LOUISVILLE, Ky (WDRB)- The best sports moments are often made sweeter by the person behind the mic.
"Do you believe in miracles?"
"I don't believe what I just saw!"
"The band is on the field!"
All iconic sentences that have become married to the athletic achievement they were born from.
It's one of my favorite sports topics. I love talking about a great call, or my favorite announcer. On Friday John Lewis and I were tweeting back and forth with some of the most memorable calls we could think of and that's what lead to this article.
I sent an email to the whole department and asked them what their favorite call of all time is, and why. I got some great responses.
Annice McEwan- Tyreek Hill shocks Oklahoma
Let’s face it. There’s nothing better than a win over a rival — even sweeter when your rival’s head coach was silly enough to re-punt to one of the most elusive players in all of college football at the time.
In 2014, I was a junior in college. Oklahoma State was having one of its worst seasons in a long time. We were going to miss a bowl game for the first time in 10 years if we didn’t beat 20th-ranked Oklahoma in their house.
I was actually at the game but left shortly before this happened. (Stupid, I know but Sooner fans can be ...tough to deal with. We were also down 38-25 with less than a minute left in the game.)
So, I saw it — outside Memorial Stadium on some OU fan’s flatscreen with Cowboy fans’ cheers in the distance. I didn’t hear Dave Hunziker call it until we tuned into the postgame radio shows on our way back from Norman. I believe he cemented Tyreek Hill as “the Cheetah” with that call. -Annice McEwan
Mike Gundy secures his first win in Norman in dramatic, come from behind fashion. Watch the 92 yard punt return by Tyreek Hill to set up overtime and shift momentum to the Cowboys for good.
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Eric Crawford- Tiger Woods on 16 at Augusta
Most of my more memorable games, I haven’t heard the call on, because I was there. But I do remember one call in particular, and I’m not sure why it sticks out more than others.
I am not a die-hard golf fan. But like everyone, I was watching Tiger Woods in the 2005 Masters. I’ll always remember Verne Lundquist’s call when Woods chipped in on No. 16. It was set up by talk of how difficult the shot was, but when Woods hit it, and it began to approach the hole, Lundquist realized he was seeing something potentially special. He exhaled, “Oh my goodness,” when the ball was approaching the flag. Then, after it dropped in after a brief pause at the edge of the cup, his “Oh wow! Have you ever in your life seen anything like that?” was just perfect.
I hear people sometimes make light of “Uncle Verne” on various games these days. I always think, when I hear that, “Uncle Verne had one of the greatest calls in sports history. That’s not too bad.” That call, at the height of Woods’ success in the game, I think stands as a signature TV moment of Woods’ career. And Lundquicst’s call is very much a reason why. -Eric Crawford
Tiger Woods' 16th Hole chip shot at Augusta in 2005.
*Disclaimer: I do not own or claim rights to any part of this video. It has not been posted for commercial or financial gain but purely for golf fans to relive and enjoy one of the greatest moments in golfing history.
Tom Lane- Kyle Kuric saves Louisville
The one that comes to mind for me happened in early March of 2010. Louisville was playing No. 1 Syracuse in the final game at Freedom Hall. They trailed through the first half and were rescued by reserve wing Kyle Kuric.
He averaged just 3 points a game coming in but went crazy with 22 points, all in the second half as Freedom Hall shook. That included four three-balls and a couple of rousing dunks, one of which brought the call of “you gotta be kidding me!!”
I was at the game and when I saw a replay, that captured the moment perfectly. I believe it was Sean McDonough on the call for ESPN. -Tom Lane
UpFromTheAshes Signature Series
March 6, 2010
The stage was set.
Last game, ever, in Freedom Hall. 822 down, 1 to go.
The top-ranked Syracuse Orangemen in town, wanting nothing more than to spoil the party.
Kyle Kuric had other plans.
Before he was King Kyle, before he was going viral by emasculating Scott Martin on national television, before he led his team to a Final Four....before all of that, he was a little-known reserve, averaging 3 points per game.
Rumor has it that he found a semi-pro witch doctor prior to this game who possessed enough voodoo juju to allow Kuric to channel the greatness of Darrell Griffith... but only for one half of basketball.
Kyle chose the second half.
In that second frame, Kuric scores all 22 of his points, featuring four 3-pointers and four dunks. The 'Cuse never knew what hit them.
Final score:
UofL 78
Cuse 68
Dave Pasch and Fran Fraschilla bring us the action.
Rick Bozich- Sox win it all
I started following the White Sox when I was 6 years old. Waiting and waiting and waiting for a World Series appearance never mind a victory.
I'd convinced myself it would never happen.
Then 2005 happened and the White Sox rolled through the Red Sox, Angels and Astros winning 11 of 12 playoff games, still an MLB record.
