By Cyote Williams | Times Vedette
Commentators are an underrated part of the sports-viewing experience. A great one can elevate a moment from good to great, and a great one to truly special. A bad one can take a moment the opposite direction. The unfortunate passing of legendary NBC sports announcer Dan Hicks got me thinking about the art of sports commentary.
First, rest in peace to Dan Hicks. Hicks was mostly known for his golf commentary. It’s not a sport I watch often, but he was certainly around for some of golf’s most memorable moments. I’m sure golf fans can attest to this, but it is something special when a voice becomes synonymous with a sport.
I hope there’s someone else out there who was able to experience this as I did, but Hy-Vee Hall at one point hosted an interactive sports museum in Des Moines. One of the features was a booth you could go into and commentate over Senneca Wallace’s “The Run.” My poor grandparents practically had to yank me out of that booth because I just kept doing it over and over.
Jim Nantz comes to mind for many golf fans when they think of legendary commentators. Al Michaels and John Madden represent the NFL in a similar way, as do Keith Jackson and Kirk Herbstreit for college football. The same could be said for Mike Breen for the NBA. And then there is Vin Scully, who spent 67 years calling games for the Los Angeles Dodgers in MLB.
These commentators have been tasked with a seemingly innocuous and easy job. One does the play by play, saying what’s happening right in front of them. The other does color commentary, brightening up the play, adding some adjectives or analysis. But, when a commentators are at the top of their game, they can make you feel like you’re watching a movie instead of a live sporting event.
Some of the most iconic moments of all time include, “do you believe in miracles?!” when USA Hockey upset the Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympics. What about “down goes Frazier.” I haven’t always been a big Joe Buck fan, but his call when the Red Sox won via a David Ortiz walk off in extra innings in a game that ran past midnight, “we will see you later tonight,” is undoubtedly incredible.
Kevin Harlan, one of, if not my favorite, announcer, delivered this gem of a call when Furman upset No. 4 Virginia in the NCAA tournament. I’m also a sucker for Mike Breen’s “bang!” calls, and it gets better when he lets out a double bang. My all-time favorite announcer, though, is Mike Tirico when it comes to calling any regular game, basketball or football. Soccer’s greatest call likely belongs to its greatest commentator, Martin Tyler. His “I swear you’ll never see anything like this ever again,” after Manchester City won the league title with two goals in extra time was elite.
Our local announcers deserve some love, too, as they are sometimes better than the big guys. Iowa State fans are lucky to have two world-class announcers in John Walters and Eric Heft. The two of them have been calling Cyclones games for as long as I’ve been alive, and then some. Pick out any major Iowa State sports moment over the years, and Walters and Heft have been there to make the moment all the better.
It pains me to say it, but the Minnesota Vikings also have one of the best radio announcers in the sport in Paul Allen. And it’s really only because of how absolutely furious he gets with the Vikings. The calls he had in one game against the Colts were good enough highlights for a lifetime.
Have any favorite calls in particular you want to share? Feel free to reach out to me at cyote@dmcityview.com.