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.