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Thread: Jerry Hannon

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    Senior Member Bachelors Hall's Avatar
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    Jerry Hannon

    Is it just me or are his commentaries excruciating?

    I can understand getting a little overexcited if it is a 'once in a generation' battle or performance. Classic examples brought to mind would be Red Rum 1977, Special Cargo 1984, Dawn Run 1986, Edredon Bleu 2000 and so forth. But what made those commentaries so iconic is that while they were exceptional moments, the delivery was still measured while allowing requisite gravitas.

    However, the closing deliveries for every single race at Leopardstown this weekend was shouted with painful predictability before he strained out some haphazard and bumbling "epic commentary moment" in that weird, squeezing out something especially dry and large, high pitched grunt. It is conspicuously contrived, unnecessarily gratuitous and utterly tedious.

    Jerry is adequate for the first two thirds of the race but for the concluding furlongs, I am bracing myself to shudder and cringe instead of enjoying the race itself. I do not need some Saturday night television announcer to hype every race for me. I have seen plenty of racing, it does not need to be sold to me.

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    I like him personally.

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    Senior Member granger's Avatar
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    met him once and a gent

    his profile has raised this year with the cult of personality that twitter generates raising his profile

    I think he is a great commentator overall
    Some people say he’s the best since Arkle and that’s certainly true when you look at what he’s done

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    Senior Member tiggers1972's Avatar
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    I'm with you Bachelors on this.

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    Senior Member Kauto Abu's Avatar
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    Jerry is a great commentator.

    Tony O’Hehir on the contrary....


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bachelors Hall View Post
    Is it just me or are his commentaries excruciating?

    I can understand getting a little overexcited if it is a 'once in a generation' battle or performance. Classic examples brought to mind would be Red Rum 1977, Special Cargo 1984, Dawn Run 1986, Edredon Bleu 2000 and so forth. But what made those commentaries so iconic is that while they were exceptional moments, the delivery was still measured while allowing requisite gravitas.

    However, the closing deliveries for every single race at Leopardstown this weekend was shouted with painful predictability before he strained out some haphazard and bumbling "epic commentary moment" in that weird, squeezing out something especially dry and large, high pitched grunt. It is conspicuously contrived, unnecessarily gratuitous and utterly tedious.

    Jerry is adequate for the first two thirds of the race but for the concluding furlongs, I am bracing myself to shudder and cringe instead of enjoying the race itself. I do not need some Saturday night television announcer to hype every race for me. I have seen plenty of racing, it does not need to be sold to me.
    I agree. Has become self-aware and certainly doesnt nail the finish as often as he thinks he does.

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    Quote Originally Posted by granger View Post
    met him once and a gent
    I should have made the caveat that while I do not know the man personally, secondary accounts suggest that he is a decent human being. I bear absolutely no ill will towards him and hope that he and his enjoy lives full of contentment.

    Quote Originally Posted by granger View Post
    his profile has raised this year with the cult of personality
    This probably exacerbates the issues I have with his work. The commentator is not the show nor even part of the show. The commentator should be a utilitarian condiment who blends inconspicuously into the medium. It is one thing to be a little bit playful while the horses are running along the back straight during a mile-six seller at Southwell or if a dog spontaneously enters a point to point. However, if I am noticing the commentator far more than the race itself during an entire weekend of Grade One action then something is going terribly wrong.
    Last edited by Bachelors Hall; 2nd February 2020 at 8:43 PM.

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    Senior Member an capall's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kauto Abu View Post
    Jerry is a great commentator.

    Tony O’Hehir on the contrary....


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I'd prefer something in between.
    "And still they gazed and still the wonder grew. That one small head could carry all he knew.

    And that small head knew that Impaire Et Passe would win the Champion Hurdle."

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    The Honeysuckle call was the worst one I heard but I watched on RTE today.

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    Senior Member PlaceBacker's Avatar
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    In today's Weekender there is a "call" for Jerry to commentate on a couple of the Festival races

    Not a bad idea as would prefer him over the likes of Ian Bartlett
    "The wise man is one who knows what he does not know"

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    Quote Originally Posted by PlaceBacker View Post
    In today's Weekender there is a "call" for Jerry to commentate on a couple of the Festival races

    Not a bad idea as would prefer him over the likes of Ian Bartlett
    Jesus imagine him commentating on the Champion Hurdle with Hardy Eustace still on the bridle with 50 yards left.

    Or the Edredon Bleu Champion Chase

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    Quote Originally Posted by Double J View Post
    Jesus imagine him commentating on the Champion Hurdle with [Harchibald?]still on the bridle with 50 yards left.

    Or the Edredon Bleu Champion Chase
    "And still they gazed and still the wonder grew. That one small head could carry all he knew.

    And that small head knew that Impaire Et Passe would win the Champion Hurdle."

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    That’s the. Excuse the ignorance, I’ve not followed racing that long!!

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