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Maxilon
I agree with your sentiments, and would add one further point. By focusing on issues such as corruption within racing, changes in how starting prices are fixed and whip abuse, Mac raises issues that precious few racing insiders seem to want aired and yet are important to the average punter and, in the whip abuse example, the wider public.
Mac clearly sees that in a changing society it is becoming less and less acceptable to see horses apparently flogged over the last furlong or so of a race. The fact that some (? many) racing professionals argue that the horses are not hurt cuts little or no ice with many viewers. And just as the physical punishment of children, which unless done in a brutal way was not an issue of public concern thirty years ago, has in recent years become a matter of political discussion and legislative proposals, so will whipping racehorses. Mac recognises that, and by focusing on the hypocrisy of the relatively minor penalty for flagrant abuse of even the current rules on the matter, he does a service.
Having read this thread I now despair for the entire nation let alone the supporters of horse racing.
The Punters Pal?
Betting Ring Supremo?
Even an entertaining person?
Sweet effin’ ada.
The bloke is a blustering bully who has made his name because other people like to pigeon hole racing with cretinous figures like this.
Nurse, another injection please, the Big Mac thread seems like reality again…
I haven’t read the whole thread, but I’m with Alderbrook……….wrong image for racing entirely, as far as I am concerned.
….and if Chapman is head-hunted by Channel 4 he will disappear off my television screen……RESULT!!!!
Colin
Who actually cares when Mc Crirrick shouts at the camera ‘Its a nevis’ (7/1) or ‘the jolly is a rouf’ (4/1) when the nevis on betfair is likely to be 9/1 and the rouf on WBX could be half a stretch!
The front page photo on yesterdays post sums him up.
Looks a prat.
Is that the image we want for our sport?I think the Bismark idea on The Morning Line is also dated.
Barry Dennis might wish to get Mr Crirrick to open his next shop but with those two there how many customers will be able to get in?
Johnny Francombe is about the best celeb when it comes to opening shops. Always a few good jokes and the time he was at the launch of the Better shop in Brighton he gave out a nice winner that Alan King had told him should win.
at least john mcririck & barry dennis are real people real names with their own opinions,
not like anonymous cowards, ie seagull,
willing to slag but frightened to be recognised.
Barry, you seem rather obsessed about the anonymity of posters.
Are you looking to take legal action?
You say that McCririck and Dennis are real people……some would say that they are persona (is there a plurall?) that are worn by two other people just for self-promotion purposes.
Colin Phillips
(PM me if you want my address)
Braying self-publicists with Jovian egos are unlikely to find comfort behind the curtain of anonymity
Cordially yours,
Ephraim Gadsby
You seem to have
Seagull and ‘bird
circling above you
Barry – Look out
you might need
Mac’s big umbrella !As for opening your shop
I doubt a man or woman
in a cloak, mask and gloves
would be your best merchandising
tool
so I will pass by the four figure fee
and the fifty I might entice.I do not have a big problem
with McCirick,
an Eton man
who has become hugely bankable.
and I will therefore
make cross my two feathered friends.I feel there has always been a place for him
due to his energy and spike,
but that place is surely in the ring
where he counteracts the drab
car park atmosphere
with a certain amount of plumage
and Thunderbird colour.
Instead of an exit sign
there is one for energy.He could possibly benefit
from a haircut and
I would make masks
de rigeur for all presentors
although it is rumored that
Francombe and Down already wear oneRegarding Ch4’s Head of Sport – bit of a misnomer, Racing is the only sport they cover, – the rest are on a ‘silly o’clock’.
Not sure if John or Barry are persona-i.
Saw Mac on BBC Question Time and he seemed even worse than usual.
Seen Barry in the betting ring and he seems just the same as on TV, whether being wacthed or not.One thing with John and Barry, they seem to say what they think.
Ginge
Value Is EverythingMaxilon
I agree with your sentiments, and would add one further point. By focusing on issues such as corruption within racing, changes in how starting prices are fixed and whip abuse, Mac raises issues that precious few racing insiders seem to want aired and yet are important to the average punter and, in the whip abuse example, the wider public.
