...more recent posts
Saturday, Aug 23, 2003
DeBruhlisms
For years British Formula 1 fans (and BTCC fans) had to put up with the inane commentary of Murray Walker. Several collections of "Walkerisms" can be found on the web. Television personality Clive James had this to say about Murray, "In his quieter moments he sounds like his trousers are on fire."
In the US, F1 coverage is provided by Speed Channel, and a team of three announcers. Steve Matchett is a former F1 mechanic who has great knowledge of the cars. David Hobbs is a former F! driver with tremendous insight and who posseses an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of F1. And then there's Rick DeBruhl.
The Rickster sounds like a Steve Correll parody of a bad announcer. While Murray was an excitable chap who tended to blurt nonsense from time to time, Rick is just an idiot.
Today in practice at the Hungarian Gran Prix, Ralph Firman of the Jordon team had a massive hit into a wall due to loss of his rear wing. He spun, bounced across grass, skirted the gravel traps, and hit sidways into a tire barrier at high speed.
During a replay, the announcing team had this to say ...
David: Boy ... just not losing any speed hardly at all. (as car bounces across grass)Okay, so I made up the part in blue.
Steve: No. Wow! (as car hits barrier)
David: Whoa, right into that, whuua! (as tire barrier flies apart)
Rick: And look at the photographers scramble. (as a couple photographers duck)
Steve: Absolutely side-on impact.
Rick: He was just fortunate that he was able to bounce so much before he got there.
David: Rick?! Fortunate that the car bounced?! Gawd! You are such a complete moron!
Steve: Rick, you daft twit. The car hit the barrier at such high speed because it bounced. There's no mechanical grip whatsoever when the car is airborne.
David: In all my decades as driver and commentator I've never come across an announcer with such a tenuous grasp on the obvious. Perhaps you would be more at home on the Alabama mudbuggy circuit.
previous in series of Republican bumper stickers
older posts...