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Maybe it was a “learning lesson” for him…..
ESPECIALLY the last sentance.
Found an interesting article on RC.. which sort of reveals some of the effort he has gone too. I will admit, the extended clip of RC talking about "fake smiles" does seem to be a bit of a gag between him and Blair, but who knows.
https://wewentfast.com/chapter-4-a-ricky-carmichael-story/
To be honest, reading the article makes me feel a bit of pity for RC. I didn't realise he was divorced - that can be tough on anyone. But also, he is obviously self aware enough to realise he is not a commentating guru, but is just trying to be himself. I guess my retort was, he sounds way way way more relaxed on podcasts than when in the booth. I copied and pasted some of the key bits of the article.
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I beat myself up quite a bit,” he says of his struggle to improve his speech, knowledge and book smarts. NBC and Feld Entertainment (supercross promoters) have helped to connect the entire TV talent team with speech and broadcast coaches. “I feel like I’m making excuses for myself, but sometimes I don’t know that I can do everything that [broadcast coach] is asking. There’s an element in there that I want to be myself, too. I have my own Ricky-isms if you will that, yeah, people are going to make fun of, but at the same time, that’s me.”
I ask him what his favorite ‘Ricky-ism’ is.
“Preparate is my favorite. I haven’t used it since that one time (circa 2013). My vocabulary isn’t great. My diction needs to be better.”
Diction (the choice and use of words and phrases) is a hell of a term for someone who claims to not have a vocabulary, but it’s at least an indication that he’s paying attention to his coaches’ lessons. Carmichael claims he’s “not a big thinker,” meaning he doesn’t study, doesn’t ruminate, doesn’t tax his mind or dwell on problems or negativity. At the same time, he knows he can be better; he wants to be better and he has to balance that desire with other important responsibilities.
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Carmichael hadn’t considered a solo run in the booth. At end of the 2018 season he told Feld he didn’t want that. He enjoyed the 3-man team and was definitely not returning to the sideline reporter position that he did occasionally for a couple of seasons. “I didn’t like it,” he says of being on the track and reporting in front of the camera. “It wasn’t me. I just can’t do it. My pace of talking, my pace of thinking just isn’t fast enough for that position.”
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“It doesn’t bother me that they’re bashing me,” Carmichael said. “What bothers me is how they are so negative, just in general. I was taught if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Carmichael sees the comments, especially those left in his Instagram feed or @ him on Twitter but he doesn’t engage in exchanges. If he responds at all, it’s a thumbs up or ‘that was intelligent.’ He welcomes constructive criticism and helpful suggestions.
“When I see these people being negative, I wonder if they are parents themselves. That’s what bothers me more than anything.”
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In the tunnel before the walk, a privateer heckled Ricky about getting a call wrong the week prior. Carmichael turned to him and said, “You should worry more about qualifying for the main event.”
Exactly. This is my kind of diversion. I'll get back to regularly scheduled programming in my next post. But, yesterday was epic. (2) tracks. 1 moto (1 min. 10 sec lap) the other scrambles (45 sec.lap and fun as hell). 40 acres (somewhere between Sacramento and Monterey), no watering system, but obviously a tractor. When conditions(and timing) are good, I'll get a call several days prior. Kinda like Mavericks for you surfer dudes. Average age of the 10 riders there is probably 64 (I'm the young buck at 57).
