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Some years ago I worked on a provincial Yorkshire newspaper. I had a Press badge for Doncaster Races. McCririck was then with the Sporting Life until they found out his writings were compromised by his "arrangements" with several bookmakers and he had to go. I was standing alongside him on the outdoor balcony of the Press room. The staff photographer for the Life had left the paddock after snapping the winner. As he made his way back through the punters and bookies McCririck was bawling at him all the way.."get up here...I want you here NOW...etc. The snapper made his way back to the balcony, strode up to Mac, and said.."If you ever speak to me like a F...... dog again I will drop you on the spot". This is no urban legend, I was inches away. As most bullies do Mac shrivelled up and backed away. Notwithstanding that he has passed away, he was a sexist an a boor.
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Don't think your testimony will be remembered,just a very small dent in the reputation of the man.
Most personalities have a few hiccups along the way ,and these are well-known, but it is the contribution he made in the wider sense
that will prevail not this petty example of weakness that is designed to slur his character.
Most personalities have a few hiccups along the way ,and these are well-known, but it is the contribution he made in the wider sense
that will prevail not this petty example of weakness that is designed to slur his character.
Nerium, I hope you didn't write for a paper as you don't seem to understand about paragraphs or spelling.
Irrespective of McCririck’s talents and his love and enthusiastic support of horse racing, he did not come across as being a particularly pleasant human being.
In short he was an ill mannered, chauvinistic snob but that shouldn’t necessarily detract from his achievements because most of us are flawed in more ways than one.
In short he was an ill mannered, chauvinistic snob but that shouldn’t necessarily detract from his achievements because most of us are flawed in more ways than one.
The 'Booby' would have decked him easily enough let alone a bloke. Didn't strike me as much of a fighter 
The guy was marmite for most but he swayed opinion especially when he was fighting a cause you agreed with. He came across as a very insecure man in his private life but when he donned his alter-ego garb he was a commanding figure in many ways.
The guy was of his age and socialisation, divided opinion yet influenced many in a positive way.
Hope they have 'The Greatest Jockey' on today to offer his thoughts on the passing of Big Mac.
The guy was marmite for most but he swayed opinion especially when he was fighting a cause you agreed with. He came across as a very insecure man in his private life but when he donned his alter-ego garb he was a commanding figure in many ways.The guy was of his age and socialisation, divided opinion yet influenced many in a positive way.
Hope they have 'The Greatest Jockey' on today to offer his thoughts on the passing of Big Mac.
Jul 6, 2019 -- 8:36AM, swingwhenuwinning wrote:
Big aitch Get a life
Please excuse big aitch..he is going through some family problems at the moment..hes not thinking straight.
Thanks for the tutorial, big aitch. I was there in a photographic capacity, so my poor grammar is possibly excused.
If that is all you got from my post, so be it.
If that is all you got from my post, so be it.
Incidentally, big aitch, to help me along, I would be grateful if you could point out my spelling mistakes.
After checking my post I am struggling to find any.
After checking my post I am struggling to find any.
it wasn't a serious dig nerium, I do understand about why a photographer would be annoyed to be spoken to like that and if it was me I probably wouldn't have given him a second chance.
He was a bighead but that was probably down to his public school upbringing. I have bet with Barry Dennis (who probably didn't have a public school upbringing) on course a few times and his behaviour used to be fairly outrageous at the times I have been in his vicinity, he does have a potty mouth but I am sure he is quite a likeable bloke when he is not "on".
He was a bighead but that was probably down to his public school upbringing. I have bet with Barry Dennis (who probably didn't have a public school upbringing) on course a few times and his behaviour used to be fairly outrageous at the times I have been in his vicinity, he does have a potty mouth but I am sure he is quite a likeable bloke when he is not "on".
Never speak ill of the dead, Nerium
Having said that, somebody told me he kicked up a huge fuss once coz someone had eaten all the cream cakes!
Larger than life character
RIP Big Mc
Having said that, somebody told me he kicked up a huge fuss once coz someone had eaten all the cream cakes!
Larger than life character
RIP Big Mc
Sorry, Delta, I assumed you knew the difference between a boorish person and a boring one. I think we can all agree he wasn't boring,
but the other...?
Thanks for reply big aitch.
but the other...?
Thanks for reply big aitch.
