((New Metal Detecting Show Coming))

Hi,,"American Digger" follows former professional wrestler turned modern-day relic hunter Ric Savage, as he and his team from American Savage target areas such as battlefields and historic sites in the hopes of finding buried treasures, Spike TV said in a synopsis.........I don't know when it's starting........JJ

Wow, that sounds awesome!!! I think they could've done without the former pro wrestler angle though Gonna go to the networks website & check it out. Thanks!

Hope thy dont make it to hokey and explain the do s and donts about detecting.
Also explain its not a get rich quick hobby.

Former pro wrestler...........there goes the neighborhood. I'll bet my next 5 silver coins that proper digging techniques/obeying the laws won't be prpoerly emphasized. And if it is, it will be a quick gloss-over.
Tom D. should have gotten this media opportunity.

Hi,, All of the new series will premiere in 2012............[www.upi.com] ...................JJ

I have a bad felling about that. Don't see any good coming from this. I see new detectorists out by the groves and new laws and ordinances right behind...... don't like it atall.
Detector dealers may do well. Does anyone have any positives they can think of to turn my gut felling around?

Let's just hope they do NOT use bulldozers, bobcats......CAT-9 diesels and heavy equipment.

I looked into the show & already see a 'Hollywood angle' that they are throwing in to spice up the show a bit I guess. Seems that the hosts must convince a prospective family to let their team basically destroy their property (bulldozers, cranes, etc.) under the hopes of finding valuable relics. If they agree and valuables are found, the family will get the money from the sale of the goods. If not, who knows what happens. Sounds like an interesting show aside from the already hokey 'extras' they are using to make it more interesting.

ozzie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have a bad felling about that. Don't see any
> good coming from this. I see new detectorists out
> by the groves and new laws and ordinances right
> behind...... don't like it atall.
> Detector dealers may do well. Does anyone have any
> positives they can think of to turn my gut felling
> around?


no! and hate to be the "purveyor" of doom and gloom
however.this cannot be good,and YES! we know the reasons why!
i "fear" public exposure,as it can only go one way! NOT a good thing!
this s**t "scares" me!..just sayin' "watch out!"

(h.h.!)
j.t.

njnydigger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I looked into the show & already see a 'Hollywood
> angle' that they are throwing in to spice up the
> show a bit I guess. Seems that the hosts must
> convince a prospective family to let their team
> basically destroy their property (bulldozers,
> cranes, etc.) under the hopes of finding valuable
> relics. If they agree and valuables are found, the
> family will get the money from the sale of the
> goods. If not, who knows what happens. Sounds like
> an interesting show aside from the already hokey
> 'extras' they are using to make it more
> interesting.


how obtuse is that?..it is "crap" like that this hobby "cannot"
put into the general public's minds! people who see the show might possibly
make a connection with improper digging procedures! we need that like we need another
a**hole! (w.t.f!) just sayin'

Lets hope it doesn't make it past the "pilot" series or first season. And since it is Hollywood behind the show I would not put it past them to "plant" some goodies to be "oh my gosh! Lookie what I've found!". I can think of one good thing.......give it a year and look for some cheap detectors folks are trying to unload. We on this forum know that real detecting is hard work, takes time and research and dedication. The average armchair TV clicker wanna be detectorist will soon get tired of pull tabs, can slaw, bottle caps and nails and a few clad coins in his pocket to take home as his "treasure".

Lets hope they stay away from "historic sites" and battlefields and that they don't even use those words. Just private land in some state or another and leave it at that. I know Ric seems to be all about Civi War relics though... I really don't think relic hunting needs ANY more attention. This could do more harm than good. You know how the ignrant get when they go into crusade mode and a show like this is likely to stir up the educated ignorant and start remind them of their cursade to stop people from hunting relics at any site.

I hope it does not make it to the air.

Julien

jmaryt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ozzie Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I have a bad felling about that. Don't see any
> > good coming from this. I see new detectorists
> out
> > by the groves and new laws and ordinances right
> > behind...... don't like it atall.
> > Detector dealers may do well. Does anyone have
> any
> > positives they can think of to turn my gut
> felling
> > around?
>
>
> no! and hate to be the "purveyor" of doom and
> gloom
> however.this cannot be good,and YES! we know the
> reasons why!
> i "fear" public exposure,as it can only go one
> way! NOT a good thing!
> this s**t "scares" me!..just sayin' "watch out!"
>
> (h.h.!)
> j.t.


