NOVEMBER 26th - Boom, Goes the Dynamite



On this day in 1982, Howard Cosell called a fight between Larry Holmes and Randall “Tex” Cobb. The fight was so one-sided, in Holmes’ favor, that Cosell swore off announcing boxing altogether, basically sticking to that promise with the exception of the 84 Olympics. Holmes vs. Cobb fight did go the distance, but two out of the three judges had Cobb losing all 15 rounds. That there's a whupping. And he was a bloody mess by the end of the fight, though he did keep his sense of humor, joking that getting rid of Cosell was his gift to the boxing-viewing public. I actually think that Cosell was one of greatest commentators ever, but it is pretty well documented that he was sucking on grandpa’s old cough medicine a bit too much at the end there, so Cobb’s remark did have a little bite to it. But Cosell also had a point. Watching a guy beat into Bolivia (Mike Tyson joke), can be engrossing in a macabre sort of way, but a competitive match is always more appealing. As a whole though, I don’t have a lot of sympathy for commentators. Except for the “Boom Goes the Dynamite” guy. He figuratively died on camera. But then his saying became a nationwide phenomenon similar to the beanie baby boom of the 90s, so I don’t feel too sorry for him either. I’m not saying the job is easy, and it certainly isn’t for everybody. If you get stage-fright talking to yourself in the mirror, you probably shouldn’t be on TV. But commentating live events? At its essence, you are simply reporting what you see happen, despite the fact that everybody watching the game at home can also see what is happening. So it really all comes down to whether or not you have a good voice. Seriously. Cosell? Great voice. Keith Jackson? Great Voice. John Madden? Turducken--great voice. Al Michaels? Great voice. So I listen to them, despite the fact most of the stuff they say is either obvious or ridiculous. Honestly, I’m just waiting until they get the really great voices in there. How entertaining would it be to have Christopher Walken call a football game? I know. Boom goes the dynamite.

This day has been Marked.

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