Bob Kesling Hate

[DonDiego]

During the broadcast of the game tonight did Bob Kesling really say Tony Vitello should be suspended ?

Seems like he did, and if you're going by the rules, he's 100% right. You can't touch an ump. My God, if you can bump an ump today, I guess you can slug him tomorrow? Gotta have some rules--and TV would agree

BTW, Helton agreed.

 

[turdherder11]

Can't stand Bob. He's a mushmouth. John Ward had more creativity in his pinky finger than Bob has ever had. He was creative and descriptive with every call.

Sorry big Bob hater. Drove home from Florida a few years ago. We were playing Auburn, I tuned into their broadcast not only to hear them cry but their broadcaster at the time was 10xs better than Bob.

 

[DonDiego]

Can't stand Bob. He's a mushmouth. John Ward had more creativity in his pinky finger than Bob has ever had. He was creative and descriptive with every call.

Sorry big Bob hater. Drove home from Florida a few years ago. We were playing Auburn, I tuned into their broadcast not only to hear them cry but their broadcaster at the time was 10xs better than Bob.

Well, I live in South Carolina,. Todd Kelly is the play by play guy for them. When I heard his raspy voice, I tried to rip my ears off. I challenge any of you, try to listen to him and then report back...then apologize to Bob.

 

[4chrissy]

I gotta say, I don't live in Knoxville, and Kesling`s tenure in play calling emerged after I moved away. But I've heard him a couple of times and I listened to him and Helton on ESPN+ for Alabama. I just don't understand the hate he gets on VolNation. The guy is heads and shoulders above most SEC homer announcers. I mean the guy has to be proficient in three plus sports--not easy. He's trying to cover for Helton, an incredible VFL, future HOF, and potentially a good coach, but definitely not an announcer. I just think Kesling is better than the credit he receives on social media. Could John Ward pass today's stringent tests?

I am happy with him in football, but the baseball game last night was excruciating! He needs to stick to football stay away from baseball! BTW I turned off him and Todd in the 3rd and decided the payoff of watching wasn’t worth it, I would much rather hear Wilkerson even though I couldn’t see the game.

 

[joevols89]

I gotta say, I don't live in Knoxville, and Kesling`s tenure in play calling emerged after I moved away. But I've heard him a couple of times and I listened to him and Helton on ESPN+ for Alabama. I just don't understand the hate he gets on VolNation. The guy is heads and shoulders above most SEC homer announcers. I mean the guy has to be proficient in three plus sports--not easy. He's trying to cover for Helton, an incredible VFL, future HOF, and potentially a good coach, but definitely not an announcer. I just think Kesling is better than the credit he receives on social media. Could John Ward pass today's stringent tests?

It's past time for him to retire. Can you even get fired from that position for just not being good at what you do? Seems like there's no accountability there unless you're wrapped up in a scandal.

 

[lukeneyland]

Is Bob Kesling John Ward? Absolutely not. I'm sure he would be the first to tell you that. Is he good at his craft? Time will tell. I do know that I met him getting out of his car to cover an Orange and White game years ago and he was nice enough to sign a football for my young son. There was absolutely no one around and he was very nice to us when he didn't have to be.

That makes me feel bad for all the times I’ve whined about him. I’ll miss him one day oddly

 

[BowlBrother85]

Kesling doesn’t deserve the hate he gets. He’s called some truly awful football teams and some disappointing basketball teams. I don’t think even Ward could make 2005 - present Tennessee athletics sound exciting.

People also tend to gravitate towards what they had in the past and reject what they currently have in the present.

Not many SEC play-by-play announcers have covered as many bad basketball teams as John Ward did from 1984-1997. He couldn't make those teams sound exciting, but he could make their games worth listening to.

Bob Kesling has a very bland delivery. He got his start in television and it shows. Too often he calls action without describing what is happening. He says "Check that," constantly while calling football games, after a player has been misidentified. Dr. Jerry Punch (of ESPN who lives in Knoxville) tweeted some good advice for Bob during the Missouri game last fall that he should follow :

When a mistake is made regarding something insignificant such as who made a tackle on a kick off return, just let it go... nobody cares. It's annoying to hear "Check that" repeated over and over for 3 hours.

 

[vol66]

Seems like he did, and if you're going by the rules, he's 100% right. You can't touch an ump. My God, if you can bump an ump today, I guess you can slug him tomorrow? Gotta have some rules--and TV would agree

BTW, Helton agreed.

Baseball ain’t Bob’s first calling.

 

[EasternVol]

Yesterday's game was the first time I heard him call baseball. All in all I didn't think he was all that bad. Nor all that good. I'd listen to him over Beth Mowins though.
I can take the bland approach. And he asked Todd Helton some good questions.
It seems he doesn't pay real close attention to the game though, like when he called a 300' high fly a popup. And when a runner went for third on a passed ball and Bob phrased it like an ordinary steal attempt.

 

[Warriorvol]

Wilkerson does a good job. I listen to him all the time. I enjoy his calls. Has a good description of the game with the right UT passion.

 

[Dr H Lecter]

probably will be. Fact. Helton agreed. I agree. Is that so surprising?

Yes it is surprising to say as the voice of the Vols that Vitello “should” be suspended, and I for one would not appreciate that. I might be able to understand him saying that Vitello could be suspended for the bump. I did not ( and will not) listen to Kessling, so I don’t know which words he used. But words do convey meaning and intent.

 

[WestTennesseeVol]

Also, if Mike Keith didn’t have his signature “SACK!” routine, no one would remember him. He regularly mixes up what is happening on the field and tries to guess what every single flag is and is always wrong.

