Let's Talk Play-By-Play

[longleggs]

I hate college football, I am an NFL person so I have no college favorites. I really like Jim Nance, Joe Buck, and an underrated guy is Kevin Harlan.

 

[ssvoice]

Well, since this is kinda my area...I guess I can chime in....

Agree with the comments about Don Poier. A 'pros pro' that was always kind, and did a great job:

'Only in the movies, and in Memphis'

Radio PBP is very challenging...you have to balance staying a bit behind the action, with getting the excitement of the moment across. That being said...

My favorite radio guy for CFB is, and always will be John Ward...And anyone here that knows me will tell you that I loathe the Urnge....Jack Cristl is a close second...My favorite line from him...

After a beatdown last year (I think it was at Alabama)...'The ___________ drive of the game...Well, that would be me driving back to Columbus after this one.'

I know I'll be in the minority...but I really like Mike Keith (Voice of the Titans)...he is excitable...but he doesn't miss much...Frank Wycheck on the other hand is dreadful.

National guys...Ron Franklin is very good...Chris Fowler is getting better. Dan Shulman is outstanding. Joe Buck has grown on me.

 

[MemBirdman]

I'm with you about Mike Keith. I really like him. He's a homer (as an NFL PBP guy should be), but he's also got that "directing traffic at a three-ring circus" thing going for him that is essential for what he does.

 

[JohnMichael]

Gotta go with Tom Stocker.

I admit, I'm biased. I interned with him my senior year of high school. But we lost a good one when he got out of the biz. Aside from being a super-nice guy, "Stock" was able to do more with less. He would record his pre-game show interview with a coach or player on a portable Marantz cassette recorder, then climb the stairs & ladder(!!!) up to the pressbox, set up his minimal equipment, hang his "crowd mic" & WREC banner outside of the window & secure it, do a pregame show in which he would play his own flawless, unedited interview (no equipment to edit it) from the booth over the air off of his Marantz unit, call the entire game all by himself (an amazing feat in and of itself), do a post-game wrap, then call Leonard Blakely back in the studio and record a wrap for the next day's Morning show. He did this day-in and day-out, never cut any corners, and had a great attitude. He was truly loved and appreciated by everyone in the Chicks organization.

What would always amaze me most, would be the games that either were a blowout or weather-delayed. He could always fill time with his stories and his knowledge of the game. Like Vin Scully out here in Los Angeles, Tom, if needed, had a story or some interesting, exclusive team info for any occasion. He rarely repeated those stories. Tom's material was always fresh.

He'd also have to interview sponsors and "celebs" that the Chicks would bring in for a nightly promotion and Tom would interview them within the context of the game flawlessly. When I worked/programmed in smaller markets, I would butt heads with salespeople all the time when they would want to do this. Too much clutter, not of any value to the listener. That Tom even did it was amazing. That he did it consistantly without slowing down the pace of his game call was nothing short of spectacular.

I became a Stocker fan by listening to him call Ole Miss Football. One time I asked him why he no longer did those games, and he told me that he was let go from his duties as Ole Miss' PBP due to the school's desire to use someone that sounded more 'Mississippi'. Now, some people would have been irritated to be asked a question like that, but he answered my question without expressing any bitterness towards the school. Just a class act. While the current PBP team are Mississippians (and certainly sound it), I can tell you as an Ole Miss alum that I'd much rather listen to Stock and his Illinois accent. And that's not my personal bias talking either. Stock's just a better talent.

Knowing Tom, he'd be way too modest to agree with that, nor would he ever say what I am about to say. Tom was/is a major-league, major-market talent...period.

 

[Tynosaur]

I second JohnMichael's comments about Tom. He's always a gentleman and a consummate professional. For more on Tom, I must recommend my earlier posting on May 3...

http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/board,218.120.html

is the title of the Subject line. If you didn't read it the first time around, check it out. Dick Palmer and Tom Stocker are two guys I'm proud to say I worked with and greatly admired.

 

[Bubba Bob]

Jon Miller, "voice" of the San Francisco Giants and formerly of the Baltimore Orioles, is one of the best in the game today. Doing baseball play-by-play on radio is vastly different from tv. His stories are humorous and insightful.

However, one of the worst color guys out there is Joe Morgan. He's in love with himself too much. This man is absolutely horrible in dealing with fans of the game of baseball. Morgan is quite terse in handing out autographs.

 

[MemBirdman]

Knowing Tom, he'd be way too modest to agree with that, nor would he ever say what I am about to say. Tom was/is a major-league, major-market talent...period.

Agreed. I worked with him (kinda) during the McCarver years of the Redbirds. Always was a great guy, no matter what was coming down on him. I was saddened that he wasn't even given a shot when Jack Buck died, but I think he was expecting it since he had a plan B in place.

And speaking of plan B, I know no one has asked for it, but file this under "Where are they now?"

http://www.tallyhosupperclub.com/

I know he always loved tending bar at Boscos for the Ronald McDonald House...now it's his living. And he's in Wisconsin, so he's better off anyway...

 

[JBRIGHTWELL]

My favorites growing up were Jack Buck for the Cardinals and Harry Carey for baseball. Different styles but both entertaining.
I'm not a Tennessee fan at all, but loved to listen to John Ward call football along with Jack Cristal (Miss State) and Larry Munson (Georgia).
Being 35, I vaguely remember Jack Eaton, loved him even as a kid and Paul Hartledge was good as well.

The most influential for me was Tom Stocker. I grew up listening to Chicks games and thought he was the standard in Memphis for someone wanting to get into the play-by-play business. Professional, informative, and entertaining.

 

[hwg901]

I think Jack Buck was probably the best. He could do any stick-and-ball sport. I remember him first from doing old AFL football games on ABC or NBC...perhaps both. When I moved to Memphis later I heard him doing the Cardinals stuff as well as big National games.

John Miller is #2...a close #2 in my book. He and Joe Morgan really do a great job together.

The biggest homer I ever heard was aguy in Houston Lowell Passe...broadcast for the Houston Buffs minor league team and later did stuff for the Colt .45's and Astros. He aslo did some stuff for the University of Houston, I believe. He was a "close personal friend" of Judge Hofeinz...majority owner of the Astros and the station that originally carried thier games.

Of course, big Jack Eaton is #2 on my homer list. Great guy...big, sincere Tiger fan. If you have him for a friend, he's afriend for life. I've known him since I was 18.

I never got Jack Crystal. He was, to me, okay, but not great.

just my thoughts

greg hamilton