What have you got to gain by starting a thread on a public forum slating a man who has sadly passed away and unable to defend himself? Have you read what Tanya Stevenson wrote about him? Pure class and she worked with for 15 years all you did was stand next to him on a balcony and you claim it's the real him!
The Man has just died and you cant wait to stick the boot in.
Each to his own Acey. I like Tanya, but he belittled her all the time, as he did to the snapper, and the "Booby".
I respect people who respect others.
I respect people who respect others.
Most of all that was an act nerium and speaking of respect have some for the dead.
I got the impression Tanya never liked him and thought he was a very smelly human being . I always remember her body language in the jungle when she was alongside him .
I would honestly believe 5% of what folk say about people who have received recently passed and that will always be the case .
I would honestly believe 5% of what folk say about people who have received recently passed and that will always be the case .
people dont want to express there true feelings towards someone that has just died,,
Zealot, thats 100% not true. They were very good friends, he was generous in helping her career, not many would have done that for a youngster stepping on his turf. Used to speak plenty on the phone when not working together.
I worked with him a bit. On screen and off screen totally different, generally quite and hard working
I worked with him a bit. On screen and off screen totally different, generally quite and hard working
But I do agree that I'm sure he rubbed people up the wrong way. And over the years sure he made plenty of enemies
"And over the years sure he made plenty of enemies" Haven't most of us in our time-to me the man was a legend and I have tried to use that term in it's true sense, not for hiding under a bushel or a yes/no man was John McCririck - R I P.
Yes I agree Airman, we all make enemies. He was certainly a legend
Mc has gone, done a lot for racing and took as much out. Hate when people die you hear the stories that cannot be proved come out.
RIP. Never does well to speak ill of the dead.
RIP. Never does well to speak ill of the dead.
Alien Sex Fiend - There are two reasons why stories (true or otherwise) emerge after a celebrity dies: there's an audience and you can't libel the dead.
"There are two reasons why stories (true or otherwise) emerge after a celebrity dies: there's an audience and you can't libel the dead."
Is this the reason Cliff Richard is on the front foot all the time?
Is this the reason Cliff Richard is on the front foot all the time?
Unfair to accuse someone who has passed on, so I'll put this up about Bruce Millington and hope the moderators leave it up on this platform. For years Betfair could never get a good word out of the Racing Post, even though they advertised every day. When they asked the editor why they never had a mention, Bruce Millington told them that they could, but it would cost Betfair a million pounds a year. Betfair declined.
In a smaller sense, the same was true about McCririck. Traditionally, bookmakers "accommodate" the press at long gone prices but McCririck's bread and butter, as was Thommo's, was opening betting shops - Tommo used to charge a monkey but McCririck a grand. In twenty + years on tv McCririck barely mentioned Betfair. Obv Jim McGrath didn't either.
They were/are all ****s.
Imo reporters relationship w/ bookmakers were already established when McCririck joined the scene.
When he worked at the BBC at White City, McCririck went into the local bookies and did a slow count on the 11:00am at Hackney. Admittedly, not to filch the £400 but for a story, but he did the same w/ a cricket match on the coin toss.
He was part of the C4 cartel that overstayed their welcome - add McGrath, Francome, Leslie Graham - it was awful to watch in the end. Francome only woke up for the monkey-puzzle because he was on a cut of the profits (until it was banned). Jim McGrath never abandoned his superior attitude.
John McCririck died, effectively, when he lost his court case against C4. There again, he won one before, against being in bookmakers' pockets, so no sympathy here. After he lost his case, he was a much diminished figure on the racecourse, shaking uncontrollably. Sympathy was muted.
In a smaller sense, the same was true about McCririck. Traditionally, bookmakers "accommodate" the press at long gone prices but McCririck's bread and butter, as was Thommo's, was opening betting shops - Tommo used to charge a monkey but McCririck a grand. In twenty + years on tv McCririck barely mentioned Betfair. Obv Jim McGrath didn't either.
They were/are all ****s.
Imo reporters relationship w/ bookmakers were already established when McCririck joined the scene.
When he worked at the BBC at White City, McCririck went into the local bookies and did a slow count on the 11:00am at Hackney. Admittedly, not to filch the £400 but for a story, but he did the same w/ a cricket match on the coin toss.
