Who is your favorite sports commentator (or sports radio commentator)? Here are my favorites:
- Marc Vandermeer and Andre Ware (flagship radio commentators for the Houston Texans; they are absolutely brilliant and my absolute favorite)
- Gary Danielson and Verne Lundquist (CBS commentators for SEC games, nostalgia from watching LSU games as a kid)
- Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth (SNF)
- Tony Romo (CBS)
Anyone but Joe Buck...
Quote from: CoreySamson on October 20, 2021, 12:28:58 PM
Cris Collinsworth (SNF)
Up there for my least favorite.
My favorites (some no longer doing games) - Gus Johnson, Keith Jackson, Brent Musberger, Tony Romo, Ian Darke, Gary Thorne, Ray Hudson, Bob Davis. Keith Jackson was probably my favorite. He just made every game he announced seem like it was the biggest game ever.
Chris
As long as an announcer is competent, I really don't care.
Jim Nantz is the gold standard on golf.
Pro football announcers are all so league controlled, one is the same as the next.
In hockey, I prefer the ex-NBC team now on TNT to the ESPN crew.
Baseball, on a national basis, Costas is the gold standard.
In local baseball, TV and radio, roughly the bigger the market, the worse the announcers. One exception is Steiner, who is very good.
NASCAR so controls the announcers that it makes the racing unwatchable.
^^^
MRN used to be the real way to listen to a NASCAR. More so if you had a scanner while at the race track. They didn't really hold back on the opinions very much.
Gus Johnson.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 20, 2021, 01:39:04 PM
^^^
MRN used to be the real way to listen to a NASCAR. More so if you had a scanner while at the race track. They didn't really hold back on the opinions very much.
I learned recently that I could listen to MRN/PRN via the NASCAR.com leaderboard for free. It is much better than wondering if something odd got missed by TV.
I would say that Mike Joy is the best NASCAR announcer at this point. The others recently have never really come close.
NFL - Nantz and Romo are the gold standard, though I don't dislike Collinsworth as much as most do. Nantz is also the gold standard for golf.
College Football - Really like Gus Johnson and Joe Tessitore, though neither of their partners do anything for me.
MLB - Biased as a White Sox fan, but I think Jason Benetti is fantastic. Also love him on the call for college football.
Can't stand Joe Buck on anything he does.
Used to like Bob Costas but now he injects his political opinion into everything and I can't stand that, even when I agree with him.
As a jack of all trades, I like Paul Burmeister, who has done football, basketball and olympics play by play and has been the studio host for the Tour de France. Currently the radio voice of ND football.
Also on the dislike side is just about anybody that has a national/syndicated TV/radio talk show, despite never having played at a high level. Colin Cowherd, Tony Kornkeiser, Jim Rome, Chris Russo, Den LeBetard, and Doug Gottlieb are all people I'll turn off immediately every time I hear one of their voices.
QuoteMLB - Biased as a White Sox fan, but I think Jason Benetti is fantastic. Also love him on the call for college football.
What did you think of Hawk Harrelson? Did you love his enthusiasm for the White Sox all the time, or were you annoyed at how biased he always was?
I could not watch a White Sox game back when they were on WGN from time-to-time because the bias was so blatant IMO.
Quote from: 74/171FAN on October 20, 2021, 02:42:38 PM
QuoteMLB - Biased as a White Sox fan, but I think Jason Benetti is fantastic. Also love him on the call for college football.
What did you think of Hawk Harrelson? Did you love his enthusiasm for the White Sox all the time, or were you annoyed at how biased he always was?
I could not watch a White Sox game back when they were on WGN from time-to-time because the bias was so blatant IMO.
As a White Sox fan, I wasn't annoyed by his bias (all team-affiliated announcers are biased). I was annoyed by his style though. Former players really should stick to analyst roles and not play by play. Bob Uecker is the only one I can think of that's been really good at it.
Quote from: 74/171FAN on October 20, 2021, 02:42:38 PM
QuoteMLB - Biased as a White Sox fan, but I think Jason Benetti is fantastic. Also love him on the call for college football.
What did you think of Hawk Harrelson? Did you love his enthusiasm for the White Sox all the time, or were you annoyed at how biased he always was?
I could not watch a White Sox game back when they were on WGN from time-to-time because the bias was so blatant IMO.
Is he the "He gone" guy?
