David Duffield Reader Submissions Part 11

We Love David Duffield 2004

From: Stuart M
Subject: Vive le Duffield

I have just found your site and thoroughly enjoyed reading the pages and pages of Duffieldisms. I’ve been a fan since the early 90’s when I got my first dish. I enthused about him to my Dad a few days later and his response was, ‘Oh yeah, I used to race with him at the Beacon’!

I agree with a lot of others that it is his passion and genuine love of the sport that make him truly great. He is just a really nice down to earth bloke. I’ve been lucky enough to meet him a couple of times once just after the final stage of the the 2004 Tour of Britain and also in the restaurant of the Hotel Campanille in Valenciennes during the TDF. He had finished his meal and was enjoying a glass of champagne with Russell Williams and other members of the Eurosport commentary team. He was charming, signed autographs, posed for photos and never stopped chattering.

Anyway, ‘it’s a war of attrition’ seems to crop up on a regular basis so add it to the list.

I asked about his absence from the 04 Tour and he shrugged his shoulders and mentioned ‘contractual problems’. In the Eurosport magazine we were promised DD in the Studio. I get the impression he was treated pretty badly and I’ve mailed Eurosport to tell them so.

He is a national treasure and should be knighted or better still Prime Minister.

Finally try this next Spring – Pictures of the Tour of Flanders on the TV, frites and mayonnasie in a bowl and DD through the speakers. There can’t be many better ways to spend a Sunday afternoon can there?

Stuart

From: Alan S
Subject: Duffield

Hi David Duffield led us to your brilliant site. Enjoy watching the cycling with Duffers on International Eurosport although this year it was a pity that the Tour De France summaries were in German. Yesterday saw David Millar do a splendid job in winning the Time Trial. It wa a pity that the preceding programme on Jan Ullrich in the Tour was in German. As fans of JU is there anywhere of finding a transcription in English? Why do Eurosport do this, is there anything one can do with Astra Eurosport or is it simply a device to make us invest in digital and have to pay for Sky? Best Wishes Alan Scaplehorn

From: Alan R
Subject: The Great Man

Hi I found this in an old January 1965 copy of Cycling. Kind regards Alan R

[img]DuffieldJan91965.JPG[/img]

From: Frank P
Subject: A couple of Duffieldisms

Hi,

Great site. I’ve been listening to Duffield for years, thinking “what is this man going on about?”. I’ve alternately loved him and been infuriated by him. But if his quality as a commentator is debatable, nobody can doubt his passion and commitment to the sport he has been involved with all his life.

A couple of phrases you could add to your Duffieldisms glossary:

“The UCI in their wisdom have decreed … ” Translation: You all know the low opinion I hold of the sport’s governing body and here is yet another example of their crazy bureaucratic approach

“They’ve got x kilometres to go, that’s y miles in English money” Translation: I am convinced that the vast majority of British viewers like myself have never really got used to this newfangled metric system

“This is the Tour de France” Translation: This is a cycling race (uttered most recently during Paris-Roubaix coverage)

From: Alon (israel)
Subject: I don’t believe it

During last year’s TDF an exchange between DD and Christy had DD commenting on the presence of the wife of one of the leading riders in the crowd at the arrivee whereupon Chisty spotted Eric Zabel’s wife and said- I kid you not- “Eric Zabel’s wife comes whatever position her husband’s in” Lucky DD is from the Old School and Teddibly British and he carried on commentating while I and 27 million others had fallen screaming off our sofa’s. Christy was probably pulling her hair out There is only one DD. DD for King or at least Queen’s Birthday Honours List

Margo the London bike messenger (well I was 20-odd years ago and still ride despite cancer afew years ago and getting squashed by a tractor 6 months ago)

From: Reg O
Subject: Where is Duffers?????

Dear Agreeable World, my life has taken a real downturn lately, with the final straw being to eagerly anticipate the Tde F and to find Mike Smith commentating. Agh—————– he just doesnt know when to or how to shut up, every nano second has to be filled with yat. And his strange over emphasis on foreign place/people names. No Millar, No Duffield and Mike Smith present until eternity. The contact us on Eurosport doesnt even work. Going for a lie down in a darkened room and will get the prologue results later. Congrats on a great web site by the way. Regards Reg Oakley “When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the Human Race.” H.G. Wells.

From: Jan (Ireland)
Subject: David Duffield

Hi – sorry to bother you, but as a cycling fan, I’m wondering why the “bould” David is’nt commentating on Eurosport’s coverage of The Tour de France – can you tell me why? I miss him and it’s only the first day!!!

Jan W

From: Valerie R
Subject: where are you?

