Mike Patrick ,Verne Lundquist ,Mike Walden,Doug Leighton,Ron Franklin

#1
davesim

davesim

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Jan 26, 2011
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#1
All these pbp guys worked for my old production company in 1978-1988 when we produced Monday Night College Basketball (Ted Turner was my partner) in Prime Time …..SEC,Swc,Big 10, Big8 ,and PAC 8 games…we also set up radio networks for Mississippi State, uni of Michigan, Arizona State and an eight year run of syndicated college football previews as well as all star basketball classics such as the Southern Shootout (SEC vs ACC) and the Annual College Coaches East West All Star game.

FWIW, My big break came about when John Ward ,who I knew from ad agency days in Knoxville, set me up with UT to televise a basketball game in which he was the radio pbp guy when UT played Arizona State, and we simulcast him including end of game interview to kill some time left on the clock…I was interviewed by him…pretended to be a fan who lived in Tucson

I have been on this board for years and never posted anything at all, but a poster mentioned Mike Patrick as his fave and my old memory triggered these rambling comments… I have fun rekindling great memories these days,
so I if any reader will like to hear more…just ask..
old guys like to show off (mostly true but maybe an occasional exaggeratio)…
 
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#2
#2
You said ask, so I'll do just that.

What was your favorite sports memory/highlight that you were involved in?
 
#3
#3
Interesting, thanks for sharing. Did you ever work with Larry Conley? Wonderful friend for over 40 years.

Funny story about Larry, in 79 he was doing the Saturday SEC game of the week. ESPN called him and asked if he would be interested in doing games for their new network. Larry responded no I am happy doing the SEC Game of the week.

You dont understand said the ESPN guy, we are going to do games every night. You are crazy said Larry, nobody will watch a college basketball game on a week night. :)
 
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#4
#4
Savannahbayvol said:
Interesting, thanks for sharing. Did you ever work with Larry Conley? Wonderful friend for over 40 years.

Funny story about Larry, in 79 he was doing the Saturday SEC game of the week. ESPN called him and asked if he would be interested in doing games for their new network. Larry responded no I am happy doing the SEC Game of the week.

You dont understand said the ESPN guy, we are going to do games every night. You are crazy said Larry, nobody will watch a college basketball game on a week night. :)
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Sounds like a friend of mine who was offered the chance to be one of 9 investors in a new development in way West Knoxville - he declined stating that was just too far from everything to ever become successful -

Of course,Turkey Creek has gone on to muddle through without him even though it is still a little West.
 
#5
#5
davesim said:
All these pbp guys worked for my old production company in 1978-1988 when we produced Monday Night College Basketball (Ted Turner was my partner) in Prime Time …..SEC,Swc,Big 10, Big8 ,and PAC 8 games…we also set up radio networks for Mississippi State, uni of Michigan, Arizona State and an eight year run of syndicated college football previews as well as all star basketball classics such as the Southern Shootout (SEC vs ACC) and the Annual College Coaches East West All Star game.

FWIW, My big break came about when John Ward ,who I knew from ad agency days in Knoxville, set me up with UT to televise a basketball game in which he was the radio pbp guy when UT played Arizona State, and we simulcast him including end of game interview to kill some time left on the clock…I was interviewed by him…pretended to be a fan who lived in Tucson

I have been on this board for years and never posted anything at all, but a poster mentioned Mike Patrick as his fave and my old memory triggered these rambling comments… I have fun rekindling great memories these days,
so I if any reader will like to hear more…just ask..
old guys like to show off (mostly true but maybe an occasional exaggeratio)…
Click to expand...

I had a cousin that worked with Ted Turner back in the day, did you ever know Billy Shaw ?
 
#8
#8
I can remember sitting around my grandmother's radio that was probably 4' tall listening to Johnny Majors running the single wing. Do you remember those days?
 
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#10
#10
davesim said:
All these pbp guys worked for my old production company in 1978-1988 when we produced Monday Night College Basketball (Ted Turner was my partner) in Prime Time …..SEC,Swc,Big 10, Big8 ,and PAC 8 games…we also set up radio networks for Mississippi State, uni of Michigan, Arizona State and an eight year run of syndicated college football previews as well as all star basketball classics such as the Southern Shootout (SEC vs ACC) and the Annual College Coaches East West All Star game.

FWIW, My big break came about when John Ward ,who I knew from ad agency days in Knoxville, set me up with UT to televise a basketball game in which he was the radio pbp guy when UT played Arizona State, and we simulcast him including end of game interview to kill some time left on the clock…I was interviewed by him…pretended to be a fan who lived in Tucson

I have been on this board for years and never posted anything at all, but a poster mentioned Mike Patrick as his fave and my old memory triggered these rambling comments… I have fun rekindling great memories these days,
so I if any reader will like to hear more…just ask..
old guys like to show off (mostly true but maybe an occasional exaggeratio)…
Click to expand...