Chris
Quote from: 74/171FAN on October 20, 2021, 02:42:38 PM
QuoteMLB - Biased as a White Sox fan, but I think Jason Benetti is fantastic. Also love him on the call for college football.
What did you think of Hawk Harrelson? Did you love his enthusiasm for the White Sox all the time, or were you annoyed at how biased he always was?
I could not watch a White Sox game back when they were on WGN from time-to-time because the bias was so blatant IMO.
There would be more of an issue if an announcer for their own team
wasn't biased.
Of course, if the bias goes overboard, that's a problem. If a play was obvious one way or the other, gotta call it properly. But if the announcer is joyful over a great play or a home run, that's perfectly fine and to be expected.
Quote from: jayhawkco on October 20, 2021, 02:56:34 PM
Quote from: 74/171FAN on October 20, 2021, 02:42:38 PM
QuoteMLB - Biased as a White Sox fan, but I think Jason Benetti is fantastic. Also love him on the call for college football.
What did you think of Hawk Harrelson? Did you love his enthusiasm for the White Sox all the time, or were you annoyed at how biased he always was?
I could not watch a White Sox game back when they were on WGN from time-to-time because the bias was so blatant IMO.
Is he the "He gone" guy?
Chris
Yes, that's him. He retired 2 years ago.
Quote from: cabiness42 on October 20, 2021, 04:09:11 PM
Quote from: jayhawkco on October 20, 2021, 02:56:34 PM
Quote from: 74/171FAN on October 20, 2021, 02:42:38 PM
QuoteMLB - Biased as a White Sox fan, but I think Jason Benetti is fantastic. Also love him on the call for college football.
What did you think of Hawk Harrelson? Did you love his enthusiasm for the White Sox all the time, or were you annoyed at how biased he always was?
I could not watch a White Sox game back when they were on WGN from time-to-time because the bias was so blatant IMO.
Is he the "He gone" guy?
Chris
Yes, that's him. He retired 2 years ago.
I haven't followed baseball closely in a while, but when I did was a big Twins fan so he always annoyed me since we had a nice little rivalry for a while in the early 2000's. I'm sure it was just as much bias from me as it was his style/capabilities.
Chris
Quote from: jeffandnicole on October 20, 2021, 04:05:55 PM
Quote from: 74/171FAN on October 20, 2021, 02:42:38 PM
QuoteMLB - Biased as a White Sox fan, but I think Jason Benetti is fantastic. Also love him on the call for college football.
What did you think of Hawk Harrelson? Did you love his enthusiasm for the White Sox all the time, or were you annoyed at how biased he always was?
I could not watch a White Sox game back when they were on WGN from time-to-time because the bias was so blatant IMO.
There would be more of an issue if an announcer for their own team wasn't biased.
Of course, if the bias goes overboard, that's a problem. If a play was obvious one way or the other, gotta call it properly. But if the announcer is joyful over a great play or a home run, that's perfectly fine and to be expected.
I agree, but the Hawk went overboard to the point that he called the other team the "bad guys".
Baseball: Vin Scully, Gary Thorne, Jim Palmer, Dick Stockton (mainly because he says error as "era" and I find that amusing for some reason), Ron Darling, Dennis Eckersley. Matt Vasgersian and John Smoltz are both all right depending on their partner (each other, for example). Kevin "Not The Pitcher" Brown is a good young up-and-coming play by play guy for the Orioles. Last place: A-Rod.
NASCAR: Bob Jenkins (RIP), Ned Jarrett, Neil Bonnett (RIP), Dale Jarrett, Ken Squier, and I'm the one guy who actually likes Jeff Burton in the booth. Mike Joy is fine, but his voice no longer has the bounciness it did 30 years ago.
Other motorsports: Murray Walker (RIP), Bob Varsha, Paul Page, David Hobbs, Bobby Unser (RIP), Alex Jacques, Martin Brundle, Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button, Karun Chandhok.
I almost forgot to mention my favorite set of commentators: Curt Gowdy, Jim Palmer, Tim McCarver, Dick Vitale, Mel Allen and Dr. Joyce Brothers.
Quote from: cabiness42 on October 20, 2021, 02:47:18 PM
Quote from: 74/171FAN on October 20, 2021, 02:42:38 PM
QuoteMLB - Biased as a White Sox fan, but I think Jason Benetti is fantastic. Also love him on the call for college football.
