Horrendous Indy car crash in Vegas -- Update: RIP Dan Wheldon

[PCLoadLetter]

The ABC signoff from the actual race was pretty powerful: "Many people ask me why I always sign off 'Till we meet again.' Because goodbye is always so final. Goodbye, Dan Wheldon."

That literally has just sent me into sobs on my couch.

Marty Reid has been criticized a lot (and a lot of it justifiably) for his work, but he and Cheever/Goodyear handled today's events beautifully. ABC's producers missed a big one (and I can understand why -- everything was happening very quickly) by not getting the live feed of Bernard announcing the death up until he had already announced it -- thereby forcing Reid to do so -- but he handled it very well.

Did not get a chance to hear Mike King's signoff on radio. He and Wheldon were very close. The gold standard is Sid Collins' eulogy of Eddie Sachs. But Reid hit it out of the park. Simple, understated, and perfect for the moment.

Being late to Bernard was a huge, inexcusable mistake. You could hear someone whispering to ask confirmation if he was dead, since they missed the first few seconds, and that made me cringe.

As someone who produces live TV, I'll cut the broadcast team some slack. The guy walked into the room, picked up the mic and immediately started talking. Without some level of warning it's a bench to get the front end of something like that live.

IndyCar needs to give a warning so the broadcaster is ready to take it.

But shouldn't you err on the other side then, maybe showing an empty table for an extra two seconds to make sure you get Bernard as he starts? I'm sure it's very hectic and not easy (and it's a testament to racing today that this was probably the first death for a lot of people involved in the coverage), but the audience was waiting for, what, 90 minutes or so for that one moment?

It's totally a question of whether the people calling the shots for the broadcast know the announcement is imminent. As a producer I'll be happy to sit on an empty table for two seconds. I won't do it for a half hour.

I'll put it this way: when the President is going to speak the networks are given a one minute warning. Then the President walks into the room, makes a long walk to the mic, stands there for a moment, says "good morning," then starts talking. It's set up to make it smooth on TV.

In this case, Bernard walked briskly into a small room, grabbed the mic and said "Dan Wheldon passed away." Without really solid advanced warning, you're not going to hit that cleanly.

 

[imjustagirl]

I wonder if ABC knew what the news was going to be? I mean, we all suspected it, but I wonder if they had any sort of inside info?

I thought that all during the coverage.

Was there an in-car camera on Wheldon's car?

There was. They were riding with him literally a split second before the race in the videos linked above. They cut away to a wide shot when it started, and then he was gone.

And thanks, lono. THAT terminology I can understand.

 

[lono]

The ABC signoff from the actual race was pretty powerful: "Many people ask me why I always sign off 'Till we meet again.' Because goodbye is always so final. Goodbye, Dan Wheldon."

That literally has just sent me into sobs on my couch.

Marty Reid has been criticized a lot (and a lot of it justifiably) for his work, but he and Cheever/Goodyear handled today's events beautifully. ABC's producers missed a big one (and I can understand why -- everything was happening very quickly) by not getting the live feed of Bernard announcing the death up until he had already announced it -- thereby forcing Reid to do so -- but he handled it very well.

Did not get a chance to hear Mike King's signoff on radio. He and Wheldon were very close. The gold standard is Sid Collins' eulogy of Eddie Sachs. But Reid hit it out of the park. Simple, understated, and perfect for the moment.

Being late to Bernard was a huge, inexcusable mistake. You could hear someone whispering to ask confirmation if he was dead, since they missed the first few seconds, and that made me cringe.

As someone who produces live TV, I'll cut the broadcast team some slack. The guy walked into the room, picked up the mic and immediately started talking. Without some level of warning it's a bench to get the front end of something like that live.

IndyCar needs to give a warning so the broadcaster is ready to take it.

But shouldn't you err on the other side then, maybe showing an empty table for an extra two seconds to make sure you get Bernard as he starts? I'm sure it's very hectic and not easy (and it's a testament to racing today that this was probably the first death for a lot of people involved in the coverage), but the audience was waiting for, what, 90 minutes or so for that one moment?

