It’s time. A Kesling thread

#101
#101
Backwards K said:
Kesling's call of the long TD runs were quite possibly the worst descriptions of big plays in the history of the Vol Network.
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I was not a fan of John's 45, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Bob does about the same but drops the 5s LOL.

Loved the "give him 6" but that count down. Nobody runs that slow unless they've got a walker.
 
#102
#102
Better than the guy who does the Titans. My God. Every time I hear him say “Brett Kern” I want to punch him
 
#103
#103
GAVol said:
Agreed . . . Kesling isn't an iconic voice, but he's loyal and he's a pro. I actually sometimes felt the same way about Ward. He was a better play by play guy, but he used to drive me crazy being behind the action and just being awkward at times. Bob is actually better on the Sunday morning show than Ward was. The Fulmer/Majors show had a cringe element that just wouldn't stop lol.
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Agree. Loyalty goes a long way in this day and age. He is worlds better on tv than he is radio. I remember his calling the Jefferson Pilot games back in the day. He did a good job with those. As others have said "painting the picture" for those that can't watch are his struggles.
 
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#104
#104
Thunder Good-Oil said:
At the end of the Vandy game Bob called the 18 yard line the 28 (but he did correct himself quickly). He really struggles with down and distance throughout games.

I think that I also heard him say that everybody that’s taken the bus over from NASHVILLE gets to play tonight.

When Vandy was tackled with 3 seconds remaining, the clock running, and the refs having NOT yet spotted the ball: “and that MIGHT be the last play of the game”.

But the best BOBble was when he said “At the end of the game we’ll select the AutoZone Player of the Game. Err… the Advance Auto Parts Player of the Game”.

All of those errors occurred within about a 5 minute window. There’s no telling how many mistakes are made over a 3.5 hour broadcast.

24 years has been long enough as the football PBP guy. Let him keep doing the Josh Heupel TV Show, join Bud Ford on the Locker Room show, and even do some post game and halftime commentary. But he’s just not painting an accurate picture of the games with the play-by-play announcing. At least not good enough for this level.
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This is exactly correct. It is impossible to know what it going on in the game listening. Score, down and distance, formation, players, alignment…the list goes on and he is just robotic. Much, much better for basketball but I just really dislike listening and if Wilkerson wasn’t there I would be making a major stink.
 
#105
#105
AdoptedVOL said:
I was not a fan of John's 45, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Bob does about the same but drops the 5s LOL.

Loved the "give him 6" but that count down. Nobody runs that slow unless they've got a walker.
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That was the beauty of Ward. He was the eyes for those that couldn't watch, so those little details were what helped form the visual in your head.
 
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#106
#106
GAVol said:
Agreed . . . Kesling isn't an iconic voice, but he's loyal and he's a pro. I actually sometimes felt the same way about Ward. He was a better play by play guy, but he used to drive me crazy being behind the action and just being awkward at times. Bob is actually better on the Sunday morning show than Ward was. The Fulmer/Majors show had a cringe element that just wouldn't stop lol.
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I remember the Majors shows from my time at UT in the early '80's. Awkward and cringe worthy were more the rule than exception, and it often appeared that Majors would have rather been anywhere in the world than there.

Funniest of all was the show the day after the '82 Alabama win when they dropped confetti on the set to open the show. Majors was looking for a hole he could crawl into.
 
#107
#107
FACT: Outside of unintentional comedic moments, Kesling’s not had one memorable call in the 24 years on the job. This includes football AND basketball.
 
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#108
#108
I've never been a huge Kesling fan (I haven't turned the TV down since Ward retired), but he's such a class act. Even taking out his way with words, Ward (and Bill Anderson) were a team that made drew you into the experience. I'd like someone, doesn't have to be an old dude, but at least have an "older voice" and cadence to their delivery.

