Response to Dave Sadowski

Damnit - I agree with Todd

 

I'm not necessarily in Ski's circle of friends, but he knows me by sight. He's always been cordial to me. His behavior isn't "perfect", but then again whose is? I am just kind of shocked at how he lashed out at Tony on a website like RRW. It just wasn't kosher.
Tony's only fault was that he didn't list ALL his credentials. Yes, he's raced almost 9 years, he sent money to the RRW fund, but also played a big role in getting the Bike-fence installed at Loudon. He showed up early in the weekend to help deploy it when it first arrived. He is one of the staff members of the Penguin Roadracing School. He and his wife both work for LRRS as Tech Inspectors. I can safely refer to him as a defacto advisor to Safety Director Jerry Wood. Tony has a full plate between his racing (He's in contention for a championship this year) and his official duties at Loudon.
Tony ALWAYS deports himself in an honorable manner that reflects well on LRRS. Many people have expressed dismay with Ski's comments about Tony. These comments are twice as offensive to those of us that know Mr. Iannarelli.

(Note: After checking with Tony this past weekend, he says that he never cornerworked. I was a little tentative on that anyways. I stand corrected)

 

Why not concentrate all of the negative energy towards finding out why flag holders had such a hard time waving the red for Himmeslbach, or why there was a yellow flag for a bike on the course. At least the checkered flag was right.

 

>>>>>Sent to RRW<<<<<

Dear Mr. Sadowski,

As a Road Racer for 14 years, and Fan for 20+ Years I would have to call
your response heavy handed, and hypocritical.

I for one am sick of you putting down privateers with statements like, "Yeah
this wouldn't be the first time a back marker changed the outcome of the
race". Having watched you when you were with V&H, I never figured out how
you got your ride. Dave you were a good rider, not great. John Ashmead has
won as many Daytona 200's as you have and he did so on REAL privateer
equipment. You are the same bonehead that got tangled up with your teammate
and almost jeopardized the 600SS championship for you and your teammate. I
watched you get lapped ON FACTORY BIKES. What was your excuse then? The only
thing you did well was dominate F-USA in its waning WERA/NASB days.

Dave, I have read your safety comments and suggestions and am impressed, but
you need to get the delusional idea out of your head that, "Only the high
and mighty" should race superbike. Get Real. You weren't that good on one
(and yes I know the year you raced with Yosh, the bike sucked) as you seem
to think. Give the privateer guy a break. I won't also mention the dozen's
of mistakes you make every broadcast as I know it is part of your job to
help the show have some drama, but some of your mistakes are gross at best.
I haven't written Speed to have you taken off the air, because I am not sure
if there is anything better. I highly suggest you keep you comments to
yourself unless you think 8 bikes on the grid for a superbike race is
better.

In regards to Aaron Yates actions, I find it difficult to criticize him, as
I have been a fan of his since he won the Future Stars series in the early
90's. What he did though was inexcusable. THE RED FLAG HAD NOT BEEN THROWN,
I saw the videotape. I have tremendous respect for him, as do others in the
pits, but what he did was stupid and dangerous. Whether you agree with the
attitude and level of AMA safety (I don't) or not, you have to respect the
organization's control and direction during an event. Obviously the
Himmelsbach issue that weekend really illustrated the lack of AMA ability,
BUT YOU CAN'T create a more dangerous environment because you don't like
something.



Thanks for supporting the Air Fence and other safety related issues, but get
real dude.

Marcus McBain

 

Ski's response was totally unprofessional and his color commentary isn't good enough to excuse this gaffe.

Fire his ass.

He brings nothing to the table as far as I'm concerned. Most of his comments are inane at best. His constant bashing of privateers (the folks who make AMA Superbike racing viable) is also getting real old as well.

Fire his ass.

I'd much rather have Freddie Spencer or Kevin Schwantz back in the booth.

And if they can't get one of them, Chris Pyles would be fine. Or Mr. Microphone. Or no one at all. If my choices are his bullshit color commentary or no color commentary at all, I choose the latter.

Fire his ass.

 

Met Greg White up in the mountains few weeks ago. Super nice guy. Always on top of his game.

