Kesling and Ryan are BRUTAL

[Lawrence Wright]

Kessling is as pedestrian as they come as a broadcaster and Ryan isn’t much better. Danny White will be the man the day he sends these two packing.

If you don’t believe m, listen for yourself…

I’ll trade you guys Mick Hubert for Bob Kesling all day every day.

Kesling’s greatest sin is having to follow arguably the greatest play-by-play radio voice of all time, college or pro. Jon Ward was the gold standard, and whoever succeeded him wouldn’t measure up based on where he set the bar.

 

[508mikey]

 

[508mikey]

 

[VolDave53]

I was a little too young to really remember Ward, but Kesling is definitely an above average radio guy. Probably some nostalgia there since he’s the voice I remember the most growing up.

Actually, Bob is a product of the TV era. If you have to listen to the radio, or the UT Sports web stream, he is pitiful. No down and distance information, no time remaining and often misses the calls entirely. A radio man has to paint a verbal picture. Bob pretty much adds a bit to what you should see on TV. Now, the example given above by the OP is actually one of his better efforts.

No enthusiasm, no emotion, no reason to listen on the radio. If I did my job like Bob, I would have been fired before the 6 month probation period expired. Bob knows people. He was early in the Knoxville TV scene, even broadcasting some of Dolly Parton's early work. Not a reason to be the "Voice of the Vols." Sorry, just the facts.

 

[feathersax]

Kesling is ok. There are a lot worse out there.

AMEN. Listen to broadcasts from USCjr, Vandie, Bama, Ga, Auburn, etc. Luckily I grew up listening to John Ward. Kesling is somewhat bland, but others are much worse.

 

[Volfan2112]

Kessling is as pedestrian as they come as a broadcaster and Ryan isn’t much better. Danny White will be the man the day he sends these two packing.

If you don’t believe m, listen for yourself…

Maybe they can get two through the portal.

 

[USAFgolferVol]

Meh. Bob's not the worst. Fwiw I think his football announcing is better than basketball, where he has trouble keeping up with the action.

People used to turn off the TV audio and watch the game while listening to John Ward. I doubt that's the case with Kessling very often.

Turning down the TV and listening to the radio has always been awkward, even with John Ward

 

[FLVOL_79]

Kesling has the emotion of a wet paper bag.

 

[cobbwebb0710]

Kessling is as pedestrian as they come as a broadcaster and Ryan isn’t much better. Danny White will be the man the day he sends these two packing.

If you don’t believe m, listen for yourself…

Bob isn’t too bad, boring? Yes.
Bob is kinda like me watching a late night PAC10 game. Sure he likes watching it but there’s just really no excitement. I want a homer telling me what my Vols are doing on the field.
GBO!!

 

[Tnwoodsman]

Bob is fine. Most people who dislike him grew up listening to Ward. They are just nostalgic. I grew up listening to George Mooney, so I hated Ward when he came along. Today's youngsters will be missing Bob when he is gone because that was their first taste of Tennessee football. Ward was not nearly as great as he is made out to be on here.

 

[VOLINVONORE]

I’ll trade you guys Mick Hubert for Bob Kesling all day every day.

Kesling’s greatest sin is having to follow arguably the greatest play-by-play radio voice of all time, college or pro. Jon Ward was the gold standard, and whoever succeeded him wouldn’t measure up based on where he set the bar.

A lot of truth here. However, I do not know if I will adjust to Ryan. He is suppose to provide color, but his is as dry as sand in Death Valley .

 

[volanatic]

I’ve always been a big defender of Bob. He’s not the best but he’s been around for a while and just seems like a good guy.

However, I wasn’t able to watch the mizzou game and had to listen to whole game on radio. I couldn’t help but think “why does Bob sound more excited when mizzou makes a big play than when UT does?” He really did, I’m not exaggerating

This has always been my biggest knock on him. He’s done that since he’s been in the booth, at least for football. Don’t notice it as much in basketball. Never have liked him as our play-by-play. I will say I loved Tim Priest as color man. When I heard he was retiring I was like yeah I’m definitely not listening on the radio this year. Like some others said, Bob seems like a nice guy, professional in many ways, but his play-by-play action just sucks, and he frequently gets overexcited when the opponent makes a great play. Might be able to get away with that in some college towns, but my word how can he think anyone cares for that here?

 

[WestTennesseeVol]

Actually, Bob is a product of the TV era. If you have to listen to the radio, or the UT Sports web stream, he is pitiful. No down and distance information, no time remaining and often misses the calls entirely. A radio man has to paint a verbal picture. Bob pretty much adds a bit to what you should see on TV. Now, the example given above by the OP is actually one of his better efforts.

