Page 56 - Cityview_July_Aug_2015

SPORTS
IN THE ZONE
By Bob Kesling
The Man Behind the Microphone
It was a Monday morning on March 15, 1999. Tennessee had just lost in the NCAA basketball tourna-
ment on Saturday to Southwest Missouri State University 81-51 in Charlotte, North Carolina. John Ward, the legend- ary “Voice of the Vols” on television and radio, was retiring after three decades— and he had just broadcast his final game.
I was at home trying to get my day organized. At the time, I was the sports director at WBIR-TV in Knoxville anchoring the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. sportscasts. I had been at Channel 10 for 18 years—and I was not actively in search of another job.
The phone rang. Tennessee Athlet-
ics Director Doug Dickey wanted to
talk with me in his office that morning. There was widespread speculation about who would replace Ward since
he announced he was retiring before
the Tennessee football season in 1998. Through the following football and bas- ketball seasons, I had talked with Coach Dickey and interviewed him for stories— but never once did he mention the Vol Network job to me. I had no reason to believe I was even a candidate for the job. In addition to my work for WBIR, I was also calling the SEC-TV Game of the Week for Jefferson-Pilot Sports for foot- ball and basketball—but never had I even sent a résumé or audiotape to Coach Dickey applying for the Vol Network job.
We met that Monday morning in Coach Dickey’s office. He wanted to know my interest in taking over as lead announcer on the Vol Network. I was humbled and flattered when he asked.
I arrived as a freshman at the Univer- sity of Tennessee as a walk-on fullback on the football team in 1972. During those days living in Hess Hall, I was just
trying to figure out what I was going to major in and how to get to Sam and Andy’s on the Strip. My college football career was short, but I was fortunate while in school at UT to get the opportunity to work on
the Vol Network and learn under John Ward.
My first job on the Vol Net- work was as a film editor on the Bill Battle Show. I worked my way up to John Ward’s spotter during the radio broadcasts. I listened, watched, and learned under one of the great broadcasters in
the business during my
15 years on the Vol Net-
work. His training was instrumental in helping
me get the opportunity
to call SEC football and basketball games for Jeffer- son-Pilot and to be prepared
for this great opportunity with the Vol Network.
After several conversations
that week with Coach Dickey, we reached an agreement—and I became the lead announcer on the Vol Network.
There is something special about being in Neyland Stadium on a fall Saturday when the Pride of the South- land Band is on the field and the Vols come running through the “T” or when Thompson-Boling Arena is packed and Tennessee knocks off #1-ranked Kansas or beats Kentucky. I have the best seat in the house on these occasions and never take that for granted.
Thanks for listening—and Go Vols.
Bob Kesling is the director of broadcasting at the Uni- versity of Tennessee and the play-by-play voice on the Vol Radio Network for men’s football and basketball.
54 CITYVIEWMAG.COM JULY AUGUST 2015