Tuesday, August 08, 2006

It’s time for Bill Weber to stop bringing up the Hendrick plane crash when Johnson is about to do something special

I know for a fact that NASCAR fans sometimes see exactly what they want to see, especially when it comes to television coverage.
Over the years I’ve received dozens of e-mails from folks who watch and/or listen to the same broadcasts I do but who see and/or hear something completely different. They’re convinced, for instance, that one network favors a particular driver or group of drivers over another.
Drivers complain, too.
Remember Kyle Busch after he won at New Hampshire, getting in a shot at TNT because he hadn’t been interviewed after the previous couple of races?
Sunday at Indianapolis, I had my radar up about how NBC was going to marry its return to the NFL fold with the first NASCAR race it had broadcast in what will be the final season of its deal for racing.
I used to write about sports on TV and radio on a regular basis before taking this job in 1997, so I’m a little predisposed to pay attention to such matters anyway.
I think I am smart enough to know that a certain amount of cross-promotion is not only inevitable, but perfectly legitimate. One of the great things for NASCAR about being on Fox and NBC since 2001, in fact, is that NASCAR coverage gets promoted in entertainment shows and other sports coverage on those networks.
It struck me, though, that NBC went to a promo/preview of the Hall of Fame Game from Canton, Ohio, right after Jimmie Johnson’s victory lane interview following the Allstate 400. And I wrote a comment about it that appeared in the Charlotte Observer and on thatsracin.com.
On thatsracin.com, a headline said that NBC showed no replays of the last lap incidents during Sunday’s race. That’s not right, and it was my fault for implying that in what I wrote so that the person writing the headline drew that conclusion.
I was still in the Indianapolis airport Monday afternoon when my cell phone rang. It was Dick Ebersol, the man behind the success of NBC Sports for so long, calling to talk about what I’d written.
Now I can be a pretty stubborn son of a gun when I am arguing with somebody who I am convinced doesn’t know what he’s talking about. But it has been my experience with people like Ebersol and his counterpart at Fox, David Hill that I can count on them knowing what they’re saying when it comes to something that’s aired on their network.
Ebersol had been in Ohio for Sunday night’s preseason game between Oakland and Philadelphia and he wanted to give me his side of the story.
He’d been in the truck at Canton when the NASCAR race ended, he said, and decided immediately to extend the postrace coverage from the planned 15 minutes to 20 minutes.
"They had a lot of stuff to cover,” Ebersol said.
He read off a list of people who were interviewed before Johnson made it to victory lane, and then ticked off those who made it on camera after the football promo. He said analysts Benny Parsons and Wally Dallenbach spent three minutes reviewing replays of the last-lap incidents. And he told me that in 21 minutes of postrace coverage, there was only one 30-second commercial (a Chevrolet spot congratulating Johnson).
In what I wrote after the race, I suggested NBC would use NASCAR coverage later this year to hype its return to the NFL. Ebersol told me that he and NASCAR have talked about how much cross-promotion there will be and vowed that it will be a two-way street – that NASCAR will continue to get promoted on NBC’s other programming just as it has through the first five years of the six-year deal that ends this year.
Ebersol was direct, but as he has been every time I’ve spoken to him in this job or my former role as a sports TV/radio columnist, he could not have been nicer. He disagreed with what I wrote, and he wanted to tell me why he thought I was wrong, but he did it the way I wish I could do it when I feel that way about something.
I still don’t think NBC had a great day at the races on Sunday. I like Bill Weber, both as a person and a broadcaster, but it’s time for him to stop bringing up the 2004 crash of a Hendrick Motorsports team plane when Johnson is about to do something special.
I like Wally Dallenbach and Benny Parsons a great deal, too, and I know there were replays of the last-lap crashes. But when the broadcast went off I still didn’t have a good idea of what had happened and why, so I reckon the fans at home didn’t, either.
But just about every time I go back and read one of my stories about a race, I think of three or four things I should have done a better job of explaining or describing. And people aren’t reading that story as I am writing it, either. Television doesn’t have a backspace key, and sometimes it’s too easy to forget that.
I know race fans pretty well, I think, and I know that this fall if NBC runs NFL scores across the screen during races some of those fans will scream bloody murder. But I also know what NBC is paying for NFL rights, too, and I know I’d probably make some of the same decisions that Ebersol and his people will make if I were in their shoes.
At least, I hope I’d be smart enough to.

