Mike Dunn & Paul Page

[Hutch]

Can Mike Dunn & Paul Page please dress a little more casually, to be standing in the studio wearing shirts, ties and jackets, you think they were about to read the news.

Come on ESPN, sit these guys down let them wear trousers and open neck shirts. Also get rid of those heavy looking headsets, can't they wear those lighter headsets with smaller microphones.

 

[Under_Pressure]

I like it. Nothing wrong with looking professional.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

I hear ya', Chris, but I tend to lean with John on this one. Drag Racing is an "edgey" sport and I never thought suits and ties really fit in that well. It still drives me nuts to this day to watch the likes of Ted Jones and Bret Kepner in that stuffy attire. To me, it just don't fit.

You're right, though. There's nothing wrong with looking professional. However, it's more important to me that they sound professional.

Just my .02.

SD

 

[Professor Dave]

I like it. Nothing wrong with looking professional.

Especially when you are trying to appeal to corporate America. And along those lines, I wish that the ESPN crew could get Mike Dunn to stop using them when the correct term is those. Mike Dunn is much too intelligent to be making simple grammatical errors on the air. And those grammatical errors are the results of ignorance, not stupidity (see previous sentence about Mike's intelligence-the depths of his analytical insights reflect the level of his intelligence).

 

[mick]

have to agree - proper grammar and professional appearance
are definitely two key ingredients whatever your profession.
actually i'm really glad the nhra reporters, whether in booth,
pits, or end of track dress the way they do - it all works for me.
what does not work for me are the 'racing uniform' attire the
pit reporters for nascar wear; silly looking i think.

 

[jimbo]

Talking about dressing down - I wonder if NHRA starter will have to wear a tux at Norwalk this Year? Never did understand why the Baders dressed in Tuxes for their big events. That aside they always did put on a quality show an immaculate race place.

 

[Professor Dave]

Never did understand why the Baders dressed in Tuxes for their big events. That aside they always did put on a quality show an immaculate race place.

I'm really looking forward to going there this year. Last year I met some Canadians coming back from the first rainout at Maple Grove-they said they were done going there because of all the rainouts-I told them about the race at Norwalk and they said they'd probably go.

 

[willy]

Slow news day over there, John??

I guess I never really paid much attention to the way they dress.

Hey..might as well get on Page for his wardrobe..he takes a beating for everything else.

 

[afx421]

mike dunn should wear one of those t-shirts that say- " im with stupid" and the arrow pointing at paul page

 

[Cymon Sez]

mike dunn should wear one of those t-shirts that say- " im with stupid" and the arrow pointing at paul page

POST OF THE DAY

 

[John Spencer]

mike dunn should wear one of those t-shirts that say- " im with stupid" and the arrow pointing at paul page

I agree Jeff, Paul Page is like one of those reporters highlighting a story where they try to brush up on the subject's complete history of existence just for 15 minutes prior to show.
He should be Mike Dunn's sidekick rather than other way around.

 

[Larry]

Only thing worse is Drivers , crew chiefs and owners wearing suits.
Usually only see that at the awards.
I watched the famous track interview with Force at Daytona and he was the most low keyed there in Castorol colors.
Personally I like to see sponsor stuff any time any where and in abundance.
ESPN isn't any different. Someone channel surfing needs something to catch the eye and hold them.
Surfing and seeing two guys in suits in a booth and wallah you lost a male customer.
Now red and green with racing stripes and a huge ESPN logo and a equal NHRA emblem visible then even my tired eyes would know what it was.
I remember at the IHRA interviews when Johnny Rocca was doing them he or Bader made sure something big belonging to the sponsor was promanate in the shot.
I wonder where Johnny is anyway , I liked his passion for the sport.
Johnny [ IRONHORSE ] Rocca , rough exterior but one hells of a competitor and could talk more than Force [ which is saying something ].

