For the UT fans who hate Bob Kesling…

[Lawrence Wright]

To be fair given that most of their fanbase only started to follow football when spurrier arrived 32 years ago they probably have no idea what a good play by play announcer actually is.

I’m old enough to remember all three of our radio PBP radio guys, and Mick is easily the worst of the group.

 

[CAVPUT]

…UF’s hack of a play-by-play announcer Mick Hubert is available.

He’s leaving UF after 33 years, about 32 years too late.

Not sure it's a case of hate with Bob. As the saying goes, you don't want to be the guy who replaces a legend. Under the circumstances, Kesling has done about as well as he could have. No one would have lived up to the legend that was John Ward. Kesling's replacement will have a much, much easier time being accepted and celebrated by our fan base.

 

[Lawrence Wright]

Not sure it's a case of hate with Bob. As the saying goes, you don't want to be the guy who replaces a legend. Under the circumstances, Kesling has done about as well as he could have. No one would have lived up to the legend that was John Ward. Kesling's replacement will have a much, much easier time being accepted and celebrated by our fan base.

That was always my position with Kesling…he’s your Ron Zook, doomed to fail based on the legend he followed.

But make no mistake, there’s more than a few UT fans out there who straight up hate Kesling.

 

[BowlBrother85]

I’ve been extremely vocal of my hatred of Mick Hubert for years. He’s UF’s worst PBP guy in my lifetime, and he’s hailed as some sort of legend.

He rode the coat tails of UF’s successes under Jeremy Foley. His calls weren’t legendary, he just happened to be the guy behind the mic when UF won a bunch of SEC and national titles in football and hoops. Mick didn’t make those moments, those moments made him.

So glad he’s finally leaving.

Yeah ... but I would still have to say, even if for no other reason than simply showing that he gives a darn about who wins the games he is calling, Mick Hubert is better than Bob Kesling.

Fair points of criticism with Hubert :

* Mick Hubert says "Oh My!" too much and over does it with cutesy little catch phrases. From the mid 90's to early 00's, Florida had multiple backs and receivers named Taylor (either first name or surname), including Fred Taylor, Travis Taylor, Taylor Jacobs, etc. ... and every play was "Taylor Made!"

.... but in his defense, he does seem to genuinely love his team, and he isn't dry as dust like Bob either.

 

[Volfan1000]

Not sure it's a case of hate with Bob. As the saying goes, you don't want to be the guy who replaces a legend. Under the circumstances, Kesling has done about as well as he could have. No one would have lived up to the legend that was John Ward. Kesling's replacement will have a much, much easier time being accepted and celebrated by our fan base.

Mike Keith would have been a solid replacement for Ward.

 

[Weezer]

And he ripped off “OH MY’” from the legendary Dick Enberg, then proceeded to wear it out like a cheap Vegas escort for 30+ years.

F Roy Williams AND Mick Hubert.

Whew, I feel better now.

You seem to have a familiarity with cheap Vegas escorts....




How many bodies have you buried in the desert?

 

[Weezer]

That was always my position with Kesling…he’s your Ron Zook, doomed to fail based on the legend he followed.

But make no mistake, there’s more than a few UT fans out there who straight up hate Kesling.

Ward was great because he called the game with enthusiasm. Kesling tries to hard to come across as unbiased. That's not what you want from your PBP guy. You want to know he's a fan too. Listen to John Wilkerson call a Vols baseball game. He gets it.

 

[Pappy]

just because you don't like listening to Bob doesn't mean you 'hate' him.

 

[KoachKrab127]

Not sure it's a case of hate with Bob. As the saying goes, you don't want to be the guy who replaces a legend. Under the circumstances, Kesling has done about as well as he could have. No one would have lived up to the legend that was John Ward. Kesling's replacement will have a much, much easier time being accepted and celebrated by our fan base.

Kesling has not done “about as well as he could have.” Calling him terrible has nothing to do with how great Ward was. He never says what yard line the ball is on, he calls a 2 yard pass a “deep out.” It takes him forever to call the down and distance, he always messes up the players’ names, and he hardly ever tells you what the score is or how much time is left in the game. And my favorite, something I’ve noticed since 1999, he always says things like, “1st and 10, run up the middle, that’s a gain of a couple…about 2 yards. It’ll be 2nd and 6.” Yeah, Bob. 10 - 2 = 6. These are basics when it comes to radio play-by-play. These are things a middle schooler could do better.

