Kesling & Me 2013

[photovol]

I like Kesling he sounds pretty professional (a lot better than the rest of the SEC) and I like his excitement on plays...

Sorry but hearing Ward's replays drive me crazy I don't think I would've like him. Even my dad couldn't stand him. I do have a lot of respect for him tho.

and you dad

 

[Easttnken]

How much fun is that?.....on Kesling...he's fine and will grow into the role...John Ward was a lifetime fixture....you don't achieve his greatness without childhood memories of his broadcasts...Kesling hasn't had that luxury of time yet...jmo
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Not sure I would agree...a lot of time has passed since 1999. It didn't take Ward 14-15 years to endear himself to radio listeners.

For me personally, listening to Kessling makes my ears bleed.

 

[Tnwoodsman]

I like Kesling he sounds pretty professional (a lot better than the rest of the SEC) and I like his excitement on plays...

Sorry but hearing Ward's replays drive me crazy I don't think I would've like him. Even my dad couldn't stand him. I do have a lot of respect for him tho.

I agree. Ward dragged behind on every play. Sometimes it was 20 seconds after a TD before you knew. I go back to George Mooney (no good either). We have never had a good play by play man. Kessling is probably better than the rest.

 

[butchna]

Not sure I would agree...a lot of time has passed since 1999. It didn't take Ward 14-15 years to endear himself to radio listeners.

For me personally, listening to Kessling makes my ears bleed.

How old are you?...my point is I was born the year John Ward started broadcasting...if there had been message boards when I was a teen, I'm sure there would have been plenty of flaming on how he stacked up against Lindsey Nelson
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[madbamahater]

your memory is fuzzy at best. I loved Ward, but he made mistakes by the dozens that never got corrected.

Ward would often go back and talk about things he made mistakes about. All the time, when he made them......he was very critical of himself. Many times on the Johnny Majors and Fulmer shows he would damn near apologize to the listener. Ward would often silence compliments he got. He never flattered himself nor fancied himself. That's humble. In regards to mistakes his were fractional at best compared to Kesling. At least Ward knew what team we were playing against.....

Dude all the other great play by play legends credited John Ward as one of the best, if not the best.

 

[LittleDTO]

I agree. Ward dragged behind on every play. Sometimes it was 20 seconds after a TD before you knew. I go back to George Mooney (no good either). We have never had a good play by play man. Kessling is probably better than the rest.

You do realize there is a radio delay anyway? Plus the fact that great radio play by play guys back in the day were PURPOSEFULLY behind the play to better paint a picture.

If you think your radio perfectly syncs up with your TV, then you are woefully mistaken.

 

[Easttnken]

How old are you?...my point is I was born the year John Ward started broadcasting...if there had been message boards when I was a teen, I'm sure there would have been plenty of flaming on how he stacked up against Lindsey Nelson
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As for me, I'm old enough to have witnessed the rise and fall of Bill Battle (started listening with my Dad about '71).

My point was more about Kessling "growing into the role"...his role as "Voice Of The Vols" isn't really in it's infancy. He also had a pretty long broadcasting career prior, so it's not like the concept is new to him. But I agree with your point of "Flaming"...many UT fans aren't happy without something to Bi** about. Many of our fans have certainly earned their "Legion of the Miserable" badge.

In the end, as with most things, it comes down to a difference in taste I suppose.

 

[dubb4611]

I still get goosebumps when I listen to the old clips of JW just describing the BO running thru the T..cause every where u looked everywhere u listened... Its Football Time In Tennessee..kesling OK I guess for a TV guy doing radio..but a true radio announcer paints the entire picture for u..like jack buck Vince scully .and the awesome JohnWard..his basketball calls...BOTTOM!!!!huge goosebumps kids....I'll take the 15 sec delay to hear that raspy voice fill my ears with every detail of the glorious Big Orange..

 

[DyronNix]

Even into the mid-80s, if you wanted to follow a lot of the Tennessee basketball games you had no choice but to follow on the radio where I lived. Seems crazy now with most all games on tv somewhere.

One funny thing about listening to John Ward calling UT basketball on the radio is all of the commercials during that time. As long as I live I'll never forget "Look at that Philco, what a picture, Look at that Philco, what a price. Philco, what a picture, what a price!!"And, of course, Natural Gas. (That one still gets played though).

 

[Cosmo]

I am ok with Kesling. John Ward was a legend. I really wish Mike Keith had gotten the job. Love listening to him call a game.

 

[madbamahater]

"The crowd will tell you......."

Touchdown Tennessee - YouTube


Just listen. This will never happen for Kesling. Period!

 

[volfanbill]

Ward would often go back and talk about things he made mistakes about. All the time, when he made them......he was very critical of himself. Many times on the Johnny Majors and Fulmer shows he would damn near apologize to the listener. Ward would often silence compliments he got. He never flattered himself nor fancied himself. That's humble. In regards to mistakes his were fractional at best compared to Kesling. At least Ward knew what team we were playing against.....

Dude all the other great play by play legends credited John Ward as one of the best, if not the best.

