Early Present In My Stocking
 

GOLDEN GATE

Today's Racing Digest

THE OSTERMAN FILES

GOING OVER THE EDGE

He’s taken us to the precipice often in the past but, this time Vic Stauffer went right over the edge.

His call for Thursday’s Hollywood Prevue Stakes was the last straw, not to mention a flagrant violation of the neutrality code

and professional ethics that announcers from coast to coast have lived up to for nearly a century. It went something like, “and Galex

has pulled up. It doesn’t look good for Galex. Darn it”. Darn it? Who is Stauffer, Beaver Cleaver? It probably could have been

worse. He could have said “Rats”, ala Charlie Brown.

Whatever perpetuated Stauffer’s reaction (genuine concern for the horse, sympathy for the connections, sorrow for those who

took 3/1 on Galex or just downright pandering), it was truly a travesty in the annals of announcing. There is no need for commentary

of this sort during the call of a race. Leave the diagnosis of the injury to the professionals, leave potential personal feelings to the

individual. Stay out of it, please. I have never heard any other race caller feel the need to add their two cents to an already bad

situation. However, if someone opts to thrust their opinion on an unsuspecting public, you’d think they could come up with something

better than “darn it”.

Personally, after the Prevue, I took an oath to never listen to another call from the guy. When I’m in control, the TV is now

on “mute” for every Hollywood Park event and it’s turned out to be a very relaxing and enjoyable experience. When races are not

interrupted by someone trying to be “the show”, serious handicappers are able to follow the action as it unfolds rather than rely on

tedious tidbits from a seemingly rabid announcer.

Calling races should be an exercise in journalism where the “who, what, where and when” is reported and not embellished.

Just call the race accurately, that’s all that is being asked.

Some, however, have the skills to do more. Take Michael Wrona, for instance. This fella is an absolute joy and anyone

wishing to compare Wrona with Stauffer only needs to look away from a race and just listen to the call. With Wrona, you know

where every horse is at every point and he rarely, if ever, loses his place or his pace. Stauffer, on the other hand, is always rumbling,

stumbling and bumbling trying to keep up. At crunch time, Wrona doesn’t raise his voice but simply increases the cadence as the

horses near the wire. Stauffer always sounds like he’s risking an aneurysm in the final furlong as his voice soars mega-decibels.

Wrona calls the tight photos with incredible accuracy and rarely with disclaimers. When he doesn’t take a stand (“oh, they’re out of

stride on the line”), there’s a good chance it’s a dead-heat. Stauffer tries to call all the tight ones but there’s always an “I think” or

something else to cover his behind. Still, he blows some outright. And, of course, Wrona is clever and, sometimes, laugh-out-loud

funny. You never hear the same call from him twice, it’s always fresh and suitable for the horses involved. Stauffer attempts to hide

his lack of originality by just screaming at the top of his lungs, no matter what the situation.

Wrona is always reporting while adding informative details about a horse’s history and style or regarding the connections

recent success, or lack thereof. Stauffer generally refers to riders by their first names or nicknames (“traveling well for Chantal”, or

“Go Go” has so-and-so well placed). Wrona uses the last name and, as any journalism school graduate knows, that’s the way you’re

supposed to do it. It’s as if Stauffer wants everybody to know he’s on a first name basis with the riders, even if “the Dominican

Dandy” did fire him as his agent a few years ago. It’s as if he wants everybody to understand he’s the smartest guy in the room just

because he’s the one bellowing into a microphone. The only knock ever heard on Wrona is his insistence on calling the finish of

every horse in the field which tends to tick off some not interested in being told that their best bet of the day straggled home sixth.

However, that’s a “flaw”, if it is one, we can all live with.

No, there is no comparison between Wrona and Stauffer. One is great and the other is, well, pretty-darn bad.

California’s other three announcers all tower over Stauffer as well. Trevor Denman may have lost a few steps over the

decades but he remains a comfort to us all, even if his catch phrases are beginning to wear a little thin. Frank Mirahmadi, the new

voice of Oaklawn Park, is relegated to county-fair duties during the summer locally but he’s accurate, understands his craft and can be

quite entertaining while picking his spots for the occasional impression. Eddie Burgart, of course, is an icon at Los Alamitos. Nobody

calls a Quarterhorse race like he does.

To be fair, there are some folks out there who actually like Stauffer’s erratic, over-the-top style. I just don’t happen to be

one of them. Darn it!!!!!!

