Brett Ludwiczak
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You’re Nuts: Who do you love hearing broadcasting Ohio State games?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
A few weeks ago, CBS analyst Gary Danielson announced he would be retiring following the 2025 season, which will mark his 36th season on television, making him the longest-tenured college football analyst on any network. Danielson joined CBS in 2006, which had him calling marquee SEC games for nearly the last two decades.
Ohio State fans who don’t remember Danielson from his time with ESPN/ABC from 1990 to 2005 became a little more familiar with Danielson over the last couple of years since the Big Ten replaced the SEC in the 3:30 p.m. ET time slot on the network.
While we all know the best broadcaster for Ohio State games is undoubtedly Paul Keels, unfortunately, “Big Daddy” is only available on the Ohio State Radio Network. With Buckeye games being spread between CBS, FOX, NBC, and the Big Ten Network, there are plenty of different voices who call Ohio State games. Some of those voices are beloved, others are hated, and then there are some that fans are indifferent to.
Today, we want to know who you love hearing broadcast Ohio State games. Even though football is king, we are also interested in hearing answers pertaining to basketball broadcasts as well. With so many different networks airing Ohio State games, there are bound to be a variety of options. While there are also some great options from years past, like the legendary Keith Jackson, we are going to try and keep the answers to this question to those currently broadcasting.
If we’re being honest, I would listen to Kevin Harlan read the dictionary. Just look up some calls from Harlan when some idiot fan runs on the field and security is chasing them. Harlan can make something as trivial as somebody getting liquored up and running on the field sound like art. He knows when it is appropriate to get excited and does the moment justice when it calls for it, which is something Gus Johnson struggles mightily with since he tries to make a 2nd and 7 play in a 0-0 game in the middle of the first quarter sound like the last play of the Super Bowl.
Unfortunately, we only get to listen to Harlan call Ohio State basketball games since he is currently working NFL games on Sundays during the regular season, which doesn’t allow him to work CBS college football games on Saturdays. Don’t get me wrong, I really like Brad Nessler, so it’s a little easier to stomach not getting Harlan to call college football games. Maybe it changes in the future, but it’s hard to see Harlan stepping away from NFL broadcasting since the league is obviously the top professional sports league in the country.
As tough as it has been to watch Ohio State basketball over the last few years, at least when they are on CBS, there is a chance that Harlan will be on the call, making the inevitable shenanigans from the Buckeye hoopers a little easier to stomach. In the end, Harlan is truly a pro’s pro. He has been doing this long enough that he has seen about everything there is to see, and knows how to treat certain moments. Plus, Harlan has worked with Reggie Miller, so he knows how to handle someone who talks too much and says some ridiculous things.
I know many of you love Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt, and I am happy that you enjoy them, since we Buckeye fans are stuck with so many Big Noon games, but I’ve got two different commentary teams that I wish got more time calling Ohio State games.
Both of these teams lean far more on substance than style, which has long been my problem with Gus and Joel. I’ll start with the Fox option, since there is more of a possibility that the Buckeyes could draw them at some point than the ESPN entry.
Jason Benetti and Brock Huard generally do games in Big 12 territory and West, since Huard is a Pacific Northwest guy; although Benetti does live in the Midwest as the new play-by-play man for the Detroit Tigers after eight years with the Chicago White Sox. Benetti isn’t going to make calls that are going to become memes like “You got barbeque back there and you didn’t invite me. Hurt my feelings!” But what he is going to do is call a clean game, clearly articulating what is happening on the field while understanding the sport and its rules; something that you cannot always say about Gus.
While I do think that Joel does a good job of breaking down the football specifics, he also likes to hear himself talk, and I think he gets caught up in his partner’s antics. Look, Ohio State football is exciting enough on its own, I don’t need a bunch of histrionics to make me pay attention.
Huard delivers all of Joel’s insight (and more) while making viewers who aren’t football experts feel like they can understand the finer points of the game as if they had been playing and coaching the sport for years. So, if Ohio State is going to be stuck on Fox for the foreseeable future, I would far prefer that it was with Jason and Brock than Gus and Joel.
I have similar feelings about Mark Jones and Louis Riddick, but the chances of them ever calling a Buckeye game are slim to none due to the Big Ten’s current media rights deals. Even if OSU does play on the Worldwide Leader in Sports for a non-conference or playoff game, they will almost certainly get one of the more high-profile broadcast duos, which is too bad, because Mark and Louis are everything I want in a play-by-play team.
Mark is an excellent play-by-play announcer with years of experience in both football and basketball. He is calm, measured, and professional as a baseline, and excited when need be. Obviously, Louis has years of experience as a player, but when you throw in his years in player evaluation, he brings something to broadcasts that nearly no one else does.
So, I know that it’s unlikely that we see this pair call a Buckeye game anytime soon (if ever), but I would far prefer them to just about everyone else in the regular rotation.
Continue reading...