But I'm telling you being a Human Resource manager, some of the one the ones with no (specific commentating) experience end up being the best-hungry for it, not cocky, appreciative, and willing to go the extra mile (and usually less expensive).

That's where I'd start- no political BS either. I'd do 'blind commentating interviews' so I wouldn't know who I was talking to. Pure skill........Not somebody's buddy who owes him a favor, or somebody's son or brother. Our industury owes it to have the best. The better we are, the money comes our way and the more rights we get. The more we can get right the more seriously we'll be taken. I have not been riding very long but when grossly incorrect commentataries are made I just sit back back and Wonder who is laughing.

Just talking...can't sleep....either that or go play chicken with the deer and raccoons.

 

as mentioned earlier...
sadowski would have a completely different perspective if it was a privateer who threw himself out on the track to stop the action.

speed channel needs to say 'buh-bye' to sadowski. i'm sure he'd be much better doing some harley show on tuesday nights.

sadowski

 

I emailed SpeedTV and requested that Dave issue a public apology to Tony.

I figured that if I asked them to fire him, that they'd just stop showing AMA races all together.

 

Barry Sheene

Has anyone ever listened to Barry Sheene (7) - isn't he reporting on some Australian channel - I never did but I can imagine he is funny as hell. I just saw him race a few times as a teen and it was hilarias to see him stand on the podium with a(typically other brand of) cigarette and try to french kiss the trophy girls.

What about the guys that used to commentat the motogp series late 90s. I used to laugh my butt off with their british comments and phrases.

 

"foggy's outbraked himself!" i love those guys. bring them back please!!

 

You missed the joke. That's why I used the word idiot. It's a play on words, get it?

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree then. I second Scott's comments about people being able to tell a shitty production from a good one even if they're not experts. If anyone with 1/2 a brain watched the race and listened to Ski's comments they'd realize he was talking out of his ass. That's no way to gain credibility from your viewers. I think people would be more likely to tune out after watching a couple races and listening to his made up drivel.

It seems to me that more people than not have experienced the "not so nice" side of Dave and are of similar opinion of his character. We don't need that type of negativity in motorcycle racing as it will do more damage than good in the long run. I say get rid of him now and bring someone in who will help our sport advance rather than decline.

P.S. YOU SUCK!

 

hahahahahahaahheheheheheeehhhohohohohh

 

I don't know if you guys are aware or not, but Ski has also had a couple of his letters printed in RRW and they were less than kind. Now don't ask me what they said because I don't remember, but I do recall thinking to myself that a guy in his position should keep his opinion a little more, shall we say, secret. I like Yates, think he did the right thing but also feel Ski was way out of line. If he wouldn't get so damn personal about things, he might be able to get away with some scathing comments. Big thumbs down to Ski...oh yeah and Mladin. He sucks too.

 

HA HA Ha hA HA hA Ha ha HA Ha...

good one.

 

The commentators or announcers are the ones who really bring the racing alive on TV. Try tuning your volume off when you watch a race and you'll loose the atmosphere intended. Oh Tom already does this.

Speed needs to get rid of Sadowski and bring in the Mates or someone who has energy that is halfway close on his calls. Imagine if football announcers were totally off on there calls about 50% of the time. Can you say Jobless.

I love watching GOOD commentators bring life to the race. Example just at Brands Hatch how Fabian Foret kept looking back and I do not know the commentators names (excuse me), but they just kept implying how ignorant Fabian Foret was being by continuing to look back. (Which was true) Foret kept looking back on the restart right after he just high sided in the same turn. The announcers started making respectable cracks like well he must have a twitch in his neck or something. Someone must get down there and put on his pit board to look ahead not behind him. I assume that Sadowski would have stated that Foret was just sizing up the field to fully understand where he stood on the track so Foret could assure he is giving the other riders a fair amount of room for safety.

Oh and I am a privateer who has crashed out of an AMA event in 2000 and I was referred to as the Crasher from Dave Despain and Ski. LOL talk about degrading to all of my friends and family who was watching the event on TV. There comments were totally off on what actually happened and why I crashed. My supporters said to me, who are these clowns? Privateers are just trying to get recognized and move forward in the field and bring recognition to my sponsors. My supporters stated that these announcers are very bias to the factory riders and treat the privateers as peasants. Ok, so I am not spending hundred of thousands or even millions on my program but I am spending what I can afford.

