Back before cable TV and the advent of NFL Sunday Ticket, Canadians got one or two NFL games a week. More often than not, the guy doing the play-by-play was Pat Summerall. Back in his time, there was no one better at his craft than Summerall. He started doing games on CBS with former Ram Tom Brookshier before being the guy in the booth with a young John Madden. He has been behind the mike for many great games in the NFL. All you have to do is watch the NFL Network and see the classic games from the mid 70's to the early 90's and chances are you will hear Summerall.
You don't see much of Summerall these days. He is 79 after all. However, you do hear him doing voice-overs on the NFL network and on CBS. You will hear him on New Year's Day. FOX has announced this morning that Summerrall will be back to do the 2010 Cotton Bowl. It will be the 3rd straight year Summerall has done the game that this year will feature Oklahoma State against Ole Miss.
He did last year's game between Ole Miss and Texas Tech and while he wasn't as smooth as he was in his hay-day, he still called a great game--and an exciting one at that. I would have likely watched the Cotton Bowl as it is, but I'll make sure I watch it now just to hear that calm, baritone delivery again. He is a broadcasting legend and he is the guy that weaned me on the NFL with his calls.
3 comments:
Summerall and Madden did all the Super Bowls I remember in those days when Pittsburgh and Dallas played every year. He is an American broadcasting icon.
I haven't watched NFL Football in many years. Back in the day I never missed a Cowboys game. He'd say in that calm cadence, "Aikmen...Smith...touchdown" or "Aikman...Irving....touchdown"...priceless.
He has an outstanding autobioghy titled, "My life on and off the air". He was John Daly and Theo Fleury before John Daly and Theo Fleury...
Obama
You are right. Before Sunday Ticket came along, we had to take what was given to us and more times than not, the game we were given had Summerall doing the play-by-play. He is one of the great ones that ranks up there with Scully, Jack Buck and Curt Gowdy. I'll have to remembr that he is doing the Cotton Bowl and hopefully I can see it.
Paul
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