And during the Game Four clincher against the Astros, I muted the TV sound in my hotel room in New York and listened to John Rooney call the game on the Sox radio network.
I still listen to his call on the final out several times a year and wish I could make it my ring tone. -Rick Bozich
(The call comes at the 11:30 mark of the video below)
All the Audio Highlights from the 2005 Chicago White Sox .
My favorites calls are as follows:
A.J. Awarded at first base! 5:52
Crede gamewinner! 6:13
White sox win the pennant! 8:02
Crede! 8:32
Jenks closses it! 9:23
Konerko Grand Slam....my fav! 9:33
Pods game winner! 9:44
Uribe Catch! 11:13
White sox win world series! 11:31
John Lewis- Puckett forces game 7
In 1991, I was a junior at Kentucky Wesleyan, a Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers fan (my dad loved Sparky Anderson so I did, too) but I was firmly on the Atlanta Braves bandwagon in the World Series.
Even though the Braves lost on Kirby Puckett's 10th inning homer to force a Game 7, the Jack Buck call was absolutely perfect: "And we'll see you tomorrow night." Buck lays out (meaning he didn't say anything and he lets the video and audio speak for itself. A skill every play-by-play announcer should apply when it works) and lets the drama play on. I don't know if I heard the call in real time, because the whole place was screaming in anger or joy (lotta Braves haters in the room), but almost 30 years later, that call is still my all-time favorite. Sometimes less is more. - John Lewis
10/26/91: Kirby Puckett homers off Atlanta's Charlie Leibrandt in the 11th inning to give the Twins a 4-3 win and force a Game 7
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Aaron Matas- this is complicated
Honestly, John stole mine. I grew up in Minnesota and was in elementary school when the Twins won the 1991 World Series. I was a die-hard fan and third baseman Mike Pagliarulo was my favorite player. But we all loved Kirby. I did not hear the call live because my mom made me got to bed that night! Can you believe that? I've heard it hundreds of times since either on YouTube or burning a hole through the VHS tape that recapped the '91 series.
So with that said, I'll go with this as my favorite call:
In 2011 Joe Buck was on the call for the World Series. Game six was on the same day my first daughter was born. I was in the hospital with a sleeping new born when Joe paid homage to his dad by replicating the famous call from 1991. An already emotional me, may have shed a tear.
10/27/11: David Freese caps off the Cardinals' incredible comeback with a walk-off home run to center field in the 11th
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About MLB.com: About MLB.com: Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig announced on January 19, 2000, that the 30 Major League Club owners voted unanimously to centralize all of Baseball's Internet operations into an independent technology company. Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) was formed and charged with developing, building and managing the most comprehensive baseball experience available on the Internet. In August 2002, MLB.com streamed the first-ever live full length MLB game. Since that time, millions of baseball fans around the world have subscribed to MLB.TV, the live video streaming product that airs every game in HD to nearly 400 different devices. MLB.com also provides fans with a stable of Club beat reporters, extensive historical information and footage, online ticket sales, official baseball merchandise, authenticated memorabilia and collectibles and fantasy games.
Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig announced on January 19, 2000, that the 30 Major League Club owners voted unanimously to centralize all of Baseball's Internet operations into an independent technology company. Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) was formed and charged with developing, building and managing the most comprehensive baseball experience available on the Internet. In August 2002, MLB.com streamed the first-ever live full length MLB game over the Internet when the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees faced off at Yankee Stadium. Since that time, millions of baseball fans around the world have subscribed to MLB.TV, the live video streaming product that airs every game in HD to nearly 400 different devices. MLB.com also provides an array of mobile apps for fans to choose from, including At Bat, the highest-grossing iOS sports app of all-time. MLB.com also provides fans with a stable of Club beat reporters and award-winning national columnists, the largest contingent of baseball reporters under one roof, that deliver over 100 original articles every day. MLB.com also offers extensive historical information and footage, online ticket sales, official baseball merchandise, authenticated memorabilia and collectibles and fantasy games.
Major League Baseball consists of 30 teams split between the American and National Leagues. The American League consists of the following teams: Baltimore Orioles; Boston Red Sox; Chicago White Sox; Cleveland Indians; Detroit Tigers; Houston Astros; Kansas City Royals; Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim; Minnesota Twins; New York Yankees; Oakland Athletics; Seattle Mariners; Tampa Bay Rays; Texas Rangers; and Toronto Blue Jays. The National League, originally founded in 1876, consists of the following teams: Arizona Diamondbacks; Atlanta Braves; Chicago Cubs; Cincinnati Reds; Colorado Rockies; Los Angeles Dodgers; Miami Marlins; Milwaukee Brewers; New York Mets; Philadelphia Phillies; Pittsburgh Pirates; San Diego Padres; San Francisco Giants; St. Louis Cardinals; and Washington Nationals.
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