Your favorite John Ward play call of all-time?

#26
#26
I don't have a single favorite. There were just too many. But I really enjoyed the short time that Chuck Webb was running wild. You could really sense Ward's excitement every time he ran the ball. I miss those days.
 
#27
#27
When Jeft Powell broke the 60 yard TD run against Miami in the 1986 Sugar Bowl win 35-7, we had been down as a FOOTBALL program for a long time, when Powell scored you knew the game was over and the Big Orange was back as a elite football program, we had been down for about 15 years, a lot like now, this time it wont take 15 years, I hope.
 
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#28
#28
From the 1985 Bama game, in a very calm voice:

"Ladies & gentlemen, what a play by Dale Jones"

Also from 1985 against Auburn:

"Robinson (uh) fakes, play action, there's a long pass down into the endzone....TOUCHDOWN TIM McGee!"
 
#30
#30
coug said:
"Give.... him.... SIX!"
Click to expand...

This, and even better with the "4-3-2-1-...." before it and the "touchdown Tennessee!" after it. I tell my two small boys "touchdown" all the time, to which they reply in unison "Tennessee". Love that!:)
 
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#31
#31
:salute:I wish John would come back and call 1 more game, the young people on here doesnt know what they missed, before the days of espn we were lucky to be on TV 1 time every year or 2, when he called the games he make you feel like you were there, ONE OF THE GREATS OF ALL TIME. 5 4 3 2 1 give him 6 touchdown TENNESSEE. get cold chill just reading this.
 
#34
#34
For you younger fans you need to listen to the Darren Miller call from the 1987 Iowa game. Classic John Ward.
 
#35
#35
i think the one for peytons naked bootleg is my favorite...
something along the lines of "they dont know who has the ball...but peyton does! and where is he? in the endzone!"
 
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#37
#37
Always listened to John Ward call the Tennessee games on the local AM station when I was growing up. When Tennessee started playing on TV more often, we would put the radio on top of the TV, mute the TV broadcasters, and listen to John Ward's call on the Tennessee..... Radio Network. It was a couple of seconds behind the TV feed, but that didn't matter. Did the same thing for his last football broadcast, the 1998 Fiesta Bowl. I got to hear Mr. Ward say "Your National Champion is clad in Big Orange." Priceless.
 
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#38
#38
No doubt, John Ward is THE icon from my youth in terms of Tennessee football. I just can't think of anything else that begins to compare to his voice and what it reminds me of. He was the best.

I should add that he was also absolutely AMAZING at calling basketball games, and he said more than once that actually preferred doing basketball to football.

From the hard court my two favorites would have be:

"He shoots . . . BOTTOM!"

And

"He shoots . . . STRINNNGG MUSIC!"
 
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#39
#39
I always liked how his voice could shift from 1950s-radio-announcer to drunk-guy-screaming-in-the-bar and back with relative ease.
 
#41
#41
SaintLouisVol said:
No doubt, John Ward is THE icon from my youth in terms of Tennessee football. I just can't think of anything else that begins to compare to his voice and what it reminds me of. He was the best.

I should add that he was also absolutely AMAZING at calling basketball games, and he said more than once that actually preferred doing basketball to football.

From the hard court my two favorites would have be:

"He shoots . . . BOTTOM!"

And

"He shoots . . . STRINNNGG MUSIC!"
Click to expand...

"Stops. Sets. Shoots. Scores."
 
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#42
#42
All of them! John Ward made Tennessee Football....Oh how I miss hearing his play by play.....memories...no one could bring the excitement of college football like John Ward....no one!
 
#44
#44
It is kind of sad, but the art of broadcasting is really starting to be lost. John Ward was brilliant at drawing you into the game. You could literally close your eyes and watch it. Further, he always kept you completely abreast of everything that was going on.

Kind of like Jack Buck - the now deceased iconic broadcaster that did the Cardinals for years. You could turn the game on and know the inning, score, outs, batter and pretty much everything you wanted to know about the game in less than a minute. He just worked it into the "conversation" with ease.

Modern broadcasters just don't seem to have that same flair for the art of what they are doing.
 
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#47
#47
I used to listen to all of the basketball games on the radio. I started listening when the Ernie and Bernie show was in full swing. He had some great phrases.

Ernie G of Tennessee.

King of the Volunteers

Pops, drops.

Good and that gentleman was fouled.

Twinkles the twine.

You walked, sir.
 
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#48
#48
I did not start cheering for the Vols until 2006, when I met my husband. He has lots of previous games recorded and we have watched a bunch of them. I absolutely love to hear John Ward calling a game. He was so exciting and made you feel like you were right there at the game. I would love for him to return just one more time to Neyland Stadium and call a game.
 
#49
#49
libertyvol said:
i used to listen to all of the basketball games on the radio. I started listening when the ernie and bernie show was in full swing. He had some great phrases.

Ernie g of tennessee.

kiiiiing of the volunteers

pops, drops.

Good and that gentleman was fouled.

Twinkles the twine.

You walked, sir.
Click to expand...

fyp
 
#50
#50
LibertyVol said:
I used to listen to all of the basketball games on the radio. I started listening when the Ernie and Bernie show was in full swing. He had some great phrases.

Ernie G of Tennessee.

King of the Volunteers

Pops, drops.

Good and that gentleman was fouled.

Twinkles the twine.

You walked, sir.
Click to expand...

When Neal Walk of Florida would violate the latter rule, he would also say, "You walked, Walk."

Incidentally, was it "twinkles the twine" or "tickles the twine"?
 
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