Leigh Diffey | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Leigh Diffey

Discussion in 'F1' started by MicroFirm, May 15, 2014.

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  1. Jack-the-lad

    Jack-the-lad Seven Time F1 World Champ Owner Silver Subscribed

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    I agree, and this is true of almost every televised sport. The fact is that most of these guys are in love with the sound of their own voices. They never heard of STFU.
     
  2. itschris

    itschris Formula 3

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    The only thing I find annoying...actually incredibly annoying...is when Hobbs does his "whuhhhh" sound when someone gets squirrelly on the track. It just makes me cringe every time. I'm fine with the rest.

    They're all better than the one guy from MotoGP that sounds like he's from the back woods of West Virginia. He annoys the **** outta me.
     
  3. joker57676

    joker57676 Two Time F1 World Champ

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    He did bobsleigh and maybe some other sliding sports. You would have thought every single run was record shattering and some great triumph over adversity. It was horrible (not that the rest of the coverage was any better).



    Mark
     
  4. curtisc63

    curtisc63 Formula 3 Owner

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    Exactly.

    I would very much like to have Varsha back.
     
  5. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ Owner

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    I'm still thrilled that we have F1 live in the states at all.
    Matchette and Hobbs do color well enough and whoever sits between them is responsible for filling the gaps with blather. No one's going to shine in that job.
     
  6. BobH

    BobH F1 Rookie Silver Subscribed

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    I was really disappointed when it was announced that Diffey would round out the team for the F1 races. Like many others, his high pitched screed for any on track moves distracts badly from absorbing what is taking place. I just get irritated every time this happens. Which is guaranteed at the start and end of every race.
     
  7. Axecent

    Axecent Formula 3

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    Beevus and Butthead would be preferable.
     
  8. S Brake

    S Brake F1 World Champ

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    Yeah but Beavis and Butthead are awesome.
     
  9. E60 M5

    E60 M5 Moderator Moderator Owner

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    I would agree with this^. Varsha seemed disconnected and not that interested, repeated the same things week to week.
     
  10. KYROCKS

    KYROCKS Formula Junior

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    Wow, didn't realize so many didn't like him.
     
  11. Axecent

    Axecent Formula 3

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    Varsha never did a thing for me....pedantic in a poorly informed way.
     
  12. VIZSLA

    VIZSLA Four Time F1 World Champ Owner

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    When did the Aussies take over TV in the states?
    Every two bit infomercial hypester needs an antipodal twang.

    I blame Crocdile Dundee.
     
  13. Bill in Atlanta

    Bill in Atlanta Formula Junior

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    Diffey is the f'ing worst
    Screaming Aussie Fatboy
    Way too much fake drama
    And stop saying Felipe Masser

    Varsha better x1000. Articulate, mature and did his job--report the facts and let the color commentators (Hobbs, Matchett) do the rest

    Bill
     
  14. speedy_sam

    speedy_sam F1 Veteran

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    I am bored with all three. Hobbs stopped being funny 3 years back - same jokes. No clear understanding of the current era of driving. MAtchett is good for practice sessions but should shut up during the race. Diffey v/s Varsha - rock and hard place - Diffey is too excitable and while knowledgeable about racing doesn't contribute much to the telecast. Varsha is marginally better than Diffey but boring.

    Why don't they get the retired Dario Franchitti to replace Hobbs? Maybe Eddie Cheever as well?
     
  15. RallyeChris

    RallyeChris Formula Junior

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    I felt Varsha was great. As stated, he supplied the straight-edge viewpoint while Hobbs and Matchet provide the colored commentary. Boring, perhaps, but informative and balanced. Diffey is OK, but overly-excitable. I love Hobbs' throw-back, and slightly out-dated, view of the sport. It adds an aura of nostalgia to the broadcast. Matchet is spot-on in his role as well.