I remember when Ward announced he was retiring, a few of my friends started listing who would be good enough to fill his shoes. Franklin was the one guy that came to mind. Something about his voice that made games more compelling. I think he was still hooked up with ESPN at the time, but Damn. I wish we could have gotten him.
 
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#11
#11
TNnative said:
I remember when Ward announced he was retiring, a few of my friends started listing who would be good enough to fill his shoes. Franklin was the one guy that came to mind. Something about his voice that made games more compelling. I think he was still hooked up with ESPN at the time, but Damn. I wish we could have gotten him.
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I was thinking Ron Franklin got caught up in some off the TV controversy.

Edit: he was fired from ESPN on January 4th 2011 for calling a female sideline reporter "sweetcakes" at the peach bowl Dec 31, 2010.
 
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#14
#14
InVOLuntary said:
Oh, I loved Ron Franklin. I can't remember who he was paired with. It was a great team. See my edit.
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Oh OK, just saying I am not one of these people who gets POed because he tried to give Holly Rowe's dumb comment some perspective while on the air, and called her "Sweetheart".



All I know is if Tennessee had hired him? I would actually listen.
 
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#15
#15
TNnative said:
Oh OK, just saying I am not one of these people who gets POed because he tried to give Holly Rowe's dumb comment some perspective while on the air, and called her "Sweetheart".



All I know is if Tennessee had hired him? I would actually listen.
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I'm about as un-woke as you can get. I don't care either. He didn't get fired for that one though. It was a few years later.
 
#16
#16
InVOLuntary said:
I'm about as un-woke as you can get. I don't care either. He didn't get fired for that one though. It was a few years later.
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No, but this was kind of the prelude to that. I think he called Jeannine Edwards an A-Hole. And maybe there are plenty of folks who might agree with him. Of course, the fact that ESPN is now owned by Disney? That is why the wokeness has gone malignant. Once he was fired though? Damn I wish we could have gotten him in when Ward stepped down.
 
#17
#17
TNnative said:
No, but this was kind of the prelude to that. I think he called Jeannine Edwards an A-Hole. And maybe there are plenty of folks who might agree with him. Of course, the fact that ESPN is now owned by Disney? That is why the wokeness has gone malignant. Once he was fired though? Damn I wish we could have gotten him in when Ward stepped down.
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Never heard him call a BB game but none better at football. If you go to his Wikipedia page it details when and why he was fired. He called another sideline reporter sweetcakes.
 
#18
#18
InVOLuntary said:
Oh, I loved Ron Franklin. I can't remember who he was paired with. It was a great team. See my edit.
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Gary Danielson (in football), of all people. But back then Danielson was more tolerable, more professional. Of course Franklin made him better too. Not sure about basketball.

Franklin is my favorite. To me he was Saturday night football. Called some of my favorite UT games, like the 45-3 beatdown of Florida in 1990. And he called some of my not-so-favorite ones, but I never found myself being perturbed at him, even in a loss.
 
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#19
#19
InVOLuntary said:
Never heard him call a BB game but none better at football. If you go to his Wikipedia page it details when and why he was fired. He called another sideline reporter sweetcakes.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that was Edwards. Oh, I am sure he could do BB. I don't think he has a problem with women. I think he just has a problem with women who are idiots. However at 79? No way we could hire him now. I am sure he is enjoying his retirement. Just as I am sure Gary Patterson is enjoying his now. Too bad we failed to hire him to be our HC as well.

Damn that would have been fun. Think about it. Franklin on the radio, and Patterson running our program with Tennessee's strong assets? What could have been!
 
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#21
#21
Tenacguy50 said:
I believe he was paired with Mike Gottfried. They were the best IMO. Mike was a former coach at Pittsburg.
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Yep him as well. Forgot about him. Another great one. I was thinking he got in trouble too, but it seems he simply retired.
 
#22
#22
Volwark said:
Yep him as well. Forgot about him. Another great one. I was thinking he got in trouble too, but it seems he simply retired.
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Mike Gottfried was working for ESPN and running a program ministering to kids without a father in their homes. The travel and responsibilities of both were a little too much to handle, so Mike gave up ESPN to concentrate on the kids. Well over 3000 young men have been through his program learning to be accountable, responsible and respectful contributors to society. Most every one of those kids live better lives because of Mike. I'm proud to be a part of his organization. Mike is making the world a better place. Here's a link to his organization: https://www.teamfocususa.org
 
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#23
#23
JelloPuddinPup said:
You said ask, so I'll do just that.

What was your favorite sports memory/highlight that you were involved in?
Click to expand...
The original Shoneys Southern Shootout ..televised from Charlotte and coached by Dale Brown and Frank McGuire (South Carolina in the ACC then) did 6 more events mostly at Vanderbilt but one year in Lexington
 
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