51 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bill Webber needs to be told this IN PERSON...You have credentials to these races and access to these announcers...I agree 100% with you..Racing is about TODAY...Maybe Bill can use his own money to sponsor a race and call it the " Hendrick Plane Crash Memorial 400 " .. Then he can talk about it all he wants...But until he does, I hope he lets it go and it's up to YOU, the man with the credentials, to clue him in...

Anonymous said...

It's good to know that someone like Ebersol takes accountability for its broadcasts. Too often I have the sense that FOX, NBC, and TNT don't pay much attention to fan complaints about coverage. I hope you'll keep writing about these issues, just to keep them honest...even if NBC is on its way out! And thanks for letting us know that they did respond...

Anonymous said...

How about this: Get rid of Bill Webber. I love to watch my races, I can't stand seeing that troll on my TV.

Bring back Bestwick!!!

Monkeesfan said...

Johnson himself needs to stop bringing up the plane crash as well - he brought it up after he won Talladega. Johnson, I don't want to hear about it anymore.

Anonymous said...

Thank you David -- I thought I was the only one who got upset when Bill Weber started going on about the Hendrick plane crash in 2004 --what did that have to do with this race???? Does he think the families and friends of the 10 victims really wanted to be reminded of what happened on that horrible day in the middle of what might have been an enjoyable day of racing for them?? It had nothing to do with the race and was just plain tacky.

okla21fan said...

You make a good point David, but why stop there? Twice a year at Daytona we still have to hear the recounting of the 'final lap in 2001' by some announcer and some video montage.

Anonymous said...

Hendrick needs to stop shoving it down our throats too, as well as NASCAR with their convienient finishes.

Anonymous said...

It's about time NASCAR and TV stop bringing up the tragedy of the Hendrick plane crash and the death of DE. I am getting sick of hearing it. It's over with. Don't dwell in the past. Move on with the future. Of course they were tragedies and shouldn't be forgotten but it's time to stop shoving it down the fans throats. They are all dead and they are not coming back. End of story.

Monkeesfan said...

okla21fan,

Ain't that the truth.

Monkeesfan said...

Speaking of bringing up -

I will be shocked if NBC or anyone else in the RSM mentions Tim Richmond once this weekend or shows that banner some fans will fly over Watkins Glen before the race. The RSM mentions Hendrick's plane crash and Earnhardt, but Tim Richmond? Ancient history. Davey Allison? Who? Alan Kulwicki? Not worthy of burial in a footnote.

Yep, that's how the RSM keeps up with history.

Anonymous said...

David, next time you talk to these corporate can you please let them know that in between the advertising 400 and the commercials 500 us NASCAR fans would like to see some racing as well if it is not too much incovenience for them.

Anonymous said...

" I like Bill Weber, both as a person and a broadcaster, "

He may be a nice guy boy holy shit is he one hell of a bad play by play man. ive never seen worse. I agree that next time you talk wtih Dick mention how much us Nascar fans despise his network, Nothing But Commercials and tell him thank god they are leaving. Its pretty pathetic when you need 3 commercials in 23 laps within 50 laps to go, but yet are proud you showed a post-race show with only 1 commercial. I got an idea, do what ESPN did back in the day, show the race, have the commercials during the cautions and during the post race show. This is brutal coverage and it has been for the last 2 years.

Anonymous said...

David,
Your column will serve a greater purpose...those who have not thought twice about mentioning the Hendrick tragedy will now cogitate about it.
You shoot straight and express a strong, professional opinion which is why I read your work daily.
I too had a hard time figuring out what happened on the last lap via NBC's coverage...but they are human beings and are trying to put on a good show. Let's cheer Benny back to full health, and salute you DP for representing the common man's view. Vroom!

Unknown said...

