The greatest sportscasters - past and present
 

Keith Jackson - Football
Mel Allen - Baseball
Brent Musberger - Basketball
Larry Munson - College Football (Georgia)
Ralph & Razor - Hockey

Put Kern Tips in with Keith Jackson. Loved it when the ball was inside the 1 yard line and he would say "the ball is on the lip of the cup". Most of you are probably to young to remember who Tips.

What about John Morris?

Second the Kern Tips vote. " He was pickin em off the daisies that time" was his description of a reciever catching a low thrown ball. Extra points were described as "makin 7's outta 6's." He was the greatest! You could always count on seeing the old SWC highlights real at the State Fair every year with Kern as the announcer.

Studley

Another vote for Kern Tips as No. 1. Keith Jackson ranks high. Bill Stern was an old timer famouse in his day.

Kern Tips was far better than Keith Jackson. Nobody even close to him.

Cawood Ledford of Kentucky was the all-time best basketball announcer, followed by Chick Hearn.

Vin Scully No. 1 in baseball, but Dizzy Dean was the most entertaining.:D

Pat Sumerall for best pro football sportscaster. John Madden best pro color man. Agree with Keith Jackson for college football. Howard Cosell, best in boxing, and most provoking in pro football. Frank Fallon, best Baylor sportscaster. Morris, for the Baylor sportscaster who has had to watch the worst Baylor football ever.

I like Al Michaels for both football and baseball, though he sometime pops in a political opinion or two...

Pat Summerall is hilarious because he is so monotone when something great happens. His voice sounds like the following sentence looks:

...and Smith runs to the ten, five, touchdown Cowboys...

For Ol' Diz....
 

and those of you who, like me, remember him singing this song...

From the great Atlantic ocean to the wide Pacific shore
From the green ol' Smoky mountains to the southland by the shore
She's mighty tall and handsome and she's known quite well by all
She's the regular combination, the Wabash Cannonball

CHORUS
Listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodland through the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear the lonesome hoboes call
You're traveling through the jungles on the Wabash Cannonball

She came down from Birmingham one cold December day
As she rolled into the station you could hear all the people say
There's a girl from Tennessee, she's long and she's tall
She came to town from Birmingham, the Wabash Cannonball

Our eastern states are dandy, so the people always say
From New York to St. Louis with Chicago by the way
From the hills of Minnesota where the rippling waters fall
No changes can be taken on the Wabash Cannonball

I rode the I. C. Limited, also the Royal Blue
And I have travelled many a mile on mail train number two
I've rode those highball trains from coast to coast that's all
And I have found no equal to the Wabash Cannonball

Now here's to Daddy Claxton, may his name forever stand
And always be remembered in the courts of Alabam
His earthly race is over, now the curtains round him fall
We'll carry him home to Glory on the Wabash Cannonball

John Morris doesn't deserve to be mentioned on the same thread as these guys. Dave Barnett, his predecessor, was far better and truthful. He was Frank's eyes in Fallon's waning years.

I really miss Kurt Gowdy's voice doing AFC football games. He left the game way too early. He was on TV the other night and looks like he's hardly aged a day.

i would like to say "shut your ass big man" to bill walton. he gets my vote for basketball

No one will ever beat ole Ricky's comments after a play on the field, truly a Hall of Famer. Morris shouldn't get half the credit he does, it's all because of Ricky, but he doesn't need to pre-party before games, because he sounds drunker and drunker each game, but I don't blame him.

My favorites
 

Pat Summerall, Curt Gowdy, Frank Gifford, Al Michaels, Dick Enberg, and Keith Jackson.

Thom Brennaman does a helluva job for baseball... as does Joe Buck.

Rumor has it that their fathers were fairly talented, too.

Keith Jackson is my favorite for football.

For those old enough to remember, have to throw in Red Barber for baseball, and Frank Glieber for Cowboys football. I second Curt Gowdy. Second also on Frank Buck, Joe's dad.

Keith Jackson gets my vote for college football, but two more get honorary mention. I remember when Ron Franklin was doing local 10:00 sports in Houston when I was a kid. I liked him then and I love him now. He is the voice of Saturday night SEC football on ESPN

Next is a guy named Larry Munson. He's the voice of the Georgia Bulldogs and he is awesome. He is a poor-mouther extraordinaire. He can make William & Mary sound like the Miami Hurricanes. "After the lickin' the Tribe put on Citadel last week, I know Coach Dooley isn't looking past these guys." Another great Munsonism is giving incomplete or incorrect scores of other games. "Ohio State's beatin' Purdue somethin to somethin. Can you check on the Lauren?"

These guys really add a lot of fun to the games.

Surprised there's been no mention of Harry Caray on the baseball front. In tandem, Summerall and Madden have to be the top pro football guys (although Cosell and Merideth have to also be high, with Gifford just providing scenery on the side).

Keith Jackson is the undisputed #1 in College Football, when was his last BU game? Did he do the '86 USC game or am I remembering wrong.