He made some of the most critical mistakes ever. Manning's naked bootleg, the ND game, wrong players. I never said he wasn't great. But punishing Kesling for faults all announcers do, including the great John Ward, is hypocritical. It's nothing about being humble. Ward's name and voice was everywhere in the 90s when it came to TN football and basketball. Kesling goes out, does his job, goes home, studies and comes back to do it again. There's nothing not humble about Kesling either.

 

[Backwards K]

I agree. Ward dragged behind on every play. Sometimes it was 20 seconds after a TD before you knew. I go back to George Mooney (no good either). We have never had a good play by play man. Kessling is probably better than the rest.

You obviously don't know what you are talking about. Here are a few facts so you won't make such a fool of yourself:

1. Many radio stations were on a 7 second delay.
2. Many times the TV and the radio just didn't sync up. When this was the case, some radio stations tried to correct this. Some were successful, some weren't.
3. On most TDs, Ward was scanning the field to see if there were any flags before going into one of his signature TD calls. Thus, the count down for the last 5-10 yds.

Find other ways to get attention. You lose all credibility as a UT fan when you try to denigrate John Ward.

 

[hmanvolfan]

I like Kesling he sounds pretty professional (a lot better than the rest of the SEC) and I like his excitement on plays...

Sorry but hearing Ward's replays drive me crazy I don't think I would've like him. Even my dad couldn't stand him. I do have a lot of respect for him tho.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hfYJsQAhl0[/youtube]

 

[volfanbill]

There is radio delay, but Ward was still behind. You could hear the cheers and the band startup on occasion before he was finished getting Little Man James Stewart into the end zone.

 

[1974Vol]

People used to complain about the exact same thing with Ward. He also had a tendency to be behind the action if you we're watching live.

Its called a 7 second delay. Its on all radio broadcasts. But yes Ward could be describing a play long after it could be seen on tv but he was playing to a radio audience who could not see the action. Its not just Ward all the old guys were better .Painting word pictures is a lost art. Eli Gold at bama is the last of that breed. All the new guys sound like Tom Brocaw. As much as i hated it you got to admit ain't none of these new guys gonna come out with" we just stepped on their face with a hobnail boot!" Miss me some Larry Munson and John Ward "did he make?" Pause for dramatic effect "he made it! Touchdown Tennessee, Touchdown Reggie Cobb give him six!"

 

[lockvol]

"Your voice was our eyes and we could see...Touchdown Tennessee." Kesling is OK, but I don't think they'll be writing any songs about him. Ward is a Tennessee legend. Period. End of story.

 

[volboy81]

Anyone who didnt like John Ward didnt listen to John Ward!! Kesling is okay, especially if you compare him to some of the play by play guys other schools have to put up with

 

[Backwards K]

Anyone who didnt like John Ward didnt listen to John Ward!!

:good!:

 

[GAVol]

Its called a 7 second delay. Its on all radio broadcasts. But yes Ward could be describing a play long after it could be seen on tv but he was playing to a radio audience who could not see the action. Its not just Ward all the old guys were better .Painting word pictures is a lost art. Eli Gold at bama is the last of that breed. All the new guys sound like Tom Brocaw. As much as i hated it you got to admit ain't none of these new guys gonna come out with" we just stepped on their face with a hobnail boot!" Miss me some Larry Munson and John Ward "did he make?" Pause for dramatic effect "he made it! Touchdown Tennessee, Touchdown Reggie Cobb give him six!"

You could hear crowd reactions often times on the radio well ahead of his commentary. What can I say? I thought he was fine, but I just wasn't a huge fan.

 

[W.TN.Orange Blood]

5 -4 -3 -2 -1........ what did he do??......GIVE HIM SIX....TD Tennesee!!!!!

 

[jimallvol]

There will never be another John Ward. But I think Kesling does a good job he's also a super nice guy and he's all vol

 

[Backwards K]

You could hear crowd reactions often times on the radio well ahead of his commentary. What can I say? I thought he was fine, but I just wasn't a huge fan.

He wasn't doing the game for TV. He was doing the game on radio and he while he was counting down the yards (yes, many times after the runner crossed the goal line), he was scanning the field for penalty flags before he told his listeners about the TD.

There, I typed it slower for you that time.

 

[WallyBalls]

To me, Ward was behind because he was "painting a picture" as has been brought up already. He was trying to flesh out what he was describing to the listener. I can see how it would annoy some but it never bothered me. I'd rather have a more colorful picture that's a little behind than a cold, clinical delivery that's on time.

I don't hate Kesling like I used to (he seems like he's FINALLY starting to get comfortable in the football role, he's always been tolerable at basketball), but I'd still trade him for Mike Keith in a heartbeat. The guy is fantastic at setting the scene for what you are hearing (and is always ridiculously prepared).

 

[volfanbill]

He wasn't doing the game for TV. He was doing the game on radio and he while he was counting down the yards (yes, many times after the runner crossed the goal line), he was scanning the field for penalty flags before he told his listeners about the TD.

There, I typed it slower for you that time.

That's fine, but admit that's what it was. It wasn't just the radio delay vs TV delay.