Where's Paul???

[Shaggy]

Do any of you realize this is not Pauls first job with NHRA? He was a commentator back in the very late 80's as well...

 

[vegasnitro]

Where was the booth,since Paul wasnt there they didnt show Mike Dunn in the booth,did some1 pick up and leave and didnt want to share there toys lol

I believe they broadcast from the media center at the circle track at ORP. The first qualifying show showed PP and Mike Dunn standing on the backside of that media center which overlooks the big end of the dragstrip.

 

[DrRocket]

I think the reason some complain is that we (well most of us) have lived through undoubtedly the two best announcers of all time in Dave Mac and Steve Evans. We are spoiled to have had them call races. They truly loved the sport and knew/know the sport inside and out and it showed. As good of a job, for the most part, as the guys doing it now do, I don't envy them one bit having to follow two of the greats.

I highlighted a key part of the post.

Post of the thread IMHO. Steve and Dave are indeed a tough act to follow. Some years ago, Dave did a commercial for the North Star Nats for radio use. I remember hearing it while listening to the radio at work. The on-air guy at the time, a man by the name of Bob Yates, just RAVED over Dave's pipes. He said the tone, inflection, delivery, everything, was incredible.

 

[john]

At ORP, the booth trailer is in the tv compound.... driver's left at the finish line.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

I highlighted a key part of the post.

Post of the thread IMHO. Steve and Dave are indeed a tough act to follow. Some years ago, Steve did a commercial for the North Star Nats for radio use. I remember hearing it while listening to the radio at work. The live guy at the time, a man by the name of Bob Yates, just RAVED over Dave's pipes. He said the tone, inflection, delivery, everything, was incredible.

I second that, David. Steve and D-Mac simply set the bar so high that it's almost out of reach. To say they spoiled us would be a gross understatement.

Sean D

 

[JRW]

was just looking at PP facebook,didnt they say he had to fly home? Says he lives in INDY,weird, hmmmmmmm

 

[Johnny Mopar]

TV audience or not, I really admire those in the tower calling the event action.

They gotta see the race, analyze the numbers, and come up with coherent sentences that not only the tech savvy can understand but the fans in the stand can relate to.

I've seen Alan, Bob Frey and Unk in the tower calling the events and the are going from the monitor to the track to the monitor and make it sound pretty good.

I couldn't do it.

Jenn,

You are so correct. Live Drag Race announcing is very difficult. Keep in mind that it's a non-stop ad lib job. There's no script and no way to plan for what to say. I've been in Radio broadcasting for 26 years and I can tell you first hand that learning how to announce properly at a drag strip was very difficult for me...and I was already a veteran Radio announcer. It was a steep learning curve and I certainly made my share of mistakes. It's very difficult to find an announcer that balances information delivery and entertainment. I've heard NHRA track announcers, member of the famed Track Announcer's Guild, that were nothing more than self-promoting pukers when they got on the PA.

It's rare when you find a good one. We had that in Steve Evans. We still have it in Big-Mac and Bob Frey. That's a very short list...

 

[Shazam]

I agree that Big Mac and Steve Evans are two of the best all-time! I also agree that Bob Frey is in the same mold as those two. That being said, I think Alan Reinhart does a great job announcing. He is very informative and entertaining. I have done it before and it is very tough to do it for 3 or 4 hours.

 

[mike]

I'm going to be blunt.


If any of you think Paul Page is THAT BAD, and that you think you could do better:

APPLY FOR THE JOB AND DO IT BETTER!!!!!!

Better yet, buy out ESPN and fire him!!!!

Jeez, people, there are more important things to complain about than this.

Give it a rest........................................................................

Please..................................................................................

ya know...that is the weakest argument of all time. all day everyday we all make judgments about the quality of things we don't or can't do ourselves...because it's not our job to do doesn't mean we can't tell good from bad or have a PRESONALY OPNION about it!

that argument is akin to saying we can't criticize the president or a congress person because we aren't politicians...or can't complain about the MLB pitcher that can't throw a freakin' strike...

if you like the job Mr Paige does and don't think that there may be a better choice out there, more power to you...I don't agree, but I sure wouldn't begin to presume to tell you not to voice your opinion...