O'Day on KIRO-TV - TAKE THIS POLL

[dialtwisty]

********************************************************
Let's take a poll:

- IS PAT O'DAY STILL BADLY MISSED IN CALLING THE HYDROS ON SEATTLE RADIO?

>>> I say "YES"! <<<<

 

[barrisfan]

i TOTALLY miss his play by play of the hydros. i used to watch the hydros, but with the sound off, and turn up the radio. pat rocks.

 

[MegoMan]

> i TOTALLY miss his play by play of the hydros. i used to
> watch the hydros, but with the sound off, and turn up the
> radio. pat rocks.
>
Radio coverage isn't the same because of two reasons:
a)Pat O'Day isn't doing it
b)it isn't broadcast on KJR-AM/KUBE/KJR-FM<P ID="signature">______________
"Always on the move." Obi-Wan Kenobi in Revenge Of the Sith</P>

 

[gulfcoastdj]

I hear ya on KJR, but KUBE? What history does KUBE have with the hydros?


> > i TOTALLY miss his play by play of the hydros. i used to
> > watch the hydros, but with the sound off, and turn up the
> > radio. pat rocks.
> >
> Radio coverage isn't the same because of two reasons:
> a)Pat O'Day isn't doing it
> b)it isn't broadcast on KJR-AM/KUBE/KJR-FM
>

 

[Joe_Capitano]

I say YES also. I have a tape Pat's KVI/KPLZ broadcast of the 1985 Gold Cup where he recites from memory a roll call of those who were primarily responsible through the years for our annual party at the Lake. That, preceded by a remembrance of moments on the ol' Ted Jones course, was legendary stuff.

Jeff King claimed the echo in the background was because so many people were tuned in. Maybe so, but I still think ol' P. O'D. preferred to kick up the ol' echo.

And this weekend we're spinning the ol' Wheel of Hydros for the 55th time. Round and round and round they go and where they stop...nobody knows.

 

[MegoMan]

> I hear ya on KJR, but KUBE? What history does KUBE have
> with the hydros?

Hits between the heats. KUBE & KJR-FM simulcasted Pat calling the heats in FM stereo for a time during the 90's.
>
>
> > > i TOTALLY miss his play by play of the hydros. i used to
>
> > > watch the hydros, but with the sound off, and turn up
> the
> > > radio. pat rocks.
> > >
> > Radio coverage isn't the same because of two reasons:
> > a)Pat O'Day isn't doing it
> > b)it isn't broadcast on KJR-AM/KUBE/KJR-FM
> >
>
<P ID="signature">______________
"Always on the move." Obi-Wan Kenobi in Revenge Of the Sith</P>

 

[PeakLimiter]

I had the pleasure of talking with Pat for about 15 minutes and meeting his 14 year old daughter Friday while down in the "pits". He not only looks and sounds great, but shared a number of things right and wrong with the hydro's in 2005. I personally was involved with KVI/KPLZ engineering for the race coverage in 1985 and in fact mixed nearly half of it along with Kelly Alford (the best to ever CE the races, the audio was fantastic!) While we did ever so slightly "sweeten" the announce mics at the start/finish tower, (Pat and Jeff)It's absolutely true that during actual race coverage, the added "reverb" was in fact every radio up and down the beach tuned to hear Pat call the race. Over the air with stereo FX from 3 different points along the course (some as far as 1.5 miles from where we mixed it with a 32 X 8 console) the stereo seperation on air was like never before and yet to be repeated. We heard of hundreds of house parties where they had TV, but took our audio, turned it up and loved every minute of "Pat O'Day and the best race coverage you've ever heard!"





> > I hear ya on KJR, but KUBE? What history does KUBE have
> > with the hydros?
>
> Hits between the heats. KUBE & KJR-FM simulcasted Pat
> calling the heats in FM stereo for a time during the 90's.
> >
> >
> > > > i TOTALLY miss his play by play of the hydros. i used
> to
> >
> > > > watch the hydros, but with the sound off, and turn up
> > the
> > > > radio. pat rocks.
> > > >
> > > Radio coverage isn't the same because of two reasons:
> > > a)Pat O'Day isn't doing it
> > > b)it isn't broadcast on KJR-AM/KUBE/KJR-FM
> > >
> >
>

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

I kind of wonder how long Seafair will make an impact. Gone, I think, are the days kids tow the wooden hydros on the back of the boat. Ask people around town these days what the biggest deal of Seafair is, and you'll probably hear "the Blue Angels". Ask five people to name 5 boats in the race ... ask them to name two drivers ... and I bet you'll come up empty.

I remember when everyone in town covered the races ... radio AND TV and those days on the barge & boom were a hoot. Then, Seafair "auctioned" the coverage rights, and it felt that the festival visibility in town started to wane.

