The retirement this past summer of Wes Durham’s Daddy ignited two totally predictable pavlovian responses among Triangle-area sports fans.
Response #1, of course, was from multi-generations of Tru-Blue Tar Heels.
In the classic 1968 “war movie” Green Berets, the little Viet Namese orphan boy, Hamchunk, is told by John Wayne that his Peter-san has been killed. “You knew it might happen”, Major Kirby reminds the grief-stricken little boy. “Yes, but I didn’t want it to....” replies Hamchunk through his tears.
“..... but we didn’t want it too.” was the way TarHeelNation reacted to the realization that their beloved “Voice of The Tar Heels”, was removing his headset after 40 years of telling it like he saw it..... through very very Carolina Blue eyes. “Voices of” are among the most universally beloved of all the cast members in the ongoing drama of college sports.
Coaches, players and administrators’ popularity ebbs and flows with scoreboard results. A “Voice of” is “one of us” enduring the slings and arrows of spirited competition.
“Voices of” don’t fumble, miss free throws or take called third strikes. They inform us that someone else did, sharing our dismay. Conversely when our team pulls out a buzzer-beater in heroic fashion it is “Voice of” that delivers the wonderful news.
I mentioned there were two pavlovian responses to Woody’s retirement announcement.
Response #2 was not so benevolent. “Good riddance to the %$^&%$#” was the reaction from rival fan nations. The rabid fans of Tar Heels rivals were unappreciative of Woody’s contributions over nearly half a century. It was the passion in their unappreciation that was hilarious.
ABCers had the impression that the most famous employee of The Tar Heel Sports Network was partial to the Boys In Blue - how sacrilegious, how blasphemous.... how absolutely true. Exactly why Responders #1 loved him so.
Prompting this rhetorical question to those individuals who worship at sports cathedrals in West Raleigh and West (not Wes!) Durham:
“Why on God’s Green Earth would a Duke or State fan be listening to a Woody Durham broadcast in the first place?”
They stare back with teeth clenched and fists white-knuckled and mutter invectives in unknown tongues.
Was Woody’s loyalty bought and paid for? Would Woody have “done it” for nothing? Would Michael Jordan’s sexy model fiancée marry MJ if he was an Orkin man? A gentleman doesn’t ask such questions.
Through their own “voices” Gary Hahn and Bob Harris; State and Duke partisans glory in their victories taking consolation that victory is occasionally denied by blind refs, unruly crowds, thuggish opponents or simply “God trying to teach us a little humility”. I don’t believe Woody ever used that last one.
To be fair..... ask any loyal Tru-Blue what he/she thinks of those other “Voice ofs”’ and - their teeth clench and their fists white-knuckle and they mutter........
My All-Time Best “Voice of” Story: Recall that game about four years ago when Tyler Hansbrough’s nose met David Henderson’s elbow. I had the opportunity in the aftermath of that memorable occasion to hear Woody’s version..... and Bob Harris’ version..... and Billy Packer’s version..... PLUS what I saw with my own “lying eyes”. FOUR different versions of the very same moment frozen in time.
In Kipling’s poem – The Blind Men & The Elephant – seven blind men described an elephant as he “saw” it. Each description was correct yet each was quite incorrect in providing a true description of the elephant.
Current Tar Heel “Voice” Jones Angell is a very nice and talented young man. But with ESPN now 25/8; and radio not being a growth media format, the era of the celebrity “Voice of” has passed. There will never be another “Woody”.
To Woody and Bob and Gary and Georgia’s Larry Munson and Kentucky’s Cawood Ledford, and all the legendary “Voice ofs” across college sports - Thanks for “calling it as you see it”.
Your opinion of BobLee’s opinion? Send to BLSays@att.net. Also check out my latest on www.BobLeeSays.com.
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Reader Comments: Until we work out a better system, reader comments go to blsays@att.net. Here are two we received from Monday’s column:
RosemaryStreeter: Are you the same “BobLee” that gets called all those nasty names over on InsideCarolina?
BL: What is “InsideCarolina”?
JoeInEhringhaus: Has anyone in the UNC Athletics Dept ever taken your advice?
BL: Does convincing the Dance Team to get spray tans count?
"BobLee" is one of the true pioneers in Internet commentary. He has been doling out his special brand of "civil wit" for over a dozen years. A member of Jim Heavner's old GoHeels.com crew; BobLee, via his own www.BobLeeSays.com has piled up over 1,500 incredibly insightful commentaries on sports, politics and human absurdum. An avowed arch enemy of "board monkeys" of all partisan persuasions, BobLee's devoted national audience of buddies & babes look forward to his twice weekly columns and now his weekly blog on Drive To A Championship.
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