Let me clear something up, because I've had a few e-mails from folks saying if it's wrong to remember the Hendrick plane crash it's wrong to remember Dale Earnhardt's death, too. I never said that it's wrong to remember the folks who died on the Hendrick plane. Randy Dorton and Joe Jackson, two of those on that plane, were very good friends of mine and I still miss them very much. I knew John Hendrick and Ricky Hendrick, too, and I know the families of some of the others who died. There's no way I will ever forget that. What I wrote was that I don't think it's right to keep bringing that tragedy up in the context of every victory by a Hendrick car. Earnhardt's death changed the sport's whole approach and attitude about safety. When safety is being discussed, that's relevant. I don't think every time Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins anything it should be about his father's death, either.

Anonymous said...

What about Dale Sr. being brought up every race, FOX does it more than NBC. People say it is hard to get over losing Sr, well maybe some feel it is hard to get over those that died in the Hendrick plane crash, I know it is for me because I adored Ricky Hendrick and miss him dearly.

Anonymous said...

Everytime Dale Jr does something special or wins is all about Dale Sr. and he is brought up. They have been many drivers that have contributed to making NASCAR what it is today, not just one, not just Dale Sr. I will be glad when people move on and let this man rest in peace

Anonymous said...

I'm not near as tired of the Hendrick plane crash being talked about as I am of Earnhardt Sr. enough is enough let both of them go away and lets get on with the present and future!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

You know why they keep bringing these things up?? They are filling time the races are getting boring. My wife looks at me after I complained about Weber mentioning the crash again. She says the race is boring, there is nothing else to talk about. Think about everytime they mention this stuff and what is happening on the track.. Nothing...

Anonymous said...

I turned the channel in disgust that they ended the post-race coverage so soon after the race, and went to the football coverage. It wasn't until later that night, I went to replay my recording to review the wrecks after and saw that they went back to the post-race coverage. I assumed it was over and turned away.

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness NBC is going but lets not forget we are still stuck with TNT next year for some races. I never quite understood why Alan Bestwick who was doing such a great job in the booth was moved. My thoughts are this, Alan is so much more talented in general and his post race interviews are second to none. Its almost as if NBC was trying to hide Webber in the booth so no one would notice him. Once again I am sure he is a nice guy but man his play by play is intolerable and NBC in general is unwatchable. My suggestion turn down the volume and turn up MRN. Also investing in a Tivo really helps!

Anonymous said...

Bill Webber is terrible, in many many ways. I think I'll schedule my vacations next year around the races airing on TNT.

Anonymous said...

If it was Vickers coming around the fourth corner for his first win, I could tolerate the plane wreck being brought up again. But how many times has Jimmie Johnson won since that day??? I'm guessing more than ten, so it's time for BW to shut up about it already.

Anonymous said...

" I like Bill Weber, both as a person and a broadcaster, "

I'm glad someone does, because I certainly don't. Listening to that drama queen is like fingernails on a chalkboard. Between him and all the commercials, it just makes me turn the tv of. Bring me BP and Jerry Punch (and less commercials) and I MIGHT tune in again.

Anonymous said...

When Weber brought up the crash yet again, everyone in my house yelled "Shut up about it already!" BUT rather than just getting him to stop talking about the crash, how about we just get him to stop talking...period. Why they replaced Alan Bestwick (emphasis on BEST) I will never know. Weber is good at the prepared stuff but is just annoying as a play by play commentator. When NBC/tnt do the races, I say thank goodness for the mute button and Trackpass.

Anonymous said...

Cut NBC some slack! They are in a "lame duck" situation with NASCAR this year.

Last year, before their bosses decided to pass on renewing the NASCAR TV deal, I thought that NBC had shown steady, year-over-year improvement in their NASCAR broadcasts. I liked their more low-key approach compared to the corn-pone antics on Fox.

Anonymous said...

Not only am i tired of Bill weber bringing up that planecrash i am also tirred of his pro- Chevrolet views.Unless i miss my guess, i think he is paid by chevrolet and is always running into the ground that there are six Chevies and three Dodges but only one ford running in the top ten.I think announcers+ shouldnot be so obviously biased like he is

Anonymous said...

