Presenters And Announcers

[brianbuck 928]

Don't think it is a matter of what they say or what they should be allowed to say - as far as I am concerned, centre green presenters become an embarrassment and an irritation when they seek to take over the meeting and consider themselves the star of the show and think that they have to keep shouting - often the same old slogans that they have been offering for years. I particularly dislike the practice of them chiming in whilst a race is in progress. The crowd can't hear what they are saying anyway, so what is the point of this?

 

A good, well informed announcer/presenter (do we really need both of them?) can enhance a meeting. The shouty-shouty types who go on and on all evening and say nothing, just ruin them.

[Dave Jones 2,127]

I feel like ive been spoilt over the years at Ipswich. Firstly the late great John Earrey (so long as we know) and now we have the wonderful Kevin Long, knowledgeable and also knows how to make the presenting funny without overstepping the mark

 

Ok you ready for the controversy??

 

My first British Final was at Coventry in 1990 (we basically followed Mark Loram and that was his first final) and i used to think Peter York was great , commentating as they went into the last lap, something i had never heard before. Maybe he was rubbish and as a youngster i couldnt detect that lol

I used to listen to Yorkie back in the late 60's early 70's when he worked for what was then Radio Birmingham, later to become Radio WM.

The problem is that he is still using the same material that he used all that time ago.

 

I suppose some might say that his M O is perfect for speedway as it fits in with the promoters approach to the sport.

[RobMcCaffery 2,752]

Don't think it is a matter of what they say or what they should be allowed to say - as far as I am concerned, centre green presenters become an embarrassment and an irritation when they seek to take over the meeting and consider themselves the star of the show and think that they have to keep shouting - often the same old slogans that they have been offering for years. I particularly dislike the practice of them chiming in whilst a race is in progress. The crowd can't hear what they are saying anyway, so what is the point of this?

 

A good, well informed announcer/presenter (do we really need both of them?) can enhance a meeting. The shouty-shouty types who go on and on all evening and say nothing, just ruin them.

Ego is a huge problem once you hand many people a mic. As ever, the skill is knowing when to say nothing.

 

I have heard tales of notices being fixed above mics in studios reading "It's not about me".

Tim has now quit Plymouth after being fined for his comments earlier this season. He has, I understand, handed in all his licences etc.

A very sad story, but unsurprising. I would have done the same. While fines were not involved in the final meeting that I worked at I was placed in a totally unacceptable situation and did exactly the same.

 

The discussion is perhaps talking only about extreme cases where totally irresponsible comments were being made. But what about situations where a knowledgeable presenter makes a genuine error, without malice, and gets hit with fines? You end up with a situation where only the fool or the very gifted take chances. It's one thing keeping discipline in the ranks, another stifling talent.

 

It's one of the many ways in which narrow-minded short-termism cripples the sport in Britain.

 

Hire people you can trust - and trust them!

Edited June 5, 2017 by Rob McCaffery

[ruckerroo 792]

the chap that was on the centre green at Arlington for years , kevin coombes was abs different gravy ,articulate, good with home and away fans and not on an ego trip

[hagonshocker 1,956]

Bob Radford was simply superb that is all

[BWitcher 12,453]

Of course there are limits, but the alternative is not letting them saying anything that they, or the audience, think which could lose paying customers. "

 

Exactly who are these 'paying customers' that the sport is likely to lose?

 

Typical speedway thinking and another example of why the sport is in the mess it is. Negative. Negative. Negative.

Another example, the recent scoring change because 'some' fans went home unhappy because their team had dropped a pt when winning by six or less at home. Oh my god! Couple of fans said they weren't happy! Scrap the rule! Panic! Nobody stops to think that for every unhappy fan there were many who enjoyed the extra tension it brought to a meeting.

 

Speedway lives in a culture of "why things can't be done". Any business operating in such a fashion is doomed to failure.

[steve roberts 9,246]

I used to listen to Yorkie back in the late 60's early 70's when he worked for what was then Radio Birmingham, later to become Radio WM.

The problem is that he is still using the same material that he used all that time ago.

 

I suppose some might say that his M O is perfect for speedway as it fits in with the promoters approach to the sport.

Obviously Peter York was the mainstay at Cowley during Oxford's successful period during the eighties and I found him personally to be okay in style. Recall that he was replaced by Mike Bennett for the one season (Peter took on an administrative role within the BSPA...that's another story!) but for some reason the Cowley faithful didn't take to him (Mike's version of events) but, again, I felt that he was okay.

Edited June 6, 2017 by steve roberts

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

Tim has now quit Plymouth after being fined for his comments earlier this season. He has, I understand, handed in all his licences etc.

 

That's a real shame because he's one of the best and with Graham Hambly would have made a real dream team.

 

I'd maintain, though, that for right or wrong you cannot savagely criticise a referee during a meeting and I am told that is precisely what happened.

