Bad News - Larry Rawson Is Commentating NCAA D1 XC Meet on Versus

This is great news, since I don't get versus or nbc or any of that other microsoft crap.

The world is a much better place without them.

I was really depressed that I had DirecTV and thus wouldn't be seeing the race until I saw this. Now I don't feel so bad. Larry Rawson could find a way to screw up

Bannister-Landy. The worst analyst on TV. Not just in track. And by the way Lewis Johnson also sucks. Lewis doesn't understand a lot of things. The only thing that could possibly make it worse is to have that nut job who did trackside reporting for NBC during Worlds.

Lewis Johnson knew enuff about about mid distance to be a pretty damn good Half miler back in the day.....

What's the over and under in terms of minutes until we hear, " . . . go down to your local track . . ."?

Versus has this listed as college track and field. Are they running on the track or on the field tomorrow?

Last year when I was out there, I didn't have anybody giving me commentary as I was two foot away from Rupp and Chelanga at about 7k. Just turn the audio off if you don't like the announcing. I do it all the time watching the NBA on TNT and ESPN.

Negative five minutes for the start of the girl's race.

old ndn runna wrote:

Lewis Johnson knew enuff about about mid distance to be a pretty damn good Half miler back in the day.....

Excuse me ? When? where? The guy claims he rabbited meets in Europe. Never heard of the guy. Please educate me. Seriuosly

He is on par with carol lewis as a comentator. Poorly informed and adds no insight considering his alleged distiction as a half miler/800 meter who supposed to have competed internationally.

Rawson it will be more leg turnover and hydroplaning. Poor guy can\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'t help himself.

What school do you coach anonymousd1coach?

The continued ability of Rawson to get these jobs commentating at meets amazes me. When I was about 11 and just starting running he used to do the indoor meets on TV back then, and that was 1978. I realized how bad he was even then as a sixth grader. The funny thing is his "approach" was just the same, always with the leg-turnover and the comments about what pace they are running, not in terms of what that means for the race going on, but just how hard that pace might be for the average person to maintain.

Even then I used to wonder: who is watching this indoor 2 mile or 5k that DOESN'T KNOW how hard a 4:19 opening mile is? Who is he talking to?

Anyway, it isn't very nice to say, but I have acquiesced to the fact that we have to put up with him until about 2 years after he is too senile to actually do the commentary anymore, because that won't stop those in charge, or Rawson, from continuing on with it. That long, or until he dies.

I don't wish bad things on him, I just wish that TV would get a clue FIRE HIM and there HAS TO BE some college or pro coaches that would love some extra money that would do a good job, but maybe not, maybe TV just doesn't want to find someone and they may pay Rawson very little.

I've got 10 dollars on Rawson discussing a loaf of bread during the men's race.

TV lowballs and gets the cheapest announcers looking for work that weekend.

What's the deal with having dopey Louis J all the time. The dude is such a slow brain and a dim wit. If they need a black guy get Ato Bolden. In fact, get UCLA's Ato Bolden no matter what, because Ato the man has the quickest brain on running/T&F TV, and is the best thinker of any of those lobotomized oafs.

troll:) - educate yourself, that isn't our job here on letsrun. If you don't know, shutup.

He was an All-American for Cincinnati and a 1:46 800 runner around 1987.

Will we hear, "It's on like Donkey Kong" when Chelanga and Derrick start throwing down at 7k?

Ironically, Larry got his first announcing gig by criticizing commentators, in his case TV coverage of the Boston Marathon in '74. He must be 67 or 68 "years of age" since he graduated Boston College '63 with the then New England intercollegiate mile record of 4:07 (no Tartan track's then). I've never heard anyone speak with the weird syntax or use the analogies he employs. I think he tries to hard. And he doesn't need the job.. he made a pile of $$ running a junk bonds investment firm. you can bet he reads this website.

I actually like both of them and think they do a decent job.

Some of us that watch these things drag our non-track nut friends and family to the TV/computer with us so the abundant analogies and descriptions of relative speed for the non-track folk are appreciated.

Also, for you all you haters, L. Johnson was a better track athlete than 99.9% of the people on this board.

Rawson's 4:07 mile makes him better than the vast majority of this board.

I beg to differ wrote:

Also, for you all you haters, L. Johnson was a better track athlete than 99.9% of the people on this board.

The Brits that do the European meets during the summer are the best. Then Eyestone. If his squads fail to make the meet one year he should be doing the broadcast.

Rawson means well though. If he knew that his audience was smarter he might change his approach.