On Episode 140 of Unmuffled we check in with the men that share the announcer’s booth at Stafford Speedway and share their fun lives together on social media for fans. We catch up Kyle Rickey and Bonssa Tufa to chat about their lives in racing, the national racing scene, the local racing scene, the 2023 season at Stafford and even catch up on their trading card and celebrity selfie collections.
Episode 140 of Unmuffled is presented by our Patreon marketing partners from New England Racing Fuel, Swanson Buick/GMC, LifeCare Family Chiropractic, Mid-State Site Development, Monaco Ford, SAFCO Foam, Broad Brook Brewing Company, Tick Mike’s Organic Tick & Mosquito Spray, Mid-State Site Development, Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series, Compressed Air USA, Hoosier Tire East, MidState Compressor, Casagrande Builders, Falmouth Ready Mix, Wheelers Auto, Sign Pro, North End Auto Parts, Magna Steel Sales, United Stone & Site, JDV Productions, NASCAR, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Riverhead Raceway, Stafford Motor Speedway and Thompson Speedway.
The episode was about announcers. Guardian’s of the fantasy which in this case is racing. Creating a positive environment for the hours of the racing event for the viewers be they at the event of viewing it on TV. The teams and drivers all noble warriors, in many cases larger then life but in any event “good guys” or “good people”. The race track the arena they do battle in. Being informative to the extent the information reflects well on the event and sport but always promoting and being positive. God that must be exhausting.
Mike Joy
“Now for all the keyboard warriors, I’m going to do this in words of one syllable. The last green flag full-screen break of this race comes right now.”
That’s 73 year old Mike Joy being cranky. I guess the majority of opinions weigh in on the side he has the right to be seeing as how he’s an announcing icon in NASCAR. But he committed the first sin of announcing which is dropping his cloak as guardian and intruding on the fantasy.
Urban Dictionary definition of Keyboard Warrior in part reads:
“A Person who, being unable to express his anger through physical violence instead manifests said emotions through the text-based medium of the internet, usually in the form of aggressive writing that the Keyboard Warrior would not be able to give form to in real life.”
Mike Joy in his defense of the Fox commercial realities given the cost of the broadcasts, is spot on you can bet on that. However that wasn’t the time to bring the topic up, not the way you start your defense of the Fox commercial realities and certainly not the way you define the segment of the fan base making the objections. Not all people weighing in were “keyboard warriors”, nor were they all limited to understanding only one syllable words.
If you check in at about the 49 minute mark of the Unmuffled episode you’ll hear Bonssa Tuffa offer an off the cuff explanation of his take on the Mike Joy dust up. While Kyle Rickey seemed bitter in his full throated support of Joy, Tuffa gave a sophisticated, nuanced explanation for his take. It was really quite impressive seeing it was in the moment.
Mostly this episode was the two faces of Stafford being guardians of the fantasy. Promoting trading cards, the Sizzler basically all things Stafford. The mood broken by a good old fashion bitch session at the end. Keyboard warriors the topic, their challenges with them and how respond or not respond as the case may be. Rickey pointed and bitter was my take. Maybe for good reason after some of the hits he took taking over for a couple announcing icons at Stafford. Tuffa more cerebral but equally frustrated. All that said this keyboard warrior at times and insightful contributor at others would like to offer a piece of advice for local celebrities in racing with regard to handling malcontents in this forum or on social media.
It’s the “one and done” rule. Allow yourself the luxury of one response to an ignorant, misinformed or otherwise combative post here or anywhere else. Be professional and only do it if you can offer some insight that can inform the audience. Understanding you’re for the most part talking past the person you are responding to a wider audience. Then watch the magic happen. The majority viewing the exchange are overwhelmingly supportive and ingenuous. They’ll either respond with support or not but be left with a higher opinion of you. Get into a back and forth and you’ve become the thing that’s ticking you off.
Who am I to make suggestions to local racing notables? Admittedly nobody. But give it some thought and you may decide it has merit.
The ‘one and done rule”. Then have faith in the wisdom of the majority of race fans.
To Rickey and Tuffa I’d also add this. When you find you have to take a mental health break from being guardians of the fantasy and speak truth to ignorance consider mentioning those that go out of their way to be supportive as well. You know darn well that happens a lot.