Who hired this guy?

[Gone-Camping]

Ok, I just heard the latest radio commercial for our Virginia State Parks. Couldn't we find a better spokes person for Virginia SP's than of all people Ward Burton? I mean, this guy can't put together a coherent sentence, you'd think the state of Virginia could find someone who speaks articulate english. Poor old Ward "shpeaks shome short of shouthehn bebble". As an avid NASCAR fan I really hate to discredit this guy, but the last thing he needs to be is a spokes person for ANYTHING!

[Miller Tyme]

Seriously, Ward Burton?:J

 
Love his race interviews--"Tha Catapilla Dudge rund real guud tuday, and we had a guud dahy all roun, maybee nex week we run a lill bettur.":D
 
Get the cotton out of your mouth, Ward!:!

[birol]

I was offered the job but didn't like the pay, guess he was more desperate than me  :J  :J  :Z

[brainpause]

I was offered the job but didn't like the pay, guess he was more desperate than me  :J  :J  :Z

ROFLMBO

[B-flat]

       :J  

Reminds me a joke.  These guys went out to Nashville one time and after being around there for a while they had run out of money.  So they headed down to the local bank to see if they could some help.  They entered the bank and sat down with the manager.  They could clearly see his name right on the desk top:  Mr.  Ronald A. Cobb.  In explaining their situation, they said we have come all the ways right up here to Nashville in hopes of making a hit. We done run out of money. If we uns could jest git a loan hit'll hep us out.  Mr. Cobb looks at them and says in a mocking voice, "You boys are from the country.  Do you know what we do with country hicks in the city?"  One of the guys says, "No, but we know what we do with cobs in the country."

[Ernhrts3n8]

What I can't believe is that Ward and Jeff are brothers.  Did they both grow up in the same house or better yet, the same part of the country.  Can't figure that one out!

[labontefan]

What I can't believe is that Ward and Jeff are brothers.  Did they both grow up in the same house or better yet, the same part of the country.  Can't figure that one out!

Jeff always says that Ward was raised in the southern end of the house! LOL!!

The only real explanation I've ever heard is that Jeff started dating the girl who is now his wife when they were in school. Her dad is a big-shot lawyer or doctor or something...some of the "high society" in the South Boston area. Since Jeff spent most of his time around her family and friends, he lost a lot of his accent.

Ward on the other hand was very close to his grandfather and used to spend a lot of time hunting and fishing with him. Since he stayed closer to his "roots", his accent stayed.

Also, I think Jeff moved to the Charlotte area after he started racing in NASCAR while Ward still lives in South Boston.

Ward is a pretty logical spokesman for Virginia State Parks. He's an avid outdoorsman and very active in nature conservation. He has his own Wildlife Foundation:

http://www.twbwf.org/

I don't have a problem with the way he talks. I love to listen to him. And, no, I don't have an accent like Ward's. He has a Southside Virginia accent, as do Elliott and Hermie Sadler. You only hear that accent around the South Boston/Danville/Emporia part of the state.

People from the Eastern part of Virginia (like Cliff) tend to have a Tidewater accent. Tidewater accents have a very distinctive way of pronouncing words like "house" and "mouse".

Me, I'm way out here in the mountains of Southwestern Virginia. This part of Virginia (along with East TN and Western NC) has its own distinctive accent. (But I don't have any problem understanding Ward! )

[B-flat]

I guess we're into to those "You ain't frum 'round chere, are ya.?" :J   I'm from south central NC and very proud of my long southern drawl, but I do use proper and correct English when speaking.  I like the vernacular, no matter when folks are from, and I pay attention, too.

[byrdr1]

Ward got that Caswell County accent.. This county in NC is next to the South Boston area of VA.
I am one county down into the Piedmont from Caswell.
When I think of Tidewater area of VA, I think yankee accent:D :Z Is that what Cliff has? NO offence to our campin' friends north of the Mason-Dixon line..LOL:p
I am reading this and I cant believe Cliff is trashing one of the best interviews at a NA$CAR track.. Ole' WARD BURTON.:rolleyes:  You should here my son do a WARD accent.. Everytime he does it I get cracked up....HE does it real good.....

[wynot]

I guess we're into to those "You ain't frum 'round chere, are ya.?" :J I'm from south central NC and very proud of my long southern drawl, but I do use proper and correct English when speaking. I like the vernacular, no matter when folks are from, and I pay attention, too.

Reminds me of a flight from Columbia, SC to somewhere (heck, I know Atlanta must of been the first stop (anyone in the South can relate to that comment)).  Fellow leans over to me, and says, "So, where you from?"  I answered truthfully, and said: "From Columbia - Irmo, actually."  Fellow leans back and says: "Ain't many of us left anymore, are there?"
 
That was the thing about Columbia, natives can speak either the richest southern drawl or the purest midwestern English you've ever heard.  We've lived so many different places, that I naturally pick up whatever I'm around.