We suggested that perhaps Darrell Waltrip might sum-up his feelings in his weekly column over at foxsports.com, and that is exactly what he has done.
Among other things, Waltrip states "the thing that was so sad for me on Sunday was that as a broadcaster, I don't get to call any more races this year. I will still go to some races, text back and forth with the drivers, see them at events like Wednesday's deal in Eldora for Tony Stewart, but I won't be up in the booth."
"I've had a great year, said Waltrip. "It's been the most fun I have ever had. I think about David Cook after he won American Idol. He sang "I Have Had the Time of My Life". I think it reflects how I have felt about this season. I said it was going to be compelling. I said it was going to be interesting and it has not disappointed. It's not over with yet and I still don't think it will be disappointing."
"Maybe the best is yet to come and maybe that's what is so sad to me for not being able to be there. But like I said, I will still be at the track occasionally but I will always be watching."
You can read the full column by following this link. Comments on Waltrip and the Fox portion of the season can be continued on this post. Please review this column about Fox that evoked a lot of emotion and opinions.
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27 comments:
Im one of the few who likes DW and im sad to see FOX go so quickly. Ive been watching practically every race since 2001. I have always enjoyed the FOX portion of the season. I cannot wait until they return in 2009.
Anon 12:50PM,
As I have mentioned several times over the course of this season, it was Fox and DW who got this sport back on the right track many years ago when it was floundering.
They came out with a new brand of personality-driven coverage and sold Larry Mac, Old DW and Hollywood Hammond as their NASCAR trio. It worked like a charm.
Now, some eight years later, the network finds itself trying to use the same horses without admitting that they might need some new faces in some places.
Things in TV always change, it should be interesting to see if Fox decides to freshen-up their on-air announcers and their on-air look for next season.
Certainly, the new live ticker went a long way toward that. Mabye some changes behind the scenes might point the ship in a new direction as well.
JD
I know this TV package is going to be around for 6 more years or something like that, but I too would like to see FOX expand their coverage footprint in the next contract. It would be nice for them to extend their coverage up to football season. I enjoy the coverage and would concur that sometimes you have to tweak some things in order to keep the quality where it should be. I guess I would start with Chris Meyers. I like him and appreciate his versatility, but I think improvement can be made at the host position. Obviously there should be a look at all of the on-air talent as well as the production team. Sometimes change hurts in the short term, but it is best for the long term. I only ask that Fox is honest with themselves in this area.
I look forward to not hearing DW until next year. I've had to endure his mouth since he started in Winston Cup and I think I have suffered enough. I like objective announcers and that is something you never get with DW.
I think DW's column is spot-on! I appreciate what the FOX broadcasting group has done in their 2008 segment and I'd rate them an A- overall.
I'll be at Eldora all day tomorrow(if it doesn't rain like it is doing today...) in the infield, shooting the bull with some drivers I know and I hope to have some conversations with some of the FOX talent, especially DW.
PS: at the CC600, up in the Club there was a small table with highly discounted Digger items. Don't tell anyone but I got Sophia a Digger coffee cup...
tom,
I think you can take that off your taxes as an act of charity.
JD
I will miss the Fox crew and DW especially. They do a nice job, and I like Darrell's commentary and attitude.
Tom in Dayton,
LMAO!! I am sitting here on wireless, making out a grocery list from Kroger, storm sirens going off and read your thing about the Digger coffee cup!! That made me smile.
Believe it or not for many years when friends or family traveled, they would bring me coffee mugs from where ever and I love them.
Actually I must confess, I feel bipolar about DW..I do enjoy he and Mikey ...but sometimes too much is too much...yakking and plugging.
Still, if the Fox folks could ever figure out less whistles toys and a BETTER SHOWING of the end of the race consistently, the boys in the booth can be fun.
Yes, I know KB is hot this year and read DW's column...he has a point and was honest enough to defend his position. Made no excuses.
As somebody wisely reminded us last fall when I did MORE THAN MY SHARE of whining about the dreadful ESPN coverage and wished for Fox, I was told I would regret that.
They were right.
Ok...getting very dark ere and my cat Oscar just went under the coach...storm is coming in.
Oh, I mis read DW's column at first and thought he was RETIRING when he said passing the baton. I must say I would miss him entirely...just hope he can cut back on the DW store stuff next year.
But overall on Fox, it's too bad the camera work does not match the enthusiasm of the camera director.
OMG raining so hard, I can barely see across the street.
Later
P.S. Just South of you Tom in Dayton
P.S. Typos
My cat was going under the "couch" not the coach...I do not live on a Stage coach.
I meant I wish the camera guys on FOX could match the enthusiasm of the booth guys...how they talk about a wreck in one place from the booth while we at home are looking at a different part of the track. I HAVE ALWAYS FELT Fox guys watch the race more than ESPN's Punch and gang...so what are ya gonna do.
Work on my gratitude for the races and see if the FM station near me got their signal back up to par so I can get MRN on Cup races.
I thinks Fox does the best job of the three networks partners. I don't expect CNN or Dateline reporting when I watch a race. I like DW's passion for the sport.
I think his sadness for leaving the booth for the year is due to the fact that he knows we will have to listen to Weber for the next six races. :-)
I starting paying attention to Nascar because of DW and Fox, lost track of it when the station changed and became a fanatic (according to my son) the next season when it was back on Fox. Granted they have had some problems but for me DW was not one of them (the only thing that bothered me was the constant DWstore, but it was ok when one of the other guys teased him about it). I will miss him and BBB before each race.