Ward was the master of the strategic pause. For example, people keep bringing up Mike Keith. I haven't listened to Keith in a long time and maybe he has changed his style with age, but when I did listen to him, he was a bit too rushed and overexcitable for me. His signature then was the "Touchdown Titans!!!" in his high pitch- maybe it still is, but I haven't listened to him in 10 years. Compare that to how Ward did his. It wasn't ever "TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE!!!." HE was remembered for "It's football time.... in Tennessee..." and "GIVE... HIM... SIX... TOUCHDOWN... TENNESSEE..."

Being the master of cadence, Ward was able to inject the drama of the play into you. He wouldn't rush to the score. When it was obvious that they weren't going to stop us. He would deliberately slow the call to "He's to the 15, to the ten, to the five... four... three... two......... ONE..... GIVE.... HIM... SIX..."

Whoever is next doesn't have to have the poetic skill of John Ward, but I hope they are great with injecting the broadcast by using strategic cadence that Ward did, and have a great voice for radio.

We have some great former players who could be the analyst already on the radio. Hell put Ainge or Crompton in there. Ainge occasionally says stupid sh-- but he would be entertaining as hell. I'm not a huge fan of A to Z sports sensationalism, but I enjoy Crompton on their postgame shows a great deal. Swain could do a great job as well I'm sure.

I just don't want a lead who sounds as disinterested as Kesling does at times, but at the same time, I don't want anyone who sounds like they've been pounding Red Bull all day to get hyped up.
 
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#109
#109
perico said:
I've never been a huge Kesling fan (I haven't turned the TV down since Ward retired), but he's such a class act. Even taking out his way with words, Ward (and Bill Anderson) were a team that made drew you into the experience. I'd like someone, doesn't have to be an old dude, but at least have an "older voice" and cadence to their delivery.

Ward was the master of the strategic pause. For example, people keep bringing up Mike Keith. I haven't listened to Keith in a long time and maybe he has changed his style with age, but when I did listen to him, he was a bit too rushed and overexcitable for me. His signature then was the "Touchdown Titans!!!" in his high pitch- maybe it still is, but I haven't listened to him in 10 years. Compare that to how Ward did his. It wasn't ever "TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE!!!." HE was remembered for "It's football time.... in Tennessee..." and "GIVE... HIM... SIX... TOUCHDOWN... TENNESSEE..."

Being the master of cadence, Ward was able to inject the drama of the play into you. He wouldn't rush to the score. When it was obvious that they weren't going to stop us. He would deliberately slow the call to "He's to the 15, to the ten, to the five... four... three... two......... ONE..... GIVE.... HIM... SIX..."

Whoever is next doesn't have to have the poetic skill of John Ward, but I hope they are great with injecting the broadcast by using strategic cadence that Ward did, and have a great voice for radio.

We have some great former players who could be the analyst already on the radio. Hell put Ainge or Crompton in there. Ainge occasionally says stupid sh-- but he would be entertaining as hell. I'm not a huge fan of A to Z sports sensationalism, but I enjoy Crompton on their postgame shows a great deal. Swain could do a great job as well I'm sure.

I just don't want a lead who sounds as disinterested as Kesling does at times, but at the same time, I don't want anyone who sounds like they've been pounding Red Bull all day to get hyped up.
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I want someone who is pretty much a 100% homer like you find most of the time calling the games of all the teams in the SEC.
 
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#111
#111
Point of view from a grad who doesn't live in the area - I've never heard Kesling aside from highlight vids, and while I agree that the excitement level is on the ... ahem ... low side, I would advise everyone to be careful what you wish for.

Ward was a legend, and a joy to listen to doing both football and basketball, where his "bottom!" calls on made shots are etched in my mind, just like "give him 6!". Legends are virtually impossible to follow because the comparisons will be there for as long as there are people around who actually listened to the legend.

I live at the Jersey Shore, and am a lifelong 76ers fan. We had a legend of our own here in Marc Zumoff, who was very much like Ward - Philly born and bred, lifelong Sixer fan, had many iconic phrases and calls, had an innate feel for when to raise his voice for big moments, but never screaming, and a homer who wasn't over the top that way. He made watching Sixer games a pleasure (obviously this is TV, not radio), never stepping on moments and letting the broadcast breathe, traits that have been forgotten in this ESPN screamer age.