I agree, the hoppy does not need any publicity

Hi,, I think this show could possibly close a lot doors to some possible opportunities to hunt some private property....Especially the way the economy is right now if the show is phony and gives the landowners a huge some of money for some bogus planted relics etc.... It will have a very negative result to all of us in this hobby......Heaven help us if that's the case.....Time will tell.....JJ

FloridaBob Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> The average
> armchair TV clicker wanna be detectorist will soon
> get tired of pull tabs, can slaw, bottle caps and
> nails and a few clad coins in his pocket to take
> home as his "treasure".

Correct, there is no chance anything good will come if this show airs.
As it stands now, for the most part, we are looked on as odd balls with nothing better to do.
If private land owners....who already have reasons enough to "just say no"...to allow us to detect on their property
will start to think of us as exploiters......
We of this hobby have almost always been looked upon as the red-head step child of sports and face an uphill
battle to find places to detect which include hindrances from local, State and fed gov.

Really the only saving grace we have at present is most of the younger gen. will not get involved in this sport
because they see it as a lot of work with not much return.....there are easier things for them to do like play games on computer
or watch movies....

What we really need is a concerted effort for a org. that includes us and detector manufacturers.
Short of this we will see less opportunities for metal detecting in the future.....already the archys
don't want us to dig---nowhere---they would rather allow stuff in the ground to disintergrate than
relics and history to make it out of the ground.

That stupid Whites ad needs to be taken off the air....
Sorry to say but the less we are known, the better off we are......
In contrast....BassPro sponsoring fish tourns near where I live....and nobody hinders that...
Or gun-hunting...OMG.......don't get me started......

excellent point! well taken!
whether you like it,or not,you ARE being observed,scrutinized,
and taken note of, EVERY time you open a hole,ANYWHERE you open it!
this IS the issue! been at this a long time,and you have got to be careful!
that said,a show presented in this type of format,WILL be "damning" to the hobby,
because of the blatant wide spread digging,regardless of intent! in my view,the show
should never be broadcast! bad impression,and at a very bad time!..just sayin'

(h.h.!)
j.t.

Widespread repercussions will surely ensue...... especially if bulldozers, bobcats.... heavy equipment diesels are utilized.

There will be sufficient damage done if the guy acts like a jackass and doesn't touch the dirt...

Let us not forget the current climate of shows that litter the TV landscape, mostly reality TV shows and such, that being said, I believe this thing from a purist standpoint will be initially bad, however, the public has a short memory and I predict a short lived show,.....I could not even find out if they are gonna even use metal detectors.....I mean come on, "An ex pro-wrestler, hunting relics" ??

As ALL of these reality tv shows are scripted, its all about entertaining the audience , some of whom believe this is real.

BTW...........to quote the link, "The only thing standing in their way are the homeowners themselves, who Savage must convince to allow them to dig up their property using high-tech ground penetrating equipment and one very large bulldozer"

[www.spike.com]


Tri

Reality shows seem to be losing there steam .
Now thy are cross breeding shows to keep them afloat.
The sooner thy sink the better.

Gman, agreed, reality shows are losing their steam, especially as nearly every has-been, wanna-be, lately has one or another.........I did however find a website hosted directly by Rick Savage.........you guys that hunt mostly CW relics.....can form your own opinions......

let us know if you think his intentions are true.


[www.savage-station.com]



Tri

Hi,, After reading the section titled Retirement the jury is out on this show for me now.......Link.......[en.wikipedia.org] ..............((((Your Thoughts))))...........JJ

While I am familiar with this guy Ric (I did some research ), what is NOT familiar to me is why he'd even do something like this? Aside from the dough of course. To me however, this is selling out. This hobby (coinshotting, relic hunting, beach combing) is more or less a closed 'fraternity'. We keep our heads hung low, are gracious in asking home owners permission to hunt their property (or just hunt public land) & when we find something great, we generally keep it within the treasure hunting community. What this guy Ric is doing is...

1. Creating more competition - Don't give me the line that most newbs don't don't what they're doing. True, but if there are tons & tons of them, a find here & there by each of them adds up.

2. Making a hobby that likes to remain as invisible as possible, visible - Lets face it, do any of us REALLY want added face time & even MORE looky loos on top of us while we're out in the field?!

3. Sending the wrong message - If the show catches on, can anyone really expect a homeowner to grant permission to their property without asking for a little cash-ola? Now you have to pay someone to hunt their property & might find squat, or, even if you do find something, it cancels itself out due to having had to pay the homeowner. People aren't stupid.

