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BARROW JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2008
Recalling a miracle win, monumental upset
I n my opinion there are
two other great sports
calls that I've heard in
my lifetime.
If you read my column last
week you will remember that I
talked about some of the great
sportscasters I"ve listened to
and some of their most memo
rable calls. I started you out
with two: the great call in the
1964 Olympics of Billy Mills
winning the 10,000 meter race
and Howard CoselFs descrip
tion of Joe Frazier being
knocked down by George
Foreman in their title fight
in 1973.
Today, let's talk about two
more but, before we do that,
I wanted to talk about what
makes a great sportscaster.
There are several classifi
cations among those we call
sportscasters. First, there is
the difference between the
commentators for TV versus
the radio.
The TV sportscaster needs
only to call the game and to
define the action on the field.
Radio sportscasters must be
able to paint a mental picture
to the listener of exactly what
is happening on the field of
play.
Then you have the differ
ence between the play-by-play
man and the color analyst.
One calls down and distance
or balls and strikes and the
other tells why it happened
the way it did.
And finally, you have the
difference between the com
pany man and the “homer”
announcer. For simplicity’s
sake, I’ll focus on the play-
by-play guy or gal.
The company announcer is,
of course, an employee of the
network they work for and
their job is to simply call the
game. You'll hear them talk
as much about the spectacle
of the event as they do the
game itself.
The “homer” is there to
highlight the team they are
calling. It’s like having a fan
of the team in the broadcast
booth. The great announcers
are those who can separate
this distinction but still make
you feel as if you are there in
the stands.
Of course, in my mind,
there has never been a bet
ter “homer” announcer than
Larry Munson. Remind me
to tell you about the day I
got to spend with him doing
a Georgia game
some time. And
that brings me to
my third selection
of “greatest calls.”
“Run, Lindsay!
Run!”
I've only been
to two Georgia-
Florida games in
my life but I was
there for this one.
As was my tradi
tion then, I had
my radio ear bud in listen
ing to every word coming out
of Larry’s mouth. It looked
like Georgia’s destiny was
sealed and that there would
be no National Championship
because we found ourselves
deep in our own territory late
in the game and trailing the
hated Gators.
But then a miracle hap
pened. I have a picture in
my office at home of Munson
surrounded by all of his great
calls.
All I have to do is look up
from my computer and relive
that day. Here’s how it went:
“Florida in a stand up 5,
they may or may not blitz...
There’s the snap. They
won't. Buck back 3rd down
on the 8...
In trouble, gotta block
behind him, gonna throw on
the run.
Complete to the 25, to the
30. Lindsay Scott 35, 40.
Lindsay Scott 45, 50, 45,
40.
Run Lindsay! Run!
25, 20, 15, 10, 5!
Lindsay Scott! Lindsay
Scott! Lindsay Scott! ”
Pandemonium then sets in
and the booth is wild with
cheering. A few seconds later,
Larry comes back on the air
and apologizes for begging
Lindsay to run and explains
that he has broken his metal
chair.
As you know, Georgia
did win that game and went
on to defeat Notre Dame
in the Sugar Bowl to win
the National Championship.
What you may not remember
is that same day we got some
huge help in winning that
championship from an unlike
ly source- Georgia Tech.
Their legendary “homer”
announcer, A1 Ciraldo (“toe
meets leather”) called their
big upset (it actually was a 3-3
tie) of that same Notre Dame
team.
I have heard Larry
make a lot of great
calls but that one will
always be the best.
“Do you believe
in miracles?”
The 1980 Winter
Olympics were being
held in Lake Placid,
New York and on this
cold Friday night in
February, the US was
going against the jug
gernaut Soviet team.
The Soviets had already
beaten the Americans in an
exhibition game, 10-3 just a
few weeks before and it was
said that they would have
been able to hold their own
against most of the teams in
the NHL.
The Soviets totally domi
nated the first two periods
but somehow the Americans
were still in the game, trailing
only 3-2.
Then, miraculously, they
took the lead but there was
still ten minutes left in the
game. An eternity. Jim Craig,
the US goalie and later a
draft pick of the then Atlanta
Flames, made save after save.
As the clock ticked down, A1
Michaels uttered the line that
has become, perhaps, the most
famous line in all of sports
broadcasting history when he
asked the American viewing
audience, “Do you believe in
miracles?”