I'm a little biased, but for radio I go with Brad Sham for pro football and Frank Fallon for all collegiate radio. Mark Holtz was a great "biased" fan and announcer for the Rangers. Bob Uecker's probably the best "Movie" radio guy. I actually thought he did a very credible job as an NBC announcer also, doing a very knowledgeable color commentary. However, he never got a chance since the network couldn't forget his comedy past. Heard he does Brewers games, probably does well.

Ricky Thompson top sideline/color man in college football radio
 

He really, really, really, really, really is!

All for laughs, Ricky. You were one of the greatest BU players and people ever, glad to have you with us.

You guys have mentioned many greats. There were two sportscasters who used to broadcast UK basketball and football games, Claude Sullivan and Cawood Ledford. Sullivan worked for a Lexington radio station, and Ledford for a Louisville station. I listened to Sullivan until he died prematarely from cancer, then Cawood until he retired in '92. Cawood was the voice of the Wildcats for 39 years. He passed away in '01.

Vin Scully and Jack Buck are my favorite for baseball.

I like Keith Jackson but for some reason I always enjoyed Chris Schenkel (sp). Maybe it is because he often did the game of the week when I was young.

Growing up a Dawg, I was weaned on Larry Munson and still listen to him on the 'net when possible. He's 80 now so his days are numbered.

Marv Albert was interviewed a few days ago on the radio and I barely recognized his voice. He always raises his voice during basketball games. He is very good. In college, Billy Packer comes across as way too smug.

Tim McCarver drives me nuts, too, except that he has an uncanny ability to point out a minute fact that is critical on the next big play.

Ron Franklin is my favorite guy on TV today. I too remember him on channel 2 in Houston when I was growing up. He has a great voice, understands the game, and teams up well w/ Mike Godfried (sp?).

Fanklin's a good one for sure. I'd love to hear Munson sometime. I've heard a lot about him.

Worst ever football play-by-play man that was considered great, for some mysterious reason: Dick Enberg

Most *****ic football color comentator of all time: Bob Trumpy, but Chris Collinsworth is gaining fast.

DAVE SOUTH and Keith Jackson for college football.
Dick Vitale for college bball

ron franklin for college football and college basketball
pat summerall for pro football
marv albert for pro basketball
jack buck for pro baseball

Terry Stembridge.......

Mike Singletary, followed closely by Chick Hearn.

Rick Renner

Walter Abercrombie is the best color man in the business, also it doesn't get any better than when John Morris lets him do play-by-play at the start of the second half- you'll never hear more dead air!

So THAT's when Morris is off making tartar sauce for the Jumbo Shrimpers. Thanks for the clarification.

Vin Scully and Ernie Harwell - Baseball

Bob Uefer - Michigan Football

Johnny Most - NBA Basketball

Anybody remember the great old time boxing announcer, Don Dumphy, or something like that?

Keith Jackson for college football, of course.

Dizzy Dean (with Tony Kubek) for MLB (Anyone remember The Diz's crack about the couple making out in the stands? "He's kissin' her on the strikes, and she's kissin' him on the balls!")

Howard Cosell - Boxing...and with Don Meredith: Pro football (those two got the most entertainment out of a basically boring game).

Some U of Arkansas football announcer in the 50-60's who, when describing an opposing quarterback's errant pass, would say "the ball fell harmlessly greenward".

Please, no female announcers, color persons, or sideline reporters, in any sport. They should be sorting my socks out of the dryer.

I agree with Kern Tips, Don Meredith, John Madden, Dizzy Dean. I really like Milo Hamilton of the Houston Astros for baseball also.

On a scale of 1 to a 100, with 1 being the best and 100 being the worst, John Morris is number 5433.

Kern Tips for sure
 

There was nothing like those days when we gathered down at the Humble Station around a big old wooden fire place and Kern Tips would describe on the radio the way it was for the Baylor Bears.

Kern Tips gets my vote.

I was sitting in the Cotton Bowl watching when Dickey Magel the great Rice players was running for a touchdown and Tommy Lewis came up off the bench and tackled Magel. I have aways wondered how Tips would have described that play. Next Sunday night both players were on Ed Sullivan's TV show.

A drunk behind me...I was drinking too, said "My God the boy has slipped on a rock out there."
ranger

Jack Brickhouse was my guy. It was dissapointing when Harry Caray replaced him during Cub games.

Add me to the Kern Tipps fan club. His radio commentary made you "see" the action.

I'm also adding a sentimental favorite--Jack Dale, voice of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Growing up in West Texas as a huge Raider fan, I could always instantly identify Jack's distinctive tone when carefully turning the radio dial. He was enthusiastic and informed, and he carried you across the goal line with the action.
He is retiring after the basketball season, ending 50 years of broadcasting Raider sports.

And as previously mentioned, I also loved watching Ol' Diz and Pee Wee Reese calling the Baseball Game of the week ( "...brought to you by Falstaff... and Gillette )
Today, I prefer Bob Costas and Joe Morgan.

And in basketball, I miss Al McGwire's color commentary of college games.

I used to thoroughly enjoy Lindsey Nelson doing the Cotton Bowl games.
As far as current guys, I enjoy Ron Franklin on the ESPN telecasts.

It just doesn't get any better than Pam Ward with Chris Spielman.