 

[K-town Vol Fan]

I don't mind him calling the baseball games. I will say it gets annoying when he starts peppering Helton with the "Hey when you played what/how/when did you....." questions. I think its starting to get on Heltons nerves too lol.

 

[volsagain]

During the broadcast of the game tonight did Bob Kesling really say Tony Vitello should be suspended ?

Don't think he said should be suspended but will be suspended . I thought it was a given . There not going to give a pass on touching any official.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Also, if Mike Keith didn’t have his signature “SACK!” routine, no one would remember him. He regularly mixes up what is happening on the field and tries to guess what every single flag is and is always wrong.

I don't listen to Tennessee Titan broadcasts. I'm not a fan of theirs, but even if what you say is true, that doesn't make Bob Kesling any better.

The University of Tennessee has a passionate fan base. The "Voice of the Vols" should be someone who shares that passion. Bob is short on charisma. His calls convey all the tension and excitement of a soft rock disc jockey getting ready to play a tune from Phil Collins or Lionel Ritchie.

 

[Jax_Vol]

I don't mind him calling the baseball games. I will say it gets annoying when he starts peppering Helton with the "Hey when you played what/how/when did you....." questions. I think its starting to get on Heltons nerves too lol.

Neither are baseball announcers. However, they are doing their best. Sometimes, Todd goes quiet and/or doesn't say enough to fill the dead time. So, I think Bob is just trying to keep the conversation going a bit,

 

[allvol123]

Kesling is awful. It has nothing to do with following Ward. He just sucks at his job and should've been fired at least 10+ years ago.
He's better at basketball than football, but he still sucks at basketball. He's downright awful, inaccurate, not exciting and just dreadful at football.

"What a turn of events" is all that needs to be said.

This needs a thousand likes.

I’ve gotten in the car to go somewhere during a basketball game and driven for 5 minutes and still hadn’t heard the score.

 

[cardvolfan]

From a purely professional broadcasting standard, Kesling is woeful. I could go into all the details as to why, but won’t. If you’re not familiar with what those standards are, then I get that you don’t understand the situation. I’m talking purely from a broadcasting standard and not from a comparative analysis vs. John Ward.

 

[supersmo18]

I think Kesling is fine in baseball, but just lacks some of the hometeam enthusiasm needed for basket and football (especially football) without sounding biased. I know we’ll never have Mike Keith, but an announcer like him or the like current UGA football announcer would be awesome. Bob is jus boring outside of baseball, to me.

 

[Mightyvol]

Worst play by play radio guy I’ve listened to, at least for football. Use to camp and listening to UT football games with Bob providing play by play was a painful and exasperating experience. Probably a nice guy but he is a TV man, not a radio.

 

[cardvolfan]

Kesling makes tons of mistakes .. he makes wrong calls ...wrong players , wrong names .. goes long period of times without giving scores .. he will say gain of 6 on 1st down and its 2nd down and 2. . Or done crap .. he is just very inaccurate..

This is all true.

 

[therealitytheory]

I too think John Wilkerson is great, but the constant ad plugs during the action are too much. "First pitch brought to you by Pipe Wrench Plumbing!" "The stadium lights are now on - brought to you by Custom Lighting!" "Vol - Bama series history brought to you by Dr. Dean & Associates!" etc etc ad nauseum. C'mon Vol Network - commercial breaks between the half innings aren't enough?

 

[BigALWiLson]

I gotta say, I don't live in Knoxville, and Kesling`s tenure in play calling emerged after I moved away. But I've heard him a couple of times and I listened to him and Helton on ESPN+ for Alabama. I just don't understand the hate he gets on VolNation. The guy is heads and shoulders above most SEC homer announcers. I mean the guy has to be proficient in three plus sports--not easy. He's trying to cover for Helton, an incredible VFL, future HOF, and potentially a good coach, but definitely not an announcer. I just think Kesling is better than the credit he receives on social media. Could John Ward pass today's stringent tests?

Hell yes Ward is one of the greatest ever. That's not even close. Kesling is not good at his job period and has the dullest radio personality in college sports IMO. UT could do much better

 

[Iam4utalways]

Bob is no John Ward, but he holds his own. I have an appreciation for an announcer not screaming at me after listening to Titans football.

There is a lag in reporting important details like score, what quarter, half or inning for folks just joining the broadcast, but I’ve noticed that with other broadcasters too. Seems like a more frequent refresher for those details wouldn’t be too annoying for those that have been listening from the start.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Kesling makes tons of mistakes .. he makes wrong calls ...wrong players , wrong names .. goes long period of times without giving scores .. he will say gain of 6 on 1st down and its 2nd down and 2. . Or done crap .. he is just very inaccurate..

All true ... and he is also bad about giving the down, but not the distance.

Example :

Typical call from Kesling ...

"And that'll bring up 2nd down for Tennessee from their own 13 yard line. Hooker drops back to pass ... and throws a strike to Tillman over the middle. That's a pick up on the play of 18 yards for Tennessee."

That's great, Bob. That was a 1st down wasn't it?

Moments later ...

"That's gonna set up a big 3rd and short right here for Tennessee..."

Okay ... it wasn't a first down. Would you mind telling us exactly what is needed for a 1st down then, Bob?'

It's like he assumes that we have listened to every play... and kept up with the score and the down and distance ourselves. A majority of listeners are in their cars, however ... and will frequently miss those things while driving. Bob just shouldn't be on the radio.