© Bruce Allen June 4, 2018
If you have some real miles on your odometer, this will make more sense.
Not Dylan Gray. Not Nick Harris.
I get it that Simon Crafar was kind of a big deal in motorcycle racing some years ago, and is a SME regarding motorcycle racing in general. He is nervous, and doesn’t possess a great reservoir of questions when he’s conducting an interview. Despite his wealth of knowledge, he consistently asks riders these squishy “how does it feel” questions that many are reluctant, unprepared or unable (in a second language) to answer.
On Sunday, Simon conducted possibly the worst interview EVER of Valentino Rossi, a task which is usually a lay-down, as Rossi is usually happy to have a mic stuck in his face. It took place in the midst of a riveting Moto3 race in which Rossi had some pronounced interest in several of the riders up front. Simon gets in his grill, delivers his “I’m here with nine-time world champion…” opener, and asks, “Who do you think will win?” Rossi, confused, thinking he’s still the MotoGP guy, stammers about how Jorge is strong and Iannone… when Simon interrupts, saying “No, the Moto3 race!” Rossi: “No idea.” Simon, equipped this time with a follow-up, asks, “How’s it feel to win pole here at Mugello?” “Rossi: “Is good.” Simon: “Back to you, guys.”
As I was getting over this mess, it occurred to me that Matt and your boy Steve need to bring Simon up to speed, as it were, on a few of the finer points of MotoGP announcing:
- They switched from 125s to 250s in Moto3 in 2012. They no longer run 125s.
- The word is “best,” not “bist.”
- He needs to focus on more technical questions, which will require that he employ the open probe “when,” as in, “When did you know you could win the race?” or, “When did you feel your front tire starting to melt?”
- The season is a third over. Time to move on from “How does it feel?”
As for Steve Day, I saw him on camera for the first time and could not shake the image of Flounder, from Animal House, from my head. Here I expected a buff, English kind of jock who happened to have a high voice. Instead, it’s Stephen Furst in his mid-30’s, appears to possibly never have been on a motorcycle, and who gets his panties in a twist at the slightest provocation. OK, it’s fine to try to inject some excitement, but, for the most part, the action is exciting on its own. He needs to speak more calmly, as if he’s been there before, and in a lower register. They appear to be under orders to sound as utterly British as possible–rough treatment in a turn is “naughty.” Both Matt and Steve are excellent at identifying riders during the heat of battle. But, whatever MotoGP does, it should keep Steve Day off TV. Better to put on Otis Day and the Nights.
Not Dylan Gray. Not Nick Harris.
Tags: Dylan Gray, motogp, Nick Harris, Simon Crafar, Steve Day
Late-Braking MotoGP 
June 4, 2018 at 9:50 am |
He IS pretty painful to listen to. Could they not have found any one else to do the interviews? Honestly?
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June 5, 2018 at 6:11 am |
Dude needs some serious coaching. I think he’s salvageable, but only if he gets the hang of gaining information from the riders, not simply impressions. Thanks for reading.
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June 5, 2018 at 6:18 am |
No worries, always an interesting read. Yep, guess practice will hopefully make perfect.
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June 5, 2018 at 12:20 pm |
Hey Brucey, you’re admired by a motley band of MOrons.
How does it feel?
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June 5, 2018 at 12:26 pm |
Y’know, Simon, how about we go for a drive, I’ll drop you off in the middle of nowhere…
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April 21, 2022 at 11:28 pm |
If this is your day job I suggest you get another one. I just wasted 5 precious minutes reading this drivel. Writing is not your forte I gather?
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April 24, 2022 at 7:08 am |
So nice to hear from you Steve lol.
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April 25, 2022 at 5:50 pm |
Since you were so kind as to come here and share with us your opinion, please allow me : now you know how it feels.
It usually takes me five minutes in the race to decide to mute the TV… And I must make clear that I like the sound of the machines. Yes, the start can be exciting, yes it’s amazing to see Fabio routinely lean past 60 degrees, no it does not mean you have to scream every time a rider is within 5 tenths of another, yes he will probably attempt a pass at some point.
I might point out that if you took the time to come here, dig the above, and write to complain about it, you have indeed lost valuable time you ought to have used to relax, get a sense of humour and did I mention to relax?
Me, I’ve got too much time on my hands… Seriously, I mean I watch Motogp.
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April 26, 2022 at 1:42 am |
To be fair, this year, and past motogp commentators have always been over enthusiastic, might be annoying, but I guess it’s a bit of a marker of the show. Trying to fill the gaps, I suppose?
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April 25, 2022 at 8:57 am |
When I streamed the race through the MotoGP app on Apple TV, the announcers sound wasn’t working. The background sounds were there of the engines and fans but no announcers the entire race.
My wife was laughing at my Nick Harris impersonation. I realized I really had to pay attention so I wouldn’t miss what was going on. Fabio made that pretty easy.
I actually enjoyed it without all the squealing.
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April 26, 2022 at 4:09 am |
Buzz, we need more readers like you. Rugged individualists willing to stand up for cheap laughs and superficial observations. You are officially a Friend of the Column.
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April 27, 2022 at 4:49 pm |
HAHAHA wtf!? was Steve just googling his name, looking for self-assurance to get off on? Hilarious that he commented on this 4! year old post??
And does he have like a 1st grade reading level?? it took him 5 minutes to read that short post? ahahaha! it probably took him longer than 5 minutes to even find this post from 2018.
Steve, it’s ok to cry.
Maybe if he’d found this constructive criticism post sooner he would still be hosting MotoGP
( •_•)
( •_•)>⌐■-■
(⌐■_■)
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May 2, 2022 at 8:43 am |
I was going to crack on Day but decided I couldn’t do better than this.
Well done Paul.
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May 1, 2022 at 12:13 am |
Flounder. LOLZ
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