Remembering Larry Munson’s favorite Bulldog calls
Nobody called a game like Larry Munson! (University of Georgia)
In honor of Larry Munson, longtime voice of the Georgia Bulldogs who died Sunday at age 89, here’s an excerpt from a piece I wrote in September 2009 …
No offense to Scott Howard or anyone else who ever mans a microphone for UGA football games, but in the hearts and minds of the Bulldog Nation, there’ll never be anyone who approaches the status of Larry Munson.
As coaches and players came and went, the one-of-a-kind broadcast legend was the constant in Georgia football for more than four decades and became one of the most beloved figures ever at UGA. It doesn’t usually take much prompting, either, to get Dog fans to wax nostalgic about their favorite Munson calls.
“From Herschel to a Hobnail Boot,” the memoir Munson wrote with longtime sportswriter Tony Barnhart, features Larry’s picks of his 10 favorite calls from his days in the UGA broadcast booth.
Here are the ones he picked:
1. The 2001 game in Knoxville, known forever as the “hobnail boot” call.
2. The 1980 “Run, Lindsay!” call in Jacksonville.
3. The 1975 Florida game’s Appleby-to-Washington “thinking of Montreal” call.
4. The 1980 “My God, a freshman!” call in Knoxville. (Munson says WSB got complaints about his language.)
5. The 1982 “Hunker down, you guys!” and “Look at the sugar falling out of the sky!” sequence at Auburn that kicked Munson’s legend into high gear.
6. The 1978 “Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!” call of Rex Robinson’s game-winning field goal at Kentucky.
7. The 1984 win over Clemson thanks to Kevin Butler’s 60-yard field goal (”The stadium is worse than bonkers!”).
8. The 2002 pass from David Greene to Michael Johnson to beat Auburn and send Georgia to the SEC championship (”Touchdown! Oh, God, a touchdown!”).
9. The 1978 come-from-behind win over Georgia Tech (”There’s a man open! Arnold!”).
10. The call of the 1973 Andy Johnson score against the Vols that had Munson yelling, “My God! Georgia beat Tennessee in Knoxville!” He says that last call was the one that really prompted the Bulldog faithful to embrace him as one of their own.
Good times. And even better because of the way Munson described them to us.
Got a question for the Junkyard Blawg? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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— Bill King, Junkyard Blawg
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118 comments Add your comment
Classof'82
November 21st, 2011
7:45 am
Just listened to the last 4:00 of the ‘82 Auburn game and I’m in tears.
Hunker Down
Raleigh
November 21st, 2011
7:58 am
In 2002 my mom, sister and I travelled up to at. Simons island from our home in Jacksonville Florida to watch the game with my granddad, who had a bad cold at the time. We were losing the whole game, everyone was down, and while we had the game on the tv, we had Larry on the radio too, and he was right there with us. Me laying on the floor in agony, fretting over our inability to move the ball, my mom couldn’t even listen, and my granddad on the couch rubbing his forehead with each incompletion. But Sean jones’ big plays gave us a spark. We had hope, and 70x takeoff took us to the championship game. At ten years old I had already been to many games and knew all about Larry and the history, but that game stands out. Larry was right there with us in that small condo on st. Simons island, and we loved him for it. Rest in peace Larry, you Wil be missed in the bulldawg nation.
dawgonit
November 21st, 2011
8:06 am
I don’t remember the game, I think it was Tech. But we were on the game winning drive and Larry say after a run that “the ball is 8 inches in front of the twenty yard line and the back of the ball is 4 inches behind the line.” He said, “I’m sorry if I’m getting technical, but I’m getting superstitious!”
I knew that he knew how I felt watching the game. He was agonizing as much as I was. That’s exactly what you want from your announcer. You want him to love your team as much as you do.
RIP Larry, a damn good dawg.
Tina
November 21st, 2011
8:08 am
The Bulldog Nation has lost its greatest supporter. RIP, Larry Munson.
Jordan
November 21st, 2011
8:09 am
http://isportsweb.com/2011/11/20/larry-munson-passes/
fred
November 21st, 2011
8:14 am
a clemson fan from sc… he was the best . i would listen to ga and watch clemson… !!!!!!
Jborodawg
November 21st, 2011
8:16 am
RIP to a great Bulldog. No…A Damn Good Dawg. Larry, I hope you’re enjoying a cigar at a heavenly fishin’ hole.
stendek
November 21st, 2011
8:18 am
I am deeply saddened. The voice of Georgia Bulldog football is now silent forever. Mr Larry Munson was not only a professional of the highest caliber but was one of the staunchest of all Dawg gridiron fans. I always felt like Mr Munson was hurt more by Dawg losses than I was. Now that is a true fan who lives and dies with the team. The voice of Mr Munson was unique. There was no doubt who was calling the shots for the Dawgs over the radio airways. Mr Munson called the impossible dream for the Dawgs against Florida which kept Dawg national championship hopes alive. So what if the announcer fell out of his chair? That rally was something worth falling out of a chair for! One of my favorite artists of all time is official Dawg football illustrator Mr Jack Davis. When Mr Davis reveals his memorial for Mr Munson will the AJC please share it with readers? I am still in shock. I cannot believe Mr Munson is gone. The voice of Georgia Bulldog football got to make the calls for one legitimate Dream Team in 1980. One can only hope he smiles knowingly from above as another Dream Team attempts to fulfil its destiny against tremendous odds. LSU, Alabama and Arkansas are excellent football programs but they are all lacking in one important aspect. None of them ever had Mr Munson! Rest in peace dearest friend. I love you. All of the Dawg Nation does.
