- This topic has 32 replies, 19 voices, and was last updated 18 years, 7 months ago by
.
- Posts
Sir Peter O’Sullevan thinks Jim McGrath is the best racing commentator. I think so too.
".. ……………….Wilson was a big snob………………."
……………………and still is!
I would agree with your assessment of "Aussie Jim" as a person to meet, he is quite prepared to have a chat on course, but the accuracy of his commentaries seems to have diminished quite rapidly over the last couple of years.
Colin
Sir Peter O’Sullevan thinks Jim McGrath is the best racing commentator. I think so too.
<adopts menacing Joe Pesci voice>
What, I amuse you? Am I a clown? Am I here to amuse you?
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
Sir Peter O’Sullevan thinks Jim McGrath is the best racing commentator.
Where is this information to be found? find it hard to believe.
Jim is a truly awful commentator, got to laugh when I see him stood next to that very old pair of binoculars, it’s quite clear from his commentaries he follows every blade of grass on the monitor "ably assisted" by his expert spotter John Hanmer on the BBC. Notice anytime there is a faller out of shot on the Beeb.When Jim McGrath first came over to the UK he was a breath of fresh air and that is something that is still acknowledged by most of his fellow callers.
He remained an excellent commentator until Sir Peter retired and he became the number one and a BBC staffer. Once in that role the BBC clipped his wings and it took the edge off his commentaries, couple this with the decimation of BBC televisions racing coverage, then the poor chap did not stand a chance. It is no coincidence that the best commentators are the ones who get the most gigs and therefore the most practice.
Of course the other problem was that whoever followed Sir Peter was on a hiding to nothing – he really was an impossible hard act to follow.
It is a shame Jim did not turn round and tell the BBC to get stuffed and that he was going to continue commentating his way and if they didn’t like it they could get someone else for the gig.
At least on the radio John Hunt has retained his Racetec work, otherwise he is another one who would be going rapidly downhill, especially with the absolutely stupid "chatty" commentary style they have adopted, where it has become a Hunt / Lysaght or Hunt / Harvey double act.
Just to clarify; JA McGrath is back on the Racetech roster and has been since the autumn of 2006, though with only a small ration of engagements which may or may not be sufficient to keep him in adequate match practice.
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.
I think, Jeremy, the damage has been done as far as Mr McGrath is concerned and being back on the rosta is not going to get the old buzz back.
With the current high standard of course commentary and most of the big meetings going to the senior callers anyway, I don’t see why both C4 and BBC TV don’t just take the Racetech feed every time. C4 are doing it more and more and even the Beeb have been doing it when they have double headers and Barty has been at Chepstow.
That’s far from the worst idea ever, Paul.
Given its swingeing cuts in all other aspects of racing coverage, it’s almost surprising that Auntie Beeb hasn’t gone further down that route than it already has, rather than keep the Croc in their pay.
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.
Sir Peter O’Sullevan thinks Jim McGrath is the best racing commentator.
Where is this information to be found? find it hard to believe..
You obviously don’t read Marvel comics
Guys you have to excuse me……….. I have lost the plot completely I wasn’t a talking about that Aussie guy I’m talking about the real Jim McGrath who for me was a great advesary for racing……You know the MD of timeform (if he still is)………….where’s he gone?
Sir Peter O’Sullevan thinks Jim McGrath is the best racing commentator.
Where is this information to be found? find it hard to believe.
In your opinion Jim McGrath is a truly awful commentator. I think that distinction should be made. It is all subjective. I assure you, though I do not have the interview to hand that Sir Peter O’Sullevan, when interviewed a couple of years ago on tv, was asked which, if any, racing commentator/s did he rate now that he had retired. He instantly named Jim McGrath, whom he thought was very professional and worthy of filling his shoes. Ok, he was being intervied on the Beeb at the time, but I doubt if that would have influenced his opinion.
Just for the record. I have never read a Marvel comic to date, and do not intend to – however, I was aware that Desert Orchid did indeed give lumps of weight away to many a rival during his illustrious career, and
won. Chin chin.Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
Himself, had you been a connos…connuise…connieu…collector of Marvel Comics you may have spotted that the phrase "…and on that bombshell!" was first used by Stan Lee in an issue of Spiderman as an attempt to whet the appetite for the following month’s exciting instalment of the web-slinger’s self-titled comic.
The earnest ubernarrator in the Batman TV series was also prone to using the explosive phrase well before Steve Coogan ever did so.
I’m quite partial to Jim McGrath. How come the US is full of Aussie callers? Why didn’t UK microphonists ever make any inroads over there?
Himself, had you been a connos…connuise…connieu…collector of Marvel Comics you may have spotted that the phrase "…and on that bombshell!" was first used by Stan Lee in an issue of Spiderman as an attempt to whet the appetite for the following month’s exciting instalment of the web-slinger’s self-titled comic.
The earnest ubernarrator in the Batman TV series was also prone to using the explosive phrase well before Steve Coogan ever did so.
Sorry, I’m only familiar with The Beano, The Dandy, The Broons and Oor Wuliie, oh and SHOOT! magazine. I thought that much was obvious.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
Would I have ago at you me old mate…never look again I was having a go at that old flat horse Yeats
Of course I knew all along that Dessie gave away lumps of weight.
To be honest H for some reason only known to myself I was never a "Dessie" Fan and the same applied to Red Rum….as much as they achieved they were never my type of horse although Dessie over hurdles was awesome. When he ate Corporal Clinger alive at Ascot it was an awesome sight to behold. Fastest jumping in a hurdle race I ever saw.
Dessie over the longer trips took something away for me…….watching him struggle up the Cheltenham hill in the Gold Cup saddened me if anything. I never bet him again after Ascot until the King George but I never really followed him at all.
Would I have ago at you me old mate…never look again I was having a go at that old flat horse Yeats
Of course I knew all along that Dessie gave away lumps of weight.
To be honest H for some reason only known to myself I was never a "Dessie" Fan and the same applied to Red Rum….as much as they achieved they were never my type of horse although Dessie over hurdles was awesome. When he ate Corporal Clinger alive at Ascot it was an awesome sight to behold. Fastest jumping in a hurdle race I ever saw.
Dessie over the longer trips took something away for me…….watching him struggle up the Cheltenham hill in the Gold Cup saddened me if anything. I never bet him again after Ascot until the King George but I never really followed him at all.
My sincerest apologoes sir.
To be honest; I have something of a confession to make too. Desert Orchid was never my cup of tea (Red Rum neither) – at the time, that is. Maybe I had something against greys, though it had probably more to do with what I saw at the time as being Dessie overkill. David Elsworth said himself that had he not trained him, he too would have been bored with it all. I also backed the ill fated Ten Plus in the ‘ 89 Gold Cup, who was travelling all over the winner until his crashing fall. I also backed Crisp in that never to be forgotten ’73 National. Like Dick Pitman, I’m still hurting. It is hardly ever mentioned that Crisp thrashed Red Rum in a rematch the following season.
But… now that i’m older, if no wiser, I look back with an objective eye on the career of Desert Orchid and Red Rum (though not a prolific winner), and realise that they were indeed special horses in their own right – though not in the class of … <whispers it softly> you – know – who.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
Naturally!! - You must be logged in to reply to this topic.