He was part of the C4 cartel that overstayed their welcome - add McGrath, Francome, Leslie Graham - it was awful to watch in the end. Francome only woke up for the monkey-puzzle because he was on a cut of the profits (until it was banned). Jim McGrath never abandoned his superior attitude.
John McCririck died, effectively, when he lost his court case against C4. There again, he won one before, against being in bookmakers' pockets, so no sympathy here. After he lost his case, he was a much diminished figure on the racecourse, shaking uncontrollably. Sympathy was muted.
Unitedbiscuits.........you failed to mention his part in saving the Grand National,everybody else has it seems.He was instrumental in getting minds changed in terms of this as he was in many many respects.
Seems to me you fell into the trap of his persona on screen,shaking uncontrollably is what happens with his illness.......ask the German Chancellor?
Everyone is entitled to an opinion but yours lacks any substance or knowledge,btw he took the ageist legal action on a no win no fee basis so losing was never an issue to him,he did it to try and secure a financial legacy for the "Booby"......that is fact,he knew had little time left on this planet.HTH
Seems to me you fell into the trap of his persona on screen,shaking uncontrollably is what happens with his illness.......ask the German Chancellor?
Everyone is entitled to an opinion but yours lacks any substance or knowledge,btw he took the ageist legal action on a no win no fee basis so losing was never an issue to him,he did it to try and secure a financial legacy for the "Booby"......that is fact,he knew had little time left on this planet.HTH
unitedbiscuits failed to mention any of his achievements as an investigative journalist but maybe he is too young to remember.
If he did it was a crazy tact. What kind of world was he living in in his head if he thought that his "act" was a job for life?
He did better than most Unitedbiscuits in terms of a job for life 1.01 and no offers he beat you in that respect?
If it looks like sh*t and smells like sh*t, it's most probably sh*t. And i'm not talking about the story
I'm with Nerium's verdict on this boorish buffoon having been a critic for many years, so please don't bother with any disrespect to the dead guff. McCririck would jump on any populist bandwagon, Magpies fan my rear! he had no interest in football whatsoever, just wanting to create the illusion of identifying with the 'common man' whom he really loathed. His call for a whip ban citing animal cruelty was a total sham - this hypocrisy from a chancer who was the hare coursing correspondent of the Sporting Life - the cruel obscene "sport" he always championed and defended! Big Mac was an integrity-free, money-obsessed bag-o-wind bully!
Any views about his achievements as an investigative journalist or is this just a thread for the negatives?
I didn't know about his involvement to save the National, credit to McCririck there.
And he did once gain sympathy in fine style when some idiot jammed an ice-cream into the side of his face on air. Instead of railing against the moron, he apologised to the viewers, sincerely, twice if I remember correctly. Anyone who can show that level of humility cannot have been all bad.
As someone said higher up on the thread, he had a very good innings on television. Swings and roundabouts.
And he did once gain sympathy in fine style when some idiot jammed an ice-cream into the side of his face on air. Instead of railing against the moron, he apologised to the viewers, sincerely, twice if I remember correctly. Anyone who can show that level of humility cannot have been all bad.
As someone said higher up on the thread, he had a very good innings on television. Swings and roundabouts.
Joining The Sporting Life in the early 1970s was the making of McCririck and, in a way, the making of The Sporting Life. His brashness and arrogance made him unpopular with the staff, but Ossie Fletcher, the Life's editor, recognised his worth.
McCririck brought investigative reporting to the Life, and racing has never had a better exponent of it. In 1978, McCririck was voted the Specialist Writer of the Year in the British Press Awards; in 1979, the Campaigning Journalist of the Year.
In 1978, McCririck had exposed a sting based on the fact that Extel, who used to broadcast commentaries into betting shops, gave the off-times for greyhound races in minutes, without the refinement of seconds. By briefly delaying the commentaries, criminals were able to back dogs after a race had started.
The same year, McCririck took the lead in covering the Rochester greyhound coup, which would have won pounds 350,000 for its clever architects, and should have done, but bookmakers refused to pay out.
In 1979, McCririck hit the jackpot with "Totegate". On July 4, at Carlisle, Shine On, at 11-1, and Tinas Gold, at 20-1, finished first and second in an 18-runner handicap. The dual forecast paid 45p to a 10p stake.
Persistence enabled McCririck to establish that the Tote had developed a practice of putting winning off-course bets into the racecourse pool after the race result was known.