Mac clearly sees that in a changing society it is becoming less and less acceptable to see horses apparently flogged over the last furlong or so of a race. The fact that some (? many) racing professionals argue that the horses are not hurt cuts little or no ice with many viewers. And just as the physical punishment of children, which unless done in a brutal way was not an issue of public concern thirty years ago, has in recent years become a matter of political discussion and legislative proposals, so will whipping racehorses. Mac recognises that, and by focusing on the hypocrisy of the relatively minor penalty for flagrant abuse of even the current rules on the matter, he does a service.
For some people to equate the RACING whip with physical punishment of children is pathetic. Children and horses do not have the same skin.
Some people apparently think a whip used correctly does more damage than the horse jumping a great big hedge with a ditch in front of it. Hypocricy indeed.
Ginge
Value Is EverythingFor all his idiosyncrasies and boorish, sexist behaviour, I would rather have one John McCririck who is prepared to address the issues facing racing head on, than a dozen other hacks who are happy to tow the sycophantic line and not rock the boat.
Harrow, Gambers.
Younger TRFians won’t remember the ongoing dialogue between Julian Wilson (another eccentric/public school racing pundit generally detested on Internet fora) and Big Mac regarding their sub-dom days at Harrow.
Apparently, the latter used to “fag” for the former – fagging being a form of institutional slavery in Britain’s ancient public schools. The older Wilson’s brutal treatment of the young McCirick was never forgotten.
A non-racing fan of working class origin would be entranced – if slightly appalled – by this unique discourse. And it was unique! I challenge anyone to find an example of that strange but memorable discourse anywhere else.
Marketing theory will tell you that unique is a critical factor in the relationship between consumer and product. It should be nurtured, not thrown away – even if existing consumers have tired of it.
Sadly for the sport, we don’t have many alternatives in the Unique Stakes. The vast majority of today’s young pundits on C4, BBC, ATR and RUK are – given the opportunity – able to seamlessly flit between a Haydock card, regional magazines, re-buildathons, makeover progs, karaoke contests, cooking shows, dance marathons, trash TV broadcasts and the evening news without anyone instinctively knowing where they came from.
Wherever McCirick appears, Joe and Jane Public KNOW he’s a racing man through prior association – and thus, each time he appears, horse racing remains in the public eye.
Like it or not, he’s Mr Racing.
Big Mac is not only unique, he’s a valuable commodity. He should be treasured for racing’s sake – whether we like him or not.
(Imo, of course).
I dont despise McCririck, however I do think he is a baboon and hope he permanently off our screens sooner rather than later.
JohnJ.
For all his idiosyncrasies and boorish, sexist behaviour, I would rather have one John McCririck who is prepared to address the issues facing racing head on, than a dozen other hacks who are happy to tow the sycophantic line and not rock the boat.
Spot on, recently he was the only one to raise the Exotic Dancer injury fiasco on TML, Francome, Tommo and co too scared to even dare to discuss the issue let alone criticise Jonjo’s handling of it.
On the other hand my other half can’t stand him and thinks he’s a sexist pig (big brother viewer, gets dragged to races by me once or twice a year). So I imagine his boorish, sexist routine costs racing as many viewers as it attracts.
Channel 4 stopped the House and Hound (or Intrum Justicia?!) Cup because of Stratford’s allegiance to GG-Media, not because it went to an evening fixture. I remember at least one untelevised-afternoon renewal before the Horse and Hound evening fixture. I think it was Castle Mane’s win in 2000 as Oaksey was with GG who had then stepped down from the No1 commentator job by then.
Yes, that was exactly it. Cheers for putting me right!
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Maxilon
Mac clearly sees that in a changing society it is becoming less and less acceptable to see horses apparently flogged over the last furlong or so of a race.
Yet he doesn’t seem able to publicly accept that it is becoming less and less acceptable to denigrate (? if thats the right word) amongst other things the role of women in todays changing society.
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