What did you think of Hawk Harrelson? Did you love his enthusiasm for the White Sox all the time, or were you annoyed at how biased he always was?
I could not watch a White Sox game back when they were on WGN from time-to-time because the bias was so blatant IMO.
As a White Sox fan, I wasn't annoyed by his bias (all team-affiliated announcers are biased). I was annoyed by his style though. Former players really should stick to analyst roles and not play by play. Bob Uecker is the only one I can think of that's been really good at it.
I wish the Yankees announcers were biased. John calls opposing home runs with equal enthusiasm
^But John Sterling does not have special HR calls for the opponents (or does he???)
Quote from: Takumi on October 20, 2021, 05:18:41 PM
Baseball: Vin Scully, Gary Thorne, Jim Palmer, Dick Stockton (mainly because he says error as "era" and I find that amusing for some reason), Ron Darling, Dennis Eckersley. Matt Vasgersian and John Smoltz are both all right depending on their partner (each other, for example). Kevin "Not The Pitcher" Brown is a good young up-and-coming play by play guy for the Orioles. Last place: A-Rod.
NASCAR: Bob Jenkins (RIP), Ned Jarrett, Neil Bonnett (RIP), Dale Jarrett, Ken Squier, and I'm the one guy who actually likes Jeff Burton in the booth. Mike Joy is fine, but his voice no longer has the bounciness it did 30 years ago.
Other motorsports: Murray Walker (RIP), Bob Varsha, Paul Page, David Hobbs, Bobby Unser (RIP), Alex Jacques, Martin Brundle, Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button, Karun Chandhok.
No Allen Bestwick?
Quote from: WillWeaverRVA on October 20, 2021, 09:20:10 PM
Quote from: Takumi on October 20, 2021, 05:18:41 PM
Baseball: Vin Scully, Gary Thorne, Jim Palmer, Dick Stockton (mainly because he says error as “era” and I find that amusing for some reason), Ron Darling, Dennis Eckersley. Matt Vasgersian and John Smoltz are both all right depending on their partner (each other, for example). Kevin “Not The Pitcher” Brown is a good young up-and-coming play by play guy for the Orioles. Last place: A-Rod.
NASCAR: Bob Jenkins (RIP), Ned Jarrett, Neil Bonnett (RIP), Dale Jarrett, Ken Squier, and I’m the one guy who actually likes Jeff Burton in the booth. Mike Joy is fine, but his voice no longer has the bounciness it did 30 years ago.
Other motorsports: Murray Walker (RIP), Bob Varsha, Paul Page, David Hobbs, Bobby Unser (RIP), Alex Jacques, Martin Brundle, Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button, Karun Chandhok.
No Allen Bestwick?
He’s all right, but I wouldn’t call him a favorite. Honestly my more glaring omission was Dr. Jerry Punch.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 20, 2021, 01:39:04 PM
^^^
MRN used to be the real way to listen to a NASCAR. More so if you had a scanner while at the race track. They didn't really hold back on the opinions very much.
They're still around. When I worked at the tire shop last year, Dave Moody came in with a flat as we were the closest shop to RIR. The other MRN guys came to pick him up.
Quote from: jayhawkco on October 20, 2021, 02:56:34 PM
Quote from: 74/171FAN on October 20, 2021, 02:42:38 PM
QuoteMLB - Biased as a White Sox fan, but I think Jason Benetti is fantastic. Also love him on the call for college football.
What did you think of Hawk Harrelson? Did you love his enthusiasm for the White Sox all the time, or were you annoyed at how biased he always was?
I could not watch a White Sox game back when they were on WGN from time-to-time because the bias was so blatant IMO.
Is he the "He gone" guy?
Chris
Yes. He gone. A couple years ago. Thank God, and I'm saying this as a lifelong White Sox fan. Jason Benetti and Steve Stone are the best Sox broadcast team ever -- even better than Harry Caray and Jimmy Piersall in the late '70s.
You know, I'm not really sure I have a *current* favorite broadcaster. I loved Pat Summerall, Dick Stockton (before those guys went down the hill), Keith Jackson, Sam Rosen, Brent on college football. I know Brent is still on Raiders radio and Rosen with the NY Rangers TV, but I'm not sure how much of a fastball those two guys still have. Kenny Albert keeps getting kicked down the charts at FOX.
Joe Buck has gotten a lot better in my book as he started to be himself, sometime around 2012-13.
