Commentators, where are they all?

**jellywrestler** · 16th December 2015, 22:26

it's no secret I do some commentating, road racing only, never really been asked to do anything else but i'm getting concerned that there's simply not enough of them.
Ray Whitham has been doing it for forty something years, he's no longer able to due to illness which leaves maybe a couple in auckland? and maybe one/two in the South Island? and of course Neil Ritchie.
why isn't there anyone stepping up to the game?

**Akzle** · 17th December 2015, 05:24

personally. I have eyes and ears so am able to observe what goes on around me and i dont need anyone to explain it to me...

**Grumph** · 17th December 2015, 05:40

In an era when we have training courses for every other job involved running a meeting, that one is notably thin of applicants...
Maybe you should look at taking a couple of apprentices Spyda as left to themselves the shortage won't get fixed.

Aside from Blunder, who always prepares well and has all the details at his fingertips, the few we've had recently in the SI really weren't that good.
I asked one a couple of years back how much it would cost to "win" a race at one meeting. He looked puzzled so i explained that he'd awarded the win in one race to a rider who besides not riding in that race, wasn't even present at the meeting....

**Shaun Harris** · 17th December 2015, 06:54

Fuk that- woops, that counts me out

**malcy25** · 17th December 2015, 07:37

Pav's been doing a great job up here at the club series and is it Neil Ritchie's that has been doing some of the national stuff? But yeah, not that many.

Def having an affinity and knowledge of the riding and riders makes life easier. As a listener I tune out if it's obvious they don't know what they are talking about.

**jellywrestler** · 17th December 2015, 08:10

Originally Posted by Akzle

personally. I have eyes and ears so am able to observe what goes on around me and i dont need anyone to explain it to me...

so how do you know lap times, points, sponsors etc?

**jellywrestler** · 17th December 2015, 08:11

Originally Posted by malcy25

Def having an affinity and knowledge of the riding and riders makes life easier. As a listener I tune out if it's obvious they don't know what they are talking about.

so i'd put you in the first sentence category, what stops you doing it?

**Shaun Harris** · 17th December 2015, 08:25

STOP PRESS RIP Ray Whitham

http://www.bikesportnz.com/2015/12/r...ham-passes-on/

**scrivy** · 17th December 2015, 08:30

Originally Posted by Shaun Harris

STOP PRESS RIP Ray Whitham

http://www.bikesportnz.com/2015/12/r...ham-passes-on/

Fark!

RIP Ray - you good bastard.

**Akzle** · 17th December 2015, 09:11

Originally Posted by jellywrestler

so how do you know lap times, points, sponsors etc?

none of those things are important to me, i watch for the joy of it. Spose it's different if you're counting or it matters

**swarfie** · 17th December 2015, 09:15

Originally Posted by scrivy

RIP Ray - you good bastard.

+1

**Autech** · 17th December 2015, 09:29

RIP to that Ray chap.

The guy CAMS used at Southern Classic festival this spent the whole time talking about what was going on in the Suzuki series while the boys were out dicing. Not sure I could do any better but you can't help but think that with better commentary more of the general public might come to watch our racing.

**roogazza** · 17th December 2015, 10:23

Bugger, first met Ray early seventies as young cop and with the bike racing.

Again,on returning to NZ in '97' working as a PI in Wgton. Always thought he was good at Commentary. RIP bud.

**ellipsis** · 17th December 2015, 11:06

Originally Posted by Autech

The guy CAMS used at Southern Classic festival this spent the whole time talking about what was going on in the Suzuki series while the boys were out dicing. Not sure I could do any better but you can't help but think that with better commentary more of the general public might come to watch our racing.

...but I bet he never even contemplated saying SHIT...