10 replies to this topic

[Qik Nip]

I watched the Mid Ohio Indy race on Versus yesterday and it IMHO was the best car race coverage I've seen on television. It's amazing that an alternative channel would get it so right when the Speed's and ESPN's consistently get it so horribly wrong. They had six in car cameras and actually used them! I'd estimate that 40% of the coverage was in car.

They also intelligently placed the stationary cameras and sequenced around to them such that the track layout made sense when you watched the coverage. That contrasts with most road course coverage by the others that is so jumbled and out of sequence that it's almast impossible to get your bearings.

Finally, the commentators were great and nicely straddled the line between explaining road racing basics for the audience who weren't familiar with it and yet added enough inside stuff to keep the initiated interested.
Rick

[dmathias]

Waaaaaaaaaa - that mean ol girl is picking on me - waaaaaaaaaaaa!

Sniff, sniff,
Graham

[Qik Nip]

Waaaaaaaaaa - that mean ol girl is picking on me - waaaaaaaaaaaa!

Sniff, sniff,
Graham

And in a very non Speed / NASCAR manner, Versus's commentators didn't automatically decree it to be "Danica cruelty" inflicted by an uncaring Graham who only got what he deserved for picking on such a talented and hot woman.

[dmathias]

FWIW, Rahal turned in on Patrick halfway around the keyhole. She already had both rightside tires over the curb. What was she supposed to do, drive in the grass? Young Mr. Rahal made a poor decision and it cost him.

[Bench Racer]

hot woman.

Being this is a "family site", was Danica mentally agitated hot or was the air temperature hot?

[dstevens]

The production crew and facilites are from IMS productions, the folks that have been doing Indycar/IRL for years. Versus adds the producers and air talent with a big input from Randy Bernard. It's been the best Indycar coverage since I started watching the 500 in the 70s. The bummer is not that many people have the channel compared to Speed or ESPN. It's good stuff, more people need to see it. We're going to Sonoma in a few weeks and will go "up the street" to LVMS for the season finale.

[Qik Nip]

Being this is a "family site", was Danica mentally agitated hot or was the air temperature hot?

Danica is always hot. I love her stomping walk when she's pizzed.
Rick

[Qik Nip]

FWIW, Rahal turned in on Patrick halfway around the keyhole. She already had both rightside tires over the curb. What was she supposed to do, drive in the grass? Young Mr. Rahal made a poor decision and it cost him.

Denny:
I agee. Young Graham pinched her and then whined about the outcome.
Rick

[G-Man]

During the webcast of Sunday's World Challenge race, they officially announced Versus has been acquired by NBC and will be renamed "NBC Sports." Wonder what changes are ahead...

[dstevens]

During the webcast of Sunday's World Challenge race, they officially announced Versus has been acquired by NBC and will be renamed "NBC Sports." Wonder what changes are ahead...

The deal closed some months back and that was always the plan to give ESPN a run under NBC branding. Shortly after they bought them the Versus site became NBC Sports and the Indycar coverage on the Web dried up. I did see today that they did another 6 year deal with ABC for the 500 and four other races. They are going to stream the onboard cams of the cars at the 500 on ESPN 3. That should be cool. I guess this puts to rest the rumors of NBC taking the 500 and putting it on network.

[Qik Nip]

Wonder what changes are ahead...

I fear no good ones. The majors simply don't get motorsports. Take the US version of Top Gear. The take BBC's absolutely great #1 running series and create the absolute worst knock off in history. Unblievable...
Rick