Barmy Bernie

[Canada Darrell™]

Hey, he says so right here:

http://joesaward.wordpress.com/

The only people that ever believed it to be a true sport were the promoters and really weird fans! I seem to recall way back then that the fact it was pure entertainment and made up in the ring was a topic of much debate. Hell, John Stossel of ABC's 20/20 show made the mistake of asking David Schultz the wrong type of question well before the wrestlers would come to accept that the fans were "in on it"



Now, just because Joe Saward throws out that statement without backing it up makes it as true as me saying Bernie is the best thing that could have happened to F1.

 

[lkjohnson1950]

You're far too young to remember, but in the '50s wrestling was on a par with boxing. Both were largely local affairs. The first slip toward what wrestling has become was a gentleman named Gorgeous George.

Lonny

[cosworth151]

I remember those days, Lonny. My grandmother used to take me down to the local armory to watch. My favorite was Dr. Big Bill Miller. I was quite young, but I thought it was real. I know that by the mid to late 60's, it was phoney as a $3 bill.

Thanks for the clip, Darrell. I think everyone who's ever heard John Stossel has wanted to smack him up 'side the head.  Knowing Stossel reputation, the whole thing was probably as phoney and pre-planned as the wrestling.

[Willy]

Bernie is spot on with this idea!
I said this exact thing a while ago and there was a deafening silence in response.

Having worked in the Special Effects Dept of the film industry for many years I know for a fact this is not a difficult situation to acheive.

Rain heads can easily be put in place that would give the tracks anything from a shower to a deluge depending upon water supply and race situation.  And water recovery can be put in place as well.

This would be very interesting to see how it shakes up the positions on track.

The current F1 regs have brought us to watch boring races more times then not.

I applaud Bernie for bringing this idea to international attention.

[Wats-on]

You are spot on with your comment about the regulations. So, in stead of installing sprinklers and make the race even more clinical and artificial, lets shake up this regulations. Less is more.

[Jericoke]

Bernie is spot on with this idea!
I said this exact thing a while ago and there was a deafening silence in response.

Having worked in the Special Effects Dept of the film industry for many years I know for a fact this is not a difficult situation to acheive.

Rain heads can easily be put in place that would give the tracks anything from a shower to a deluge depending upon water supply and race situation.  And water recovery can be put in place as well.

This would be very interesting to see how it shakes up the positions on track.

The current F1 regs have brought us to watch boring races more times then not.

I applaud Bernie for bringing this idea to international attention.

+1

 

[lkjohnson1950]

You are spot on with your comment about the regulations. So, in stead of installing sprinklers and make the race even more clinical and artificial, lets shake up this regulations. Less is more.

Right!. Lets let the designers go for it, not the FX guys.

Lonny

[Willy]

I would welcome less regulations that allow teams and drivers more chance to stretch the limits and race each other ontrack and in the design faze as well.

The artificial rain idea is not intended to just add water to a race situation but to add an intangable situation that the teams/drivers have to deal with.

As I have said before...anything that adds more action - passing - excitement to the races is okay with me.

And as Lonny mentioned...let the track designers make tracks that are more exciting for the drivers as well as the fans.

[Wats-on]

And then again: Who descides when it is going to be a wet track? Bernie? Chralie? Something like 'O crap, Vettel is leading, let it rain may be Hamilton will win'. I mean, if that happens, people are gonna think things like this.

[Cam]

And then again: Who descides when it is going to be a wet track? Bernie? Chralie? Something like 'O crap, Vettel is leading, let it rain may be Hamilton will win'. I mean, if that happens, people are gonna think things like this.

Exactly, as with "natural" rain there will be big winners and big losers each time this happens.  The conspiracy theory industry will go off its dial.  But then again maybe thats the idea, after all controversy has been a key marketing tool for F1 for many years now.

F1 has been slowly eating itself for some time now.  However if this happens it will be a true "jump the shark" moment.

[Jericoke]

And then again: Who descides when it is going to be a wet track? Bernie? Chralie? Something like 'O crap, Vettel is leading, let it rain may be Hamilton will win'. I mean, if that happens, people are gonna think things like this.

Exactly, as with "natural" rain there will be big winners and big losers each time this happens.  The conspiracy theory industry will go off its dial.  But then again maybe thats the idea, after all controversy has been a key marketing tool for F1 for many years now.

F1 has been slowly eating itself for some time now.  However if this happens it will be a true "jump the shark" moment.

Shhhh!

Don't give Bernie any more ideas... although the thought of sharks swimming down the pitlane...   

[cosworth151]

Bernie would want sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads!

[Scott]

Don't give Bernie any more ideas... although the thought of sharks swimming down the pitlane...   

They're already there, but they don't swim, they strut.  

[Wats-on]

The shark is al long time ago... 1998, 1999, what was it? As far as I know, the only animals in the pitlane are four red bulls (two of them are Italian...) 

[Jericoke]

The shark is al long time ago... 1998, 1999, what was it? As far as I know, the only animals in the pitlane are four red bulls (two of them are Italian...) 

Don't forget the two prancing horses!