My buddy getting ready to test my '18 RMZ450, but can't remember where a kick-starter is located 🤣
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While I agree with your assessment of RC's riding career, I respectfully disagree with the rest of your opinion. I have been involved in the sport for 45 years. The absolute moment you are found out in mixed company that you ride dirt bikes every cliche that has been introduced about dirt bikers arises. As I suppose it is with every past time. While I worked within the state of Pennsylvania's DCNR to expand trails, most people in power had a very strong opinion of dirt bike riders, and preconceived opinions of who we are. RC is not just there to tell you what is going on at the race, as a multi-time champ, he represents all of us to all to the viewers. RC's functioning or lack of while broadcasting feeds into these non-healthy stereotypes in our sport. We need to foster the idea that our sport is filled with intelligent, well thinking, athletes, rather than home schooled, one dimensional, meatheads. The negative opinion the general population has of our sport has a huge effect on the sport. With all the available broadcasters to choose from to put a positive example of the people in our sport there are better choices than somebody who self admits to not being a "big thinker". While RC is broadcasting, he represents our sport, my whole family rides, I do not like that we are represented as small minded, linguistically challenged neanderthals. It is insulting to me that NBC thinks so little of our sport to put somebody on air that has such a narrow grasp of the English language.
Impacting someone else’s career is lame? Something Daniel poured his heart and soul into? I get it though, “you’re just here for the motocross”
Call it a witch-hunt, call it personal. It’s about right and wrong and there is no gray area. And until RC’s dismissed or does the right thing and quits, there’s a lot of folks like me (including teen-age girls) that will not relent.
You don't even watch the race. Your opinion is irrelevant. And you bitch about Will all the time. So you're a hypocrite. Or you would be fine with Will if she was the greatest female rider of all time?
I worked for a large construction company for 10 years and the only thing off the table were your kids , wife was fair game but never fat jokes lol.
Haha this! Wife's, mom's, whatever. A couple years back one of the plumbers on the crew got his brother in law a job. First thing the plumber does is tell me, hey no Mom jokes with him. His mother died from a drug OD. I remember being like thank God you told me that because there's a good chance I would have used a Mom joke on him first day.
It's also not a fair comparison to the RC/DB situation. Ball busting on the construction site is light hearted and nothing serious. There was something malicious about how RC was going at Blair
You place far too much emphasis and misplaced weight into broadcasting. In addition, most of this gigantic, echo-chamber noise being made is rooted in the Daniel Blair rift, not because Ricky Carmichael isn't a silver tongued commentator. Although that has been a constant focus on social media.
If you are preoccupied or concerned with the "image" of the sport, you and the like-minded drama club wouldn't be making this your biggest point of focus and making a monumental level of noise about it.
Carmichael is not soo bad as a commentator that any level headed adult that is a new comer to the sport is going to have such a high-school drama level of concern about him. It's just not true at all.
However, when they read these comments from yourself and others, they may join the pile-on frenzy or just tune out.
Ideas that anyone may perceive of "meatheads" being associated with this sport, are not going to come as a result of the broadcasting booth, but rather it's going to be concluded from possibly reading these forums.
MXGP and MotoGP aside SX is arguably the most visible example of motorcycling on TV. The two other disciplines I mention have quite capable, professional announcing. It is not unreasonable to expect your sport to be presented in the best possible light, and after years of "it's a really hard job" or "he keeps getting better" RC is definitely not it. The consensus even from RC's supporters is that he is not ideal, or as he states "not a big thinker". Why doesn't the sport we all enjoy deserve "a silver tongued commentator", any reason why not? In the presentation of our sport to a very public platform we should choose the best possible candidates, not people based on our childhood fandoms.
Beautiful track...
...and dig the Zook. Still the best looking bike made IMNSHO. Can't beat the look of a yellow dirt bike.
Two different things, right friend? Good natured ribbing, back and forths can break the monotony of a day. In DB's case it was career sabotage by inflated ego types.
There seems to be a pattern with RC from reading about different incidents. I remember when Motocross Action rode his factory bike and commented about his odd bike setup. It pissed off RC and he stopped having contact with them. Maybe someone remembers the story better than me can tell it better. Anyway, the impression I get is that he has a big ego and unless you are a multi time champion like him , then you are beneath him you aren’t allowed to question him. I could be wrong since I don’t know him and I’m not in the industry. But, I was around people like this in my profession and it looks similar.
Deserve a better commentator ?
I simply don't agree that is makes any real difference in the racing or the experience. It is clear that you and many others are making it the most important factor in racing.