I, too, thought the race coverage was over when we went to football. But I do not agree with there being time to fill because the race is boring. Get Trackpass and watch the times between drivers that are not in the top 3 or on one of the top three teams. There HAS to be some awesome racing with four cars less than a thousandth of a second apart....show us that once in awhile, and let Alan do the talking...Weber isn't worth the effort of even turning the sound up for an accident. How many times did he say Jeff GORDON was leading the race in the early laps on Sunday?

Anonymous said...

The final laps of the Brickyard were all Bill Weber, mindlessly bantering over all the tragedy at Hendrick. Let it go. Listening to him, you would have thought it was last month. It would have been nice to show and discuss some of the battles for position further back in the field.

Anonymous said...

Bill Weber is OK and does as good a job as most, but to drone on and on about the Hendrick crash while showing the 48 going round and round by itself was excruciating. There were 42 other cars in that race with half of them having a huge stake in the outcome and we're (TV Watchers) all captives of Mr. Weber while he waxes on obliviously. There are two types of fans on Sunday. Those who are very familiar with the minutae of the Hendrick crash and those who have no interest. We were all bored and frustrated with the lack of decent coverage of the finish, while Mr. Weber droned on with his misplaced tribute.

Anonymous said...

Don't get me started on DW and Larry Mac....too bad Fox didn't loose THEIR contract....how NASCAR can think we fans have great coverage on TV is beyond me....have they ever actually WATCHED a race from a TV??????

Anonymous said...

The day NBC replaced Allen Bestwick with Bill Webber was the day I lost all respect for NBC. Webber is constantly calling drivers by the wrong name. He is pathetic.

Anonymous said...

Monkeesfan said...
Johnson himself needs to stop bringing up the plane crash as well - he brought it up after he won Talladega. Johnson, I don't want to hear about it anymore.

Let's see Monkeesfan, what day did Jimmie win Talladega on this year? April 30th. Guess what the next day was? May 1st... Randy Dorton's birthday. Randy Dorton, a very good friend of Jimmie who he loved and respected very much. How dare Jimmie mention him on that day!

*eyeroll*

April said...

I too thought the post race coverage was a bit hurried and not at all conclusive. I still didn't really know what happened, until I read what Kasey recounted after the race. Jeez, I don't know what to expect next year for TV coverage.

That Hendrick crash comment...right on. It was sad and horrible for all parties involved. But please, let's move on and quit rehashing everytime Jimmie's name is brought up.

Thanks for the great blog! Keep up the good work.

Anonymous said...

I think NBC's NASCAR coverage sucks. I wish instead of "through the field", they would show the racing "through the field". They seem to show the top 5 and that is it. NBC may want to watch how SPEED did the ORP(IRP) race on Friday night, they showed LOTS of racing "through the field".

Anonymous said...

Thank you DP, for not only venting about the constant tributes to past events (Hendrick plane crash and Earnhardt's death, but allowing us fans to do the same)--we just roll our eyes in my home when we hear that coming out of the TV. I have never heard Weber or anyone else bring up Alan Kulwicki at Bristol or Davey Allison at Talladega or anything resembling tragic events when any other (read:non-Hendrick/non-DEI) driver wins. I got to see some actual racing between the all-important NBC commercial parade, but has everyone noticed the constant barrage during races on TNT? I do not want to see extra advertisements plastered across the screen while they are showing live racing---it's bad enough that TNT only has two commercials that are for something other than "The Closer" which seems to be their big moneymaker. If I want to look at a computer screen with pop-ups all over the place, I will do that instead.

Monkeesfan said...

Hey flash, who cares? I DON'T want to hear about that plane crash anymore - it means nothing anymore.

Anonymous said...

I am so happy to read some of these comments. I couldn't agree more that NBC replacing Allen with Webber was their downfall. I never really understood what the purpose of this was.

And I really like NBC. I really do. I love Benny and Wally. But why God.. why did they move Webber into the booth? I will never understand.

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to see what happens at Homestead in the final race of the year if there's a rain delay. Doesn't NBC have a football game scheduled for that night at 7:00? Do you think they'll stay with the race???

Anonymous said...

Monkeesfan said...
Hey flash, who cares? I DON'T want to hear about that plane crash anymore - it means nothing anymore.

