Blatantly biased? You bet.

[Dahoss]

Let's compare them. Durkin's Belmont

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4Z49x11smk


Denman's Classic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Et15M6wsPo


IMO one of them sounds like amateur hour.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

Let's compare them. Durkin's Belmont

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4Z49x11smk


Denman's Classic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Et15M6wsPo


IMO one of them sounds like amateur hour.

How about the one where he says ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

How about the one where he says ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

You mean the one where he shows some personality? I guess it's too bad he likes his job.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

You mean the one where he shows some personality? I guess it's too bad he likes his job.

Yeah it was so cute. Before you get all up in arms I think Tom Durkin is an excellent track announcer

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

Yeah it was so cute

I really don't understand why it was a big deal. Would it have been better if he said, "They would need to sprout wings to catch ARRRRRRRRRR!" or "It looks like ARRRRRRRRRRRR just joined in at the 1/4 pole" or "Circular Quay, oh wait ARRRRRRRRRRRR!"

Denman is a robot with the same five lines over and over.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

I really don't understand why it was a big deal. Would it have been better if he said, "They would need to sprout wings to catch ARRRRRRRRRR!" or "It looks like ARRRRRRRRRRRR just joined in at the 1/4 pole" or "Circular Quay, oh wait ARRRRRRRRRRRR!"

Denman is a robot with the same five lines over and over.

I edited the response...and it wasn't a big deal. I just think it's funny how everyone rips on the announcers. Who cares...if you don't like it turn the volume down and just watch.

[Duvalier]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

You mean the one where he shows some personality? I guess it's too bad he likes his job.

By the way my favorite track announcer was Larry Lederman when he called the races at Garden State and Atlantic City but I don't get into Freehold. I do enjoy when an announcer shows some personality...not robotic calls.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

By the way my favorite track announcer was Larry Lederman when he called the races at Garden State and Atlantic City but I don't get into Freehold. I do enjoy when an announcer shows some personality...not robotic calls.

Lederman is great, I always enjoyed his calls.

Trevor just sounds to me like this is a job for him and he goes in and puts in his 5 hrs or whatever it may be then goes home. You're never going to get Trevor allowing people to go to his booth to raise money for charity. There's never going to be anything remarkable about one of his calls. Hell, he recycled his own call when Sidney's Candy won the SA Derby this year. Durkin would get lambasted if he used a cheesy line like "Eskendereya carrying the hopes of New York all the way to the Kentucky Derby."

[MISTERGEE]

Lederman, very entertaining calls--I agree

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Lederman is great, I always enjoyed his calls.

Trevor just sounds to me like this is a job for him and he goes in and puts in his 5 hrs or whatever it may be then goes home. You're never going to get Trevor allowing people to go to his booth to raise money for charity. There's never going to be anything remarkable about one of his calls. Hell, he recycled his own call when Sidney's Candy won the SA Derby this year. Durkin would get lambasted if he used a cheesy line like "Eskendereya carrying the hopes of New York all the way to the Kentucky Derby."

Dude, Dorkin is the king of cheese.

That out of the way now, I don't know why people give a damn about callers.

Personally though, I think Denman in his day was much better than Dorkin ever was. His accuracy in calling the horses and telling you how they were going was something no other caller could touch.

Now though? Not so much.

[hockey2315]

Durkin can convey emotion in his voice in a way that nobody else can - like in the Birdstone call - it's not just pure disappointment like Denman's Blame call. Durkin gotten progressively worse with mispronouncing names and it seems like he's been having some voice problems for a while but, like others have said, his calls are far more interesting to listen to than Denman's 3 or 4 recycled calls.

[Dahoss]

Originally Posted by Duvalier

How about the one where he says ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

I know people hated that, but I actually thought it was kind of funny....the first time. Not so much the second time. I'm biased because I grew up listening to Durkin and think he is the best. He's lost a step...or two recently, but we all do as we get older.

I read something on another board and I thought it was a pretty smart observation. It was something along the lines of announcers like Durkin are part of the race. Denman is a guy talking in the backround.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by Dahoss

Let's compare them. Durkin's Belmont

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4Z49x11smk


Denman's Classic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Et15M6wsPo


IMO one of them sounds like amateur hour.

My favorite comparison would be Denman in this year's classic to Durkin in the '87 classic.

Both races were extremely close races that easily lent themselves to possible fantastic race calls.
I thought Denman did okay.
Durkin hit it out of the park: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk8G8AR7TaM

But hey, not everybody can be Tom Durkin. He's the best.