Quote from: 74/171FAN on October 20, 2021, 02:00:07 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 20, 2021, 01:39:04 PM
^^^
MRN used to be the real way to listen to a NASCAR. More so if you had a scanner while at the race track. They didn't really hold back on the opinions very much.
I learned recently that I could listen to MRN/PRN via the NASCAR.com leaderboard for free. It is much better than wondering if something odd got missed by TV.
I would say that Mike Joy is the best NASCAR announcer at this point. The others recently have never really come close.
I agree with this. I enjoyed Darrell Waltrip's "boogity, boogity, boogity! let's go racing boys!" though.
Quote from: kenarmy on October 21, 2021, 12:42:01 AM
Quote from: 74/171FAN on October 20, 2021, 02:00:07 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 20, 2021, 01:39:04 PM
^^^
MRN used to be the real way to listen to a NASCAR. More so if you had a scanner while at the race track. They didn't really hold back on the opinions very much.
I learned recently that I could listen to MRN/PRN via the NASCAR.com leaderboard for free. It is much better than wondering if something odd got missed by TV.
I would say that Mike Joy is the best NASCAR announcer at this point. The others recently have never really come close.
I agree with this. I enjoyed Darrell Waltrip's "boogity, boogity, boogity! let's go racing boys!" though.
Haha, same here. I remember when he made fun of himself by being called Darrell Cartrip in the Cars movie.
Quote from: KeithE4Phx on October 20, 2021, 11:50:04 PM
Quote from: jayhawkco on October 20, 2021, 02:56:34 PM
Quote from: 74/171FAN on October 20, 2021, 02:42:38 PM
QuoteMLB - Biased as a White Sox fan, but I think Jason Benetti is fantastic. Also love him on the call for college football.
What did you think of Hawk Harrelson? Did you love his enthusiasm for the White Sox all the time, or were you annoyed at how biased he always was?
I could not watch a White Sox game back when they were on WGN from time-to-time because the bias was so blatant IMO.
Is he the "He gone" guy?
Chris
Yes. He gone. A couple years ago. Thank God, and I'm saying this as a lifelong White Sox fan. Jason Benetti and Steve Stone are the best Sox broadcast team ever -- even better than Harry Caray and Jimmy Piersall in the late '70s.
That's funny, because as a Cubs fan I got to hear Harry Caray and Jack Brickhouse on the radio when either I couldn't get to Wrigley on a school day or the Cubs were on the road. Best moments of my entire childhood...
(And the Pat Summerall-John Madden duo on CBS and Fox made watching the NFL an enjoyable experience, even more so when they were assigned to Bears games.)
Quote from: kevinb1994 on October 21, 2021, 12:43:36 AM
Quote from: kenarmy on October 21, 2021, 12:42:01 AM
Quote from: 74/171FAN on October 20, 2021, 02:00:07 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 20, 2021, 01:39:04 PM
^^^
MRN used to be the real way to listen to a NASCAR. More so if you had a scanner while at the race track. They didn't really hold back on the opinions very much.
I learned recently that I could listen to MRN/PRN via the NASCAR.com leaderboard for free. It is much better than wondering if something odd got missed by TV.
I would say that Mike Joy is the best NASCAR announcer at this point. The others recently have never really come close.
I agree with this. I enjoyed Darrell Waltrip's "boogity, boogity, boogity! let's go racing boys!" though.
Haha, same here. I remember when he made fun of himself by being called Darrell Cartrip in the Cars movie.
"Boogity, boogity, boogity!! Let's go racing you bunch of hot dogs!!" was the best variation of that. (said at Martinsville in honor of the Martinsville Hot Dog)
Curt Gowdy-Kyle Rote on NBC in the Sixties and Seventies. Howard Cosell-Don Meredith on ABC's Monday Night Football. John Madden and Pat Summerall calling NFL games for CBS. Keith Jackson on ABC's college football games. These were the classics of their time.
Rick
^^ Cosell was not popular when he was announcing games.
I have a soft spot for Vin Scully and Keith Jackson mostly due to Harry Shearer's spot-on impersonations of them on The Simpsons.
Good example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwO26G_ktrk
Quote from: cabiness42 on October 20, 2021, 02:47:18 PM
Quote from: 74/171FAN on October 20, 2021, 02:42:38 PM
QuoteMLB - Biased as a White Sox fan, but I think Jason Benetti is fantastic. Also love him on the call for college football.
