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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

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
Thanks everyone for the emails.
Please keep sending any info you might have on the great man and for those
of you out there who don't like David's style of commentary then in the
words of the man himself:
"If you can't stand the heat of the
kitchen then don't come into it!"
Has anyone got any pictures of
themselves with David? It would be great if we could display them on here,
perhaps with his autograph is someone has that as well.
Other Duffield Pages in The Agreeable
World:
We Love David
Duffield Intro and index
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