Charles Davis Praises Butch

#28
#28
Volosaurus rex said:
The one thing that always struck me as funny about John's broadcast style was that, as a fan, you knew, by virtue of the crowd roar, the outcome of a long scoring play about five seconds before he verbally got the running back or receiver into the end zone: "He's to the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Give him six, touchdown Tennessee."

Bob's "he's into the checkerboards" really pales by comparison with that trademark call.
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If you ever paid close attention to the first play after a commercial break, he would call the play after it was long over. He tried to make it sound like it was in real time. The next play would start about 2 seconds after that one because it was live. It was very noticeable if you had a radio in the stadium. It would be dead quiet, and Ward would be calling a play that had already been.
 
#29
#29
1972 Grad said:
Kesling is a former Vol walk-on fullback, but I can't stand to listen to him. I really didn't like to listen to Ward either. He was a bit much, but I guess that he did make it exciting.
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Thats almost unamerican and for sure not true Tennessean.Do u realize what u just said.Lol
 
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#31
#31
1972 Grad said:
If you ever paid close attention to the first play after a commercial break, he would call the play after it was long over. He tried to make it sound like it was in real time. The next play would start about 2 seconds after that one because it was live. It was very noticeable if you had a radio in the stadium. It would be dead quiet, and Ward would be calling a play that had already been.
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Wow...just wow...
 
#32
#32
1972 Grad said:
If you ever paid close attention to the first play after a commercial break, he would call the play after it was long over. He tried to make it sound like it was in real time. The next play would start about 2 seconds after that one because it was live. It was very noticeable if you had a radio in the stadium. It would be dead quiet, and Ward would be calling a play that had already been.
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Do you mean that he would make the play call in its entirety, or conclude the play call, long after it was over? I never took a radio into Neyland, so I would not have noticed that delay in the way you described it. There is no question, however, that his protracted play calls often verbally "extended" the play long after the proverbial whistle had blown.
 
#34
#34
Volosaurus rex said:
Do you mean that he would make the play call in its entirety, or conclude the play call, long after it was over? I never took a radio into Neyland, so I would not have noticed that delay in the way you described it. There is no question, however, that his protracted play calls often verbally "extended" the play long after the proverbial whistle had blown.
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He would make the play call like it was happening, even though it was over, and start the next play as it was happening. There might be two seconds between the plays that way.
 
#36
#36
Volosaurus rex said:
The one thing that always struck me as funny about John's broadcast style was that, as a fan, you knew, by virtue of the crowd roar, the outcome of a long scoring play about five seconds before he verbally got the running back or receiver into the end zone: "He's to the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Give him six, touchdown Tennessee."

Bob's "he's into the checkerboards" really pales by comparison with that trademark call.
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I really don't have a problem with "in to the checkerboards". If he had just copied JW's trademark phrases we would all be up in arms over it. I agree that it's nowhere near as good, but nobody was going to be.
 
#37
#37
1972 Grad said:
Kesling is a former Vol walk-on fullback, but I can't stand to listen to him. I really didn't like to listen to Ward either. He was a bit much, but I guess that he did make it exciting.
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WOW, you speak heresy IMO.
 
#38
#38
Volosaurus rex said:
Do you mean that he would make the play call in its entirety, or conclude the play call, long after it was over? I never took a radio into Neyland, so I would not have noticed that delay in the way you described it. There is no question, however, that his protracted play calls often verbally "extended" the play long after the proverbial whistle had blown.
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Exactly why he was so loved. He's at the 20, the 10, the 5, the 4, etc. He painted a picture of the game for those only listening on the radio. When I moved out of state, I drove to high ground, twisted the AM dial and got the statically call of John Ward. Like being back home while deep in the piedmont of NC. [ b4 satelitte radio or internet]. Good Memories...great memories.....
 
#39
#39
1972 Grad said:
If you ever paid close attention to the first play after a commercial break, he would call the play after it was long over. He tried to make it sound like it was in real time. The next play would start about 2 seconds after that one because it was live. It was very noticeable if you had a radio in the stadium. It would be dead quiet, and Ward would be calling a play that had already been.
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ummmmmmm there is a little thing called a delay. Think about it he is calling the play as it happens it goes into his mic then out over the air waves and then into your radio. That takes a second........TV and radio don't match up right and cable tv is a head of satellite TV for the same reason.
 
#40
#40
1972 Grad said:
Kesling is a former Vol walk-on fullback, but I can't stand to listen to him. I really didn't like to listen to Ward either. He was a bit much, but I guess that he did make it exciting.
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You may as well critique The General, Smokey, Majors, Fulmer, Peyton, E. Berry, Condredge! Reggie, Rod Wilks, etc.
 
#41
#41
Guys, I'm not being critical of John's style. His ability to verbally paint a picture is something that is sorely missing in many younger broadcasters who have not had to work exclusively within the medium of radio broadcasting. I don't know how well Bob and John got along but, if I were Bob, I would have had a long talk with John before formally taking the reins and said: "John, some of your phrases, particularly your yard-by-yard countdown to the end zone on scoring plays have become as strongly associated with Tennessee football as orange and white or Rocky Top. Would you give me your formal blessing to continue using that phrase?"

Bob unquestionably had to find his own style but continued adherence to some of the deeply rooted traditions that John established also would have been nice.
 
#42
#42
mreed90 said:
ummmmmmm there is a little thing called a delay. Think about it he is calling the play as it happens it goes into his mic then out over the air waves and then into your radio. That takes a second........TV and radio don't match up right and cable tv is a head of satellite TV for the same reason.
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ummmmmmmmm.....that's not what I am talking about. If the first play called after a commercial happened during the commercial, he would call it like it was live when he came back on the air, instead of saying that while we were away, Manning threw for 12 yards to Joey Kent. He would say "Manning fakes the handoff to Lewis, rolls to his left, fires the ball out in the flat to Kent, and he is tackled at the 47 yard line. First down Big Orange."

That is fine and good because the people at home are no wiser. It just sounded odd when the next play happened 2 seconds after that one ended. You could hear the cheering in the background when they returned from commercial for the 12 yard pass that had already happened.

The guy is a legend. He made you feel like you were there. He was 100 times better than Kesling, but after 30 years of listening, I am fine with his retirement. I was not one of those who turned down the volume on the TV to listen to John Ward instead of the TV announcers. Sorry!
 
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