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
A few weeks ago, CBS analyst Gary Danielson announced he would be retiring following the 2025 season, which will mark his 36th season on television, making him the longest-tenured college football analyst on any network. Danielson joined CBS in 2006, which had him calling marquee SEC games for nearly the last two decades.
Ohio State fans who don’t remember Danielson from his time with ESPN/ABC from 1990 to 2005 became a little more familiar with Danielson over the last couple of years since the Big Ten replaced the SEC in the 3:30 p.m. ET time slot on the network.
While we all know the best broadcaster for Ohio State games is undoubtedly Paul Keels, unfortunately, “Big Daddy” is only available on the Ohio State Radio Network. With Buckeye games being spread between CBS, FOX, NBC, and the Big Ten Network, there are plenty of different voices who call Ohio State games. Some of those voices are beloved, others are hated, and then there are some that fans are indifferent to.
Today, we want to know who you love hearing broadcast Ohio State games. Even though football is king, we are also interested in hearing answers pertaining to basketball broadcasts as well. With so many different networks airing Ohio State games, there are bound to be a variety of options. While there are also some great options from years past, like the legendary Keith Jackson, we are going to try and keep the answers to this question to those currently broadcasting.
Today’s question: Who do you love hearing broadcast Ohio State games?
We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.
Brett’s answer: Kevin Harlan
If we’re being honest, I would listen to Kevin Harlan read the dictionary. Just look up some calls from Harlan when some idiot fan runs on the field and security is chasing them. Harlan can make something as trivial as somebody getting liquored up and running on the field sound like art. He knows when it is appropriate to get excited and does the moment justice when it calls for it, which is something Gus Johnson struggles mightily with since he tries to make a 2nd and 7 play in a 0-0 game in the middle of the first quarter sound like the last play of the Super Bowl.
Unfortunately, we only get to listen to Harlan call Ohio State basketball games since he is currently working NFL games on Sundays during the regular season, which doesn’t allow him to work CBS college football games on Saturdays. Don’t get me wrong, I really like Brad Nessler, so it’s a little easier to stomach not getting Harlan to call college football games. Maybe it changes in the future, but it’s hard to see Harlan stepping away from NFL broadcasting since the league is obviously the top professional sports league in the country.
As tough as it has been to watch Ohio State basketball over the last few years, at least when they are on CBS, there is a chance that Harlan will be on the call, making the inevitable shenanigans from the Buckeye hoopers a little easier to stomach. In the end, Harlan is truly a pro’s pro. He has been doing this long enough that he has seen about everything there is to see, and knows how to treat certain moments. Plus, Harlan has worked with Reggie Miller, so he knows how to handle someone who talks too much and says some ridiculous things.
Matt’s answer: Jason Benetti and Brock Huard; Mark Jones and Louis Riddick
I know many of you love Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt, and I am happy that you enjoy them, since we Buckeye fans are stuck with so many Big Noon games, but I’ve got two different commentary teams that I wish got more time calling Ohio State games.
Both of these teams lean far more on substance than style, which has long been my problem with Gus and Joel. I’ll start with the Fox option, since there is more of a possibility that the Buckeyes could draw them at some point than the ESPN entry.
Jason Benetti and Brock Huard generally do games in Big 12 territory and West, since Huard is a Pacific Northwest guy; although Benetti does live in the Midwest as the new play-by-play man for the Detroit Tigers after eight years with the Chicago White Sox. Benetti isn’t going to make calls that are going to become memes like “You got barbeque back there and you didn’t invite me. Hurt my feelings!” But what he is going to do is call a clean game, clearly articulating what is happening on the field while understanding the sport and its rules; something that you cannot always say about Gus.
While I do think that Joel does a good job of breaking down the football specifics, he also likes to hear himself talk, and I think he gets caught up in his partner’s antics. Look, Ohio State football is exciting enough on its own, I don’t need a bunch of histrionics to make me pay attention.
Huard delivers all of Joel’s insight (and more) while making viewers who aren’t football experts feel like they can understand the finer points of the game as if they had been playing and coaching the sport for years. So, if Ohio State is going to be stuck on Fox for the foreseeable future, I would far prefer that it was with Jason and Brock than Gus and Joel.
I have similar feelings about Mark Jones and Louis Riddick, but the chances of them ever calling a Buckeye game are slim to none due to the Big Ten’s current media rights deals. Even if OSU does play on the Worldwide Leader in Sports for a non-conference or playoff game, they will almost certainly get one of the more high-profile broadcast duos, which is too bad, because Mark and Louis are everything I want in a play-by-play team.
Mark is an excellent play-by-play announcer with years of experience in both football and basketball. He is calm, measured, and professional as a baseline, and excited when need be. Obviously, Louis has years of experience as a player, but when you throw in his years in player evaluation, he brings something to broadcasts that nearly no one else does.
So, I know that it’s unlikely that we see this pair call a Buckeye game anytime soon (if ever), but I would far prefer them to just about everyone else in the regular rotation.
Continue reading...