 

[ptcarter]

I agree with one thing. Kesling is no John Ward. Ward had an amazing ability to quickly, (almost instantaneously) verbalize what his eyes were seeing with an interjection of some Shakespearian vocabulary. Take Powell's run in the '85 Sugarbowl. "He came roaring down the Greensward!" Where have you ever heard a football field called a "Greensward"? Maybe he used that because his last name was embedded in it.. Honestly, I had to google it. One of his hallmark calls.

Ward set the bar high, but I swear - Kesling really does an OK job. I usually have my radio going as I watch the game and I grade him. He does screw up some, but for the most part, he hangs in there pretty good. Would take him over Eli Gold any day. Loved it when Tim Priest was doing color commentary.

Bud Ford: Jeff Powell Sugar Bowl TD was John Ward's top call

 

[05_never_again]

That was always my position with Kesling…he’s your Ron Zook, doomed to fail based on the legend he followed.

But make no mistake, there’s more than a few UT fans out there who straight up hate Kesling.

Hot take - Kesling would get ripped (and rightly so) even if he didn't follow Ward. There is no doubt that he's following a guy who made the job look easy, but I'm not comparing Bob to John Ward; I'm just comparing him to other PBP guys of today.

He gives you no sense whatsoever of the play that is developing, even if it is a big play. I don't know how many times I've listened to him call a big play, say, a 50-yard TD pass, and he'll call it like this:

"Hooker back to throw. Looking. Pass...complete! (multi-second delay, crowd roaring) To the 20, to the 10, to the cheggarboards!"

I mean...what kind of pass? Where was the ball caught? Who caught it? Then you see the highlight, and it turns out it was Tillman making an acrobatic catch at the 40, he makes 2 people miss to get to the 20, and then from the 20 to the end zone he had already outrun everyone. But Bob misses all of that...all you know is that the ball was at midfield, a pass was thrown, then all of the sudden the guy who caught the pass is 30 yards downfield, running into the end zone.

 

[volsfan125]

"Oh My. Dallas Baker, the town down maker." Maybe the reason I hate that saying is because alot of the TD making reception were against us.

 

[LouderVol]

Hot take - Kesling would get ripped (and rightly so) even if he didn't follow Ward. There is no doubt that he's following a guy who made the job look easy, but I'm not comparing Bob to John Ward; I'm just comparing him to other PBP guys of today.

He gives you no sense whatsoever of the play that is developing, even if it is a big play. I don't know how many times I've listened to him call a big play, say, a 50-yard TD pass, and he'll call it like this:

"Hooker back to throw. Looking. Pass...complete! (multi-second delay, crowd roaring) To the 20, to the 10, to the cheggarboards!"

I mean...what kind of pass? Where was the ball caught? Who caught it? Then you see the highlight, and it turns out it was Tillman making an acrobatic catch at the 40, he makes 2 people miss to get to the 20, and then from the 20 to the end zone he had already outrun everyone. But Bob misses all of that...all you know is that the ball was at midfield, a pass was thrown, then all of the sudden the guy who caught the pass is 30 yards downfield, running into the end zone.

Listened to him call an entire game while driving across tennessee during the Dooley era. Seemed to only give the score coming in and out of breaks. Half the time wouldnt even tell you which team had the ball. No down or distance, and the deep deep pass for 2 yard gain drove me crazy. No sense of the flow of the game listening to him. Plus the UT player issue. It wouldnt be bad if he was getting the other team wrong, could be funny. But he gets our four year starters wrong. Likes to blend names too, so even if you know the roster you come away confused.

As long as someone can communicate information effectively they would be better than Bob Kesling.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Kesling is the "Jay Leno" of sports announcers. After fans having the privilege of listening to "Johnny Carson" on the radio for 34 years, it really wouldnt have mattered who followed him. He was never going to be good enough. Kesling isnt bad. He just had to follow a legend.

