Bob Varsha returns to F1 on Speed! | FerrariChat

Bob Varsha returns to F1 on Speed!

Discussion in 'F1' started by formula1joe, Mar 1, 2004.

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  1. formula1joe

    formula1joe Formula Junior

    Nov 3, 2003
    436
    Atlanta, GA
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    Joe Bennett
    Veteran broadcaster Bob Varsha returns to the SPEED booth after a two-year absence to head up the five-star team of David Hobbs, Steve Matchett and Peter Windsor.
     
  2. tifosi

    tifosi F1 Veteran
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    Sep 5, 2001
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    I never really liked the new guy
     
  3. Maximo_Tifoso

    Maximo_Tifoso Karting

    Jan 8, 2004
    223
    Houston TX
    I guess Rick Debrul is out?? Bob is the right man for the job....
     
  4. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Great!

    So he is replacing that looney tune they had before (Debrul). I like Varsha, I respect Matchett and I adore Hobbs.

    Now if they only could let go of all that unnecessary speculation during the races...
     
  5. hps

    hps Formula Junior

    Nov 3, 2003
    338
    Canada
    Good move for SPEED...now, if we can only get rid of Hobbs......the guy is a dolt, plain and simple..

    One of the luxuries of living in Canada, is that we get the ITV feed on TSN.
    That means we get James Allen and Martin Brundle...who is infintely more interesting to listen to than any of the SPEED guys.....
    I do like Windsor, and Matchett, but Hobbs just has to go......

    My usual routine is to watch the TSN feed with Brundle and Allen live, and tape Speed....they do have a better overall program, with pre and post race features, but nobody commentates like Brundle and Allen....

    hps
     
  6. writerguy

    writerguy F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2003
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    I MISS MURRAY WALKER!!!


    Brundle et al off the ITV feed DEFINITELY superior to Speed
     
  7. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Agreed. But given the relative low interest of the US in F1 vs the UK, the Speed guys aren't doing too bad and the weakest link now has been replaced. Goodbye.
    :)
     
  8. writerguy

    writerguy F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2003
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    On the topic of Sir Murray


    Anyone remember where the web site of Murrayisms is he had a bunch of verbal dyslexia that was legendary.
     
  9. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Dunno, but I remember him from one of my F1 sim games where he was the commentator: Every time I touched one of the armcos around the Monaco harbour, he would say "Oh Martin, I bet he left a bit of rubber on that wall."
     
  10. writerguy

    writerguy F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2003
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    Not that you don't know a little here and there but


    http://www.worldmotorsport.com/murray/

    YA GOT TO READ THIS STUFF and remember to have in your head the high pitched schrill english accent of a man with his britches on fire and getting close to the "goods"
     
  11. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Luckily I got a few British GP tapes in my collection with his comments. He is quite unique, I agree.
     
  12. FLATOUTRACING

    FLATOUTRACING F1 Rookie

    Aug 20, 2001
    2,684
    East Coast
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    Jon K.
    Varsha may not be the best, but he sure beats Rick Defool !!!!!!

    Allen and Brundle are great but we only get Speed so Varsha, Hobbs, Machett and Windsor aren't bad.

    Remember it could be a lot worse. We could get stuck with the ABC IRL crew again. Remember Eddie Cheever......don't quit your day job Eddie!

    Then ABC gave us John Watson who talks so fast you'd swear he's speaking Japanese.

    3 days and counting till' first practice on Speed!

    Regards,

    Jon P. Kofod
    www.flatoutracing.net
     
  13. Papa G

    Papa G Formula 3

    Dec 29, 2003
    1,406

    My sentiments exactly.
     
  14. Koby

    Koby Formula 3

    Dec 14, 2003
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    I've never had the pleasure of hearing Murray do a race, but he certainly is legendary. I agree that Varsha is the man for the job, and he does know F1. I can't wait for the season to get started, I have a feeling it's going to be really good this year.
     
  15. writerguy

    writerguy F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2003
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    Back in Canada the CBC and then later TSN (the sports network) ran the unaltered live BBC and ITV feeds. Apparently Murray would stand up during the parade lap and would be standing leaning over his monitors bouncing for the whole race.

