Welcome Home, Mike Keith

[cardvolfan]

A very vast skill set in his repertoire. Talented, well-spoken, and all-Vol.

 

[Kurtastrophe]

Danny White doesn’t miss.

 

[patrick]

Ugh…..wanted Wilkerson

Same here...... Wilkerson does a great broadcast and has an excellent voice. Underwhelming hire from my perspective. Mike Keith's high-pitched shrills make for a horrible listening experience. But to each their own - I didn't listen to the radio broadcast of football games since JW retired - so won't change anything for me.

 

[northknoxvol]

WOWWW!! Didn't think he would leave the Titans.

you think it was fun calling all that losing

 

[airvols]

OK, eating a little crow here. I never thought and posted he’d never leave the Titans, especially after the iconic Music City Miracle call. Excited for all of us as a Vols fan and supporter, it’s a great day in Tennessee!

 

[eman17]

Boom!

 

[zeppelin128]

This made my morning, welcome home Mike!

 

[Rocky Top T]

I admire Bob Keasling for his VFL dedication and service to the program. BUT, this is what should have happened in January 1999.

Absolutely!

 

[Vol737]

OK, eating a little crow here. I never thought and posted he’d never leave the Titans, especially after the iconic Music City Miracle call. Excited for all of us as a Vols fan and supporter, it’s a great day in Tennessee!

I didn’t think he would either. I had money on Wilkerson who does a fine job, but glad to have Mike Keith back in the fold. Couldn’t have gone wrong with either of those picks.

 

[Rocky Top T]

Same here...... Wilkerson does a great broadcast and has an excellent voice. Underwhelming hire from my perspective. Mike Keith's high-pitched shrills make for a horrible listening experience. But to each their own - I didn't listen to the radio broadcast of football games since JW retired - so won't change anything for me.

Now I can listen to radio again because of Mike Keith

 

[GUNTERSVOL]

I'd imagine Steve Early had a lot to do with it....

Hope the whole story gets out. Which of the UT brass pushed for him, since they always say the announcers are approved by the university. Never knew who that was.

I have heard his account of being a bit shocked when Ward stepped aside and shared his commitment to his relatively new employer in Nashville. Got to respect that from a guy growing up just down Chapman Hwy from Neyland. Don’t know if a balloon was floated his way or not.

Good news is he will be prepared for some cheap shots by some Vol unfaithful. Been around the game long enough to know the range within the Vol world.

 

[Grey_pilgrim]

Should’ve been him when Keasling took over. No knock on him, Mike Keith is just better.

 

[OrangeVolMan]

Same here...... Wilkerson does a great broadcast and has an excellent voice. Underwhelming hire from my perspective. Mike Keith's high-pitched shrills make for a horrible listening experience. But to each their own - I didn't listen to the radio broadcast of football games since JW retired - so won't change anything for me.

Then why the need to bitch if you don’t listen anyway.

 

[OneManGang]

Happy to have Mike K. back on board. I also would have been happy with Wilkerson

One thing that needs to happen is to finally ditch the John Ward system in the booth. Due the good offices of the late CharterVol I got to sit in the John Ward Broadcast Booth and watch/listen to a game with the live feed in headphones.

It was clear the Kesling had simply adopted Ward's system. Literally there are game notes on "post-it" notes stuck to the window. It worked for Ward and, to his credit, Buckeye Bob made it work but it seemed clunky as hell in a age of tablets and info at your finger tips. I should imagine Mike used a much different system in the Titans booth.

One problem Bob K. was never able to overcome was that he was a TV guy who assumed you were watching the same thing he was seeing on the monitor.

Mike is a radio guy.

That being said I stand by what I said after that session in the booth (which are, bye-the-bye, THE BEST seats in Neyland Stadium):

Of all the places I've sat in at Neyland Stadium over the decades this was the last seat I EVER expected to occupy.

First, let may say something. I hereby withdraw, and sincerely apologize for, ALL criticism I have ever issued of Bob Kesling's efforts as Voice of the Vols. Having now seen first-hand the sheer volume of information, cues, stats, trivia,background info and PSA-type stuff that flashes before Bob during a broadcast, I decided that if it were I or anyone I know in that seat we'd be lucky to get the words “Vol Network” right, let alone the down, distance, lineups, and wind direction. Absolutely amazing.

Yes, Bob Kesling is Not John Ward. No other announcer ever will be. But then, when he started out, people griped that John Ward was Not George Mooney and – swear to heaven – before that complained that George Mooney was Not Lindsey Nelson.

 

[Rocky Top T]

Should’ve been him when Keasling took over. No knock on him, Mike Keith is just better.

Mike Keith is MUCH better than Kesling

 

[cardvolfan]

OK, eating a little crow here. I never thought and posted he’d never leave the Titans, especially after the iconic Music City Miracle call. Excited for all of us as a Vols fan and supporter, it’s a great day in Tennessee!

I thought he would come back if offered, because blood is thicker than water for him individually.

 

[brockytop]

Another Danny White home run. I will FINALLY become an avid listener to the Vol Network again.

Gotta admit to being skeptical Mike would leave the Titans and the midstate area where he’s originally from to come back. Very glad he is.

 

[MadWorld]

 

[GreveHaller]

This wasn’t on my 2025 bingo card

 

[AthensVol2007]

Same here...... Wilkerson does a great broadcast and has an excellent voice. Underwhelming hire from my perspective. Mike Keith's high-pitched shrills make for a horrible listening experience. But to each their own - I didn't listen to the radio broadcast of football games since JW retired - so won't change anything for me.

There would be no doubt who caught the Hail Mary in Athens with Mike Keith on the call. So I’ll allow his shrills if he actually shows some enthusiasm.

 

[IndianaVol]

Honestly, have never listened to a Titans radio broadcast...so now I'm exercising my YouTube skills...but seems like a good hire of a guy that is a Tennessee faithful and will hopefully carry more passion into the call.

Question - will Keith call basketball games as well, or is it only Football and let someone like Wilkerson do Basketball and Baseball both?

 

[Jpcisco]

Lets go!!! So pumped for this! Best radio guy in the country. He has so much passion and energy.

 

[Rocky Top T]

I just hate that we missed the last 26 years without Mike Keith being the voice of the Vols! Kesling is a nice guy, but he sucked calling football games. Mike should have followed John Ward

 

[Godfatha]

There would be no doubt who caught the Hail Mary in Athens with Mike Keith on the call. So I’ll allow his shrills if he actually shows some enthusiasm.

Can we go back and have him voice the 2022 Bama game?

 

[Rocky Top T]

Honestly, have never listened to a Titans radio broadcast...so now I'm exercising my YouTube skills...but seems like a good hire of a guy that is a Tennessee faithful and will hopefully carry more passion into the call.

Question - will Keith call basketball games as well, or is it only Football and let someone like Wilkerson do Basketball and Baseball both?

He is calling basketball too