Durham on Carolina job: ‘Not about me right now’
In the wake of his father Woody Durham’s retirement after 40 years as the voice of North Carolina football and basketball, Georgia Tech play-by-play man Wes Durham declined to entertain a question about the possibility of leaving Atlanta to succeed his father.
“There was a basketball coach who lost to Syracuse a few years back, and he was asked a similar question,” Durham told the Raleigh News & Observer Tuesday, referring to North Carolina coach Roy Williams‘ interview following Kansas’ NCAA championship game loss to Syracuse in 2003. “And I’ll answer it the same way: I respect and understand that you have to ask that question, but it’s not about me right now.”
Durham referred an AJC interview request to that statement. Durham has called football and basketball for Georgia Tech since 1995. He is also the play-by-play voice for the Falcons and co-hosts the “Barnhart & Durham” show on 790 the Zone. In January, he was named Georgia’s sportscaster of the year for a seventh time.
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95 comments Add your comment
FullMetalJacket
April 20th, 2011
8:51 am
Al Ciraldo was a beloved legend and ‘old school’ all the way, but when Wes came here from Vandy he retained some of the old school savvy while adding his own clear, concise, accurate play by play and analysis.
Ken Sugiura
April 20th, 2011
8:51 am
thanks. just put in durham’s call from clemson-tech in ‘04.
Red Clay Hound
April 20th, 2011
8:53 am
Here’s hoping he stays. I don’t pull for Tech in anything, however he does a great job and you can’t help but like the guy. That’s called class when you respect someone and they transcend a rivalry.
juvenal
April 20th, 2011
9:00 am
poor radio here, away games usually on tv, at home games & watch without the distraction of ear phones-don’t think i have actually ever heard him call a game, fragments i’ve heard, a tad too histrionic for my tastes………..
GT Letterman
April 20th, 2011
9:06 am
Wes is a friend. I would hate for him to leave Tech, but following his father would be a great legacy for them both.
51WTGW50
April 20th, 2011
9:07 am
Ken
Thanks for the GState stuff too. Are you still going to cover the Panthers?
You might add the Nesbitt ripping the Fumble away from the FSU player too.
Perhaps
April 20th, 2011
9:07 am
Mick Mixon to CH?
Buzzzed
April 20th, 2011
9:07 am
FSU fumble in the endzone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyGQ_lyd83E
Whatsthegoodword
April 20th, 2011
9:10 am
Whatever. He’s the radio guy. I don’t care. He can go call games in Athens if he wants…
Everybody Hates Attorneys
April 20th, 2011
9:15 am
Maybe Wes will get a raise out of it.
GT45
April 20th, 2011
9:16 am
You don’t need to leave, Wes. You are building your own legacy here.
GT65
April 20th, 2011
9:18 am
Ken see if you can get some info on Chris Bolden de-commits from Miami and would love to play for GT. Maybe see If Coach Gregory has interest etc..He would be a great fit and wants to be at GT.
so long
April 20th, 2011
9:20 am
GOOD RIDDANCE and take Barnhardt too
so long
April 20th, 2011
9:22 am
never did pronounce the word “THROW” correctly, left the “R” out as well as leaving the “R” out of through
Ken Sugiura
April 20th, 2011
9:30 am
GT65 – don’t know if you saw this, but my colleague Michael Carvell reported this about Bolden. Not sure what Gregory would be willing to say, as he’s not allowed to by NCAA rules.
http://bit.ly/i5saGr
51WTGW50 – I’m no longer covering Georgia State. That’s now Doug’s turf.
DawginLex
April 20th, 2011
9:36 am
Durham has a tough decision to make. He is obviously loved and respected in ATL. He could go to UNC and do well.
Tough call. I hope he stays.
I want Munson back too. Notice we haven’t won squat since he left???
ormewood
April 20th, 2011
9:50 am
The UNC play-by-play gig is significantly better than Tech’s gig. Bigger fanbase, preeminent school in its state, bigger radio audience, opportunity to call national championship caliber games. Simply a fact.
But the Falcons gig is one of only 32 such gigs in the country. It’s a job that play-by-play guys aspire to. I’m thinking the Falcons job is the one that will keep him in town.
Wes Durham mum on replacing father | Sportscasters Talent Agency of America
April 20th, 2011
9:58 am
[...] Zone. In January, he was named Georgia’s sportscaster of the year for a seventh time.Read more at the Atlanta Journal Constitution where this story was originally published. [...]
JM
April 20th, 2011
10:12 am
There is no doubt that Wes Durham is the best sports announcer in the state. He’s a great professional. I hope GT and the Falcons can keep him in Atlanta.
Chaddd Scottt: No one will take my calls
April 20th, 2011
10:15 am
Wes Durham is a 100 times better than Larry Munson EVER was.
And no, I am not a jacket fan.
DawginLex
April 20th, 2011
10:39 am
chaddd scott,
you are not a DAWG either if you don’t love Munson. He was the best. Never to be repeated-the mold was broken.