I saw Force on Dennis Millers TV show one time and I guess he had been warned to just answer Dennis questions with short answers because of time restraints so right off the bat John said " I've been back there drinking coffee for an hour so don't get me started " .
I almost fell out of the chair laughing but after a pause Dennis asked his questions and John pinched it off barely.
Little did they know they should have ran clips of launches and asked John what was going on and what does it feel like sitting in a shaking 8,000 HP beast itching to be let loose.
They would have had something priceless to the motor sports crowd and something to strike the curiosity of many more.
We do have many drivers who are eloquent in verbiage though not always printable. LOL
Course I'm rather Bias in my assessment.

 

[Art]

I've come to the conclusion that no one at ESPN or the sports division of any other network gives feedback to "color commentators" or "analysts" of any sport regarding grammar or pronunciation. Correct me if I'm wrong.

I like to think it should be someone's job to provide such feedback to commentators... but it's a pretty personal thing to correct someone's grammar when the job description is presumably based mainly on professional sports background and knowledge. Thus, after the networks interview and hire someone, they leave it alone, right?

It's almost as if the networks tacitly assume the average viewer can relate, and that "incorrect" grammar somehow enhances the credibility of the ex-pros who generally fill those slots. Hello NASCAR. I'd go so far as to infer that sponsors have a similar stance. Some of these folks probably can't be remediated anyway. I could list many off the top of my head who I cannot listen to, including some studio analysts at ESPN. This problem is bleeding over to the so-called anchors, too - positions that used to be populated only by those to whom higher standards applied.

Now to the subject at hand, I positively love Mike Dunn's contribution to NHRA telecasts. I do wince at the them/those thing but my cynical thought is that sponsors are not turned off by it because the analyst has carte blanche. I have such appreciation for what he brings to NHRA. He provides such great insight into the nuances of drag racing. For the novice and seasoned racer alike, he explains things clearly and succinctly, but at the same time does not pander to the lowest common denominator. No fluff. I'd bet most here agree with the last few sentences, if not with the preceding rambling.

Art

 

[Professor Dave]

Now to the subject at hand, I positively love Mike Dunn's contribution to NHRA telecasts. I do wince at the them/those thing but my cynical thought is that sponsors are not turned off by it because the analyst has carte blanche. I have such appreciation for what he brings to NHRA. He provides such great insight into the nuances of drag racing. For the novice and seasoned racer alike, he explains things clearly and succinctly, but at the same time does not pander to the lowest common denominator. No fluff. I'd bet most here agree with the last few sentences, if not with the preceding rambling.

Art

I agree 100 percent-Mike really is great-I'd go so far as to call him the Peter Gammons of drag racing (baseball reference there). BTW, Dave Reiff is doing a great job announcing with Bob Frey providing color on the sportsmens shows-no surprise there.

 

[Baron]

I'm with Dave on this one.
I cringe every time I hear:
"Them" when it should be "those."
"Where are they at?" When it should be "Where are they?"
"Ran" when it should be "run." (See: if you've already ran. It's either: If you've already run or If you already ran.)

And, while we're on the subject . . .
There is no "e" in Camaro nor is there an "e" in sponsor. An excess is "too much" not "to much." Et cetera is Latin for "and things" or "and other things."
It is abbreviated etc. not ect. I see these mistakes in advertising frequently.
Et cetera.

There is a place for slang and lingo. Poor grammar doesn't reflect the sophistication of the sport.

(Boy, howdy, am I going to pay for this post!)
Cheers,
Ed

 

[Professor Dave]

(Boy, howdy, am I going to pay for this post!)

No beef from me. And BTW, Mike Dunn speaks the King's English when compared to some others I've heard in other types of motorsports. And finally, since Ed brought up Latin, it's data are, not data is. When I see those so-called smart people (ok most of them are smart) on CNBC say that, I want to reach into my TV set and smack them upside the head.

 

[Hutch]

Slow news day over there, John??

I guess I never really paid much attention to the way they dress.

Hey..might as well get on Page for his wardrobe..he takes a beating for everything else.

The TV soccer commentators in the UK look very professional wearing trousers and open-neck shirts, and they always sound professional.