John Ward has passed away.

#176
#176
I got a call from my friend while I was at work, telling me that John Ward had passed. Sitting there stunned I dropped my ink pen onto the floor, and got all quiet. My friend asked me what was wrong, and I told him that I couldn’t believe it. Immediately, my mind roamed to the 1998 Florida game, and just like yesterday, I can still remember those words, no sirrreee. Every time I think of that missed kick, and those words, I always think that is what propelled us to the NC game to win it. 1998 will always be special, and those words will always let me know where we went to beat Florida State. Folks just remember no sirrreeee, and you’ll remember a NC title. My condolences to the family. RIP! John!
 
#178
#178
Lots of John Ward memories. For me the one that stands out happened in 1989. Family camping trip to Myrtle Beach and me and my dad are in the old Monte Carlo searching for John’s voice on the am dial. We find it early in the first quarter. I can still se Cobb/Webb running through those gaping holes.

RIP John Ward
 
#181
#181
Oh, to hear John's voice just once more, from beyond the veil, telling us what it's really like there. "Did he score? He scored. Where did he score? In heaven. Give him six!"
 
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#182
#182
I literally have tears in my eyes. The only voice I knew on the radio as a child. My first memory of the Vols was his voice coming from my Dad's shop behind the house on a Saturday. Mr Ward thank you for the memories.
 
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#184
#184
I think all of us still have memories of that voice. There are times when I see us score now a days and I still here his voice. I jump up off my couch and yell. "Touchdown.....Tennessee!" and "Give him six!"
 
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#188
#188
Oh the sadness, John Ward was a huge part of my beloved Vols and I grew up with him calling Tennessee games, may he rest in peace......what a sad day for all Tennesseeans!
Go Vols:cray:
 
#190
#190
The best things about attending the Vanderbilt game last year were the tribute to John Ward and the Vanderbilt band having to leave the field early. So blessed to listen to Ward for decades starting with his first football broadcast.
 
#191
#191
Tears as I’m on a plane now reading this, and the comments. To those. Of us 50; 60; 70 years old and growing up in Tennessee...a BIG piece of us just passed away.

Thanks John...you and Bill are together again!
 
#192
#192
Carl Pickens said:
Lawrence, for a gator you seem like a pretty good dude. I still laugh when I think about you and your friends getting a picture of junior and lulu.
Click to expand...

Thanks man...tracking down Lulu and Junior in 2003 remains a crowning achievement for my tailgate crew. :)

Regarding Jon Ward, as an alum of a school who employs a retread hack as its play by play radio announcer, you guys were blessed for decades to have Ward as your guy.
 
#193
#193
John Ward has passed away.

John made some of our mediocre teams fun to watch/listen to.


Thank you John from the bottom of my broken heart.

Give him 6
 
#195
#195
As we get older... We lose the people that shape and provide joy in out lives.. That the deal and its just shows you how precious time is
 
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#197
#197
I grew up listening to John on a static filled AM radio. He was soooo good at vividly bringing the game to life and making you fill like you were in the stadium. He and Bill Anderson's pregame call in show outside of Neyland used to pack huge crowds back in the day. None of the early televised football games could match John's radio broadcasts. He was truely one of the best ever. He could have gone nationally at any time in his career and chose to stay here. Blessed to have him as long as we did. :sad::sad:
 
#198
#198
UT football and basketball have many layers that make them what they are. John Ward had a substantial piece of that pie. In an age where radio guys are not spoken of or critiqued like they were when he started, its sad that a lot of today's generation wont understand the significance of John Ward to UT and its fans. I know Im in the minority and football was his calling card, but I actually think he did basketball as well as it could be done and I consider it more difficult to call.

Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. No one did it better than he did.
 
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