Let’s look at a world supersport event where there are 20 bikes who are mixed up in the front pack. This brings a lot of excitement to the event. Not just 8 riders who can break away from the field. My opinion on VIR it was very boring to watch on TV. Race one had some excitement with the factory guys having mishaps but other than the three problems, the racing was boring. I was then stuck listing to SKI and Drebber make analogies about leaning back in your chair at the kitchen table?

This is just one of the many reasons that NASCAR has a bigger following. In NASCAR you have at least 25 or more drivers who could actually win the event. I am not a big NASCAR follower but I have asked people who are why they enjoy watching the racing. Their reply was "you really don’t know who is going to win the event so it keeps me intrigued". In Superbike racing you have 8-10 guys who could win if they dont break down, crash out or just quit and come in for some reason. People like to pick there favorite rider or driver and stick by them through thick and thin usually. If there were more riders who could actually win an event in my opinion, I think the following would grow to some degree.

So if manufactures want to really draw in the crowds to keep people watching, either give more equivalent support to the privateer ranks or scale back factory programs to make the racing a bit more equal. I am not taking anything away from the exceptional riders who ride for the factory but please add up the equation.

Excellent Rider + Excellent Bike + Excellent Program = Domination

The bottom line for SPEED and the AMA is to really look at their current program and who is announcing for the event. It’s like the analogy of a good salesman who can sell an Eskimo Ice. Speed must get an announcer put in place that could make you get excited about watching paint dry and become very personal with ALL the riders participating. In my opinion a benefit for the announcer would be to walk around the pits and talk with what riders they could prior to the event. That would give them more information when they are in front of the microphone. (That requires work on their behalf) Also announce privateer’s sponsors as well as the factories in good times and bad. The announcer should be RESPECTABLE with the riders as well as understanding the calls of motorcycle racing.

So please if anyone from Speed or the AMA is reading the BBS, don’t make us as viewers explain to our friends and sponsors anymore about the wrong or bad calls of racing announcers and the demoralizing comments made on privateers.

I do not dislike Dave Sadowski in any manner. I just do not feel that he is the best person for the position. So if so many people feel this way, then Dave himself should make Perception and Reality equal and just move on. If SPEED or the AMA doesn't believe that the vast number of people believe this way, then start a pole on AMASUPERBIKE and I'm sure you will find SPEED's current viewers are not happy with the current announcer situation. If you so choose to look for a replacement as least find someone who is full of life and energy, which is semi accurate with their calls. If the announcer is not sure of the call then state that you are not sure of the reason and you be looking into it during the next commercial, rather then just making it up.

And Jarcoco…. Your response was so realistic. I couldn’t have put it any better. Nice job eh! I am still laughing.

Jeff

 

Not at all, when Speed... broadcast the Meggello 125GP race, about half way thru something happened to the commentators audio. It went to a mumble where you could barely hear it, but you could hear the bikes full blast.
Its was... refreshing. Just watching/listening to the bikes go by. Its like that BMW commercial where you could turn the engine noise up and the commentators off.

I loved the web-cast of the Suzuka 8Hour. Becasue you had a certain amount of interactivity. Wouldn't it be cool if they would web-cast AMA races where you could hop from the track cameras to the onboard ones?

 

James, I can see your point to some degree, it’s like having a comedy show when they use the laugh machine on a imposed joke, but I must disagree with the live comments. The announcer’s tone of voice energizes the current situation. Yes the engines and background sounds are a very important part in it as well and the racing may be intense but there is something about a good announcer. The action may put you on the edge of your seat and background sounds of air horns and motors just adds to the lifting of the voices from the announcers in signs of disbelief or applauded a courageous move makes me really becoming apart of the actual race.

 

I also thought that the coverage and commentating on the WSS race was excellent.

I also like Speed's commentating during the World Challenge SPEED GT auto races. Since I don't follow it religiously I find that they add a lot of good information to the broadcast.

-quikie

 

In case anyone was curious Scott owns a small chain of live porn cinemas in Nevada.

 

Wait a minute..if its live, doesn't it have to be called theater???