When I'm in the field and make a nice find I NEVER show passerby or onlookers - doesn't make sense. When you have a good thing going, keep your head hung low & your yapper shut. Simple as that. While this Ric guy isn't a monster & just wants to make a few bucks with this show, he's going about it in the COMPLETE wrong way. Don't sensationalize or use Hollywood gimmicks to degrade the hobby. Don't send the wrong message. Don't make a low profile past time front page news

Hi,, I agree I don't know why he would want to jeopardize his own future in this hobby by doing this show...(BULLDOZER come on get real....Lol....)...It's looks like he is blinded by the color GREEN........I am very reluctant to even post my finds on forums.. Now if the metal detecting companies want to give me a kick back (like some people?) I would probably post more of my finds.....Do you realize how many advertising dollars are saved by companies just because of forums??......Years ago you could only read about finds and machines in magazines......Now it's only a click away......I say (Loose Lips Sinks Ships) or (Big Jaw Loose It All)......Lol......JJ

Let me be perfectly clear...

There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with a show on metal detecting, treasure hunting or anything of that nature IMO. Heck, if someone approached ME to do a t.v. show on detecting AND make a few bucks at the same time, of course I'd do it. B-U-T, the context in which the show is produced would have to be one of quality & substance. NOT a show about bulldozing peoples property & having a 'former pro wrestler' go around offering folks cash-on-demand to wreck their property. Can you say L-A-M-E? Can you also say 'giving the hobby a bad name'?

I WOULD enjoy a relic hunting show modeled after PBS' History Detectives, Antique Roadshows, History's Mysteries and many of the other programming that seeks to EDUCATE the viewer rather than treating them like fools. But, maybe I'm asking too much of a second-tier television network & a former pro wrestler who needs to find a way to pay the mortgage, lol.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/16/2011 04:45PM by njnydigger.

Like I said earlier, the media opportunity should have gone to Tom D. or one of several dedicated knowledgeable/responsible detectorists either here or at FMall.

Side issue, I hope gman and Tri are right about reality shows..........
Can't tell you how much I hate them....cheap production...all they have to do is point camera toward idiots
that want to be on tv....then edit out in order to keep valuable stuff....it's got to be hard to figure that part out........

njnydigger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> While I am familiar with this guy Ric (I did some
> research ), what is NOT familiar to me is why
> he'd even do something like this? Aside from the
> dough of course. To me however, this is selling
> out. This hobby (coinshotting, relic hunting,
> beach combing) is more or less a closed
> 'fraternity'. We keep our heads hung low, are
> gracious in asking home owners permission to hunt
> their property (or just hunt public land) & when
> we find something great, we generally keep it
> within the treasure hunting community. What this
> guy Ric is doing is...
>
> 1. Creating more competition - Don't give me the
> line that most newbs don't don't what they're
> doing. True, but if there are tons & tons of them,
> a find here & there by each of them adds up.
>
> 2. Making a hobby that likes to remain as
> invisible as possible, visible - Lets face it, do
> any of us REALLY want added face time & even MORE
> looky loos on top of us while we're out in the
> field?!
>
> 3. Sending the wrong message - If the show catches
> on, can anyone really expect a homeowner to grant
> permission to their property without asking for a
> little cash-ola? Now you have to pay someone to
> hunt their property & might find squat, or, even
> if you do find something, it cancels itself out
> due to having had to pay the homeowner. People
> aren't stupid.
>
> When I'm in the field and make a nice find I NEVER
> show passerby or onlookers - doesn't make sense.
> When you have a good thing going, keep your head
> hung low & your yapper shut. Simple as that. While
> this Ric guy isn't a monster & just wants to make
> a few bucks with this show, he's going about it in
> the COMPLETE wrong way. Don't sensationalize or
> use Hollywood gimmicks to degrade the hobby. Don't
> send the wrong message. Don't make a low profile
> past time front page news


no reflection on anyone here as i believe i am correct in assuming we are mostly experienced hunters
that said,we KNOW we must be as "transparent" as possible! the general public doesn't give 2 s**ts
about us,UNLESS/UNTIL we are damaging property,then,of course they are all over us,and deservedly so,if one is not
following proper digging procedures.fortunately,the public has a short memory,in that IF the show makes it to the airwaves,,
AND gets promptly cancelled,then all bets are off,and it won't matter anyway! lets be "hopeful" that the show has a very short life span
and we can put the matter to rest,and hear no more of this!

(h.h.!)
j.t.