Criterium Announcers giving too much information?

In article <[email hidden]>, ronde chumpion

Quoted message said:

Hey,

Just a question about the policy of an announcer telling the field too much information, such as
who is in a break, and updating the time splits. Does this practice lead to negative, chase
everything down, type tactics? In road races, splits are given my the motorbike on chalkboards.
For criteriums, it seems like everyone only chases when they are reminded to. Are announcers
affecting the outcome of races with their style of calling the event?

As an announcer I give time splits to both the pack and the breakaway in Crits. If you are going to
give a time split to one group I think you need to be fair and give the slits to all the groups.
I've never announced who is in the break to the pack unless I happen to be talking about someone in
the break while the pack is within hearing distance.

Hey,

Quoted message said:

Just a question about the policy of an announcer telling the field too much information, such as
who is in a break, and updating the time splits. Does this practice lead to negative, chase
everything down, type tactics? In road races, splits are given my the motorbike on chalkboards.
For criteriums, it seems like everyone only chases when they are reminded to. Are announcers
affecting the outcome of races with their style of calling the event?

Thanks, Ronde Chumpion

Carney is no chump. Funny reading what some guys wrote after Sommerville.

My personal rant about announcers at races:

Relax! Not EVERYTHING is that exciting. There are a few announcers here in SD/SoCal that are
always super-excited about everything. Since this is typed, I can't even give you an example.
Sufficed to say that the constant state of "excitement" leads to a loud monotone that I have
learned to tune out.

Its like they're being paid by the word, so they have to get as many out as they can...

When things are popping, THEN it is time to get excited. If the pack's JRA, relax till something
happens that is noteworthy.

That's my rant. Flame away!

Mike

Casey Kerrigan said:

As an announcer ...I think you need to be fair and give the slits to all the groups.

i bet you're a popular popular announcer with that philosophy.

(don't know what's wrong with me today, but i'm worse than normal that's for sure)

heather

"Mike S." <mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet> wrote in message news:aJrBa.62982$eJ2.12883@fed1read07...

Quoted message said:

Hey,

Quoted message said:

Just a question about the policy of an announcer telling the field too much information, such
as who is in a break, and updating the time splits. Does this practice lead to negative, chase
everything down, type tactics? In road races, splits are given my the motorbike on chalkboards.
For criteriums, it seems like everyone only chases when they are reminded to. Are announcers
affecting the outcome of races with their style of calling the event?

Thanks, Ronde Chumpion

Carney is no chump. Funny reading what some guys wrote after Sommerville.

My personal rant about announcers at races:

Relax! Not EVERYTHING is that exciting. There are a few announcers here

in

Quoted message said:

SD/SoCal that are always super-excited about everything. Since this is typed, I can't even give
you an example. Sufficed to say that the

constant

Quoted message said:

state of "excitement" leads to a loud monotone that I have learned to tune out.

Its like they're being paid by the word, so they have to get as many out

as

Quoted message said:

they can...

When things are popping, THEN it is time to get excited. If the pack's

JRA,

Quoted message said:

relax till something happens that is noteworthy.

That's my rant. Flame away!

They should let me and Double Sausage Quesnell announce more races. When nothing's happening, we
just start ripping on everyone, enough to make some of the rider's girlfriends mad.

"Mike S." <mikeshaw2@coxDOTnet> wrote in message news:<aJrBa.62982$eJ2.12883@fed1read07>...

Quoted message said:

My personal rant about announcers at races:

Relax! Not EVERYTHING is that exciting. There are a few announcers here in SD/SoCal that are
always super-excited about everything. Since this is typed, I can't even give you an example.
Sufficed to say that the constant state of "excitement" leads to a loud monotone that I have
learned to tune out.

That's the [censored] Fries style. Yelling at the top of your lungs, and usually the same thing over and
over, and some people think he's good. Does Phil Ligett do this ? no.

-Amit

"Amit" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

That's the [censored] Fries style. Yelling at the top of your lungs, and usually the same thing over
and over

My dream in racing is to get good enough that Fries will scream "JT's in the house!!! JT's in the
house!!! JT's in the house!!!"

JT

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Visit jt10000.comjt10000.comOpen ↗
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Casey,

It sounds like you are doing your job well, being an announcer the way it should be done, report
the news, inform the crowd, without playing favorites to the racers.

My rant is from happenings with an announcer that knew how to use ad hoc premes to speed up /
slow down groups in a race - namely my rant is preme lap numbers should be listed as part of the
prize list and not left to the whim of a whanna be's interests.

John Bickmore www.BicycleCam.com www.Feed-Zone.com

"Casey Kerrigan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, ronde chumpion

Quoted message said:

Hey,

Just a question about the policy of an announcer telling the field too much information, such
as who is in a break, and updating the time splits. Does this practice lead to negative, chase
everything down, type tactics? In road races, splits are given my the motorbike on chalkboards.
For criteriums, it seems like everyone only chases when they are reminded to. Are announcers
affecting the outcome of races with their style of calling the event?

