re: Barnes Is Wearing a Burnt Orange Tie at His Intro Press Conference

John Ward was/is amazing. One of the best broadcasters the SEC and CFB world has ever known. He made games so exciting that people would bring headsets to the stadium and listen to the tv on mute with him on the radio despite the time delay. Even opposing fans would tune in because he was that good. (For a time, the SEC was blessed with several great radio broadcasters - Georgia's guy comes to mind).

And he was fair despite being a Vol fan. Even when opponents were scoring, making plays, or beating us he was exciting (sometimes I wish he was less fair about that ).

They really don't know what they're missing. When I was a kid I used to record Ward's broadcasts for my older cousin when he was serving in Germany. This was in the early to mid 90s and of course by the time they arrived he knew he outcome but he'd wanted them all the same.

Likewise, I fell in love with Ward via my parents listening to him at games and with the tv muted. He painted pictures and sometimes listening to him was even better than watching the game. There was something about the way he did things that transported you to another world in a way that even watching it didn't accomplish. It was just a great experience for those of us lucky enough to get to hear him before he retired.

BTW, is his granddaughter in Knoxville? IIRC, Ward retired to Florida (might have the state wrong) and tends to visit during football season but he doesn't just hang around Knoxville due to his health. That's why it's so huge that he was there for this.

And yes, Kesling sucks. He had something with basketball but his football broadcasts are plain terrible.

I was just a kid when I started really getting into Tennessee football and it was towards the tail end of Ward's career (94 or 95 iirc). I can still remember riding around with my grandpa in his truck on Saturdays when he would let me tag along with him as he would go to big cattle auctions all over Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. When the Tennessee game come on, there was rarely a word said between the two of us for four hours expect when UT would score. Neither of us wanted to talk for fear of missing what was Ward was going to say.

He used to often tell me "Son, you're listening to a living legend right now" but I never realized at the time what a treat it was to be able to listen to that on the radio.

It's crazy that it's been 20 years since that time but I can still remember it like it was just yesterday.

And now we have fricking Kesling who makes me want to chop my ears off. I cannot stand to ever listen to that windbag stutter and stammer during a game to the point that you have no fricking clue what just happened or who was involved. I make sure I'm either in Neyland or in front of my tv now since blob is the alternative

I hear ya.

What's sad tho' is we really could do so much better. Hell, I tuned into the dude who does the Lady Vols basketball team once and was blown away by his talent on first listen - wasn't even looking for the game.

Kesling is a joke and a lush (he stammers during football because he doesn't know the game as well but also the length of football games and privacy of the press box gives him too much time and access/privacy to get loaded). He could mess up names as easy as Smith, Jones, and Lee and that isn't something he'd flub when he worked for WBIR or even when he does interviews and live specials with players and coaches.

Unfortunately, he's got the job locked down and we're stuck with him. Fans deserve better.

ETA: I will say there have been a handful of calls where Kesling did very well much to my surprise. So I'll give credit where it's due. Maybe if he was sober more often he'd be ok.

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You know Gruden used to wear orange ties on MNF...

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I heard his wife was a cheerleader here. And also heard he has family and property here and got his first football job here. Even his kid...

SOON.

Wow, I never knew Kesling was that much of a drinker. I always just assumed he was a little slow

He must have kissed all the right asses on his way up the ladder. I don't know a single person that likes listening to Kesling but it seems like that doesn't matter in regard to his job security.

I wish the fans would start a Cuonzo-like petition to remove Blob from his position lol.

Maybe he told them "I just will not wear that gaudy orange..." a la Sandra Bullock...