It's totally a question of whether the people calling the shots for the broadcast know the announcement is imminent. As a producer I'll be happy to sit on an empty table for two seconds. I won't do it for a half hour.

I'll put it this way: when the President is going to speak the networks are given a one minute warning. Then the President walks into the room, makes a long walk to the mic, stands there for a moment, says "good morning," then starts talking. It's set up to make it smooth on TV.

In this case, Bernard walked briskly into a small room, grabbed the mic and said "Dan Wheldon passed away." Without really solid advanced warning, you're not going to hit that cleanly.

I would respectfully disagree.

There's no other shot but that shot then.

No cars on track.

No drivers giving interviews.

Plenty of advance warning that a statement from Randy was coming.

Inexcusable to miss it.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

I wonder if ABC knew what the news was going to be? I mean, we all suspected it, but I wonder if they had any sort of inside info?

They had to know that in a best-case scenario it was a very serious injury and in worst case, death.

Not really any other options.

When they showed his car with a tarp over it, I got a bad feeling. Admittedly, I don't watch a ton of racing but I'd never seen a car shrouded like that before.

 

[dooley_womack1]

I think they did that to J.D. McDuffie's car too, when he died at Watkins Glen in 1991. No flames, but the interior of the car was apparently a bloodbath.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

The ABC signoff from the actual race was pretty powerful: "Many people ask me why I always sign off 'Till we meet again.' Because goodbye is always so final. Goodbye, Dan Wheldon."

That literally has just sent me into sobs on my couch.

Marty Reid has been criticized a lot (and a lot of it justifiably) for his work, but he and Cheever/Goodyear handled today's events beautifully. ABC's producers missed a big one (and I can understand why -- everything was happening very quickly) by not getting the live feed of Bernard announcing the death up until he had already announced it -- thereby forcing Reid to do so -- but he handled it very well.

Did not get a chance to hear Mike King's signoff on radio. He and Wheldon were very close. The gold standard is Sid Collins' eulogy of Eddie Sachs. But Reid hit it out of the park. Simple, understated, and perfect for the moment.

Being late to Bernard was a huge, inexcusable mistake. You could hear someone whispering to ask confirmation if he was dead, since they missed the first few seconds, and that made me cringe.

As someone who produces live TV, I'll cut the broadcast team some slack. The guy walked into the room, picked up the mic and immediately started talking. Without some level of warning it's a bench to get the front end of something like that live.

IndyCar needs to give a warning so the broadcaster is ready to take it.

But shouldn't you err on the other side then, maybe showing an empty table for an extra two seconds to make sure you get Bernard as he starts? I'm sure it's very hectic and not easy (and it's a testament to racing today that this was probably the first death for a lot of people involved in the coverage), but the audience was waiting for, what, 90 minutes or so for that one moment?

It's totally a question of whether the people calling the shots for the broadcast know the announcement is imminent. As a producer I'll be happy to sit on an empty table for two seconds. I won't do it for a half hour.

I'll put it this way: when the President is going to speak the networks are given a one minute warning. Then the President walks into the room, makes a long walk to the mic, stands there for a moment, says "good morning," then starts talking. It's set up to make it smooth on TV.

In this case, Bernard walked briskly into a small room, grabbed the mic and said "Dan Wheldon passed away." Without really solid advanced warning, you're not going to hit that cleanly.

I would respectfully disagree.

There's no other shot but that shot then.

No cars on track.

No drivers giving interviews.

Plenty of advance warning that a statement from Randy was coming.

Inexcusable to miss it.

Lono,

If they had advance warning, it's inexcusable.

Unless you know something I don't, it appeared there was no advance warning.

And "he's gotta make a statement at some point" isn't advance warning.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Talked to my best friend tonight who watched Wheldon race go-karts a couple weeks ago at a small track in Indiana. Crazy.