The Americans celebrated
on the ice, in the stands, and
in homes all across the coun
try- mine included.
My son, who was 7 at the
time, was allowed to stay up
and he and I ran out into
our cul-de-sac shouting our
glee at the top of our lungs.
The American team still had
to win a game the follow
ing Sunday to claim the gold
medal but when they did The
Miracle On Ice was official.
Sports can give us great
memories. I hope these have
rekindled some memories for
you. If you have a favorite
sports call, write us here at
the paper and share it with
us. Until next time, thanks for
letting me share my opinions
with you.
Winder resident Randy
Blalock is a contributing
columnist for the Barrow
Journal. E-mail comments
about this column to rblal-
ock@ mindspring, com.
randy
blalock
Rivalry continued from IB
Monroe Area girls coach
Stephanie Hines knows all
about the rivalry between
the schools. Now in her 20th
season as Lady Canes head
coach, Hines said she looks
for an up-tempo, physical
game Friday.
“I know that Winder-Barrow
has improved since last year
and they are off to a good
start,” Hines said. “However,
that really does not matter
when these two teams get
together.”
Being a coach for as long as
she has been, Hines said she
always stresses to her team
the importance of “one game
at a time.”
The Monroe Area girls
were set to play Cedar
Shoals Tuesday. Preparations
for Winder-Barrow would
take place Wednesday and
Thursday.
Hines also said the games
between Winder-Barrow and
Monroe Area are “great fund
raisers” for both schools since
large crowds always attend.
WBHS girls coach Brenda
Hill said any time a school
plays a rival there will be a
level of excitement.
“It will be a challenging
game,” Hill said. “I know
Monroe is rebuilding this year
but I also know Coach Hines
will have them ready to play.
We have to go out and play
disciplined basketball.”
In addition to playing a
rival. Hill said her team is
excited to be off to such a
strong start after posting just
nine total wins last season.
Fans will actually be able
to see a full slate of games
Saturday as junior varsity
action begins at 4 p.m.
GOING FOR TWO
The Winder-Barrow High School Lady Bulldoggs, shown in action earlier this sea
son, are now 4-1 following an overtime victory against Loganville High School last
week. Photos by Jessica Brown
BY CHRIS BRIDGES
The Winder-Barrow High
School varsity boys basket
ball team improved to 4-1 by
defeating Loganville 60-53 on
the road.
Jodd Maxey paced the
Bulldoggs with 23 points and
11 rebounds. WBHS is now
1-1 in Region 8-AAAA cross
over contests which will count
in tiebreakers situations come
tournament time.
Also contributing to the
WBHS win last week were
Shun Thurmond, who finished
with 15 points, and Henry
Miller, who added 10.
Alonzo Nelson added six
points along with five boards
in the win.
The Bulldoggs were off this
past weekend and were set
to return to action Tuesday
against Salem on the road.
“We are trying to focus on
the pace we want to play,”
WBHS coach Eli Connell
said. “We didn’t do a good
job of that against Loganville.
It is something we worked on
in practice last week.”
The Bulldoggs will host
Monroe Area Friday (see
related story on page IB).
IMPRESSIVE WIN
Alonzo Nelson (33) and the Winder-Barrow Bulldoggs
defeated Loganville last week.
WBHS teams sweep Loganville
The WBHS Lady Bulldoggs
also improved to 4-1 by
defeating Loganville 55-47 in
overtime last Tuesday.
Mimi Hill scored 21 points
to lead Brenda Hill’s squad
while Brittany Witt and Malik
Stevenson both added 10
points. Courtney Miller also
played well in contributing
six points.
The Lady Bulldoggs out-
scored LHS 9-2 in the four-
minute overtime session.
WIMO plans lineup of WBHS, AHS games
WIMO Big Stick Radio (1300 AM) in
Winder is planning a full slate of high school
basketball games this season, station manager
Scott Pinner said.
The station has already begun broadcasting
Winder-Barrow High School and Apalachee
High School varsity basketball games and
will continue doing so throughout the 2008-09
season.
Upcoming games include:
•Winder-Barrow vs. Monroe Area, Friday
•Apalachee vs. Monroe Area, Tuesday
•Winder-Barrow vs. Flowery Branch, Friday,
Dec. 19
•Oconee County Christmas tournament,
Dec. 27, 29, 30.
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