Part of becoming a great broadcaster is having a great vocabulary and finding ways to vary your verbiage. That is why a regular feature on this site will be “Announcer Alterations” where we take short clips of pre-existing play-by-play synced to video and come up with five different ways to call the same sequence of events.
Today we honor Steve Raible, the man behind the mic when Marshawn Lynch went “Beast Mode” for 67 yards against the New Orleans Saints during the 2011 playoffs. As usual here is the original call synced up to video and five ways it could have been said differently.
Original verbiage:
Obomanu goes in motion right to left. Third and one to Lynch left side. Finds a little bit of a hole. KEEPS HIS LEGS MOVING HE’S ACROSS THE 40! MIDFIELD, 45, HE’S ON THE RUN LYNCH. 40, PUSHES A MAN, 35. LOOK AT HIM GO! HE’S DOWN THE 20, 15. HE COULD GO…HE’S GONNA GO! TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS…….. OH MY WORD! A 67 YARD RUN. MARSHAWN LYNCH, UNBELIEVABLE! HE MUST HAVE KNOCKED FIVE GUYS DOWN ON THE WAY TO THE END ZONE. THE BEAST IS ALIVE AND WELL.
And five ways to alter the call:
Obomanu motions right to left. Hasselbeck takes the snap. The give to Lynch to the left. Cuts into the middle of the scrum. BUSTING TACKLES AND BREAKING FREE NEAR MID FIELD! STILL ON HIS FEET! BIG STIFFARM AT THE 35. REFUSES TO GO DOWN! AT THE 20. CUTS INSIDE AT THE 10 AND HE’S GONNA SCORE! A 67 YARD EXPLOSION FROM MARSHAWN LYNCH! HALF THE SAINTS TEAM HAD A SHOT BUT THE BEAST WOULD NOT BE DENIED!
Obomanu goes in motion to the left. Hasselbeck takes the exchange. Puts the bread in Lynch’s basket. Starts left, barrels into the big eaters. Keeps the legs churning. BURSTING INTO THE SECONDARY! AT THE 50! BOUNCING OFF TACKLES AS HE ANGLES RIGHT TO THE SIDELINE! JABS AT A FACEMASK AT THE 35! FOLLOWS HIS BLOCKERS TO THE 20. CUTS INSIDE AT THE 15. LYNCH WON’T BE DENIED! 67 YARDS THROUGH THE BLACK AND GOLD MINEFIELD! THE BEAST UNLEASHED ON THE SAINTS!
Obomanu in motion from the right. Center swap to Hasselbeck. Hands it to Lynch. Looks left and charges into the turmoil. Keeps the engine chugging. ESCAPES FROM SEVERAL WOULD BE TACKLERS! TO THE 40, THE 50. JOLTS THE FACEMASK OF A WOULD BE TACKLER. THE 35! CUTS DIAGONALLY TO THE MIDDLE! THE 15. NO ONE IS CATCHING THE BEAST! TOUCHDOWN SEAHAWKS! 67 YARDS FOR MARSHAWN LYNCH! BEAST BE WITH YOU!
Obamanu moves right to left. Quick snap, dishes left to Lynch. Probes the middle for a gap. Runs into a wall but keeps the pistons pumping. DRIVES INTO THE SECOND LEVEL. ACCELERATES TO THE 40, CROSSES MIDFIELD. SHOVED THE FACEMASK OF A WOULD BE TACKLER AT THE 35. FOLLOWS THE PROTRACTOR BACK INSIDE. TO THE 15, HE WONT BE DENIED! PUT SIX ON THE BOARD. 67 YARDS, BEAST MODE IS ON CHEAT MODE!
Obamanu in motion right to left. Hasselbeck prescribes the pill to Lynch. Starts left and bowls to the center. PINS FALLING AND LYNCH STILL GOING ACROSS THE 40, TO MIDFIELD. SOCKS THE DEFENDER WITH A STIFFARM AT THE 35! SLANTS BACK MIDDLE TO THE 15. STILL GOING! STARSHIP! NOTHING’S GONNA STOP US NOW! SIX IS THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST MODE! 67 YARD TOUCHDOWN FOR MARSHAWN LYNCH!
