Bob Kesling Retiring

Bob was never going to be a complete fan favorite here for two reasons - he had to follow an absolute legend and two, he had to announce football games through the absolute worst time in Tennessee football history.

I thought he always called a better basketball game than he does a football game - which is weird because I felt the opposite of John Ward. I think it has a lot to do with the pace of the game. Calling football you have a little more time to think and more people to keep track of where as basketball it just kind of rolls off the tongue and you are only focusing a few guys at a time.

As far as who to hire, or promote, to replace Bob - I wouldn't mind @moon823 suggestion and give Neil Price a shake. Not sure I'm a fan of Mike Keith myself. Would Wilkerson want to take it on...might be good. One thing to think about too here is do you replace Pat Ryan now or do you find someone that can work with Pat?

I'll finish my post with this - THANK YOU Mr. Kesling. You have stayed the course and given your all for Tennessee. Good, bad, or indifferent, we are all grateful.
 
  • Like
Reactions: moon823
Bob was never going to be a complete fan favorite here for two reasons - he had to follow an absolute legend and two, he had to announce football games through the absolute worst time in Tennessee football history.

I thought he always called a better basketball game than he does a football game - which is weird because I felt the opposite of John Ward. I think it has a lot to do with the pace of the game. Calling football you have a little more time to think and more people to keep track of where as basketball it just kind of rolls off the tongue and you are only focusing a few guys at a time.

As far as who to hire, or promote, to replace Bob - I wouldn't mind @moon823 suggestion and give Neil Price a shake. Not sure I'm a fan of Mike Keith myself. Would Wilkerson want to take it on...might be good. One thing to think about too here is do you replace Pat Ryan now or do you find someone that can work with Pat?

I'll finish my post with this - THANK YOU Mr. Kesling. You have stayed the course and given your all for Tennessee. Good, bad, or indifferent, we are all grateful.
John Ward was genius at calling basketball. I believe his greatest work was in basketball by far. I think Bob is better at basketball too but Ward's true genius was clearly basketball.
 
As did many, I used to mute the television and listen to John Ward do his thing even though a running back would have already spiked the ball while John was still doing his five, four, three etc routine. But, he did it with such flair and passion. Ward is a legend and was irreplaceable, but I think the powers that be could have done better than Kesling. I have not once muted the TV in favor of Bob Kesling. His replacement will not have such large shoes to fill and may have an easier time winning over Vol Nation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SpookyAction
Front page story in today's News Sentinel about Kesling's retirement.

He said that there will probably be 300 resumes and videotapes for Alicia (I forgot her last name in the article) in the athletic department to review.
 
He had to follow a legend. He acquitted himself well. It's hard to read the classless posters running a man down who did his job.
When the guy, who is employed by the Vol Network, attempts to give the "player of the game" award to Spencer Rattler after South Carolina throttled us two years ago, he deserves every last bit of criticism, imo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rocky Top T
John Ward was genius at calling basketball. I believe his greatest work was in basketball by far. I think Bob is better at basketball too but Ward's true genius was clearly basketball.
His quick and seemingly easy flair for coining phrases in basketball was even greater than it was for football. I mean the quick, "BOTTOM", is an all time top 5. First free throw, "Pops, Drops". Second free throw, "Guuunnnns, Bang"! Facking as classic as it it gets
 
The radio voice really doesn’t matter too much to me anymore for football with every game on TV. About the only time I listen to the radio is pregame and postgame. When John Ward was doing it, every game wasn’t on TV and man did we get spoiled listening to him. Probably would make a difference in basketball since they’re not always on TV.

I wonder what Mike Keith would sound like calling a basketball game?
 

VN Store



Back
Top