balderdash&piffle 720 Posted June 7, 2017 (edited) Not a popular opinion, but I think Roy Clarke is alright. If the BSPA let him say half the things he said when he wasnt on the Mic, it would be a lot more amusing. I suppose with it being a family sport, you have to keep it kid friendly. Just cannot understand him, all sounds jibberish, needs elocution lessons, or should that be electricution Mind, Dick Barrie was the same, sounded like a foreign language, which I suppose it was. Edited June 7, 2017 by balderdash&piffle 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BWitcher 12,453 Posted June 7, 2017 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. Really? I would never have expected you to say that. One wonders how many other presenters you've heard recently.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gunner85 603 Posted June 7, 2017 The most important thing is to have a good knowledgeable announcer. No presenter on the centre green is better than a poor one who can do damage. For many years at Hyde road we had Bernard Tennant and Ken Wrench who were both good announcers and there was no need for a centre green presenter. Dick Barrie had a stint at Belle Vue... he was entertaining as long as you realised he was just trying to be witty and entertaining with no real malice intended.. unless you took him literally in which case you might have been annoyed with some of his comments Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
balderdash&piffle 720 Posted June 7, 2017 The most important thing is to have a good knowledgeable announcer. No presenter on the centre green is better than a poor one who can do damage. For many years at Hyde road we had Bernard Tennant and Ken Wrench who were both good announcers and there was no need for a centre green presenter. Dick Barrie had a stint at Belle Vue... he was entertaining as long as you realised he was just trying to be witty and entertaining with no real malice intended.. unless you took him literally in which case you might have been annoyed with some of his comments TRYING, is the important word there 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StevePark 2,780 Posted June 7, 2017 TRYING, is the important word there Very trying.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
balderdash&piffle 720 Posted June 7, 2017 Very trying.... Could also be TIRING, stop listening to him long before he jacked it in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
topsoil 2,498 Posted June 7, 2017 Stop taking it all so seriously. All presenters are much the same. They are only trying to wind up visiting fans. Peter Waite used to get pelters up at Edinburgh, he would just laugh it off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RobMcCaffery 2,752 Posted June 7, 2017 All presenters are much the same. They are only trying to wind up visiting fans. No not all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skodaman 192 Posted June 8, 2017 (edited) I remember Martin Rogers at Kings Lynn. He once announced that the "referee is an idiot" A recent character who was a team manager: Norrie Allan. He was fined several times for speaking his mind when at Leicester Edited June 8, 2017 by Fanmale 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The White Knight 9,039 Posted June 9, 2017 I remember Martin Rogers at Kings Lynn. He once announced that the "referee is an idiot" A recent character who was a team manager: Norrie Allan. He was fined several times for speaking his mind when at Leicester So I suppose that you can draw from this, that honesty is NOT the best policy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waiheke1 4,295 Posted June 10, 2017 So I suppose that you can draw from this, that honesty is NOT the best policy.Seems to be the case given the amount of flak Penhall got for being honest about doing countrymen a favour compared to the many other riders who have done so. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,244 Posted June 10, 2017 Seems to be the case given the amount of flak Penhall got for being honest about doing countrymen a favour compared to the many other riders who have done so. ...could have been more discrete and just faked an engine failure. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martinmauger 584 Posted June 10, 2017 ...could have been more discrete and just faked an engine failure. Exactly. Close throttle, pull over, look down at engine then watch the other 3 get on with it. But instead he did the other thing: big mistake, huge.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RobMcCaffery 2,752 Posted June 10, 2017 Exactly. Close throttle, pull over, look down at engine then watch the other 3 get on with it. But instead he did the other thing: big mistake, huge.... He misunderstood the British fans and paid the price. Back home throwing the race to get fellow Americans through would have been seen as patriotic and celebrated. Here we have a different attitude. I was in the pits at Belle Vue once not far from Bruce and a certain ex-World Champion. The crowd was hostile, backing their own favourites rather than fawning over the Americans as at many other tracks. Penhall was clearly distressed. The ex-World Champion turned to his crew and observed "Interesting, he can't handle it". I think the retirement was on his mind from that day at White City. Yes discretion is important and if you are going to play to the crowd it's essential you understand them. I remember Martin Rogers at Kings Lynn. He once announced that the "referee is an idiot" A recent character who was a team manager: Norrie Allan. He was fined several times for speaking his mind when at Leicester Rogers was shrewd enough to know that the increased gate receipts would more than cover any fines. Allan's comments were in a different and far less tolerant era and while probably sincere were very unwise. The days of promoters/managers making protests very publicly from the centre green to get the crowd going are gone. There's a fine line between having a sober, disciplined sport and one where there's a bit of latitude to spice things up with a bit of controversy. That line is probably called 'malice'. We've squeezed the fun out. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
