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 clip of pre-existing play-by-play synced to video and come up with five different ways to call the same sequence of events.
I am a born and raised Nebraskan and since this year was a below par season, I’m going to use Warren Swain’s call of Eric Crouch’s 97 yard run vs Missouri in 2001.
So you don’t have to replay the video multiple times, here is Warren Swain’s verbiage:
Tracy Wistrom also in the game at tight end he goes in motion to the left. Eric Crouch pumps once. He’s in trouble, eludes a tackler gets out of the end zone. He’s to the 5, to the 10. Crouch to the 15. Out across the 20. Crouch to the 25. Out across the 30. 35,40. Look out he could go! He’s to the 40. He’s to the 30. He’s to the 20. He’s to the 10. He’s all the way!
And here are five different ways to call the same play focusing on unique description of the action:
Tracy Wistrom who just entered the game goes in motion right to left. Crouch takes the snap on the right hash, pumps once and is under pressure. Breaks a tackle in the end zone and takes off to the right. Out to the ten. Cuts back to the middle. Crosses the 20. Jukes left and crosses the 30 between the hashes. He’s across the 40. He’s behind the defense and he could go! The 40, the 30, the 20, the 10. He’s gonna score! Eric Crouch is in for the touchdown!
Tracy Wistrom is the motion man to the left. Crouch under center on the right hash. Takes the exchange and drops to throw. Pass fake and he’s hounded by John Doe. Slithers away from the tackle and bolts out of the end zone to the right. Out to the 10, cuts to the left between the hashes to the 30. Across the 40. Puts the defense in his rear view. Crouch to the 40, the 30, the 20, the 10. And He takes it all the way home!
Tracy Wistrom subbed in and motions to the left. Crouch takes the ball and a three step drop. Bluffs the pass and is harassed in the end zone by John Doe. Liberates himself from Doe and darts to the right. To the 10, slices left between the hashes to the 30. To the 40. Makes his bid for freedom! Crouch to the 40, the 30, the 20, the 10, and tally up six for Nebraska!
Tracy Wistrom just entered the game and motions right to left. Gets the ball and retreats three steps. Looking to throw. Fakes once and escapes the rush. Scurries out of the end zone to the right out to the 10. Nips back to the left between the hashes to the 30. To the 40. Crouch excuses himself from the table. To the 40, the 30, the 20, the 10 and put six more on the board for the Cornhuskers.
Tracy Wistrom just entered the game and motions right to left. Gets the ball and retreats three steps. Looking to throw. Fakes once and escapes the rush. Scurries out of the end zone to the right out to the 10. Nips back to the left between the hashes to the 30. To the 40. Crouch excuses himself from the table. To the 40, the 30, the 20, the 10 and put six more on the board for the Cornhuskers.
Tracy Wistrom moves right to left presnap. Crouch barks his cadence. Backpedals to the end zone. Looks downfield. Feints. Crouch chased out of the end zone to the right. He’s out to the 10. Jolts back left between the hashes out to the 30. To the 40. Crouch turns on the afterburners. To the 40, the 30, the 20, the 10. And Crouch rips the heart out of the Missouri Tigers.