In the scheme of things, commentary is super trivial. It doesn't matter to me if Carmichael is talking or Weege or Diffy or Donald Duck. I see the race and enjoy the race. The production and camera crew are something outside of the racing itself that makes a real tangible difference in the experience of watching a race.
It's just a major difference of opinion.
So, you’re saying there are egotistical pilots out there?
What’s the joke, when you walk into a room of guys how do you know which one is a pilot?
And i will reiterate something that you should give some honest, reflective consideration about.
If you are preoccupied or concerned with the "image" of the sport, you and the like-minded drama club wouldn't be making this your biggest point of focus and making a monumental level of noise about it.
Carmichael is not soo bad as a commentator that any level headed adult that is a new comer to the sport is going to have such a high-school drama level of concern about him. It's just not true at all.
However, when they read these comments from yourself and others, they may join the pile-on frenzy or just tune out.
Ideas that anyone may perceive of "meatheads" being associated with this sport, are not going to come as a result of the broadcasting booth, but rather it's going to be concluded from possibly reading these forums.
It’s called racing for a reason….. so soft.
Pit Row
Triumph didn’t get the memo, turned their comments off
Do that many people really want him gone? Or just an extremely loud and obsessed minority? I’d bet majority of people watching the broadcast don’t even know who DB is. You guys are really taking this all to heart…. Need some action in your own lives obviously.
I think RC was way better this week. Downvote away
Look around for yourself. Me personally i think RC is a douche and i think i can see why you like him
I am looking around and see a very vocal minority…. I never said I liked RC, hell iv never even met him, I form my opinions based of my own interactions with people, not what others tell me to think. I do however have immense respect for what he done on a dirt bike. If you want to take DB’s very emotionally charged video as gospel then you go for it…. But maybe there’s a reason non of his peers/friends are supporting him.
Send me your data on this minority. I would like to know where you are getting this stone cold fact you keep using for the sake of argument. You seem to keep clinging to it followed by some insult. I find the irony in your posts as you haven't had any interaction with anyone yet formed an opinion. Its almost like... like you are full of shit. Cheers
The 3 new casual fans I brought into the sport in the last 4 years all think RC sucks without me ever saying a word. He brought that on himself. Two things NBC should pay attention to. RC admitted he is not a “big thinker” and more so said “his brain doesn’t work that fast to be on the floor”. It’s living proof that his brain doesn’t work fast enough in the booth either with the constant cliff hangers he leaves us on.
FWIW, I watch the race action with the utmost attention and because of the non sensical b/s of constant talking, throwing it back and forth to each other still pulls me away. You can’t not hear this shit, yeah I can turn the volume down, but that it’s not the intent of putting live racing on the tube. As in, every other sport has broadcast that you actually turn the volume up.
So the commentary isn't important to you. Thus your opinion is somewhat invalid. It clearly makes a difference to a lot of fans going by the responses here and all over social media. I would tell you to go back and watch motocross races when Grant Langston was in the booth. Yes it makes a noticeable difference in your watching experience. Do I want to not watch a race because RC is in the booth? Of course not. But when there are way better, more talented broadcasters out there why do I need to have RC there? Cause he's the Goat? Nope
Not so Clearly to some people. Some people have data sheets out there and are saying its a small minority. See posts above. Im still waiting on his data to see if he has any proof that its only a small amount of people but i have a feeling its just going to be some weird insult
You are way to invested in this talon. Get off the internet and head outside and remind yourself there is more to life. Cheers
Once again your wisdom is unmatched. True know it all. I've made 4 posts on here all day and to you i must be sitting on a computer or my phone all day. I can spot a narcissist from a mile away. Lets not forget that you are the one that quoted me. Guess from now on in this thread ill just ignore you so my answer doesn't taken as having no life. Flame on
No bro.... you must conform or be cast out.....
🤣
Such a great song....
Post a reply to: Daniel Blair: The Whole Truth (updated with YouTube link)