald and Sunland, but from what I understand he's also quite content on those locations and has already been there and done that (HKJC). I am sure this goes for other announcers too.

Looking forward to hearing him at Saratoga.

I sided with VJS back when the Collmus/Stauffer debate was on here. That was because Barbaro's Florida Derby call was/is my favorite ever and I had thought Collmus was very monotone.

Ask me today, and i'd go with Collmus (not a knock on Vic).

Please provide a race call that would come close to the artistry of Durkin or Denman. I hit the mute button on BC and TC days on NBC of late.

yeah, it's not as tho he knew ahead of time that it would get all that attention. it went viral because a lot of people thought it was a fun call.

denman? not a fan at all.
as for durkin, we all know no one else out there comes up to durkins level. collmus has a huge difficulty ahead of him.
i don't think it would matter who got hired, it's not durkin-but that's life.
just be glad it's not battaglia.

Denman's calls are always so fresh. You NEVER hear him using the same phrases over and over... ;)

This isn't a kiss-up to Travis since I've never had a discussion with him in my life, but it would have been great had they gone with him. A solid caller who has shown well on big days, but isn't as widely used.

i mute the tv before the gate breaks on denman-the growl of 'and away they go' just puts my teeth on edge....and i think i'll start playing a drinking game for every time he says 'scrapes the paint'.

travis is a great caller, miss him down here at la downs-but sure don't blame him for leaving.

"Sprout wings" is the phrase that kills me.

:tro: