US GP - James Allen's Verdict - Page 2

MichaelH · 23 Jun 2004, 17:49 (Ref:1013652)

James Allen is a joke that stopped being funny long, long ago.

Seriously, read these boards, read other racing boards, nobody likes him! Everyone wants him out, no-one has anything complimentary to say about him. And we're the audience, we're the entusiasts, we do deserve more than this w*nker spouting garbage all the time. I'm getting quite angry that ITV haven't done anything, if they genuinely haven't realised how awful he is by now then they deserve all the negative comments they get.

Rosenthal too, but mostly James. I can bear The Count, not James.

Tweed · 23 Jun 2004, 19:52 (Ref:1013784)

For someone who has been around racing for a long time his knowledge is very poor, as well as him being useless at his job. Someone at ITV must have actually heard him, observed him and, after careful consideration, thought " That's our man!" Who??!

neil_davidson2 · 23 Jun 2004, 21:04 (Ref:1013872)

Quote:

Originally posted by z2252314
How many people cringed when he let out the "ROCK AND ROLL!!!!" after rubens pole lap.

Yep - and I cringed again just before the start of the race when he said "Are you ready to Rock and Roll?"

Not sure if he's looking for a catchphrase or if Rock n Roll was his attempt to find something American.

Utopian · 23 Jun 2004, 22:38 (Ref:1013982)

I disagree that he was disrespectful or offensive in that article actually. He spent the first part of it clarifying how it's always worrying to see a driver motionless etc.

However, I too agree that he isn't right for the job- ITV have it in their heads that they must have a "main commentator" and the driver expert (Martin), but it's just not working because the driver is much better than the main commentator!

Martin Brundle is brilliant- on point, informative, witty. Does anyone think he perhaps ought to be the sole commentator?

Kicking-back · 23 Jun 2004, 23:02 (Ref:1013994)

Sole commentators don't work.

Martin's style is excellent as the expert summariser.

Alongside a top-class lead commentator (Ben Edwards) the whole show would flourish.

PaulSands · 24 Jun 2004, 07:01 (Ref:1014196)

Utopian I felt that the article that started my thread was sensationalist and not really the sort of article that an alleged lover of the sport should be writing...to me it showed a fundamental lack of respect
(having said that I enjoy fights at ice hockey games so who am I to criticize

)

Kicking-back · 24 Jun 2004, 10:42 (Ref:1014382)

James article was sensationalist - that's what he does.

But it wasn't disresepectful.

**John Turner** · 24 Jun 2004, 12:55 (Ref:1014566)

It is a shame that a man (perfectly pleasant though James Allen may be, as a person)who makes his living out of writing and commentating doesn't seem to be much good at either. I agree that Ben Edwards and Martin Brundle would make a great team.

N I Tram · 24 Jun 2004, 13:41 (Ref:1014612)

Ben Edwards and Martin Brundle would be awesome - both are the best at their respective commentary styles, and I'm sure they'd gel soon enough.

f1atic · 24 Jun 2004, 15:29 (Ref:1014719)

One thing that you may be overlooking - James Allen is employed to sell magazines, so to speak. That article, while you may not have liked it, probably increased sales a bit.

One thing about it all, nobody there thought the race boring - at least not those with whom I have spoken, including my brother-in-law who is a 'dyed-in-the-wool' NASCAR fan. He knows something of racing too as he used to sponsor a car back in the days when Indy and a lot of other races were under USAC.

Pete Fenelon · 25 Jun 2004, 10:56 (Ref:1015760)

Quote:

Originally posted by PaulSands
I am a little stunned by the article on the ITV site where James Alens's leader is "Just What F1 Needed"
http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?&...al&PO_ID=30499
It seems like he comes from the school of spectator that thinks "crashes are cool"

Onanism isn't a sin - it's ITV's f1 coverage.

Raven · 26 Jun 2004, 00:21 (Ref:1016453)

Brundle could be the play-by-play man IMO if they wanted to stick another ex-driver in there...McNish, Hill, McCarthy or someone. Although I'd agree that Edwards would be the best man for the job.

Allen doesn't deserve to be taken off TV or stoppped from writing articles, he is a nice bloke and clearly loves F1, but he is just too repetitive and doesn't bring the right approach to his commentary. I'm not keen on how often he talks about things like drivers wives & girlfriends, Klien's earring, Sato's lisp, etc... All in the middle of a grand prix...

Put him back in the pits to replace that Ted (who's not really up to it full stop).

Sato san · 27 Jun 2004, 05:23 (Ref:1017169)

surley the best F1 pundits ive ever seen in my entire life was Damon Hill and Perry Mcarthy on Bernievision in 2002 ...that was just brilliant .

Mattracer · 27 Jun 2004, 11:03 (Ref:1017324)

I've never heard Ben Edwards but judging by the shedload of positive comments, I'd like to, especially with Martin Brundle.

Kicking-back · 27 Jun 2004, 12:01 (Ref:1017375)

After watching Eurosport yesterday and being reminded of the "talents" of Tony Delahunty, we should be thankful he doesn't do F1!

Knowlesy · 27 Jun 2004, 12:07 (Ref:1017379)

Definitely KB! Somebody worse than James Allen!

The guy doing the DTM alongside Tim Harvey right at this minute gets on my wick as well. He ta;lks ruubbish constantly and laughs at anything and everything (like a car sliding for example. Hilarious.).

He should be shot along with the Eurosport fella.

Kicking-back · 27 Jun 2004, 12:10 (Ref:1017383)

That's Carlton Kirby, knowlesy.

Awful, awful.

There was also someone terrible doing the Dallara Nissan highlights on Motors yesterday.

Vicki · 27 Jun 2004, 16:07 (Ref:1017589)

Anyone who screams ANYTHING to do with rock and roll who isn't s punk rocker is running the risk of sounding like a total loser. Anyway, do they feed commentators excitement hormones before races, they always have to yel. I don't suppose they can hear themselves over the roar of 20 V10 engines though, but stil, someone should tell them they sound like idiots.

ASCII Man · 27 Jun 2004, 16:48 (Ref:1017618)

I've heard Ben Edwards only once on Eurosport and it was during that god awful weekend in 1994.
But from what i've heard and seen, he should be ideal for Allen's replacement, or at the very least a pitlane reporter as he's also an excellent interviewer.

Dani Filth · 27 Jun 2004, 16:58 (Ref:1017633)

i've heard Ben in F1 in 96 .. also in the CART years
he's good . to a scale from James Allen to Toby Moody .. he's closer to Toby

Sato san · 27 Jun 2004, 19:13 (Ref:1017941)

Toby Moody !.....that guy is a star !.

Kicking-back · 27 Jun 2004, 19:17 (Ref:1017945)

Toby Moody does Moto GP, yes?

He's great, but I don't like his co-commentator with the speech impediment.

Tweed · 27 Jun 2004, 19:45 (Ref:1018016)

Julian Ryder? He's brilliant!!!

Kicking-back · 27 Jun 2004, 19:49 (Ref:1018025)

Randy Mamola has great input from the pits, but Julian's voice just grates with me.

Valentino Wossi, indeed!

Tweed · 27 Jun 2004, 20:15 (Ref:1018055)

You can hear Julian guffawing in the background, but I think they're the best commentary team/pit reporter combinations ever.

Except when Randy wears his wig.

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