Does Jim Nantz Come Up With His Championship Calls Beforehand?
Monday, April 07, 2008
I read an interview with Jim Nantz once where said he honestly doesn't prepare his "Championship Calls" beforehand. With the NCAA Championship tonight and the Masters this weekend he's got a lot of stuff to "not prepare" for. Or has he already planned them out?
According to this quote from a CBS conference call regarding the Masters it appears that he does think them out in advance....
Nantz: I feel a tremendous amount of responsibility to put the right caption and the right story and the right description of what this means within that players heart. They have dreamt of that moment since they were a little boy and they wanted to go the Augusta and win there. And I do feel like I owe it to them to be on top of my game and be able to tell their story in an accurate fashion, to be able to reflect exactly what they are feeling at that moment. I have stories about certain players, anecdotal stuff that I've never used. I'm holding it back for the thought that one day they might win the Masters and if that moment arrives on Sunday, I'm going to tell a story that has never been told before.Aww that's sweet. Although it makes you come across as disingenuous and not "in the moment", but whatever works for you. In related news....what do you think his call for the winner of tonight's game will be. My predictions are "And the Tigers roar all the way to the Championship!" or "We're not in Kansas anymore Toto, but Kansas IS the National Champion here in San Antonio!" I think the second one is definitely a winner....someone send that to Nantzy.
(Quote via CBS PR)
15 Comments:
I was going to try and think of some calls Nantz might make as the clock winds down but I don't think he'll say anything other than what you already guessed. Seriously, whichever team wins, he's saying one of those things. You should bet someone on it.
Let's keep it simple. Like his call in 2003 when Syracuse won it.
"Memphis is your national champion!!!"
OR
"Kansas is your national champion!!!"
If Brandon plays well enough, he'll go for the easy out:
"What a Rush!! The Jayhawks are national champions!"
Buzzer beater by Kansas: "And Kansas take the national championship out of the jaws of the Memphis Tigers."
Jim,
When you are calling the last hole of the masters, shut your pie-hole for a bit and let the sounds of the event come through the TV.
"Jayhawks....as (adjective) as it gets!"
"Manning and the Miracles did it in 1988, Chalmers and Company take it in 2008 for the Jayhawks!"
"Rock, Chalk, Championship Jayhawks!"
"The Tigers will be Walking in Memphis...as Champions."
I always thought Kevin Harlan prepared his final calls too on the Westwood One broadcasts. At least Joe Buck won't be involved.
I don't really see anything in that quote that would make it appear that he comes up with his calls beforehand. Just because he prepares doesn't mean he's not in the moment.
Kansas is a Self-made champion.
His calls are so lame and obviously prepared ahead of time.
I was on that call, and unfortunately what you have included is a wee bit out of context. What he is saying is that he has anecdotal stories about players he has stashed away if he needs them. He does not want to use them all so he has them available if and when the players are in the hunt on a Sunday at Augusta.
That is very different than rehearsing live calls of action.
I heard he's going a different route with the championship call.
The Memphis Tigers/Kansas Jayhawks...THEY AIN'T CARMEN SAN DIEGO!!!
Move over Elvis...there's a new King in Memphis!
conversely,
After tonite, Kansas will remember the alamo. The jayhawks are national champions!
ssreporters got the call right. good work!
There is a big difference between preparing your championship "call" and preparing for the broadcast.
I don't find anything he said to be disingenuous.