JD I am not sure I would be open to any announcer changes except maybe with the Hollywood Hotel, Krista would be great. My issues were more with camera angles and the checkers issue more than anything else.
I enjoy DW- he represents the history of the sport. I think he brings life to the show and brings out the personality of the drivers. I feel he is genuine with his comments.
newracefan said
"JD I am not sure I would be open to any announcer changes except maybe with the Hollywood Hotel, Krista would be great. My issues were more with camera angles and the checkers issue more than anything else."
June 3, 2008 6:13 PM
~~~
I just wanted to second this..if it were not for the camera angles and checkers issues, I would have far less gripes on DW (even though I thought he was a bit much and I do enjoy his passion and humor)
But negativity does breed negativity and the frustration of camera issues was too much at times! who can forget the one race...nuttin' but in car cams/bumper cams/Digger cams/video over green flag racing/cutaways over green flag/ no end of race cams...sheesh.
But i would miss the THREE voices currently calling the race...over the top love fest with Kyle and Digger and all. :-)
I think these guys care about the fans and I for one know they have no control over those camera gripes we have.
I'm gonna miss FOX again this year. I still think they do the best job of the 3 networks. Like geez said, the FOX guys passion of the sport set them apart from the rest. Mike Joy and Larry Mac being the best in the biz helps too. I will mute my tv when TNT comes on my screen this weekend. I will give ESPN/ABC a shot, but Jerry Punch still sounds like he's watching golf the whole race. I still don't understand why Allen Bestwick is not in the booth for ESPN. The Doc could be the lead reporter on pit road or in the studio. FOX gets a B+ grade from me. Digger was annoying but other than that they made the races exciting.
You bet he's sad. He gets to attend every race, have the best seat, get put up by Fox in the infield every weekend where he can walk around like a celebrity - and he gets paid. What a great life. Now, he has to go home and watch on TV unless Martinsville calls and asks him to wave the green flag or some other track wants him for a pre-race appearance. And even then he won't have full access and all the perks he has now. You bet he's sad. Four-and-a-half months living on the hog at the place you love most would be pretty hard to give up.
I agree with Ken@2:50pm. I've also been listening to DW since he started as a driver in Nascar. There's a reason Cale started calling him Jaws and it wasn't a complement. After wearing out my Mute button on him this season, I finally had to resort to leaving the volume turned off on my TV and listening to the races on MRN/PRN. I've had all I can take of both Waltrips. Sorry........
PS - Tom from Dayton. Make sure you put some decaf in Sophia's coffee mug. Thanks! ;-)
Vince
I saw that.
;-0
@anon 12:50--I like DW too! I wasn't watching in his day so it's nice to hear his stories :).
@ tom in dayton--enjoy Eldora! Rain or shine :)
I think that DW does the best job!! He always is laughing and upbeat about his beloved racing. It is really fun to hear his comments! He deserves to have the time off after all the years of intertainment he has provided us. Now he can go have a life! I don't want to think about TNT and their upcoming coverage. I hope it will be better than last year! Enjoy your time off DW and we will look for you in February!
Has anyone thought that the reason DW was so emotional is that he isn't going to be back next year? A friend of mine was at a FOX affiliates meeting not too long ago and he told me that there were some very strong rumors that DW won't be back. Maybe that is why he is hawking the Digger gear so much. He needs the money for retirement.
I thought maybe DW was hinting he was done at Fox with the teary eyes and long goodbyes, but he said he would be back in February and he couldn't wait for February almost as many times, so I think he's staying put.
Tom in dayton said...
I'll be at Eldora all day tomorrow(if it doesn't rain like it is doing today...)
Lucky You. Saw on weather.com, there's a tornado watch for Wednesday at Eldora, with the worst of the storms in the a.m., scattered showers in the p.m. Think it'll lighten up by 7:00? These guys do race in the rain, right? Certainly hope it isn't a bust. I'm looking forward to watching it. Thanks for any updates you could share if JD doesn't mind.
Sophia,
Same question to you as to Tom in Dayton. What's the outlook for the weather Wednesday p.m.?
Thanks,
Karen
James, I thought the same thing. Perhaps the "be back in February" was simply wishful thinking.
Karen
After a HORRIBLE evening of weather Tuesday night (weather men went ballastic for HOURS in primetime, and cable even broke into CABLE STATIONS for tornado warnings with crawls and national radar radio...haven't seen THAT ever happen) they are saying more bad weather for today but I have not seen the map.
I do think Eldora is about 90 minutes north of me and might be closer to Tom in Dayton. It is SO MUGGY here which is disturbing. For now storms should strike in SW Ohio are to hit about 1.30 PM.
The ironic thing is it is the first Wed of the month and the practice weather sirens have just gone off.
Back to DW
Somebody said he might not be coming back...well I wonder that too.
Anybody remember the last episode of INC where Dave Despain and gang said we'd see you in February? and we know what happened to that show. :(
Hi all!
I was to leave for the track at 11am but we had a heavy thunderstorm here in Dayton/Oakwood. It's clearing to the north. I called the track reaching a certain Sprint Cup driver already on scene who told me to get here ASAP, as they're drying the track and have their fingers crossed for dry conditions the rest of the day.
PS: the zip code for the track is 45358.
I enjoy Mike Joy, DW, and the whole FOX crew. At this point I believe they are clearly the top crew - and they all come across as genuine. As a fan, I presume DW is probably sad because TNT is bringing Bill Weber back whose sad track record is well known. For the past several years, FOX builds the excitement and ratings up & then Weber brings them down.
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