Then try putting your fingers in your ears and chanting "neener, neener i can't hear you" until the person is quiet. That seems to work for most four year-old's.

Anonymous said...

how funny.. i yelled at my TV for Weber to give it up already when he brought up the plane crash. Thanks for putting that out there, DP.

I would disagree that NBC has improved over the years. Maybe relative to some really old ESPN coverage.. Without any prompting from my "bias" views on NBC coverage, my girlfriend (who is watching her first season of NASCAR) commented that "these guys are horrible" after NBC coverage began. She's not the NASCAR fan I am (I'm workin on her!) but she can tell the difference that the miserable, frustrating and boring coverage NBC gives us. Favorite quote: "Will it be back on Fox next week?"

Monkeesfan said...

flash, that kind of response went out with Hogan's Heroes.
Give me one good reason why I or anyone else should care when Johnson brought up the Hendrick plane crash.

Monkeesfan said...

anonymous, NBC has improved it's coverage. Your girlfriend doesn't know what she is talking about. Just accept what you've got with TV coverage.

Anonymous said...

Mike Daly (Little MonkeeBoy): Yeah we just have to accept TV coverage as it is, just the same as we have to accept the fact that you keep showing up on all these blogs spinning your opinion as fact. YOU ARE IRRELEVANT!!

Monkeesfan said...

You sure seem genuinely concerned about points I make - so much for "irrelevency."

Yes, you do have to accept TV coverage as it is, because it cannot be done better.

Anonymous said...

Mikey Daly (little MonkeeBoy): I said it before, and I'll say it again. You're just one little man, with one little opinion. Thanks for writing.

Anonymous said...

It’s time for Bill Weber to stop bringing up the Hendrick plane crash when Johnson is about to do something special

Amen! You don't hear anything about Kulwicki or Davey Allison's crash anymore, and that was MUCH more serious to the sport than the Hendrick plane crash was.

As for announcers, we need Buddy Baker, Ned Jarrett, etc. back... Those guys were great. Or at least Bestwick.

I don't think we'll get our wish though, unfortunately.

Anonymous said...

At least with BW in the booth we don't have to see him walking around the pits in that stupid racing suit looking like a marshmallow.

Bring back Buddy Baker!

Anonymous said...

Bill Weber needs to leave Nascar announcing.
I think people his age are incapable of changing.

1. he announces as if the audience is 2nd graders who are seeing nascar for the first time.
2. he thinks what he says is more important than other announcers. you can tell the way he corrects them. this is so rude! You do not correct Benny Parsons!!! - a seasoned veteran
3. he over uses cliches: for example - if he says, "this driver is trying to win the race" again i think i will shoot myself.
4. i am a seasoned fan who needs not to be insulted any longer. Bill needs to watch sunday night football and take a lesson from Al Michaels.
5. it is clear he knows nothing about nascar. as a result he needs to stop acting like he does.
6. I can't stand him so much I have to watch the race with the sound way down.

Shannon Irons

Anonymous said...

Watching Peanut butter drip from a knife is more exciting than Bill Webbers play by play. Has he forgot that his audience is WATCHING, not listing on the radio.

Hay Bill!!!! Your not on the radio, we’re watching the same thing you are…… we can see from the ticker on the screen how many laps are left in the race, and the placement of other drivers, who’s going in to pit so on and so forth. For crying out loud tell your audience something we don’t know or can’t see!!!!!

Jeff Nielsen - Peachtree City, GA

Anonymous said...

I know I'm a little late to this party, but I can't agree more. Bill Weber is a disaster as a play-by-play man. I don't need to be reminded every 5 minutes that there are 43 cars racing. Any fan worth his salt already knows that. NBC has never been good at covering sporting events. So I'm very happy that they are gone from NASCAR racing. All that's left is getting rid of those few TNT races and giving them to FOX.

Anonymous said...

As far as Bill Weber goes, can any one say Dennis Miller on Monday night football!!! He seems like a real nice guy, but his raspy voice, and stupid comments give me a headache!!!!! TNT must not pay him much. Maybe thats why he hasnt been fired yet!!!I cant believe how much i miss FOX.