As an announcer I give time splits to both the pack and the breakaway in Crits. If you are going
to give a time split to one group I think you need to be fair and give the slits to all the
groups. I've never announced who is in the break to the pack unless I happen to be talking about
someone in the break while the pack is within hearing distance.

In article ZPyBa.1029406$3D1.602132@sccrnsc01 said:

Casey,

It sounds like you are doing your job well, being an announcer the way it should be done,
report the news, inform the crowd, without playing favorites to the racers.

My rant is from happenings with an announcer that knew how to use ad hoc premes to speed up /
slow down groups in a race - namely my rant is preme lap numbers should be listed as part of
the prize list and not left to the whim of a whanna be's interests.

Hey as both an announcer and an official there have been time I have used Primes to help manage the
race. Most of these times have been when there are two separate categories racing on a crit course
at the same time. I've used primes to help affect when one groups would lap/pass the other with the
goal of making sue each group was well separated at teh finish. Also I have ued primes ( generally
lower value merchadise) to help speed up the pack so that it will not get caught be a breakaway on
the last lap of the race.

There are also time when you don't want a prime to happen ( just after a large crash, just before a
group of riders are about to be lapped etc). In general I'm not in favor of pre-announced or
pre-scheduled primes.

Casey

In article <[email hidden]>, Casey Kerrigan

Quoted message said:

In article <ZPyBa.1029406$3D1.602132@sccrnsc01>, xzzy <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Hey as both an announcer and an official there have been time I have used Primes to help manage
the race. Most of these times have been when there are two separate categories racing on a crit
course at the same time. I've used primes to help affect when one groups would lap/pass the other
with the goal of making sue each group was well separated at teh finish. Also I have ued primes (
generally lower value merchadise) to help speed up the pack so that it will not get caught be a
breakaway on the last lap of the race.

There are also time when you don't want a prime to happen ( just after a large crash, just before
a group of riders are about to be lapped etc). In general I'm not in favor of pre-announced or
pre-scheduled primes.

I agree with Casey, and as someone who did alot of races in New England with [censored] Ring (the best!)
or East Coast with Brian Drebber announcing it's nice to have a knowledgeable announcer who can have
a positive affect on the race with judicious use of premes. Nothing like going off the front for a
few laps hoping for a preme only to hear "Ding Ding Ring" ringing the bell for $50. As he would say,
"He's out there looking for a little bit of gas money!" One of my favorite races each year was his
Lowell Criterium on Memorial Day. Only event of the day was a 1,2,3 criterium and he could get
5,000+ spectators in a frenzy and the racers got paid well.

-WG

In article <[email hidden]>, John Forrest Tomlinson

Quoted message said:

"Amit" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

That's the [censored] Fries style. Yelling at the top of your lungs, and usually the same thing over
and over

My dream in racing is to get good enough that Fries will scream "JT's in the house!!! JT's in the
house!!! JT's in the house!!!"

But don't you already hear that every night at home?

-WG

"John Forrest Tomlinson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

"Amit" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

That's the [censored] Fries style. Yelling at the top of your lungs, and usually the same thing over
and over

My dream in racing is to get good enough that Fries will scream "JT's in the house!!! JT's in the
house!!! JT's in the house!!!"

JT

Beware of what you wish for!!!! Show up to New Britain (CT) on 6/22 and you just might get it (I'll
only say it once at a time though; got to save the vocal chords for those all day crits).

Alan

Passing the hat for premes is a great thing!

It should be done fairly though and sometimes isn't. --Like trying to rev up the field to catch a
break: ouch! If they do that, they should give even MORE incentive for the break to stay away. Get
everyone in an equal frenzy.

It's a betting man's sport. It's horse'n'pony show. You're out there to suffer and entertain those
folks. They can toy with you as they please. It can be a great show. The best riders play up the
show. They'll come around and gesture, "C'mon, you can do better!" or "Let's see some cash on that!"

Audience, riders, announcer, music...cash...it all works great together in a great race. Generally
the announcer has to lead and know what's what and has to have riders he knows how to work with. The
audience has to be somewhat savvy, drunk, revved-up, too. Good fun!

I remember great mobs and great times in Boulder during Coors Classic "Cash-Register" Phinney days.
Also in Detroit. I've heard that Athens is really something and that one north-Chicago-area race.
Party racing is where it's at!

I remember changing my morale in races based on the music being played. I did just dandy once after
hearing a nice loud "All I Need is a Miracle," by Mike and the Mechanics...weaving around the
ambulance in downtown Detroit....

--

Jeff Potter
****
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