This is the easiest poll ever. There are many worthy contenders for #2, but the only one worth mentioning for Grand Champion is rumblin' bumblin' stumblin' Keith Jackson, the undisputed GOAT.
POLL: Your favorite all-time cfb national play-by-play announcer
- Thread starter john4psu
- Start date
Harry Kalas DID do college football. He did telecasts for Notre Dame, in fact he was the play by play man in the booth at Beaver Stadium for Notre Dame for the 1983 Penn State vs Notre Dame game.
['QUOTE="21Guns, post: 2512381, member: 11390"]Harry Kalas DID do college football. He did telecasts for Notre Dame, in fact he was the play by play man in the booth at Beaver Stadium for Notre Dame for the 1983 Penn State vs Notre Dame game.[/QUOTE]
I kept stats for Harry and George O'Connor for that game. A statisticians nightmare, high scoring, Allen Pinkett having a big day. Was fun giving O'Connor info during breaks. So at the end of the broadcast Kalas forgets to mention my name! He was very sorry about that and wrote me a nice letter later. I got $10 from ESPN. My shoulder and arm made a brief appearance, I mean blink like appearance, during the broadcast.
I kept stats for Harry and George O'Connor for that game. A statisticians nightmare, high scoring, Allen Pinkett having a big day. Was fun giving O'Connor info during breaks. So at the end of the broadcast Kalas forgets to mention my name! He was very sorry about that and wrote me a nice letter later. I got $10 from ESPN. My shoulder and arm made a brief appearance, I mean blink like appearance, during the broadcast.
Todd is great....best in the business right now IMO. But the poll is for play-by-play announcers, and Todd is a color commentator.
OT:
I know I get into some weird exchanges here at times, but this exchange between you and BJF epitomizes the head-scratching aspects of message boards to me -
Why BJF had to take a gratuitous shot at Fran is beyond me. Hard to find any person more loyal and giving and sincere and friendly than Fran was as he represented PSU. Yeah, he missed a few yard markers over the years, but he had a great voice and his partnership with George Paterno made from some very entertaining radio. He was always an outstanding ambassador for PSU. So bad on Barry for the uncalled for shot on a beloved PSU icon. But certainly within the margins of what we have come to expect from him.
Then, Gunner comes in and declares that he cannot wait to tell his friend, Fran's son, that someone on a message board said something bad about his late father! Who the hell does that?! This is exactly the kind of situation the phrase "some things are better left unsaid" was created for. What kind of friend runs to someone they claim to be their friend and tells them that some anonymous message board poster said something unkind about their late parent?! Amazing. To me, anyway.
Now waiting for BJF and Gunner to blast away at me. Please send thoughts and prayers.
Hey Bob:
If you think that discussing Hillgrove's inability to string together a correct play call, and it's' reminiscence of Fran F's incongruent play-by-play......is a "gratuitous shot" at a "beloved PSU icon".......well - in the words of that other "beloved icon" - - - "Put your big boy pants on"
I got nothing against Fran F (RIP)......but, quite frankly, he was a nightmare as a p-b-p guy on the radio
An absolute nightmare - - - whether you think he's a "beloved icon" or not
And - if you don't agree - fine. Feel free to post about how you think he's "one of the all time greats".........
The current duo (Jones and Ham) are 1,000,000% better at calling a game.....actually, that's probably a bit of an understatement
PS - I'd send along my well wishes and prayers - - - but I don't really buy the value of that crap, and I doubt you'd want the "thoughts and prayers" of some irascible bastard anyway
A put down of a great man with a lifetime of service to Penn State is not "within the margins" of anything. Make excuses for your pal all you want, he's a piece of #%&@ and has been banned on here numerous times for being just that.
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Gunner: within his (BJF's) margins.... not normal margins.
And who is this pal of mine you're referring to? Can't be BJF.
Read my response again. I am hardly excusing or defending either of you. Far from it.
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Hey Bob:
If you think that discussing Hillgrove's inability to string together a correct play call, and it's' reminiscence of Fran F's incongruent play-by-play......is a "gratuitous shot" at a "beloved PSU icon".......well - in the words of that other "beloved icon" - - - "Put your big boy pants on"
I got nothing against Fran F (RIP)......but, quite frankly, he was a nightmare as a p-b-p guy on the radio
An absolute nightmare - - - whether you think he's a "beloved icon" or not
And - if you don't agree - fine. Feel free to post about how you think he's "one of the all time greats".........
The current duo (Jones and Ham) are 1,000,000% better at calling a game.....actually, that's probably a bit of an understatement
PS - I'd send along my well wishes and prayers - - - but I don't really buy the value of that crap, and I doubt you'd want the "thoughts and prayers" of some irascible bastard anyway
I think bringing Fran into the discussion was/is a gratuitous shot. My guess is that most everyone on here would agree with that.
My big boy pants are on. Always are. It's a message board. We don't know each other on a personal basis. That's why I'm ok with calling out the person who decided to take an 8th-grade-worthy shot at Fran for no good reason other than to stroke your own 'I'm better than anyone and I'm gonna tell ya about it' ego.
As I've said before, at times you have great input about important topics and when you direct your venom at people who deserve it, I'm all for it. Even if that includes me. At times I've been able to engage in a semi-conversation with you on this board and I've learned something of value. I always appreciate that, regardless of who provides the info.
And then there are times when you simply shoot out a putdown on a personal level that provides no information or education to someone who is likely open to learning or hearing some level of detail or facts they were not aware of, and adds nothing to the discussion. That just makes you look like the little person who needs to hitch up his big boy pants and show a little maturity worthy of your age.
Just my opinion. And just my semi-gratuitous shot back at you.
Fine
Couldn't care less......
but glad you feel better (not really, but I guess "that's what people are supposed to say"
)
Great post...thanks. Its always interesting to me, Chris schenkel was a pioneer trail blazer. There was no book (or not a lot of book). People later, took what he did, and improved on it. So it was easier for people later.
At one point in my life, I became interested in Alfred Hitchcock. My wife and I, while dating, watched The Birds. It so interested us, we watched every movie he made. Then I did the same with Orson Wells. What happened was these guys introduced so much into movies, that people now see their innovation as "standard." Same is true of the original star wars. It looks simply now, but at the time was a massive break through in movie making.
Chris Schenkel is that to me. At the time, he was easily state of the art. He did so many new things, others copy him now. But he doesn't get the credit. I am sure he did the same as his predecessors, but they each also apply advancing technologies into their repertoire.
If we're going back to Bud Wilkinson era, I would vote for Lindsey Nelson - mid 50's.Talk about a mellow voice. I remember him mostly from ND games,
Believe it was KJ and Ara P who did the OSU Clemson game in 78 when Woody went psycho and slugged Charlie B. Neither would admit what started the fight when it was clear on the screen. Jackson lacked the journalistic integrity to report the facts and I never liked his announcing henceforth.
Keith Jackson going away....BUT, I will say he stayed on just a bit too long. The last couple years he really stumbled.
Listen to parts of the 97 PSU / OSU game....he really struggles
Listen to parts of the 97 PSU / OSU game....he really struggles
It was very blatant what woody did to start the fight. It's captured for eternity along with both Jackson and Ara denying seeing him throw a punch. I believed in news/sports outlets back then. Their unwillingness to decry what everyone saw, to go so far as to attempt a coverup, is beyond acceptability.
Perhaps the bigger question, in my mind at least, is a PSU guy taking sides with OSU when even they ended up firing him over this incident.
Reading comprehension problem.
I'm not taking sides with anyone. I ask a question which you didn't answer.
Integrity and credibility are integral to announcing ability in my book. I felt he lacked both after this incident.
Hey Bob:
If you think that discussing Hillgrove's inability to string together a correct play call, and it's' reminiscence of Fran F's incongruent play-by-play......is a "gratuitous shot" at a "beloved PSU icon".......well - in the words of that other "beloved icon" - - - "Put your big boy pants on"
I got nothing against Fran F (RIP)......but, quite frankly, he was a nightmare as a p-b-p guy on the radio
An absolute nightmare - - - whether you think he's a "beloved icon" or not
And - if you don't agree - fine. Feel free to post about how you think he's "one of the all time greats".........
The current duo (Jones and Ham) are 1,000,000% better at calling a game.....actually, that's probably a bit of an understatement
PS - I'd send along my well wishes and prayers - - - but I don't really buy the value of that crap, and I doubt you'd want the "thoughts and prayers" of some irascible bastard anyway
If you think Fran was bad, how about Tom (mind) Bender?
I think a lot of what makes a good play-by-play guy is the interaction with the color guy. As such, I put Lundquist/Danielson and Jackson/Broyles as my first choices. The 3:30 SEC games with the first pair were special. Part of it is the quality of the play, but those guys were so smooth together. Verne seems like a total class act, as well. I remember well when Broyles described PSU football as follows: "Ball control offense, bend but don't break defense, and solid special teams. That's the formula for winning football, Keith." In his drawl, there was nothing better.
Schenkel was very good. Not sure why some are hard on him, but it is all a matter of opinion, I suppose.
Loved Ray Scott. He did PSU highlights, in addition to the NFL as it started to grow wildly in the 60's. Very underrated, IMO.
Ron Franklin is good. Glad someone mentioned him.
I like Gus Johnson's enthusiasm. Too many times though, he is just wrong in what he says.
Great topic for discussion. Thanks to the OP for starting it.
Schenkel was very good. Not sure why some are hard on him, but it is all a matter of opinion, I suppose.
Loved Ray Scott. He did PSU highlights, in addition to the NFL as it started to grow wildly in the 60's. Very underrated, IMO.
Ron Franklin is good. Glad someone mentioned him.
I like Gus Johnson's enthusiasm. Too many times though, he is just wrong in what he says.
Great topic for discussion. Thanks to the OP for starting it.
Schenkel was a good personality, a good broadcaster, and a good man. I simply found his STYLE not suited for football. This is why I much preferred him for bowling and the NBA, both of which he did impeccably well. For football, he was far too "busy" with information flow, on the mic, and often he would simply be too far "behind" the play.
Exhibit A: Go to the 30:00 mark...Chris is mentioning that J. Rodgers is a native of Omaha, and FAR off the mic with a "Look at that" comment. The play is spectacular, the call is basically not on par with the actual play...This guy just broke 5 tackles and juked 3 guys out for a touchdown, does the viewer care that he is a "native of Omaha"? Yes, he is excited, but the call needs more emotion.
Exhibit A: Go to the 30:00 mark...Chris is mentioning that J. Rodgers is a native of Omaha, and FAR off the mic with a "Look at that" comment. The play is spectacular, the call is basically not on par with the actual play...This guy just broke 5 tackles and juked 3 guys out for a touchdown, does the viewer care that he is a "native of Omaha"? Yes, he is excited, but the call needs more emotion.
Somewhat OT, Enberg gets a "like" from me for being the announcer in one of my favorite films, the original Rollerball with James Caan as Jonathan E.
My favorite football announcer was probably Pat Summerall, who, according to Wikipedia, actually did call a Division III game during the 1982 NFL strike.
Never could understand the love for Keith Jackson. I never thought of him as being especially pro-Penn State, and in fact always thought he was more partial to Southern football. I thought his style was kinda corny.
After the B1G championship game, I am liking Gus Johnson a lot more and looking forward to Penn State games on FOX.
Schenkel and Wilkinson had as good a chemistry as any pair. Keith Jackson and Frank Broyles were very good also.
Taken in small doses, he is entertaining. Hate to hear him do a Penn State V Purdue game.
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