Further persistence persuaded a reluctant Home Secretary, Willie Whitelaw, to set up an independent inquiry from which Woodrow Wyatt, the Tote chairman, was lucky to escape with his job.
At the Life, McCririck revealed what he still displays, a tremendous feel for what matters to punters, and what stands at the core of racing and betting issues. It was McCririck who issued an early, 1983, warning against computerised SPs.
CHANNEL 4 betting guru John McCririck yesterday said it was "absolutely extraordinary" that representatives of bookmaker Paddy Power had met with starting price validators last month for what an executive of the firm described as an awareness meeting.
Colm Sevastopulo, a risk operations manager with Paddy Power, talked at length to the SP validators about the situation regarding SPs and each-way betting at a meeting at Luton airport on January 27. A further meeting was held for northern staff.
Last September, Dr Patrick Waldron, a research associate in economics at Trinity College, Dublin, and former director of Tote Ireland, published a paper on starting prices and each-way betting, commissioned by Paddy Power for submission to the Starting Price Regulatory Commission, whose chairman Lord Donoughue has since declared in the House of Lords' register of interests that he is working as a paid consultant for Paddy Power.
Having read in yesterday's Racing Post of the meeting between Sevastopulo and the SP validators, McCririck, who has long been opposed to the changes made in 2006 to the way SPs are determined, said: "We have the situation where the chairman of the commission is working for Paddy Power. There are bookmakers giving lectures to people who affect our starting prices - you just can't believe that this is going on. It is horrific."
Waldron's report highlighted a number of races in which bookmakers were betting overbroke on each-way betting, and rather surprisingly for a champion of punter's causes, McCririck added: "All the prices on course at the minute are win only, and clearly they are unfair to the bookmakers.
"It is up to the bookmakers to not take the bets that they don't like - that is perfectly fair - but to manipulate and distort the starting prices is totally unacceptable.
"It is done by reporters. Reporters report the news, and while you may not like what happens and you may not think it is fair what happens, but that is the fact on the racecourse."
McCririck continued: "If they are asked to go and give a lecture to the SP men, you know what they are going to say, make it as short as you can.
"They are asked to do something . . . I have no objection to that, but now they are going round lecturing the SP men - it is absolutely extraordinary."
McCririck brought investigative reporting to the Life, and racing has never had a better exponent of it. In 1978, McCririck was voted the Specialist Writer of the Year in the British Press Awards; in 1979, the Campaigning Journalist of the Year.
In 1978, McCririck had exposed a sting based on the fact that Extel, who used to broadcast commentaries into betting shops, gave the off-times for greyhound races in minutes, without the refinement of seconds. By briefly delaying the commentaries, criminals were able to back dogs after a race had started.
The same year, McCririck took the lead in covering the Rochester greyhound coup, which would have won pounds 350,000 for its clever architects, and should have done, but bookmakers refused to pay out.
In 1979, McCririck hit the jackpot with "Totegate". On July 4, at Carlisle, Shine On, at 11-1, and Tinas Gold, at 20-1, finished first and second in an 18-runner handicap. The dual forecast paid 45p to a 10p stake.
Persistence enabled McCririck to establish that the Tote had developed a practice of putting winning off-course bets into the racecourse pool after the race result was known.
Further persistence persuaded a reluctant Home Secretary, Willie Whitelaw, to set up an independent inquiry from which Woodrow Wyatt, the Tote chairman, was lucky to escape with his job.
At the Life, McCririck revealed what he still displays, a tremendous feel for what matters to punters, and what stands at the core of racing and betting issues. It was McCririck who issued an early, 1983, warning against computerised SPs.
CHANNEL 4 betting guru John McCririck yesterday said it was "absolutely extraordinary" that representatives of bookmaker Paddy Power had met with starting price validators last month for what an executive of the firm described as an awareness meeting.
Colm Sevastopulo, a risk operations manager with Paddy Power, talked at length to the SP validators about the situation regarding SPs and each-way betting at a meeting at Luton airport on January 27. A further meeting was held for northern staff.
Last September, Dr Patrick Waldron, a research associate in economics at Trinity College, Dublin, and former director of Tote Ireland, published a paper on starting prices and each-way betting, commissioned by Paddy Power for submission to the Starting Price Regulatory Commission, whose chairman Lord Donoughue has since declared in the House of Lords' register of interests that he is working as a paid consultant for Paddy Power.