 

[lono]

The ABC signoff from the actual race was pretty powerful: "Many people ask me why I always sign off 'Till we meet again.' Because goodbye is always so final. Goodbye, Dan Wheldon."

That literally has just sent me into sobs on my couch.

Marty Reid has been criticized a lot (and a lot of it justifiably) for his work, but he and Cheever/Goodyear handled today's events beautifully. ABC's producers missed a big one (and I can understand why -- everything was happening very quickly) by not getting the live feed of Bernard announcing the death up until he had already announced it -- thereby forcing Reid to do so -- but he handled it very well.

Did not get a chance to hear Mike King's signoff on radio. He and Wheldon were very close. The gold standard is Sid Collins' eulogy of Eddie Sachs. But Reid hit it out of the park. Simple, understated, and perfect for the moment.

Being late to Bernard was a huge, inexcusable mistake. You could hear someone whispering to ask confirmation if he was dead, since they missed the first few seconds, and that made me cringe.

As someone who produces live TV, I'll cut the broadcast team some slack. The guy walked into the room, picked up the mic and immediately started talking. Without some level of warning it's a bench to get the front end of something like that live.

IndyCar needs to give a warning so the broadcaster is ready to take it.

But shouldn't you err on the other side then, maybe showing an empty table for an extra two seconds to make sure you get Bernard as he starts? I'm sure it's very hectic and not easy (and it's a testament to racing today that this was probably the first death for a lot of people involved in the coverage), but the audience was waiting for, what, 90 minutes or so for that one moment?

It's totally a question of whether the people calling the shots for the broadcast know the announcement is imminent. As a producer I'll be happy to sit on an empty table for two seconds. I won't do it for a half hour.

I'll put it this way: when the President is going to speak the networks are given a one minute warning. Then the President walks into the room, makes a long walk to the mic, stands there for a moment, says "good morning," then starts talking. It's set up to make it smooth on TV.

In this case, Bernard walked briskly into a small room, grabbed the mic and said "Dan Wheldon passed away." Without really solid advanced warning, you're not going to hit that cleanly.

I would respectfully disagree.

There's no other shot but that shot then.

No cars on track.

No drivers giving interviews.

Plenty of advance warning that a statement from Randy was coming.

Inexcusable to miss it.

Lono,

If they had advance warning, it's inexcusable.

Unless you know something I don't, it appeared there was no advance warning.

And "he's gotta make a statement at some point" isn't advance warning.

heck, I knew it from Twitter, and I was 2000 miles away.

The media was told to assemble in the conference room because Bernard was going to make a statement.

Reporters in Vegas were Tweeting me that it was about to happen.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

heck, I knew it from Twitter, and I was 2000 miles away.

The media was told to assemble in the conference room because Bernard was going to make a statement.

Reporters in Vegas were Tweeting me that it was about to happen.

If the warning was that clear, then yes, they should have done a better job.

 

[playthrough]

Looking at the ESPN.com video packages, they did have a camera following Bernard the moment he walked in the door to the media center.

And one more testament to Wheldon's popularity/notoriety -- he's been leading ESPN.com for hours since then, which on an NFL/baseball playoffs Sunday is no small detail. Not sure that happens with, say, Paul Tracy. The label "Indy 500 winner" is still one of sports royalty in this country.

 

[imjustagirl]

I just watched Bernard's announcement (the full feed) and the tribute laps on youtube. Reid's sign-off made me cry all over again.

 

[imjustagirl]

And for those of you who don't know much about Wheldon, or have never really seen him interviewed, here's his stint on Letterman after the Indy 500 this year.



That smile will be missed.

*edit*: just finished watching. He and Dave talk about the new car for next year, and they talk about the protection around the rear wheels.
Dave: Is that a safety issue, or is that aerodynamic?
Dan: The IndyCar Series are constantly looking to improve safety and I think that's more for safety but I think aerodynamically that's ...
Dave: You don't want the wheels climbing up over each other because that's when unpleasant things happen.
Dan: Exactly, and I don't want any part of that, that's for sure.