Losing their voices

The wonders of technology allowed me and plenty of others to watch yesterday's Woody Durham retirement press conference live via the Internet.

There's some irony in that juxtaposition -- hundreds and maybe thousands of people having the ability to watch and listen, all across the world, to a venerated man signing off from a venerated profession.

But the most profound irony, I thought, came when Durham was asked to name some of the radio play-by-play guys he listens to. He acknowledged that he doesn't listen to many games anymore.

This is a sad phenomenon, the loss of so many longtime voices that have been so important for so long. As Tony Barnhart articulated in this piece, the cumulative effect of so many icons departing has a sobering effect as we realize it's basically the end of a long and meaningful institution.

These men began their careers before television dominated the college football landscape. They were charged with bringing the color and pageantry of game day to the faraway corners of their state. They painted the picture of the game with their voices. And even when the games were on television, fans would turn down the sound and listen to their "voice" tell the story of the game.

The business has changed so much since they began. Radio is much more corporate, less emotional. These guys were all about creating an emotional bond with the fans of their respective schools.

And the point of today's exercise -- and the reason we tip our hat to Woody Durham -- is that there are not many of the true "voices" left in college football and basketball.

When I say it's the end of an institution, that might be considered a bit of a reach because there are still radio play-by-play guys who are excellent at their craft. But the next generation of these craftsmen will not command near the profile or reach of their predecessors, and that speaks much more to where we are technologically than to any deficiencies these guys possess professionally.

The mid-80s and 90s don't seem that long ago, but the past decade has quickly made relics of so many routines we held dear.

Once upon a time, Danny Ford and Joe Morrison had no problems going to the local watering holes and grabbing a beer or three.

Once upon a time, a player could express confidence in winning an upcoming game and it didn't become a roiling controversy.

Once upon a time, fans anxiously awaited the Sunday paper for the final word on the previous day's game, plus a bunch of photos that added colorful perspective to the game from different angles.

Once upon a time, the Sunday coaches' shows were indispensable because they provided highlights of the previous day's game and fresh perspective from the head coach.

And, once upon a time, play-by-play guys served as a lifeline when road games were not televised.

Things are just so much different now. Just about every game is televised. We have high-definition TV. We have DVR. And we have IPhones and Blackberrys and whatever else that enables us to access immediate highlights, photos and analysis with the swipe of a finger.

Sure, there are still people who prefer to turn the sound down at home and listen to the voice that's affiliated with their team. There are still people who wear the headphones at the games and let the familiar voice describe what's unfolding before them. And there's still an essential need for the play-by-play guy in sports that aren't heavily televised, namely college baseball.

But nowadays, for most of us, listening to these revered voices is just not a part of the routine because it doesn't have to be.

It's similar to the way a lot of us 30- and 40-somethings view newspapers in their printed form when we grab one at a restaurant, hotel or airport: We like having them in our hands, we like the smell, and every now and then we like taking our time thumbing through the news of the day.

But it's mostly a brief nostalgia act that's cut short when we get the latest news alert on our smart phones.

It's just a different time, and that much is true when Woody Durham reveals that even he -- among the most distinguished and decorated radio voices you can find -- doesn't listen to many voices on the radio anymore.

LW