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BTOSports.com Racer X Podcast: Ralph Sheheen

Thursday, February 16, 2012 | 3:15 PM
SPEED TV announcer Ralph Sheheen calls all the action every Saturday night and does a fine job at it. Ralph's been around a long time calling just about every motorsport on the planet at one point or another and in this Racer X Podcast brought to you by BTOSports.com, he gives us his career path, what he thinks of the season so far, working with Jeff Emig, his roots in supercross and he sells me on Bret Michaels. Sort of.

Click HERE to listen to the show or you can get it on iTunes by searching "Steve Matthes Show" or if you have Stitcher on your smartphone, you can listen using that as well.

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Check out WHEN DAYLIGHT BREAKS

in our Latest issue of Racer X available now.
WHEN DAYLIGHT BREAKS Click to Look Inside

When the lights go off on supercross and racing hits the daylight with the launch of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, everyone gets to start over. Page 110.

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The Conversation

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biker143 wrote: 3:25pm February 16, 2012

I cant stand this guy, I wish they would bring back David Bailey.

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Mr-Motorcross wrote: 4:08pm February 16, 2012

Bailey was a whinner! Whaa,Whaa,googoogaagaa!

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JonR290 wrote: 4:10pm February 16, 2012

I think Ralph and Fro do a fantastic job. I appreciate Ralph’s enthusiasm and passion for the sport. Remember, during the live broadcasts he and Fro do a continuous 3.5 hours of coverage. That is a lot of talking for a sport with only a few major players and they are having to do both play-by-play and color. Great coverage SPEED.

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Red44 wrote: 4:34pm February 16, 2012

I think Ralph is too much in Man-love with Stewart. Did you hear him get all excited when Stewart went throught the whoops and passed Dungey. He screamed "Look at Stewart eat up Dungey, THATS how you go through whoops "--at the top of his lungs. Yes it was exciting. but Ralph was just embarressing when he yelled that.. Then about 2 laps later and Stewart is laying in the tough blocks.. But Ralph is way biased and still kinda screwey. He jumps in and interrupts Emig alot. And he seems lost to what he sees on the screen sometimes. At least he doesnt ask so many dumb questions like he used to. But I think Bailey was great. Dont know what the idiot Mr. Motocross is talking about, but Bailey was very good.

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super_fro_daddy wrote: 4:52pm February 16, 2012

I say bring in the guys who do the Canadian series!!

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Chowderhead wrote: 5:42pm February 16, 2012

GREAT interview, Steve.

Maybe this will shut up some of the chronic whiners that always give Ralph c-rap. Ralph is a long time moto fan and announcer. Bret Michaels has the potential to bring an additional 1-2 million fans to the Speed broadcasts.

He does a good job, and is the glue that holds the show together. The color commentators lack the experience to run a show as smoothly as Ralph. Anyone else that takes his place, you whiners will probably like much less. Think about it.

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yamibog wrote: 6:06pm February 16, 2012

He had a rough start a few years ago, but I think he does good now. Erin Bates, on the other hand, needs to be replaced. Give her spot to Georgia Lindsey

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Cahill wrote: 8:34pm February 16, 2012

My friends and I all don't think Ralph is a good fit for supercross announcing. I respect the guy completely, but he's just not my style.

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Nightfox81 wrote: 10:11pm February 16, 2012

Yes I agree Erin bates need to be replaced. She's just a stuck up woman. In Seattle supercross there were a couple of guys that said Erin can we get your autograph and she acted like they never were there. When she talks to the riders on the podium she's rude to them and if you watch closely she starts nodding her head before the riders even say a word you can tell non of the riders like her. I mean really she never talks to them unless its on camera. Her to good attitude sucks and yoy can see it in camera. Jamie little was good. At least she has a colorful personality.

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kram wrote: 11:15pm February 16, 2012

Time to turn it over to Norton.

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JJC628 wrote: 12:55am February 17, 2012

heres one of the other reasons ive lost interest in professional mx and sx...this guy is a tool. i cant believe how cheesed out its become.

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tonewall wrote: 2:00am February 17, 2012

@kram when it hit me I almost lost it...funny sh*t ......I like Ralph , especially when he gets as excited as we do when stuff goes down..hes human not just a boring robot ...the GOAT always improves the show. @JJC628 just turn the sound down ,its great racing...

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dinosaurmedia wrote: 11:47am February 17, 2012

Those guys who comment on the canadiean nationals are AWESOME- that said, I have a world of respect for Ralph after listening to this interview/conversation

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dinosaurmedia wrote: 11:49am February 17, 2012

@ nightfox81 - Jamie Little!! Oh man-she was HOT!

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hawk529 wrote: 11:57am February 17, 2012

This guy is a self promoting idiot. I had to turn it off. Ralph, go back to announcing women's basketball please.

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Moto wrote: 1:32pm February 17, 2012

Great podcast... Ralph and Emig are great. People will always complain, but they do a good job.

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taavetti80 wrote: 3:38pm February 17, 2012

Awesome podcast! Good job Steve.

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HuskyCr144 wrote: 7:21pm February 17, 2012

Ralph Does have the passion and excitement, and really seems to be a genuine Supercross fan. I think that the current format of having a professional TV guy(Ralph) and a Supercross insider(Jeff Emig) is a PERFECT combination. We as SX fans that are MX/SX racers ourselves really want to hear Emigs insight and comments as well as guest racer/commentators like RC. But there has to be a TV professional there to cater to the casual viewer(non racers and new fans) and make the show more palatable and TV friendly, We need to remember that in order for the sport to grow this is important. That's where Ralph comes in and I think he really does a great job at what he does.
Erin Bates? Come on guys... give her a break. She is an actual MX fan and is intelligent. It is her job to "get a story" or a quote from a newsworthy event(like a top rider DNFing). Who COULD possibly seem like the good guy when they are required to stick a mic in the riders face and ask "So how does it feel to see your championship hopes lost in this one race?"
And last but not least...whats with the picking on Bret Michaels? Supercross and rock are like peanut butter and jelly. Bret has been a dirt biker his whole life and a friend of Jeff Wards since back in the day. Bret is a huge fan of SX and wrote a cool rockin' song JUST for SX and people are going to rag on him for it? Bret Rocks, Supercross rocks and together they rock even harder... Thanks for listening

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SpottedMarley wrote: 9:19pm February 17, 2012

i can't stand ralph or erin bates. neither one of them can speak convincingly as any sort of authority on my sport and even if they could they can't seem to not speak in this bullshat bouncy tv announcer iambic pentameter like they're talking to the world like a bunch of 12 year old morons. listening to ralph is like listening to my mother call the race, trying to throw in cool buzz words and frazes here and there to seem savy. he really bothers me. i miss david baily. that man had it all

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Verge wrote: 1:32am February 18, 2012

iI'll take Bailey, Holley, Weege, Ping, or dam near anybody over Ralph. I'm sure he's a great guy but he bugs the $hit out of me. I dont like looking at him and I dont like listening to him. It's like nails on a chalk board for me. He makes Erv Braun sound good.

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SpottedMarley wrote: 7:06am February 19, 2012

@Verge amen brotha. it makes the race seem stupid sometimes the way he calls it

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