Dear David, We have just turned on to Tour de France and you are not there. The Tour is not the same without you. We would be grateful to know why you are not commentating this year. We hope so much that you are not ill or incapacitated in some way. For so many years we have enjoyed your commentaries. They became the highlight of the sporting year for us. We are not cyclists, we are much too old now to even think of beginning to become cyclists, but we have found an enormous ammount of pleasure in watching the Tour each year and listening to your commentaries. The information that you give, whether it is to do with the Tour, or the participants, or the countryside, or the food and wine, always it has been marvellous to listen to. We live now in France, and one year the Tour went down the road just by our house. Would you believe it, that year, we had gone back to UK for a visit to our family. It hasn’t come this way since. We live near Castillon de Bataille, Dordogne. Please let us know what is happening to so throw our listening and watching into such confusion without you there. Hoping that you are well, and that it is some technical thing that has prevented you from being with us this year. With affection for the years of pleasure you have given us.

Valerie and Eric .

——-

Dear whoever this is going to.

We have just turned on Tour de France, and David Duffield is not commentating. For so many years now we have enjoyed his commentaries, and looked forward to them. We hope that he is not ill and that this is the cause of his not being on song for us this year. His information on the tour, the riders, the countryside and the food and wine etc., made each Tour de France a joy to watch and listen to. We now live in France and appreciate all that he says.

Please let us know what has happened to confuse our watching. We miss him.]]

Valerie and Eric .

From: kevin S
Subject: Duffield

Hi, Please can you tell me why there’s no David on this years tour? Not even a mention during the prologue!! I find this strange. Mike Smith does a good job but he’s no DD! Regards Kevin

From: pando ireland
Subject: David

Hi Just wondering why was David not commentating on Eurosport today, the tour was not the same without him !!!!! Nollag

From: Bill G
Subject: Duffield

G’day Folks, It looks like they have put Duffield out to grass, no sign of him in this years TDF, Just Mike Smith, Sean Kelly and that american woman with the irritating voice, seems to me it’s the end of an era.

Bill (ex-Redmon CC and some others)

From: Richard M
Subject: DavidDuffield

Why isn`t David part of The Eurosport team this year ? He is missed !

Is he broadcasting for any other company ?

RICHARD AND VANESSA

From: PM Northern Ireland
Subject: David Duffield

I turned on the Tour de France this year and was horrified to find no David; what is going on? I have been out touch of cycling for a while and don’t know whats happening, can you fill me in? p. m . n ..ireland.

From: Kim
Subject: Duffield

Please do you know why David Duffield is not commenting on this years Tour De France.

Many thanks

Kim O

From: John D
Subject: DD is missing

Hello, I am hoping that you may be able to help solve the ‘where is Duffers’ mystery which is driving me and thousands of disgruntled Eurosport viewers to distraction.This years TdF is definitely worse off without him and I hope that you may be able to shed some light on the situation, Thanks in anticipation, John D

From: Milner
Subject: Duffield

Dear Sir, I have watched the Tour de France for many years now and always enjoyed Davids commentary.Do you know why he is not commentating this year? Thankyou

From: mark K
Subject: David Duffield

Hi,

Do you know, has David Duffield hung up his mic?! I see (well, hear) that it’s Mike Smith leading the way this year…

Cheers Mark

From: Roy & Patricia
Subject: David Duffield

As you know David is not appearing on the Eurosport commentary of the TdF. The Eurosport cycling message board is plastered with demands wanting to know why David is not there and for him to return.

I assume that David has been retired and that Eurosport does not have the decency to make an announcement. Please give David best wishes from one of his young fans.

Regards

Roy P(aged 61 & 1/6)

From: Sean C
Subject:

Where is Monsieur Duffield this year? No sign on Eurosport or have I missed something? Surely they can’t have got rid of him?

From: Frank
Subject: David Duffield

Why is he not commentating on Tour de France this year on Eurosport

From: John
Subject: Duffieldisms

Dear Sir/Madam, I have been enjoying your excellent tribute to David Duffield and thought that I should send in my favourite quote from him. It happened on a flat stade on last year’s (2003) tour when Duffers was expressing his delight at ratings increasing for cycling on Eurosport. He said “We are getting a lot more viewers every day for the tour here on Eurosport. People are watching cycling who wouldn’t normally, they’re sick of football with all the money and diving, sick of soaps they’ve seen it all before and they don’t want to watch that black and white film that they’ve seen fifteen times with Gregory Peck in it who’s dead actually! Isn’t that right Sean [Kelly]?” Sean Kelly : “Er Yes.”

Classic Duffers I think you’ll agree. Apologies if you have already been sent this one.

John W

From: MJ
Subject: David Duffield

Can you please shed any light on the reason David is not commentating the Tour de France this year on Eurosport. I have tried asking Eurosport but they will not reply. David made such a difference to watching the event and he is sadly missed by many. Help much appreciated. M.J.

From: KSH
Subject:

Hi

Love your website but whats happened to david duffield on europsort. Have I missed something or has he retired.

Many thanks