Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Darrell, We Will Miss Thee. Digger? Not So Much.

Boogity, Boogity, Boogity! How time flies when you're a race fan.

When the checkered flag flew at Dover Sunday, viewers said "so long" to the FOX Sports portion of the 2009 season. And though the network's coverage has had its up and downs (Sunday's absent ticker being a definite down), this fan will miss Waltrip and company's darned entertaining coverage of the best sport ever.

Say what you will about Waltrip. He makes race day fun. Sure, he's dopey at times. He has an irritating habit of telling every driver he talks to to that they're his pick to win the race. And he's a shameless huckster of gopher paraphenalia (rumor has it that Digger's last name begins with "W"). Still, ol' Darrell is amusing, energetic and one hard-working broadcaster. The same can also be said for his fellow cohorts in the Hollywood Hotel.

The bright spot to the end of FOX coverage is that the-gopher-who-shall-not-be-named and his annoyingly catchy theme song will now be absent from race day broadcasts. But with all that DW/Digger merchandise on the market, it's probably unrealistic to hope that FOX will nix the rodent cartoons in 2010.

Ghastly gophers, absent tickers and occasional dopey-ness aside, I've got to thank Darrell for one heckuva ride. We'll catch you and the boys in 2010.

17 comments:

  1. Get rid of Waltrip and you get rid of the most irritating part of Digger. Digger is easier to ignore than Waltrip. I've been forced to listen to Waltrip since he was a rookie driver and I've had enough.

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  2. I for one will not miss this goof or his saying, and really glad fox is gone, the digger crap is so lame

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  3. Ok, I liked DW as a driver and he is pretty good at calling a race, but that boogty, boogety nonsense and that stupid cartoon have got to go. Both, in my opinion, are an insult to serious race fans. DW's catch phrase is put out there like it is stockcar tradition, but I have been watching stockcar, (or what passes for stockcars, these days,) for over forty years, and never have I heard anyone, besides DW say boogety, boogety. And that cartoon, brought about to hype a totally pointless camera shot which does not add anything to the coverage is so childish it is insulting. It makes NASCAR fans look like a bunch of mentally-challenged hillbillies.

    I won't even get into the fact that Fox always seems to be in commerical when anything remotely exciting happens.

    All in all, ESPN/ABC will be a very welcome change and maybe I won't switch over to the IRL race in the future.

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  4. Digger and Waltrip may be soul-mates, or maybe Waltrip just knows how to sell NASCAR snake-oil the old fashioned way. I'll miss Waltrip and pray that the development boys at Fox come up with a Dark Side Digger -- more bad attitude, less kissassitude. The Fox promos were pretty nauseating, too -- slo-mo branding that made me think of promos for "24"

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  5. Darrel Lame... Digger Lame... Fox gets a grade of "D" for its early season coverage

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  6. I hate digger with a passion.

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  7. I can not stand Darrell or is brother Mikey, they act like dum and dummer. I also think digger must be Darrell's twin brother.

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  8. Did you ever think that maybe Darrell and Fox are trying to keep the little people involed you know KIDS. If the future of nascar burns out because of no fans there be no race.Chill-Out..
    Its just a cartoon.

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  9. I have to say I will miss the Hollywood Hotel Bunch. I hate it when Fox good or bad turns the race over. Darrell is fun and gives a very fair view of the race. I do not mind Digger. I think he keeps young fans happy. But more than anything I hate to see the broad cast switch because that means back to Rusty Wallace! Yes, you were a great racer. We all know it and by God you are going to remind us every other comment. Fox at least had the sense to hire Darrell with his funny whit and not the twit who talks about himself all the time.

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  10. I will miss Mike,Darrell and Larry. I will NOT miss the gopher. I hope we have seen the last of it. I would like to see the broad casts go old school and just cover racing.

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  11. Any truth for the rumoured show on SPEED, hosted by DW, called "PIMP MY GOPHER"?

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  12. I like DW and his Boogety, Boogety, Boogety saying. It's fun! I don't care for the gopher, but I thought it was for the little ones...to keep them interested. It is all kind of silly but ESPN is BORRRRRING!

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  13. That is right, it is a cartoon, and it should stay on Saturday mornings. My son is 11 and he has been a fan longer that the stupid gopher has been around. As far as boogity boogity boogity, the word makes no sence and it is so stupid, I mute my tv when the green flag is dropped! My personal opinion is they will never replace the best trio of Bob Jenkins, Benny Parsons, and Ned Jarrett!

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  14. I don't understand what the BIG deal is about the gopher. NASCAR is supposed to be a "Family Sport" so the kids love the gopher. . . who is really hurt by it??? It's only what 16 races out of 36??? I think some folks need to grow up and quit being so petty. If they should get rid if anyone it would be Larry Mac in my opinion, he's like a nervous little old granny worrying about this and worrying about that. . .most of the "what if's" in life DO NOT HAPPEN, Larry !!! That's just my 2 cents, for whatever its worth!!!

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  15. This DW/Digger post got just as many hits as my Junior/Eury post last week! I had no idea Darrell and Digger would incite such passion!

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  16. I think this gopher(digger) thing needs to get back in the ground and cover his head for the next 100 years. I agree to leave the cartonns for Sat and Sun mornings. I provides NO benefit to NASCAR in any shape or form. I suppose next year we will have a battle of the animal instead the battle for 1st place. We DON'T NEED KINDERGARDEN in Nascar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  17. I won't miss DW. Just a shill for Toyota and MWR.

    They should have made Digger keep a "lower profile" durring the coverage....

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