    Years ago, with Hobbs, Matchet and Varsha, I felt it must have been difficult for someone unfamiliar with the sport to follow-along (speed vision, then speed broadcasts). The "major network" broadcasts were always dumbed-down for just this reason. It seems that they have decided to continue this dumbed-down style of broadcast on a regular basis-which is where Diffey shines.

    Perhaps Eddie Jordan would be the perfect replacement for Diffey. He could bring an informed, entertaining, and somewhat aristocratic viewpoint to the broadcast - while maintaining authentic "expert" opinion.
     
  16. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ Silver Subscribed

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    I've met Bob Varsha on several occasions and have found him to be charming and very knowledgeable about F1.

    I still say that everyone who complains about current F1 television coverage is spoiled; many of those of us who are old enough to remember the bad old days of NO coverage at all (save for ABC's edited and tape-delayed coverage of Monaco) really don't care who is calling the races.

    (There were times in the past when I didn't find out who won a particular Grand Prix until Road & Track arrived in the mail - three months later!)
     
  17. kevfla

    kevfla Formula 3

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    gone 4 good
    If I was watching V8 Supercars or the Sandhurst 1000, I could tolerate his accent...comes with the territory.

    But I CAN'T stand his accent when he adds extra syllables to mono-syllabic words like year (yee-ah) and here (hee-ah). He sounds uneducated for a professional broadcaster outside of OZ.

    It would be like listening to a news anchor from Mississippi on a Boston TV station.

    During the Spanish GP last week, I changed the channel to Univision, preferring to listen to the race in Spanish than endure more Diffey. Same video feed as NBC's. They have a female announcer with a real pleasant voice. Don't know what the heck they were saying, but at least I could understand the radio transmissions.
     
  18. moretti

    moretti Five Time F1 World Champ Lifetime Rossa Owner

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    He's an annoying little **** .... but then I was taught to only say nice things about people :p

    Keep him , we don't want him back !!
     
  19. TifosiUSA

    TifosiUSA F1 Veteran

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    Varsha > Diffey

    Neither one is very good, but I can't stand Diffey's fake drama
     
  20. JTR

    JTR Formula 3 Owner

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    I'd take Varsha back in a heartbeat!

    Diffey needs to GO!

    John
     
  21. LightGuy

    LightGuy Four Time F1 World Champ

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    I can tolerate Diffey but would prefer Varsha.

    My greatest fear in getting rid of Diffey is that they will bring in Costas. :D
     
  22. ARTNNYC

    ARTNNYC F1 Rookie Owner Rossa Subscribed

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    Heck NO! What Costas knows about F1 you could stick up a crows -ss and it would still fly!
     
  23. rardoin

    rardoin Karting

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    I am in total agreement. Most of the time I don't even notice Diffey. I suppose I subconsciously tune him and the other talking heads out while watching. In my youth I remember seeing the occasional delayed broadcast of Moncao and such on "the Wide World of Sports" and I was so glued to the cars and action on track; even then I tuned out the commentators. When Speed Channel started covering quali and races live I was in heaven. Now, I am grateful to have live HD broadcasting regardless of the background noise. Ughh....to clarify....I am referring to the commentator's voices in this case.....not the sound of the cars....which is another story. On second thought, perhaps Bernie thought that Diffey would sound so annoying that we would not notice the fartcan sounds of the current cars. Cunning little bassturd is he!
     
  24. sbpwjm

    sbpwjm Formula Junior

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    THIS!

    I remember only seeing (maybe) the Monaco race (delayed) on ABC Wide World of Sports and then once Speedvision came along each year it would come down to the first race of the season whether or not they had completed the contract. At least we have full coverage of the races now. I don't care who provides commentary although I do like having Steve Matchett involved. Hobbs is fine as the race driver on the broadcast team and, even though I personally prefer Varsha over Diffey... either is fine.
     
  25. Jack-the-lad

    Jack-the-lad Seven Time F1 World Champ Owner Silver Subscribed

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    Costas is the biggest windbag in tv sports. Besides, he doesn't get up early enough to do F1.

    :)
     

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