Having read in yesterday's Racing Post of the meeting between Sevastopulo and the SP validators, McCririck, who has long been opposed to the changes made in 2006 to the way SPs are determined, said: "We have the situation where the chairman of the commission is working for Paddy Power. There are bookmakers giving lectures to people who affect our starting prices - you just can't believe that this is going on. It is horrific."
Waldron's report highlighted a number of races in which bookmakers were betting overbroke on each-way betting, and rather surprisingly for a champion of punter's causes, McCririck added: "All the prices on course at the minute are win only, and clearly they are unfair to the bookmakers.
"It is up to the bookmakers to not take the bets that they don't like - that is perfectly fair - but to manipulate and distort the starting prices is totally unacceptable.
"It is done by reporters. Reporters report the news, and while you may not like what happens and you may not think it is fair what happens, but that is the fact on the racecourse."
McCririck continued: "If they are asked to go and give a lecture to the SP men, you know what they are going to say, make it as short as you can.
"They are asked to do something . . . I have no objection to that, but now they are going round lecturing the SP men - it is absolutely extraordinary."
ONE MORE THING ABOUT THE DODGY LEGEND
I know there are people on this forum who know the true story - I've been sworn to secrecy but will give a few clues that at the time totally foxed Inspector Plod of the Yard and might have perplexed even super sleuth Sherlock Holmes in pursuit of the culprit -
(1) Mecca
(2) Locks
(3) superglue
(4) bicycle getaway
(5) bewildered staff
(6) disgruntled lumpy punter.
Who could it have been?
I know there are people on this forum who know the true story - I've been sworn to secrecy but will give a few clues that at the time totally foxed Inspector Plod of the Yard and might have perplexed even super sleuth Sherlock Holmes in pursuit of the culprit -
(1) Mecca
(2) Locks
(3) superglue
(4) bicycle getaway
(5) bewildered staff
(6) disgruntled lumpy punter.
Who could it have been?
Any more fairy stories that you have been sworn to secrecy about, ihal essex?
Sparrow, almost 28,000 contributions from your good self would suggest that perhaps you're enamoured with just your own opinions, but listen Sir, this is history, what I've revealed is absolute kosher, no fairy story, one further clue the suspect looked a bit like one of the more accepted pics of the great Sherlock even if the mode of getaway was not to Dr Watson's approval!
Now go to bed dear boy!
Now go to bed dear boy!
ihal essex, I am not saying you are right or wrong, put up or shut up. Back your stories up with fact. And I will be the first to congratulate you,
please do not be, and close family member gave an insight into to so and so...........usually the dog.
please do not be, and close family member gave an insight into to so and so...........usually the dog.
ps.. do remember ihal essex, if you are telling the truth, you cannot be done in a libel case. I hope this is not like the story of a manager who made libellous racist claims about an old cricketer, when he heard I was going to write to the cricketer he sh@t his pants and said, he actually heard it 3rd hand. However, I am sure you are going to spill the beans......total faith in you.
Alien, calm down dear boy, no idea who the getaway cyclist was other than he looked like the public perception of Sherlock, and boy was he pedalling hard on the many occasions the dastardly deed was done. Got to admit when I was ****** over by the Betting Establishment in the bad old days I doffed my hat to the cycling Sherlock lookalike ! Hope his identity remains anonymous
To much rubbish written about a dead man.......who has a wife still alive. Social media is often a sick attraction.
Alien: pathetic response given ur earlier post!
Big Mac RIP
Big Mac RIP
Alien: pathetic response given ur earlier post!
Big Mac RIP
Big Mac RIP
Alien: pathetic response given ur earlier post!
Big Mac RIP
Big Mac RIP
Certain posters only want to slate the man and blatantly refuse to acknowledge all his achievements as a journalist within Racing.
whatever mate, carry on laughing at the dead. These things never bode well for the living.
Look Gents, don't get too locked up in the never speaking ill of the dead, Big Mac was a populist anxious to jump on any popular bandwagon that would ingratiate him to the public. Be controversial was his mantra and thereby milk the public, did no one listen to Jason Weaver when he revealed yesterday that during an ad break Big Mac suggested they could have a contrived falling out on air, presumably to make the programme more interesting for the viewers. Total money-obsessed fraud! Sorry he's died but that's a fate that awaits us all!
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