 

[PandamoniumReigns]

Kesling is the "Jay Leno" of sports announcers. After fans having the privilege of listening to "Johnny Carson" on the radio for 34 years, it really wouldnt have mattered who followed him. He was never going to be good enough. Kesling isnt bad. He just had to follow a legend.

Bad take.

Kesling could have followed Gilbert Gottfried (RIP) and he would still have been awful.

Kesling is a bumbling idiot who tried to hard to be unbiased. He doesn't correctly describe the play, he isn't consistent in giving time remaining or the score. He is awful at down and distance. And frankly he's a lousy human. If he's at UT events it's one thing, but aside from that he feels he's a "celebrity" and is above others.

The time has come for him to leave. He sucks. Regardless of who he followed

 

[Otis07]

Bad take.

Kesling could have followed Gilbert Gottfried (RIP) and he would still have been awful.

Kesling is a bumbling idiot who tried to hard to be unbiased. He doesn't correctly describe the play, he isn't consistent in giving time remaining or the score. He is awful at down and distance. And frankly he's a lousy human. If he's at UT events it's one thing, but aside from that he feels he's a "celebrity" and is above others.

The time has come for him to leave. He sucks. Regardless of who he followed

Exactly correct take...Bob was hugely friendly and helped me greatly in Knoxville. I live in Chicago now and listen to the vol network often with the volume down on the TV or radio, he is not Lindsay Nelson but his calls are not awful.

 

[PandamoniumReigns]

Exactly correct take...Bob was hugely friendly and helped me greatly in Knoxville. I live in Chicago now and listen to the vol network often with the volume down on the TV or radio, he is not Lindsay Nelson but his calls are not awful.

Agree to disagree. My experience with Bob is far different. Glad you had a good one. He's was a total jerk with a foul mouth around my elderly mother. Wasn't directed at my mother, but he knew she could hear every word he was spewing. He feels he is on a higher plane than those around him.

And his calls are awful. "Turn of events" was the epitome of his sucktitude.

 

[ShoalCreekVol]

Bob Kesling is a nice broadcaster, terrific human being, and loyal VFL. There are a lot of better broadcasters out there, and after almost 25 years it would be great to have a new voice of the Vols. I don't hate him, I like and respect him. I also would like to have someone new in his role.

 

[VOLnMiami]

Hubert is leaving?...OH MY!!

 

[Jravol78]

Hubert is leaving?...OH MY!!

What a turn of events !

 

[VOLtaism]

Bob Kesling is a nice broadcaster, terrific human being, and loyal VFL. There are a lot of better broadcasters out there, and after almost 25 years it would be great to have a new voice of the Vols. I don't hate him, I like and respect him. I also would like to have someone new in his role.

I don't love him or hate him. It feels like he could call any game for any team and seem neutral. You could tell Ward was orange inside and out without a doubt. He called the game like a fan and this is why he was beloved by the nation. Kessling should be working for ESPN calling a different team every week.

 

[05_never_again]

I don't love him or hate him. It feels like he could call any game for any team and seem neutral. You could tell Ward was orange inside and out without a doubt. He called the game like a fan and this is why he was beloved by the nation. Kessling should be working for ESPN calling a different team every week.

I'm not sure I would describe Ward in that fashion. Calling the game like a fan would is more the style of Larry Munson. Ward was far too professional and by-the-book for that. Ward called the game in this very unique style where you could absolutely tell he was partial and wanted Tennessee to win, but if something happened that was not in our favor he'd call it like it was. I never remember him bellyaching about officials, taking veiled shots at the other team or their fans, complaining about how we were playing if playing poorly, etc.

 

[Lawrence Wright]

I'm not sure I would describe Ward in that fashion. Calling the game like a fan would is more the style of Larry Munson. Ward was far too professional and by-the-book for that. Ward called the game in this very unique style where you could absolutely tell he was partial and wanted Tennessee to win, but if something happened that was not in our favor he'd call it like it was. I never remember him bellyaching about officials, taking veiled shots at the other team or their fans, complaining about how we were playing if playing poorly, etc.

You guys were blessed to have Ward.

 

[VOLnMiami]

You guys were blessed to have Ward.

He was amazing and so much fun to listen to...You could just hear the excitement in his voice every game.

 

[Jravol78]

You guys were blessed to have Ward.

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