No enthusiasm, no emotion, no reason to listen on the radio. If I did my job like Bob, I would have been fired before the 6 month probation period expired. Bob knows people. He was early in the Knoxville TV scene, even broadcasting some of Dolly Parton's early work. Not a reason to be the "Voice of the Vols." Sorry, just the facts.

I’ve never had a problem knowing what was going on while listening to the radio, but agree to disagree I guess

 

[volanatic]

Bob is fine. Most people who dislike him grew up listening to Ward. They are just nostalgic. I grew up listening to George Mooney, so I hated Ward when he came along. Today's youngsters will be missing Bob when he is gone because that was their first taste of Tennessee football. Ward was not nearly as great as he is made out to be on here.

John Ward was not as great as many make him out to be on here?? George Mooney WAS great, no disagreement. Did not grow up in that era, but I’ve heard his calls. But I have to disagree, John Ward was a completely legitimate, self-made legendary radio man.

 

[jwilliams]

Look... I don't care if he fires them or not, so long as somebody gets fired this week.

 

[CAVPUT]

Who cares. You either...
1.) listen to the TV announcers
2.) claim to watch on TV and listen to the radio despite it NEVER lining up
3.) listen to the radio broadcast on the way home then complain because it is not someone who last announced the games in 1999.

I don't really pay much attention to the announcers at UT anymore. I just grit my teeth and go with the broadcast crew, but when I did listen to the Vol network, I would use the DVR function to sync the TV with the radio. Wasn't perfect, but I could get it close enough.

 

[brockytop]

I’ve always been a big defender of Bob. He’s not the best but he’s been around for a while and just seems like a good guy.

However, I wasn’t able to watch the mizzou game and had to listen to whole game on radio. I couldn’t help but think “why does Bob sound more excited when mizzou makes a big play than when UT does?” He really did, I’m not exaggerating

Bingo. The lack of energy/passion when TN makes a nice play is laughable most of the time. TV broadcasters bring the call with far more enthusiasm.
some note Kesling is a good guy and I’m sure he is, but what does that have to do with delivering a quality product for fans?

 

[Madscientistvol]

Rewatching this makes me question where Mizzou would be ranked in FCS defenses.

 

[PandamoniumReigns]

It's because he's fat.
And Lesser Humans like to pick on fat people.

Bob is fine.

And honestly, Ward was good, but he seemed much better because of the era of Tennessee Football he was commenting.

Poor Kesling has had to call 13 years of bad Tennessee Football.
He's not Ward, but he isn't close to being as bad as some make him out to be.

At what point during anyones posts did someone say he sucks at his job because he's overweight? That is most ridiculous reach I've ever seen.

He sucks because he's bad at his job. Not because TN has been down. Not because he's not John Ward. Not because he's fat. Its simply because he's bad at his job

 

[DuckInAPen]

At what point during anyones posts did someone say he sucks at his job because he's overweight? That is most ridiculous reach I've ever seen.

Perhaps it's not an unreasonable inference from the number of posters who regularly refer to Kesling as "Blob" . . .

 

[bhouston79]

Kessling is fine. Whoever followed John Ward was bound to be a disappointment for those of us who grew up listening to the legend. John Ward was an artist. He’s the GOAT of radio broadcasters. No one else comes close.

With that said, I like the Kessling/Bertelkamp combination in basketball. Bertelkamp’s energetic commentary goes well with Kessling’s more calm demeanor. I think it’s nice to have that combination. Bill Anderson was a good companion for John Ward because Anderson’s calm demeanor balanced nicely with the energy brought by Ward. If I have any criticism of the Kessling/Ryan combination, it’s that there isn’t a significant contrast in styles, which I think enhances a broadcast. With that said Kessling isn’t nearly as bad as some on this board act.

 

[GAVol]

Turning down the TV and listening to the radio has always been awkward, even with John Ward

I get killed every time I say that, but I agree. Ward was a classic radio guy who had some great calls, but he and Bill Anderson weren't exactly a smooth listen all the time. Ward would also drive you crazy sometimes being constantly behind the action.

 

[KB5252]

I get killed every time I say that, but I agree. Ward was a classic radio guy who had some great calls, but he and Bill Anderson weren't exactly a smooth listen all the time. Ward would also drive you crazy sometimes being constantly behind the action.

My issue has always been the signal delay, I remember it with cable, seems even worse now that I have satellite.

 

[GAVol]

My issue has always been the signal delay, I remember it with cable, seems even worse now that I have satellite.

Yeah . . . That's just a a fact of life right now. Cable is worse than over the air. Satellite is a few seconds worse than cable. Streaming is a few seconds worse than satellite.

I have to turn off my alerts and not take any phone calls during a game because I know I'm 15-20 seconds behind live action on YoutubeTV.

 

[Volpocalipse]

I listened to the Mizzou game on SiriusXM while traveling. I think it was the Mizzou radio announcers. Listening to them was horrible and gave me a new respect for what we have.