Croft has to go
Discussion
Muzzer79 said:
I'm ambivalent about Croft but am surprised at the hate on this thread.
He gets excited, sure, but so did the late, great Murray Walker. Look at Japan 1990 for that one with the infamous "It's happened immediately!" line.
What's more, we all loved Murray for that enthusiasm. Would we rather a monotone delivery.
Mistakes.....again, Mr Walker was revered for them?
I'm just happy it's better than the dark days of Jonathan Ledgard or >shudder<.......James Allen.
But MW had an encyclopaedic knowledge of F1 whereas Croft just spouts drivelHe gets excited, sure, but so did the late, great Murray Walker. Look at Japan 1990 for that one with the infamous "It's happened immediately!" line.
What's more, we all loved Murray for that enthusiasm. Would we rather a monotone delivery.
Mistakes.....again, Mr Walker was revered for them?
I'm just happy it's better than the dark days of Jonathan Ledgard or >shudder<.......James Allen.
Mark V GTD said:
I feel sorry for anyone who genuinely can't stand his style of presentation or whose knowledge of F1 is so great that its clear to them that half of what he says is complete drivel.
I am happy to wallow in my ignorance and enjoy his exciting presentation style - I really like it. Goodness knows it would be utterly boring if it was just JB commentating on his own.
There - I have said it!
Have you got a hearing impediment? hopefully with treatment they can fix it.I am happy to wallow in my ignorance and enjoy his exciting presentation style - I really like it. Goodness knows it would be utterly boring if it was just JB commentating on his own.
There - I have said it!
(my toes are curling at the thought)Adrian W said:
Muzzer79 said:
I'm ambivalent about Croft but am surprised at the hate on this thread.
He gets excited, sure, but so did the late, great Murray Walker. Look at Japan 1990 for that one with the infamous "It's happened immediately!" line.
What's more, we all loved Murray for that enthusiasm. Would we rather a monotone delivery.
Mistakes.....again, Mr Walker was revered for them?
I'm just happy it's better than the dark days of Jonathan Ledgard or >shudder<.......James Allen.
But MW had an encyclopaedic knowledge of F1 whereas Croft just spouts drivelHe gets excited, sure, but so did the late, great Murray Walker. Look at Japan 1990 for that one with the infamous "It's happened immediately!" line.
What's more, we all loved Murray for that enthusiasm. Would we rather a monotone delivery.
Mistakes.....again, Mr Walker was revered for them?
I'm just happy it's better than the dark days of Jonathan Ledgard or >shudder<.......James Allen.
And I would again remind that Walker was infamous for getting mixed up. I loved dear old Murray, but half the time he got drivers mixed up during commentary.
It's easy to look back with rose-tinted specs on, in the same way that we only remember the racing as Pironi and Arnoux battling or Prost and Senna going wheel to wheel. In reality, there were a lot of boring races and a lot of Walker and Hunt doing exactly what Croft and Brundle do.....
Muzzer79 said:
Croft's knowledge of F1 is just as encyclopaedic as Walker's. He just gets a bit mixed up sometimes, which is understandable when there's a lot going on.
And I would again remind that Walker was infamous for getting mixed up. I loved dear old Murray, but half the time he got drivers mixed up during commentary.
It's easy to look back with rose-tinted specs on, in the same way that we only remember the racing as Pironi and Arnoux battling or Prost and Senna going wheel to wheel. In reality, there were a lot of boring races and a lot of Walker and Hunt doing exactly what Croft and Brundle do.....
I'd like to suggest having a look at the youtube channel I linked a bit earlier and having a look at some old races. Murray and James have aged very well. And I would again remind that Walker was infamous for getting mixed up. I loved dear old Murray, but half the time he got drivers mixed up during commentary.
It's easy to look back with rose-tinted specs on, in the same way that we only remember the racing as Pironi and Arnoux battling or Prost and Senna going wheel to wheel. In reality, there were a lot of boring races and a lot of Walker and Hunt doing exactly what Croft and Brundle do.....
Murray is WAY calmer than I'd remembered (almost chilled compared to Croft's relentless hysteria).
Muzzer79 said:
Croft's knowledge of F1 is just as encyclopaedic as Walker's. He just gets a bit mixed up sometimes, which is understandable when there's a lot going on.
And I would again remind that Walker was infamous for getting mixed up. I loved dear old Murray, but half the time he got drivers mixed up during commentary.