What did you think of Hawk Harrelson? Did you love his enthusiasm for the White Sox all the time, or were you annoyed at how biased he always was?
I could not watch a White Sox game back when they were on WGN from time-to-time because the bias was so blatant IMO.
As a White Sox fan, I wasn't annoyed by his bias (all team-affiliated announcers are biased). I was annoyed by his style though. Former players really should stick to analyst roles and not play by play. Bob Uecker is the only one I can think of that's been really good at it.
Joe Garagiola and Pat Summerall are good examples of player turned play-by-play guys.
My all time favorites, being a Cubs fan of course I loved Harry Carray, but he wasn't my favorite.
Keith Jackson
Vin Scully
Milo Hamilton bringing me Astro games as a kid
As a Cowboys fan I am very partial to Brad Sham
Pat Summerall
Vern Lunquist
Mel Albert
Dick Stockton
Jack Buck
Kevin Harlen
My favorite guy on the air right now has to be Gus Johnson. He can make the worst played game sound like the greatest game ever played.
This is an awesome subject because a great play-by-play guy makes the difference. It sounds like your grandad was explaining the game to you. I have such fond memories of hearing the legends do their work.
Jim Nantz and Tony Romo
Peter Drury and Jim Beglin
Pat Summerall was great. He just called the game as it happened with a minimum of shenanigans.
I thought the F1 team of Bob Varsha, David Hobbs, and Steve Matchett were excellent and I was disappointed to lose them when ESPN took over and started airing the Sky Sports feed. While their announcers are decent, and while I very much like not having commercial interruptions like we did on the US networks, I liked the Varsha/Hobbs/Matchett trio better. Among other reasons, I think the Sky Sports crew fawn over Hamilton a bit too much.
I very much like Joe Beninati, the Capitals' play-by-play man. His color partner, Craig Laughlin, can be a good commentator when he wants to be, but I think sometimes he plays up the buffoon schtick a little too much and it can get tiresome. I've seen Beninati call other teams' games on Versus and other sports from time to time (he sometimes calls college lacrosse, including the famous seven-overtime game between Virginia and Maryland some years back), and he always does a good job regardless of what he's calling.
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 21, 2021, 03:05:34 PM
I have a soft spot for Vin Scully and Keith Jackson mostly due to Harry Shearer's spot-on impersonations of them on The Simpsons.
Good example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwO26G_ktrk
I believe it was Hank Azaria who voiced Vin Scully. His character, Jim Brockmire, is basically his Vin Scully impression.
And if you haven't watched
Brockmire, watch it. Now.
Quote from: abefroman329 on October 21, 2021, 05:06:18 PM
Quote from: triplemultiplex on October 21, 2021, 03:05:34 PM
I have a soft spot for Vin Scully and Keith Jackson mostly due to Harry Shearer's spot-on impersonations of them on The Simpsons.
Good example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwO26G_ktrk
I believe it was Hank Azaria who voiced Vin Scully. His character, Jim Brockmire, is basically his Vin Scully impression.
And if you haven't watched Brockmire, watch it. Now.
Harry Shearer did Vin Scully's counterpart on The Simpsons. Not only is it credited to him, but I know because I met him years ago and made him do Vin Scully and Keith Jackson for me. Like a lot of voices on The Simpsons, one actor would get to do a voice, and the rest of the multi-voiced guys would also have their own version of him. As an example, Harry Shearer would be tasked to voice Rainer Wolfcastle (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Hank Azaria and Dan Castellaneta would get super competitive and have their own version of Arnold. Sometimes it would be better, but one guy was cast as that voice and it would stick. One example is Mayor Quimby which is basically a John F. Kennedy impersonation, which is voiced by Dan Castellaneta, but the other two guys also had a Kennedy impersonation, and I think the staff said Harry Shearer's Kennedy is actually better. There were also times where that actor was actually kinda bent they didn't land that part.
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 21, 2021, 04:01:31 PMI thought the F1 team of Bob Varsha, David Hobbs, and Steve Matchett were excellent and I was disappointed to lose them when ESPN took over and started airing the Sky Sports feed. While their announcers are decent, and while I very much like not having commercial interruptions like we did on the US networks, I liked the Varsha/Hobbs/Matchett trio better. Among other reasons, I think the Sky Sports crew fawn over Hamilton a bit too much.