Well, Zu retired after the 2020 season, and what we got in his place is why I would caution everyone to be very careful before pushing a guy like Kesling out the door. The Sixers, in true woke NBA fashion, hired a woman named Kate Scott, who some might know from doing ESPN college football games. A classic ESPN type, screaming at every moment, laughing incessantly and involving herself and the awful 'analyst' Alaa Abdelnaby in every broadcast, making up silly nicknames for players, and adopting a fake Philly homerism that is laughable for someone from California. Needless to say, I only watch national broadcasts of Sixer games any more.

Sorry for the novel, but be careful what you wish for.
 
#112
#112
Jeff Clark said:
I want someone who is pretty much a 100% homer like you find most of the time calling the games of all the teams in the SEC.
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True. You'd think Bob works for ESPN or CBS Calling a game. He comes off very Neutral.

Totally opposite calling Basketball. Seems more passionate and leaves no doubt he's calling the game for UT.
 
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#114
#114
KingtUT said:
Not familiar with those guys, but im all too familiar with Mike Keith and I just dont care for his screaming at all. I dont like Kesling, but I believe I would keep him over Keith.
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At least Mike Keith shows some life. Kesling can't even get the names right and is very boring!
 
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#116
#116
moon823 said:
Neil Price from Mississippi State would be the clear choice. He has been broadcasting his whole life and is from Morristown, TN, and hero was John Ward.
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This 100%. I love Mike Keith but he isn't coming back. Neil Price has more than paid his dues and has done a great job at MTSU, UK and now MSU. He has been broadcasting games since he was in high school and would be the best choice.
 
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#119
#119
AdoptedVOL said:
I'm going to disagree. Bob is a VFL who loves the program. I hear comments on this board about his lack of excitement, not calling ball position on field, not calling down and distance, clock time. I've listened to recent live game broadcasts while traveling with these comments in mind and I just disagree. His archive of calls also have exciting calls. He's not one to scream at the mic; and I don't like that screaming style anyway. I think this is more about personal taste than mechanics of the calls.

Whatever the future holds, I'd prefer not "SAAAAAAACK".
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He's terrible, Bob needs to go. I don't disagree that Bob is a vfl. He's terrible.
 
#121
#121
AdoptedVOL said:
I don't want to hijack this conversation but what about the VolNetwork Team in general? I tune in 2 hours before kickoff and listen until end of post game. I enjoy their body of work.
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They control every call. You can't have any dissenting calls or gripes. I'll take tony basilio all day than state run radio
 
#124
#124
I agree with the OP but let me start here. I think a lot of the BK hate is unreasonable sometimes. He’s not going to be John Ward, no one is going to be such a complete homer like the old guys were (Ward, Munson, Fyffe and others). Whenever BK steps down the next voice of the Vols is going to be equally balanced and generic.

That said, I do think his time has passed. I got in the car while the Mizzou game was on and he cheered a TD with such excitement I assumed we scored, but it was Mizzou who scored. Even Mike Keith with an NFL job will change the tone of his emotions to signify whether it is “our” team or the “other” team. I listened to the 1st half of the the Vandy game in the car, and I felt like he did a poor job of describing the action so that I could visualize it, and I felt like he made a lot of mistakes. Re-watching the game, he didn’t describe it well at all.

But my biggest grief is Pat Ryan. Going back to the music city miracle Pat doesn’t know when to keep quiet. He talked all over Mike Keith when Dyson was returning the ball. Listening to some of UT’s big plays Saturday I had to wait and listen to the recap of the play because Ryan was talking all over it.
 
#125
#125
IMO the hyper fast paced CJH offense has made it more difficult for Bob to stay on top of an accurate description. He is pushing 70 years old after all. We all slow down as we age. I think UT needs to add a really sharp play-by-play announcer. If Bob doesn’t want to retire, he could still retain a seat in the broadcast booth. But ideally not as the primary talent on the mic during football games.

Bob is about a year younger than John Ward was when he decided the time had come for him to step aside.
 
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