Did anyone hear Dave Johnson's call of the W.Virginia Derby?

Hickory Hill Hoff · #1 08-08-2006, 07:42 PM

I heard the audio call of this past Sunday's West Virginia Derby. Boy, did Dave Johnson sound more confused than Micheal Matz at the Preakness draw. He couldn't get the running order right and when Bright One took off in the stretch, he forgot to use his signature call "And down the stretch they come!"
until the horse past the eighth pole. Here's a guy who's time has past him. Other than calling races on the radio, I don't think he has any air time on T.V.
I guess track announcer at the Meadowlands (for part of the meet) in the Fall is the best work he can get. Time to hang it up, Dave!

Scav · #2 08-08-2006, 07:44 PM

I heard it, it was RIDICULOUS....couldn't agree more

#3 08-08-2006, 07:45 PM

Sounded like he was drunk

my miss storm cat · #4 08-08-2006, 07:46 PM

It was a joke. If only they could clone Trevor Denman...

paisjpq · #5 08-08-2006, 07:46 PM

he was so bad i actually felt bad for him.

ArlJim78 · #6 08-08-2006, 07:50 PM

It was a huge embarrasment for him. He couldn't remember any of the runners names. He even almost forgot to say "and down the stretch they come". When he finally realized it he blurted it out but the horses were pretty much in the shadow of the wire. horrendous.

Rupert Pupkin · #7 08-08-2006, 07:51 PM

He forgot to say "And down the stretch they come!" Then he realized that he forgot to say it after the horses had passed the 1/16th pole. Then he said something like "It's Bright One drawing away. And down the stretch come the others." It was a terrible call. I couldn't believe it. He used to be a really good announcer. When I first started going to the track back in the early 1980s, he was the track announcer at Santa Anita.

Thunder Gulch · #8 08-08-2006, 07:58 PM

I felt bad for the guy as well. Sounded like it was his first call ever. Pretty sad for a guy that once generated such excitement with his down the stretch call.

zippyneedsawin · #9 08-08-2006, 08:00 PM

Yeah, I just watched it.. not good.

TheSpyder · #10 08-08-2006, 08:01 PM

"And down the stretch they just went" would have been more appropriate. That was real bad. So where is Trevor?

slotdirt · #11 08-09-2006, 09:22 AM

Dave Johnson does the track announcing at Charles Town on West Virginia Breeders Classic day now. No joke.

Danzig · #12 08-09-2006, 04:40 PM

i heard the calll, which i thought was horrendous. matter of fact, this is the first time i've realized that it was dave johnson! no joke, i didn't know it was him. i thought it was some first timer who had no clue, no names, no studying, SOMETHING.
wow. i bet he was embarassed. worst call since they lost the audio and randy moss had to 'call' the race. at least randy had an excuse, he's no caller, and certainly wasn't prepared.

poor dave...too many martinis at lunch?

31lengths · #13 08-09-2006, 04:42 PM

He sounded very distracted. Like he was looking for something.

It was a Harry Caray moment.

Danzig · #14 08-09-2006, 04:52 PM

it was awful, i was yelling at the tv...spit it out guy! lol

a very unsmooth moment.

randallscott35 · #15 08-09-2006, 05:29 PM

Unreal how bad it was. He's the Zippy Chippy of announcers now. Can't buy a win.