I also remember the days when John Bisignano was in the pits, but that ended around 1992 or so. You might get Chris Economaki it Jackie Stewart if one of them was elsewhere on assignment.
Not a big fan of Crofty as he doesn't seem to layout for even a moment; the sport makes enough noise that a little dead air isn't bad for motosports. But like anything else you're stuck with, you get used to it. I just wish he had a variety of perspective and historical example (because sometimes the races just aren't that exciting). To be fair, it seems that replays are rare because they don't have much control over the visual broadcast.
I don't mind Chandhok, Button, as they know what they're talking about and enthusiastic without over-doing it. Even Paul di Resta seems calm and measured, if just a little flat.
Quote from: abefroman329 on October 21, 2021, 05:06:18 PM
And if you haven't watched Brockmire, watch it. Now.
Seconded.
You can tell Hank had fun making that show.
In the Great White North, my favorites was Danny Gallivan and Dick Irwin Jr. on Hockey Night in Canada along with René Lecavalier, Gilles Tremblay, Lionel Duval, Jean Pagé, Richard Garneau on HNIC French counterpart "La soirée du hockey".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM8dTGM-m9Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8lsMgduOu4
Quote from: formulanone on October 22, 2021, 01:04:15 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 21, 2021, 04:01:31 PMI thought the F1 team of Bob Varsha, David Hobbs, and Steve Matchett were excellent and I was disappointed to lose them when ESPN took over and started airing the Sky Sports feed. While their announcers are decent, and while I very much like not having commercial interruptions like we did on the US networks, I liked the Varsha/Hobbs/Matchett trio better. Among other reasons, I think the Sky Sports crew fawn over Hamilton a bit too much.
I also remember the days when John Bisignano was in the pits, but that ended around 1992 or so. You might get Chris Economaki it Jackie Stewart if one of them was elsewhere on assignment.
Not a big fan of Crofty as he doesn't seem to layout for even a moment; the sport makes enough noise that a little dead air isn't bad for motosports. But like anything else you're stuck with, you get used to it. I just wish he had a variety of perspective and historical example (because sometimes the races just aren't that exciting). To be fair, it seems that replays are rare because they don't have much control over the visual broadcast.
I don't mind Chandhok, Button, as they know what they're talking about and enthusiastic without over-doing it. Even Paul di Resta seems calm and measured, if just a little flat.
Crofty seems to be in the mold of Murray Walker with his enthusiasm, but it doesn't translate to being as effective as Murray was. Alex Jacques, the Channel 4 play-by-play announcer, is much more measured, but Channel 4's F1 broadcast isn't legally available outside the UK, unlike Sky's multinational simulcast.
I don't like Steve Levy doing MNF, but watching the Canucks/Kraken NHL game tonight, Levy sounds awesome doing hockey. Not Doc Emrick level, but better than Kenny Albert, imho
As my favorite NFL team is Washington, I would turn the sound off the TV broadcast, turn on the radio, and listen to Frank Herzog, Sam Huff, and Sonny Jurgensen describe the game ("Touchdown, Washington Redskins!!!). Currently, my favorite NFL announcer is Kevin Harlan--the announcer who called two games (in their final seconds) in Week 17 of the 2019 NFL season.
For baseball, it was Vin Scully and Jack Buck.
I'm going to pick Mick Holien. Mick grew up in the Mission Valley area near Polson, MT and started his radio career at KGVO-AM in Missoula in the 1980's. Leerfield Sports then picked Holien to be the play announcer for the University of Montana Grizzlies football team. There aren't a lot of quotes I can pick from certain games, but probably the more ubiquitous is "Touchdown, Montana! The good guys are on top!". I didn't listen as religiously as the rest of Western Montana did, but, however, IMHO, he was great in the booth. It just stinks there aren't a lot of known audio cuts of Mick's calls of certain games. The only one I could think of in meta searching was the "snow game" in Missoula in 2009 when the Grizzlies played the FBS-bound Appalachian State (they may still be in SoCon, the Southern Conference, or have moved up). He has called Montana basketball games and was also pegged by ESPN 102.9 FM in Missoula to call Missoula Osprey (now Paddleheads) baseball. Nowadays, he serves as a board member in the Polson City Chamber of Commerce.
I can't believe nobody has mentioned the one and only Bob Uecker. What a treat it would be to hear Uecker call a Brewers World Series. There is always next year.