I'm glad Pat's still involved -- if even only to add color to the TV team. In a way that's good, because it's probably better for the 2005 broadcast team to focus on the RACE OF 2005 ... but that's not to say I don't have a HUGE (and enthusiastic) respect for all the races, boats, and drivers of the past as well. Heck..I even went to the Hyrdro museum when it was in one of those warehouse slots in south Seattle. Understand these days it's a bit more prominent out in Kent.

This made me think the other day ... why hasn't SOME sports bar taken a hydro shell and hung that from the ceiling as a Seattle sports icon? Would make a really cool accent for a sport that's often closely identified with Seattle.

 

[AQH]

Well said. I remember the days when K-Plus and KVI did their radio thing. It was about the only day of the year that K-Plus had a leg up on KUBE.

As for today, the interest has died down partially because of the amount of new people in our area. Most of the people who come in from out of town wouldn't know what a hydroplane is, let alone care about Pat O'Day's proper place in history with the hydros.



> I kind of wonder how long Seafair will make an impact.
> Gone, I think, are the days kids tow the wooden hydros on
> the back of the boat. Ask people around town these days
> what the biggest deal of Seafair is, and you'll probably
> hear "the Blue Angels". Ask five people to name 5 boats in
> the race ... ask them to name two drivers ... and I bet
> you'll come up empty.
>
> I remember when everyone in town covered the races ... radio
> AND TV and those days on the barge & boom were a hoot.
> Then, Seafair "auctioned" the coverage rights, and it felt
> that the festival visibility in town started to wane.
>
> I'm glad Pat's still involved -- if even only to add color
> to the TV team. In a way that's good, because it's probably
> better for the 2005 broadcast team to focus on the RACE OF
> 2005 ... but that's not to say I don't have a HUGE (and
> enthusiastic) respect for all the races, boats, and drivers
> of the past as well. Heck..I even went to the Hyrdro museum
> when it was in one of those warehouse slots in south
> Seattle. Understand these days it's a bit more prominent
> out in Kent.
>
> This made me think the other day ... why hasn't SOME sports
> bar taken a hydro shell and hung that from the ceiling as a
> Seattle sports icon? Would make a really cool accent for a
> sport that's often closely identified with Seattle.
>

 

[BusyBuzz]

When you consider that Seattle is the only race on the entire schedule to have any Live Television coverage at all, we should feel lucky that our community regards this event enough to keep it going for 55 years.

I think Seafair auctioned the TV rights when they struck a deal with Texaco a number of years ago as the primary sponsor because they wanted to be able to tailor the coverage and the branded visual on television, plus I think they felt with so many stations covering the races that fewer people were actually showing up on the shores of Lake Washington.

I have talked to a few people who attended the races this year and for the first time in many years the crowds seemed to be better than previous years and many were much younger fans.

The Unlimited Lites have a tremendous amount to do with the appeal to a younger audience as there are more young drivers in that class. These boats have built quite a young audience and following running on Lake Sammamish and I think they will be the class of the future as far as the Seafair race in Seattle is concerned.

With time everything changes and evolves, and Seafair is no different. The fact that people are still coming out to watch after 55 years is amazing even if the flavor of the event is changing.



> I kind of wonder how long Seafair will make an impact.
> Gone, I think, are the days kids tow the wooden hydros on
> the back of the boat. Ask people around town these days
> what the biggest deal of Seafair is, and you'll probably
> hear "the Blue Angels". Ask five people to name 5 boats in
> the race ... ask them to name two drivers ... and I bet
> you'll come up empty.
>
> I remember when everyone in town covered the races ... radio
> AND TV and those days on the barge & boom were a hoot.
> Then, Seafair "auctioned" the coverage rights, and it felt
> that the festival visibility in town started to wane.
>
> I'm glad Pat's still involved -- if even only to add color
> to the TV team. In a way that's good, because it's probably
> better for the 2005 broadcast team to focus on the RACE OF
> 2005 ... but that's not to say I don't have a HUGE (and
> enthusiastic) respect for all the races, boats, and drivers
> of the past as well. Heck..I even went to the Hyrdro museum
> when it was in one of those warehouse slots in south
> Seattle. Understand these days it's a bit more prominent
> out in Kent.
>
> This made me think the other day ... why hasn't SOME sports
> bar taken a hydro shell and hung that from the ceiling as a
> Seattle sports icon? Would make a really cool accent for a
> sport that's often closely identified with Seattle.
>

 

[StangBuddy]

An old guy who made a ton of payola money back in the 60's but, since he's very revered, like Dick Clark, gets away with it. After ripping off artists while being a promoter, program director and overall guru of the Seattle market, Pat ends up with a nice pad and real estate venture in the San Juans. All of this while being god at KJR-AM, one of the most influential stations of the sixties era. True payola.

And none of those old farts will spend a dime defending any music person, be it in radio or records, caught up in Bush-era, trumped-up, corporate media scandals and profanity issues.

It was nice having him come down for the weekend I guess.