It's easy to look back with rose-tinted specs on, in the same way that we only remember the racing as Pironi and Arnoux battling or Prost and Senna going wheel to wheel. In reality, there were a lot of boring races and a lot of Walker and Hunt doing exactly what Croft and Brundle do.....
It really isn't. Don't be fooled by him reading out some prepared facts during a broadcast.And I would again remind that Walker was infamous for getting mixed up. I loved dear old Murray, but half the time he got drivers mixed up during commentary.
It's easy to look back with rose-tinted specs on, in the same way that we only remember the racing as Pironi and Arnoux battling or Prost and Senna going wheel to wheel. In reality, there were a lot of boring races and a lot of Walker and Hunt doing exactly what Croft and Brundle do.....
Crumbs, he can't even memorise the participants race numbers, last week in Bahrain we had "Schumacher passing the, uh, number 23 Williams", not even switched on enough as a supposed professional broadcaster to catch his own lack of knowledge at his supposed specialist subject and making himself look a tit! There's only one new number and two re-entrants this year!
No comparison at all. Murray knew how to read an unfolding race, so many occasions when he got it spot on. This was down to his deep research at every race talking to drivers, engineers and team members which gave him a deep understanding of unfolding events. Some team members actually got a bit fed up with him poking around their garages but he put in a lot of work behind the scenes.
In contrast Croft often has difficulty understanding what any experienced viewer of F1 sees happening on screen. Even the really basic elementary stuff that is really obvious.
The ability to read a race isn't that hard for someone who really makes an effort to. Obviously ex drivers (even the unpopular ones) get this right more of the time as they have direct experience. Well apart from Johnny Herbert!
In contrast Croft often has difficulty understanding what any experienced viewer of F1 sees happening on screen. Even the really basic elementary stuff that is really obvious.
The ability to read a race isn't that hard for someone who really makes an effort to. Obviously ex drivers (even the unpopular ones) get this right more of the time as they have direct experience. Well apart from Johnny Herbert!
PH User said:
Piginapoke said:
PH User said:
Murray used to make those kind of mistakes as well.
Murray had charm and wit on his side Croft still doesn't bother me though, for me there have been better commentators and there have been worse ones.
Gary C said:
Croft always seems to be trying to 'entertain' and get the magic soundbite that can be used in a trailer.
^ This. He jacks everything up at the points likely to be used in news bulletins, the start, the finish, etc. to say something snappy and loud even if it’s the most mundane finish of a car winning well clear of second place.I do think he is very heavily directed and produced, I do also believe he thinks he is funny and some kind of entertainer. Something that riles me more than anything else and comes from his background in darts or just his personality, maybe also directed to be. But listening to him away from F1 he is much the same when I have been unfortunate to be at events where he has been on PA.
A commentator should only inform, Murray was not trying to entertain, he was there to tell you what was going on, not make silly jokes and as others have said soundbites to be included in SKY highlight reels, hence my thought he is asked to do this, same as the AWS nonsense, he is told to do this.
I personally believe many could do a better job, he is not a man steeped in motorsport as Murray was, not an enthusiast, he just likes his life as he is paid well to talk about F1, there is a huge difference, and it is very very obvious.
A commentator should only inform, Murray was not trying to entertain, he was there to tell you what was going on, not make silly jokes and as others have said soundbites to be included in SKY highlight reels, hence my thought he is asked to do this, same as the AWS nonsense, he is told to do this.
I personally believe many could do a better job, he is not a man steeped in motorsport as Murray was, not an enthusiast, he just likes his life as he is paid well to talk about F1, there is a huge difference, and it is very very obvious.
I always remember Murray having enough self awareness to not talk during some stages of the race, I'm not talking minutes but maybe 10-20 seconds. It really let the race 'breath' and gave the audience a chance to catch their breath as well - something Crofty is utterly incapable of. Knowing when not to talk is as important as knowing when to.
I'd also say it's fairly obvious Crofty knows less about F1 than he really should from a technical and strategic point of view which isn't unforgivable in of itself but his constant speculation and playing devils advocate s
te just betrays the fact he really hasn't got a clue.
I'd also say it's fairly obvious Crofty knows less about F1 than he really should from a technical and strategic point of view which isn't unforgivable in of itself but his constant speculation and playing devils advocate s
te just betrays the fact he really hasn't got a clue.Gassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff