John Ward helmet sticker? Jersey patch? PAGING DEERPARK

#51
#51
Forget the sticker. The man deserves a statue. He's the only non-player/coach that I would put on Tennessee's "Mt. Rushmore" for athletics.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#52
#52
In an interview after he retired he told the story of him and his beloved wife vacationing in France. Sitting at a table, eating dinner in a posh restaurant, a couple walked by and the man said "Bottom" as they passed. Half a world away from everything that made him famous and he was still the man.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 people
#54
#54
orange parmejohn said:
I never heard one Ward broadcast. Must have been a great announcer.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's hard to believe there's a generation that never listened to a John Ward called game. My own sons included, but we have a night or two of watching old YouTube clips of those calls every year right before football season. They know what he meant to the old VFL's.

I think the helmet sticker should just be an old microphone. No catch phrases, no initials, nothing obvious. Everyone will know what it means.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
#55
#55
ksgovols said:
yeah, it's hard to believe there's a generation that never listened to a john ward called game. My own sons included, but we have a night or two of watching old youtube clips of those calls every year right before football season. They know what he meant to the old vfl's.

I think the helmet sticker should just be an old microphone. No catch phrases, no initials, nothing obvious. Everyone will know what it means.
Click to expand...
it's football time in tennessee!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#56
#56
esarmstrong said:
I was watching a replay on youtube of John Ward calling the Tennessee Kentucky basketball game from 1975. JW was a great football announcer, but anyone who ever listened to him call a basketball game knows he was without peer in that sport, too! No one used his signature "bottom" to describe a made shot in hoops. Plus his description of the action was so spot on. That is the sport I have the most memories of him, especially in the King/Grunfeld era.
Click to expand...

I agree with you - he was the best basketball game announcer, bar none. :salute:

I loved his football calls as well, though! :hi:
 
#57
#57
vols4evah said:
It was a different world back then. No 24 hour ESPN sports coverage, no Internet and no cable tv.

We only had broadcast TV and we where lucky to see 2 or 3 games a year on TV and thats including a bowl game. So to keep up with our vols we had to watch the clips of the game on the local news or read about the game in the paper the next day or go to the game itself, or listen to it on the radio.
For most of us John Ward was our access to the Tennessee Vols. He was our eyes on the court or in the stadium and man he could make you feel like you where sitting right there watching the game beside him. I cant count how many times I closed my eyes and let John take me to the hill to watch my Vols Play. It was wonderful, with John you had the best seats in the house.

He was so important to us back then and I am so sad he is gone.
Click to expand...

You described exactly how it was for so many of us then. I too, would close my eyes and "watch" the game with John Ward.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#59
#59
Caculator said:
In an interview after he retired he told the story of him and his beloved wife vacationing in France. Sitting at a table, eating dinner in a posh restaurant, a couple walked by and the man said "Bottom" as they passed. Half a world away from everything that made him famous and he was still the man.
Click to expand...

Growing up my sister once stated.....man, that guy named Bottom scores every basket!

This is not a lie.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 people
#60
#60
ksgovols said:
Yeah, it's hard to believe there's a generation that never listened to a John Ward called game. My own sons included, but we have a night or two of watching old YouTube clips of those calls every year right before football season. They know what he meant to the old VFL's.

I think the helmet sticker should just be an old microphone. No catch phrases, no initials, nothing obvious. Everyone will know what it means.
Click to expand...

I like this idea alot. GeauxVols - draw it up! :)
 
#61
#61
david NC Vol said:
Take it "all the way to the State Capital" lets give John Ward six!!!! Plus should play one of John Ward's memorable calls after every TD this season!
Click to expand...

I like that. Do the "give him six, touchdown Tennessee" on the jumbo tron with voice and all after every score. That would be awesome.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#62
#62
VolEngineer said:
I like that. Do the "give him six, touchdown Tennessee" on the jumbo tron with voice and all after every score. That would be awesome.
Click to expand...

This needs to happen.. I wouldn’t mind that becoming a tradition... but I’m not sure how that would happen with rocky top being played too... maybe a short clip and then rocky top?
 
#63
#63
UT could also honor Ward by putting a jersey of a microphone on the front and Ward on the back and hang that up in TBA sometime this season.
 
#65
#65
GreveHaller said:
he hasnt called plays in 19 years and I have cried like a baby since last night. This is like a second dad passing away. You were wrong, Mr Ward. Oh so wrong.
Click to expand...

It hit me hard as well. This was my first Father's Day without my dad and he and I used to listen to a lot of football and basketball games together.
 
#66
#66
Carl Pickens said:
It hit me hard as well. This was my first Father's Day without my dad and he and I used to listen to a lot of football and basketball games together.
Click to expand...

Sup, pick... Hope all is well. Sorry I didn't message you on fathers day. I know that was rough on you, brother.
 
#70
#70
I only learned just this week that John Ward's Mom was a customer at my now 93 year old Mom's beauty shop in South Knoxville, and that his Mom taught my sister at TSD and his Dad was the superintendent there, and they lived in Island Home.
 
#72
#72
sport3500 said:
UT could also honor Ward by putting a jersey of a microphone on the front and Ward on the back and hang that up in TBA sometime this season.
Click to expand...

John Ward already has a banner hanging in the Arena.

For all that UT has done wrong the last 20 years, properly honoring legends before they pass on has been something they have gotten right.

As I said on the first page, expect a helmet sticker this year. UT has never used a jersey patch to honor someone in football.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
#73
#73
DeerPark12 said:
John Ward already has a banner hanging in the Arena.

For all that UT has done wrong the last 20 years, properly honoring legends before they pass on has been something they have gotten right.

As I said on the first page, expect a helmet sticker this year. UT has never used a jersey patch to honor someone in football.
Click to expand...

in general, yes. But they were way too slow honoring Ray Mears.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top