 

Don't think it is a matter of what they say or what they should be allowed to say - as far as I am concerned, centre green presenters become an embarrassment and an irritation when they seek to take over the meeting and consider themselves the star of the show and think that they have to keep shouting - often the same old slogans that they have been offering for years. I particularly dislike the practice of them chiming in whilst a race is in progress. The crowd can't hear what they are saying anyway, so what is the point of this?

 

A good, well informed announcer/presenter (do we really need both of them?) can enhance a meeting. The shouty-shouty types who go on and on all evening and say nothing, just ruin them.

 

Absolutely bang on

 

I call it the Mike Bennett style, because I'd say he was like that. I also think that commentating during races is annoying and pointless.

 

Try Belle Vue. Their centre green presenter hits the depths, believe me, and its made all the more obvious because the announcer is as good as anyone.

 

I think having both an announcer and a presenter works well - indeed, the best presentation I have ever seen was at Peterborough for the PL Fours last season and they had 4 ! A top box man in Edwin Overland, two total professional interviewers in Craig Saul and Kevin Moore and Roy Clarke playing the clown.

 

I'd come back to Kevin Long again. A true speedway fan, a damn fine interviewer, hits the fine line between saying too much and saying too little and effortlessly and subtly funny with it.

[steve roberts 9,246]

 

That's a real shame because he's one of the best and with Graham Hambly would have made a real dream team.

 

I'd maintain, though, that for right or wrong you cannot savagely criticise a referee during a meeting and I am told that is precisely what happened.

 

 

Absolutely bang on

 

I call it the Mike Bennett style, because I'd say he was like that. I also think that commentating during races is annoying and pointless.

 

Try Belle Vue. Their centre green presenter hits the depths, believe me, and its made all the more obvious because the announcer is as good as anyone.

 

I think having both an announcer and a presenter works well - indeed, the best presentation I have ever seen was at Peterborough for the PL Fours last season and they had 4 ! A top box man in Edwin Overland, two total professional interviewers in Craig Saul and Kevin Moore and Roy Clarke playing the clown.

 

I'd come back to Kevin Long again. A true speedway fan, a damn fine interviewer, hits the fine line between saying too much and saying too little and effortlessly and subtly funny with it.

Remember when Mike made a comment on the mike after a race (on the instruction of Bernard Crapper apparently) regarding a racing incident which was directed at the referee and was fined for his efforts...but I think that Bernard paid the fine on his behalf. Certainly got the crowd going and added to the atmosphere!

 

Agree that commentating during a race is all rather pointless in my view.

Edited June 6, 2017 by steve roberts

[Ommer Mon 381]

For me the voice of speedway was at Belle Vue..............I think his name was Ken Wrench.

 

Also recall Dick Barrie winding up the Cradley fans up at Hyde Road in the 1980s calling us the cabbage patch kids (presumably due to all the green and while rather than any facial expressions!). I think we pelted him with sprouts one year. All good fun but both parties would probably be arrested in this day and age.

 

Pat Foley was always good at Cradley as was Laurence Rogers. Nigel Pearson also recovered well from his famous opening line of "Four minutes for all two riders". Whatever happened to him?

 

Rob Hawthorne also did a few second halves at Cradley. I think he does the Premier League on Sky now. What went wrong there?

 

Porky is good at Monmore too. Didn't fancy him doing it when we came back in 2010 because he had always dished it out when Cradley were against Wolves (and receivedthe customary response of course). It's worked out well though. I think he has more fun with us than the Dog Heads.

[RPNY 608]

I feel like ive been spoilt over the years at Ipswich. Firstly the late great John Earrey (so long as we know) and now we have the wonderful Kevin Long, knowledgeable and also knows how to make the presenting funny without overstepping the mark

 

Ok you ready for the controversy??

 

My first British Final was at Coventry in 1990 (we basically followed Mark Loram and that was his first final) and i used to think Peter York was great , commentating as they went into the last lap, something i had never heard before. Maybe he was rubbish and as a youngster i couldnt detect that lol

Ha, I gotta agree with you. I know he takes a lot of stick on here, but I always thought Yorkie was great, I'm guessing like yourself it was youth and associating his voice with the big speedway occasions.

[uk_martin 1,606]

The final straw was the playoffs final at Perry Barr which Poole won and Chris played Abba Money Money for their victory parade

But if you play the Muppet Show theme music to accompany the Brummies presentation lap at the Norfolk Arena, you get voted in as BSPA Chairman.

[Bagpuss 10,779]

Mahna mahna, doo doo doo doo doo.

[Starman2006 2,354]

Nij our presenter at Poole has learn't a hell of a lot sinse he took the mic, he now has to be one of the best presenters in the league.

[The White Knight 9,039]

Nij our presenter at Poole has learn't a hell of a lot sinse he took the mic, he now has to be one of the best presenters in the league.

Nij???