Editor’s note: My now 19-year-old was watching tapes of the week’s races from Hollywood Park with me years ago. He must have

been about

Is that that announcer who likened Azeri to Ruffian, Secretariat, Zenyatta and Dr. Fager all rolled up into one?

Zenyatta wasn't born when he made that call. You talk about genius.

Who cares if she hadn't been born yet.

She'd been conceived by that race and the Mosses were already campaigning for her 2010 HOY award.

We should give him credit, maybe he posted it because he's clever enough to know the guy is actually right.

Thanks for listening.

Imagine that

I think Vic is a super caller, like his style and what he brings to a race. If you ever listened o John Sterling do a yankee game its sort of the same with Vic. They both add way too much BS and you can always tell who they are subjectively rooting for, whatever it doesn"t seem to bother me.

Vic does have a certain Richard E Nixon quality to him which is very entertaining in a sad way

his call last weekend for
 

Miss Sea cup was humerous but maybe a little scandelous.

Not bad for a boob

"it was truly a travesty in the annals of announcing. There is no need for commentary"

Right... because he's a commentator.

Calling races should be an exercise in journalism where the “who, what, where and when” is reported and not embellished.

I have a BA in journalism from Pepperdine University (the real one in Malibu and not one of the offshoots in some office building)... this has nothing to do with anything. He's not a reporter, he's a race caller. He has to keep it interesting, fresh, hold our attention.

However, if someone opts to thrust their opinion on an unsuspecting public, you’d think they could come up with something

better than “darn it”.

Yeah I can't imagine how easy that must be having to continue calling the race and coming up with the right words in a split second cause you know you can always go back and rewrite and edit your comments. :rolleyes:

What would some have you said? What would your reaction have been and I mean using words that are appropriate?

He doesn't get a second chance... he has to think and speak at once. They all do.

"Darn it?"

So what. Give me a ****ing break.

Just call the race accurately, that’s all that is being asked.

If that's all people want robots would call the races.

Stauffer always sounds like he’s risking an aneurysm in the final furlong as his voice soars mega-decibels.

Every race is important to some one.... racing is exciting. How dare he convey that!

Stauffer tries to call all the tight ones but there’s always an “I think” or

something else to cover his behind.


Her's human. Let's kill him.


Stauffer generally refers to riders by their first names or nicknames (“traveling well for Chantal”, or

“Go Go” has so-and-so well placed). Wrona uses the last name and, as any journalism school graduate knows, that’s the way you’re

supposed to do it.

Every person on this thread has called him "Vic".

You're supposed to? Who said?

No, there is no comparison between Wrona and Stauffer.

1. Can we name our favorite Beatle too?

2. This reads more and more like a kiss ass piece.

I've been on both sides of debates (ie fights :D) about Mr. Stauffer. I have been on the other side... I am not some little kiss ass.

Personally I hate it when a horse goes wrong and they carry on as if nothing is happening.

I didn't listen to this call. I missed the race and there was no reason to watch it (I choose not to).

I thought it was sad that Galex was left out of the very nice tribute on DRF to the three fallen warriers at HP over the holiday weekend (Dear Me. Hovday...there were four.). I just felt like mentioning that...

FInally Cardus... you ask what kind of person does this? Posts this?

I don't know... to me someone who can laugh at themselves.

He knew the vultures would circle immediately...

I doubt he posted it because he is a closet masochist.

I like different race callers for different reasons...

Vic has that kinda every man quality... comfortable, excitable. No one else has to agree with anything I say of course but I try to fnd the good, focus on the positive.

Vic is not my favorite race caller but this piece? This was a little over the top mean.

Aaah well maybe the writer can begin the process to canonize Mr. Wrona.

well said miss cat

Amen.





Did anyone else first think of Calzone Lord when they read the title of this thread?

mmsc said all that well.
my first thought when i read 'why would you post this' was self-deprecation. i indulge on occasion, i'm sure others do.

:tro:
I like the way Vic S. Calls races, he enjoys what he does and it shows. He's not in charge of the national debt, he's just calling a horse race.

All publicity is good publicity, right Vic? ;) There is no reaction to anything Wrona does, here or anywhere else.

The blogger obviously has an axe to grind with Stauffer or an agenda for promoting Wrona.

I am Pro Vic
 

I enjoy Vic's calls and really liked him at Gulfstream in the past. So, you can tell who he bet on during a race I like that. So, he gets exited I like that too.

The article is so bad and poorly written that it makes me think this Osterman dude was being sarcastic..