C-ville dog
November 21st, 2011
8:27 am
RIP damn good dog
BobDawg
November 21st, 2011
8:27 am
I knew Munson was special in the 80’s when a Clemson fan in Easley SC told me he would listen to Munson during Clemson/Dawg games rather than his own announcer… He always laughed that Munson would create a “larger than life” player on the opposing team to scare us all to death.. Once he said Munson said their Nosetackle (The Fridge) was 500lbs and 6′ 9″ in size and “how are we gonna be able to block ‘em”???
stendek
November 21st, 2011
8:28 am
If I were a wealthy man instead of one of the poorest of all I would commission Georgia football illustrator Mr Jack Davis to produce a drawing of Mr Larry Munson falling out of his broadcast booth chair during his description of the Georgia-Florida 1980 showdown. It would be on prominent display at my home as long as I lived. It would be worth far more to me than any Rembrandt or Van Gough. I know most true Bulldog fans feel the same way. Rest in peace Mr Munson. You are missed. That welp you heard was from Russ. He misses you too.
PreyDawg
November 21st, 2011
8:43 am
All kuddos to Larry, a true legend. However, I must give props to Scott and Eric. I always thought we would spend years looking for the right combination to replace Larry. Thought we would change announcers ten times. But Scott and Eric made the transition smooth as silk. I think we went from having the best announcer in the college game with Larry, to having the best announcer team currently in the game.
Ed Pilcher
November 21st, 2011
9:02 am
Some of my best memories are of Munson calling games, as we didn’t have cable TV and UGA only played once or twice on TV at the most. My personal favorite:
“And now we’re gonna try and kick it 100,000 miles……Plus a foot and a HALF….And Butler kicks a long one….a LONG ONE……O MY GOD!! O MY GOD!!!!…….The stadiun is worse than BONKERS!!!”
Rest in Peace, Larry.
stendek
November 21st, 2011
9:07 am
For Larry Munson:
http://stendek.tumblr.com/post/13110725272/voice-of-dawg-football-silent-with-death-of-larry
ralph
November 21st, 2011
9:08 am
As a Georgia Tech graduate, I am not a fan of UGA football, LOL!. However, Munson was a great voice to the UGA football program. I must admit I would listen to UGA games on the radio just to hear his play by play. Larry, you will be missed
C
November 21st, 2011
9:10 am
Don’t forget Munson’s great Falcons calls as well. DEION!
DLHC
November 21st, 2011
9:10 am
Bless you, Larry. And thanks for the memories.
AltamahaDawg
November 21st, 2011
9:20 am
I think more so than the Famous Calls, it’s the comments Larry would make so effortlessly during the course of the game, that I miss the most. A mile. Tree Trunks. Came out of his shoes.
The guy could paint an impending doom and then break the tension with a “Larryesque” one liner better than anyone out there.
suwdawg
November 21st, 2011
9:24 am
Great comments and really can’t add much more other than this is a great loss for me the bulldawg nation and many others who really admired the Munson as much as he admired and loved the dawgs. I am UGA born and bred and much of it because of Munson. My condolences to his family and as you can tell he was very much loved.
Alphare
November 21st, 2011
9:31 am
Larry, rest in peace.
Not a UGA fan, not to try to offend you sir. In my honest opinion, to summarize your style, it’s pretty much: “coolaid, coolaid, oh my God, coolaid!”
I am glad you had so many UGA fans.
Bigdawg63
November 21st, 2011
9:39 am
Like all Dawg Fans, I am saddened by this news. There will never be a better DGD. Rest in Peace Larry!!! May there be a Sanford Stadium in Heaven and you get to call all the games you wish!!!
Go Dawgs!!!
WDE
November 21st, 2011
9:43 am
Larry rest in peace, I just haven’t got the words to express this loss,thank you sir a thousand times thank you !
+
November 21st, 2011
9:56 am
…. 3rd down and a 100 miles to go.
Jan
November 21st, 2011
9:56 am
Now Larry, you’ve added “extra sugar to the sky” and we know you and Lewis will be talkin up a storm about the “DAWGS !”
You were, are, and will always continue to be remembered and loved…..
robodawg
November 21st, 2011
9:56 am
I always liked just hearing what color “shirts” and “hats” the teams were wearing.
atgotbling
November 21st, 2011
10:02 am
RIP Larry, I hope you are getting in some fine fishing this morning!
south
November 21st, 2011
10:15 am
RIP Larry…
I was always frightened when he described the opposing teams…”Man are they BIG!!”
invictus mon
November 21st, 2011
10:16 am
Somebody needs to do a flyover in Sanford Staduim at our next game there and dumb a load of sugar onto the field. That or let’s win the SEC Championship so we can win the Sugar Bowl one more time for our iconic announcer. I much prefer the latter!