 

[dialtwisty]

O'Day & PAYOLA

>>>> An old guy who made a ton of payola money back in the 60's....

..and O'Day earned EVERY PENNY OF IT....make NO mistake!

Even back at KYYX when he stole the payroll, the man KNOWS how to make a deal -

Pat's only demon now is still smokin' ciggies; Lord knows he has TRIED to quit...

His assertion on this:
"A guy's gotta have SOME fun pushin' 75!"

...The man DEFINATELY has the blood of a Peter Pan...

 

[AQH]

Dude, relax. Do you see Ted Kennedy complaining over and over and over and over again about how he wishes his brother took a different street in Dallas?



> An old guy who made a ton of payola money back in the 60's
> but, since he's very revered, like Dick Clark, gets away
> with it. After ripping off artists while being a promoter,
> program director and overall guru of the Seattle market, Pat
> ends up with a nice pad and real estate venture in the San
> Juans. All of this while being god at KJR-AM, one of the
> most influential stations of the sixties era. True payola.
>
> And none of those old farts will spend a dime defending any
> music person, be it in radio or records, caught up in
> Bush-era, trumped-up, corporate media scandals and profanity
> issues.
>
> It was nice having him come down for the weekend I guess.
>

 

[70radio]

> I had the pleasure of talking with Pat for about 15 minutes
> and meeting his 14 year old daughter Friday while down in
> the "pits". He not only looks and sounds great, but shared a
> number of things right and wrong with the hydro's in 2005. I
> personally was involved with KVI/KPLZ engineering for the
> race coverage in 1985 and in fact mixed nearly half of it
> along with Kelly Alford (the best to ever CE the races, the
> audio was fantastic!) While we did ever so slightly
> "sweeten" the announce mics at the start/finish tower, (Pat
> and Jeff)It's absolutely true that during actual race
> coverage, the added "reverb" was in fact every radio up and
> down the beach tuned to hear Pat call the race. Over the air
> with stereo FX from 3 different points along the course
> (some as far as 1.5 miles from where we mixed it with a 32 X
> 8 console) the stereo seperation on air was like never
> before and yet to be repeated. We heard of hundreds of house
> parties where they had TV, but took our audio, turned it up
> and loved every minute of "Pat O'Day and the best race
> coverage you've ever heard!"


************AMEN!!!*****************
>
>
>
>
>
> > > I hear ya on KJR, but KUBE? What history does KUBE have
>
> > > with the hydros?
> >
> > Hits between the heats. KUBE & KJR-FM simulcasted Pat
> > calling the heats in FM stereo for a time during the 90's.
>
> > >
> > >
> > > > > i TOTALLY miss his play by play of the hydros. i
> used
> > to
> > >
> > > > > watch the hydros, but with the sound off, and turn
> up
> > > the
> > > > > radio. pat rocks.
> > > > >
> > > > Radio coverage isn't the same because of two reasons:
> > > > a)Pat O'Day isn't doing it
> > > > b)it isn't broadcast on KJR-AM/KUBE/KJR-FM
> > > >
> > >
> >
>

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

Re: Races, TV & Radio...

> When you consider that Seattle is the only race on the
> entire schedule to have any Live Television coverage at all,
> we should feel lucky that our community regards this event
> enough to keep it going for 55 years.....

AWESOME OBSERVATIONS.

And it was very interesting that they ran tape from Saturday co-mingled with live events from Sunday so that (a) it time-compressed some of the earlier heats into race..results..awards; and (b) opened the door to give exposure to both unlimited and limited races.

Unfortunately, this year I never kicked the radio on at all. Did anyone catch the radio coverage....would be curious to hear about it??

 

[StangBuddy]

Re: O'Day & PAYOLA

I like Pat and I've met him a couple of times over the years. I guess I'm just trying to highlight that what O'Day, and others, did back in the 60's would raise alot of eyebrows in this day and age. Being a concert promoter, among other things, while programming a major Top-40 is seriously frowned upon, if not unheard of, and runs you the risk of being skewered by the FCC.

Mr. O'Day knows that. And yet you stand by him because...He loved his audience, loved his station, played great records, was a great boss, brought good acts to town...and so on.

As I've said numerous times on this board I'm a payola fan. It's time for some of these old, rich guys to step up to the plate and take on the FCC for there heinous behavior since the millenium. In the meantime it was nice to see Pat on T.V.

 

[StangBuddy]

Re: O'Day & PAYOLA

Being a concert promoter,
among other things, while programming a major Top-40 is
seriously frowned upon, if not unheard of, and runs you the
risk of being skewered by the FCC.

Ooopps! Unless your corporate headquarters are located 70 miles from Austin, Texas and your boy sits in the White House. Then you can buy hundreds of stations and an entertainment company, pay a fine, give Stern the boot and wipe your ass.

The only people involved in serious payola nowadays ain't local. They come from the Lone Star State. C'mon people. As the saying goes "Bring em on".

Just a clarification.