Collmus to replace Durkin?

[ScottJ]

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.

[MaTH716]

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.

[MaTH716]

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

[Benny]

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. ?

[MaTH716]

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.

[Calzone Lord]

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.

[10 pnt move up]

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

[Benny]

[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.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

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.

I feel the same.

[dellinger63]

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

I also highly doubt that happened.

[Pants II]

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

[Kitan]

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!

[ScottJ]

Originally Posted by dellinger63

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

I also highly doubt that happened.

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.

[Benny]

Originally Posted by helicopter11

"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.

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.

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by helicopter11

"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.

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.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by helicopter11

"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.

Agreed.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by helicopter11

"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.

Seriously? It's pretty clear. " ‘Mywifenosevrything’ more than ‘Thewifedoesntknow!” Obviously Mywifenosevrything won. Took me forever to figure out how they spelled these names. Ridiculous. If ya gotta do this level of gymnastics to make something silly fit, name the horse something else.

[JJP]

Originally Posted by ScottJ

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.

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

[GPK]

Originally Posted by JJP

When did Turfway become an East Coast track? And I think most would consider TP a decided step down from any track in NorthAmerica

FTFY