    Jackie Stewart used to chime in on occasion for color commentary (at least during the Canadian GP) and it was almost as exciting listening to murray as it was watching Prost and Senna try and out drive each other into EVERY corner in the Mclaren/Honda's

    NOW that was a dominate team!
     
  16. formula1joe

    formula1joe Formula Junior

    Nov 3, 2003
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    Glad to know that I am not the only one who did not like Rick!

    Let the season begin!
     
  17. kpe007

    kpe007 Rookie

    Feb 24, 2004
    1
    Leigh Diffy who broadcasts the sportscar series. His rutney, chutney shrill is enough to make my hair stand on end. How did this guy get into broadcasting?
     
  18. WFO_Racer

    WFO_Racer Karting

    Nov 5, 2003
    98
    Newport Beach Ca
    Bob rocks can't wait to hear his signature line:

    " Before you can race first you must qualify "

    Steve is good bring fairly recent F1 knowledge.

    Windsor's pit reporting is good (limited by F1 restrictions of who he can talk to )

    Hobb's is old and confused .

    I wish they offered pay for view so you can select camera view.
     
  19. Koby

    Koby Formula 3

    Dec 14, 2003
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    Do they still have Bernievision? I thought I had head that it went belly up. If it is still around what would be ideal would be if SPEED could get the Bernievision feed and then produce their own coverage, choosing the camera angles, in-car shots, data screens, etc.

    As for Hobbs, the man is classic. It does seem like he's has a few scotches before some of the races, but when sober he's an old time racer and an F1 fanatic. Besides, where else do you get to hear words like, "shamozzle," and "grand carumbolage."
     
  20. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    I think you're right: Bernievision went belly up, but there are still a lot more F1 camera feeds around than what we see on Speed. When you buy the annual F1 review tape you get so see footage you didn't even know existed. So from that perspective our feed could be a lot more interesting.

    Glad to see somebody else feels the same way about Hobbs. I just love some of his funky expressions: "He did a booboo."
     
  21. mikeman

    mikeman Rookie

    Dec 6, 2003
    10
    I'll put my vote for Hobbs. He is a great old racer and appropriately irreverent. I tip a scotch with him anyday!
     
  22. mbarr

    mbarr Karting
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    Jan 11, 2004
    222
    Texas
    Reading this thread it appears we all hated Rick. I never wrote to a station to complain (or anything else for that matter), until his debut. I cant believe we had to endure two seasons, thank God its over. SEE YA RICK!!
     
  23. aawil

    aawil Formula 3

    Aug 10, 2002
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    I'm glad to hear Varsha's back. I've always been a fan of Hobbs too.Should be a good season.
     
  24. F129b

    F129b Formula Junior

    Feb 6, 2004
    523
    oc, calif.
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    Robert
    I thought deBrouhl was okay, but Varsha is knowledgeable, succinct, and knows when to turn the mic over.

    Hobbs... well I've said on this board before that he seems to really just enjoy hogging the microphone and amusing himself with whatever drivel comes to his mind. I can't say that I wouldn't enjoy tipping a scotch with him however.

    Matchett is brilliant and tremendously insightful.

    Windsor has the second best sports broadcasting job in the world. I say second because CBS Jim Nantz gets to do the Masters, other PGA and March Madness for CBS.
     
  25. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    Agree with you on all four and agree with you particularly on how you characterize Hobbs, which is why I like him.

    I've said it before, the thing that annoys me about the Speed commentators is their agenda (probably handed to them by the channel) to create artificial suspense when nothing is going on:

    E.g. Ferrari can be leading by a mile (as in 2002) and they would ponder endlessly whether Ferrari has to make an additional pitstop. No, they're just faster, duh!

    Or another driver can be leading and they hear something wrong in his engine and start wondering when it will break. Same goes for brake failure, irregular lines, missing shifts what have you.

    Normally they do this halfway into the race. And normally none of that is going to happen by the end of the race. It was just killing time. Knock it off boys, please!
     

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