When John Ward stepped down as Voice of the Vols

[ClockworkOrange]

 

[UT Hill Man]

John was the best ever.

 

[Vol524]

There will NEVER be another one like John Ward.

 

[Johnnyreb#VFL]

Hahaha 🤣 this is awesome 👏

 

[Johnnyreb#VFL]

John was the best ever.

Just a thought for debate.

Do you think Mike Keith may be making a push to surpass John Ward?

 

[Hawkeye4588]

 

[W.TN.Orange Blood]

 

[njvols]

John was the best ever.

John and Vin Scully (baseball) the only two radio people who I'd rather listen to on the radio than watch/listen on TV (though, fair enough Kessling isn't too far off this statement w/ what we've got on CBS, SECN and ESPN2.)

 

[Model12]

Scully is great, but I also had a soft spot for Jack Buck. Same reason.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

When John Ward Stepped Down As Voice of The Vols

…is when everything went to $hit!

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

Just a thought for debate.

Do you think Mike Keith may be making a push to surpass John Ward?

Keith is good but nowhere is near the legend status of John Ward. Very few football fans outside the State of TN knows who Mike Keith is.

 

[rocky top buzz]

Keith is good but nowhere is near the legend status of John Ward. Very few football fans outside the State of TN knows who Mike Keith is.

Very few football fans outside of Tennessee know who John Ward is, or certainly Bob Kesling. I think Mike Keith has surpassed Ward in modern notoriety, everyone in sports has heard his music city miracle call. Ward has been off the radio for over 20 years. But the fact is radio personalities are going by the wayside. For most coming in the future, it will be a stepping stone to television or other media.

 

[Brave Volunteer]

Just a thought for debate.

Do you think Mike Keith may be making a push to surpass John Ward?

John Ward could paint a picture just as vivid and clear as Bob Ross ever could. He was our "eyes" into those football and basketball games during a time when the radio was the only way you could follow most of the games if you weren't there in person. Back then, Tennessee football on TV was the exception, not the norm. This is a talent that Mike Keith simply does not possess. I like Mike and his greatest asset is his enthusiasm. But he's not John Ward. Not by a long shot.

 

[Jacksonvol]

John was the best ever.

I agree, but wish all of you younger ones could have heard George Mooney who preceded Ward...He, too, was outstanding and stepped down because of his business empire...Otherwise, he would have been a legend also...

 

[Pacer92]

…is when everything went to $hit!

This has crossed my mind several times....when it all started going downhill..

 

[Hexad Vol]

I agree, but wish all of you younger ones could have heard George Mooney who preceded Ward...He, too, was outstanding and stepped down because of his business empire...Otherwise, he would have been a legend also...

George Mooney (with Bob Fox) was exciting, but you frequently had to listen to the crowd reaction behind him if you wanted to quickly know what happened. He was a far cry from being as good as Ward.

 

[Thunder Good-Oil]

Mike Keith is going to be 54 this year. I think that TN would go with a younger voice. BTW, Kesling is class of 1977 so he is about 66 now. A change is probably not too many years away.

 

[jdhallvols]

is when the world for VolNation stopped turning

unfortunately

and i don't believe JW would be one bit happy about it

 

[BigOrangeAl 1979]

What about Larry Munson and Jack Cristal in comparison to Ward obliviously I’m bias and think John was the best there ever was but what are you guys thoughts on some of the other legendary college football radio guys?

 

[Vol524]

John was truly a legend in TN. He was wrong about one thing. He said he would be forgotten after the 5th game of the next season. I will NEVER forget him. I grew up listening to him on my transistor radio when I was a kid.
He had the ability to make a listener feel like we were at the game. When I got older, I would turn the volume off on the TV (we didn't have a mute button back then) and I would watch the game and listen to John on the radio.
One of my greatest pleasures was to go to the game and listen to him call the game through my earbuds on that same transistor radio. I can still hear him yell "Give Him 6, Touchdown TN". RIP John.

 

[Vol524]

What about Larry Munson and Jack Cristal in comparison to Ward obliviously I’m bias and think John was the best there ever was but what are you guys thoughts on some of the other legendary college football radio guys?

Larry Munson and Jack Cristal couldn't carry water to John Ward.

 

[Illinoisvolfan2]

Bill Anderson was a great color man too. I liked him a lot also

 

[kcvols1]

What about Larry Munson and Jack Cristal in comparison to Ward obliviously I’m bias and think John was the best there ever was but what are you guys thoughts on some of the other legendary college football radio guys?

Gene Deckerhoff is one of the all time greats.

Been calling FSU for 40 years, and the Tampa Bay Bucs on Sundays.

Whenever I listen, I could swear I heard ice cubes tinkling in his glass.

 

[Mikevol1964]

Simply the best ever. Still get chills when I hear him call a big play.

 

[N.ohio vol]

Got down to Tennessee for my first game in 2010. Was blown away by the traditions. Got back home here in ohio had to learn more about Tennessee football. Took only a few weeks to pick that name up through videos and things. Didn't get to hear him live but as a person who only knew the basics of Tennessee traditions. I found out real quick thats a real big name when it comes to Tennessee football. Go Vols!