Walker
April 20th, 2011
10:48 am
Wes is the Best. He is also a great partner on the golf course. Would Hate to see him leave.
JoeFan
April 20th, 2011
10:49 am
There is almost no chance Wes would leave Atlanta for the NC job. He has to much going for him here including a high profile city and position with the Falcons. The only positve about the NC job is the basketball gig.
Donezo
April 20th, 2011
10:49 am
Wes is a complete jack-hole! We, a GT organization, tried to use some audio for a charity event to raise money and awareness for children affected by HIV/AIDS and he tried to charge use for his voice. IT WAS FOR CHARITY…benefiting children in the Atlanta area and he is concerned about a 20 second clip with his voice on it shown to a whopping couple hundred or thousand people.
He can leave and go be useless somewhere else.
Donezo
April 20th, 2011
10:52 am
dawgin lex,
Larry Munson didn’t know left from right, north from south.
Maybe that isn’t a problem in Athens since 90% of the fan base probably doesn’t know the difference either.
juvenal
April 20th, 2011
11:09 am
prefer play-by-play guy to tell you where the ball is-let the color guy shout……..
Get back to World of Warcraft, nerd
April 20th, 2011
11:30 am
Why wouldn’t he leave a cesspool like Atlanta for a great gig in NC
Plus he would get to see some Basketball which he doesn’t get to do down here.
Heels Rock and Rule
April 20th, 2011
11:43 am
I’m for Mick Mixon at UNC, former sidekick of Woody’s, and voice of the Panthers. Also a UNC grad, and very intelligent. It comes across in his commentary. I don’t think Wes is a UNC grad, but I am just guessing on that one.
Heels Rock and Rule
April 20th, 2011
11:45 am
I think that the UNC crowd would like to see someone other than Wes. No knock against him though.
Ramblin Man
April 20th, 2011
12:09 pm
@ Heels Rock, Wes went to Elon and not UNC, so hopefully Mixon is the guy.
DawginLex
April 20th, 2011
12:15 pm
Thanks donezo for that insightful commentary.
Since I graduated from Georgia, I guess I’m a big dumb redneck too.
We didn’t have to look at Munson’s diploma to know where he stood regarding the DAWGS. That’s why we loved him. He might not have been smart like you but he sure as heck could pi$$ y’all off calling a football game. Dude got booed walking into the stadium at Clempson. Name me another announcer from a rival scholl that ever happened to.
Munson was the best.
Heels Rock and Rule
April 20th, 2011
12:25 pm
“It’s 31 degrees down on Peach Tree and cold as a dawg”. (Munson on his Sunday evening Bulldog Show)
Hummon
April 20th, 2011
12:31 pm
Speaking as a Georgia fan
Wes is better than our guy, and our guy ain’t bad.
Not Disappointed
April 20th, 2011
12:33 pm
Wes is a great guy and excellent announcer. He has so much going on in Atlanta. I don’t see him leaving, but I’ve been wrong before! @Jeff, UGA Fan. Nice Remarks!
Ramblin Wreck for Life!
M. B.
April 20th, 2011
2:34 pm
Honestly, people, Larry Munson’s “Look at the sugar falling out of the sky!” call is the most stupid comment I have EVER heard a sports commentator make! JUST STUPID!!!
It’s A Mid-Week Link Thing
April 20th, 2011
2:53 pm
[...] broadcaster in his own right and voice of Georgia Tech basketball and the Atlanta Falcons, on whether he would succeed his [...]
furman b
April 20th, 2011
3:37 pm
would love to see that gasbag leavetown. but make him promise to leave the falcons too. for BIG FAT WES it is all about HIM and less about the GAME. GO GO GO GO GO TO UNC
chic daddy
April 20th, 2011
3:53 pm
maybe UNC could hire the ultimate jive talking pimp daddy and alum – STU SCOTT
BOOYAH!
Tall1
April 20th, 2011
4:14 pm
I too would hate to loose Wes. He’s a class act and he knows his stuff on the college and pro levels, If he went to Tar Heel country, I would miss getting to look at Victoria every Sunday in the pew at Northside Methodist, or sitting down the row from her at Tech basketball games
Ken Sugiura
April 20th, 2011
8:03 pm
tall1 – i’m sure wes will take that into consideration.
PTC DAWG
April 20th, 2011
10:11 pm
WD seems like good people to me. Best of luck to him in his career.
original ole yeller
April 20th, 2011
10:37 pm
Wes, please pal do lot leave the jackets. We love you$$$$.
Wes Durham's Gigantic Bottom
April 21st, 2011
2:31 am
Thanks for your kind comments…..I thank you from the bottom of my gigantic bottom.
Okay, then
April 21st, 2011
9:55 am
Not a good sign for Tech when the primary reasons he would stay here have little to do with the Tech program. Instead Falcons (he could commute?), a radio show (could still do that from Chapel Hill).
GTechsta
April 22nd, 2011
12:08 am
what he is saying is “no one has asked me from UNC, so this isn’t about me.”