Bosox9
November 21st, 2011
10:31 am
Munson made Dog games sound like a day at the beach — Omaha Beach, on D-Day.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 21st, 2011
10:33 am
No details on when the funeral will be or where he will be buried?
This is a difficult week with the holiday to do a funeral I would guess.
Has Cuz said how Baylie is doing? Doesn’t she have surgery this week?
how2fish
November 21st, 2011
10:39 am
Can you just imagine if he was able to call the upcoming SEC championship this year….it would be so classic Munson “little Georgia vs the mighty fill in the blank”
Cuz
November 21st, 2011
11:03 am
Get the picture. 1982. 785 South Milledge, Athens Georgia. Sitting on the front porch with 75 of my closest friends. One keg and one radio, no TV. All is silent as the gravel voice comes out of the speaker.
“I know I’m asking a lot you guys, but hunker it down one more time!”
Auburn quarterback Randy Campbell throws incomplete on a final fourth-down pass, Georgia is able to run out the clock to claim an SEC championship and a spot in the Sugar Bowl.
“Look at the Sugar falling out of the sky, look at the sugar falling out of the sky!”
I looked up. You did too.
God bless you Larry Munson. The Bulldawg Nation is in morning.
how2fish
November 21st, 2011
11:05 am
Cuz how is your daughter doing ? Hope the surgery went well.
Cuz
November 21st, 2011
11:07 am
Still, Baylie has surgery tomorrow. I spent the morning in the Mayo business office while she slept. She has an appointment with the doctors in one hour.
She will be wearing a red top with black britches. Get the picture.
how2fish
November 21st, 2011
11:08 am
Cuz best of luck to her and your family !
The Grinch
November 21st, 2011
11:33 am
Bill, maybe you can help me with one of my favorite Munson calls. I beieve it was 1974 and the UF games wasn’t on TV. I remember hearing Larry’s voice rising in excitement as Glenn Harrison was returning either a kickoff or punt. The hair rose on my arm as the run played out. He ran it for a TD but it was called back because of a penalty. Munson said it was an unbelieveable run and he estimated Harrison ran about 150 yards total zigzagging back on forth. I would love to hear that again, but it won’t make anyone’s “top” list because the play was called back.
dawgphish
November 21st, 2011
11:35 am
RIP Larry, you have been and always will be missed. thanks for all the memories
Mr. Dawg
November 21st, 2011
11:43 am
For me it was the Auburn game in ‘82 with the “Sugar Falling from the sky”. I was a freshman in 1980 who graduated in ‘84. Lucky me. Back in those days only 2 or 3 games a year were televised and that usually included a bowl game. Somehow the deciding game for the SEC Champion featuring Heisman trophy favorite Herschel Walker wasn’t televised! Lucky me again in retrospect. I was home from school working out with weights in our basement that afternoon listening to Larry implore the Dawgs to “Hunker Down one more time!”. It’s a testament to Larry that considering how many great games I went to during that great run it was his call of that game on the radio thath stands out as vividly as anything I can remember from those days.
Jborodawg
November 21st, 2011
11:44 am
Just stuff like, “He picked up two, two and a half, three yards…”
Or…
“Third down and a LONG three, three and a half yards…and those big, I mean HUGE linemen they have over there that we’re trying to block…”
Of course, we’ll never forget, “Loran, whadaya got?” And how sometimes it sounded like he was a little annoyed…like Loran was buzzin him or somethin’.
Not just the “great” calls but his calls the whole game. And I tell ya something else…we HATE the delay between radio and TV! Otherwise, we’d ALL be listening to Larry.
PS…Best wishes to Loran…we know you’re grieving big time.
chris pendley
November 21st, 2011
11:49 am
When I was in my youth and I would play in the the back woods behind our house, late in the evening my mother would come out to the back porch and yell “come home son it’s time for supper”. Even though I could not see her I knew exactly who it was and where she was and what I wouldn’t give to here her voice once more. Even though we can’t see you Larry we know exactly who you were and where you are. Say hi to mom for me Larry.
Steve
November 21st, 2011
11:49 am
Thank you Larry.
chris pendley
November 21st, 2011
12:00 pm
And what I wouldn’t give.
harold
November 21st, 2011
12:16 pm
LARRY MUNSON AND JOHN WARD AT TENNESSEE WERE THE BEST EVER!
Felix Millan
November 21st, 2011
12:28 pm
RIP Larry, the Greatest Bulldawg of the all. Slide over Grizzard, company’s coming.
Yellow Jacket 89
November 21st, 2011
12:32 pm
Rest in peace, Larry. He was a great announcer and will be well remembered. Listening to UGA games (even when rooting against them) without him isn’t the same.
Heath
November 21st, 2011
12:35 pm
Your voice will never be silent and will live on for all time! Thank you for all the memories Larry!!!!
Russell Hall
November 21st, 2011
12:45 pm
Bill, I think you capture it perfectly in your final sentence. Munson’s calls are forever intertwined with our memories of the great moments.
fordcobra
November 21st, 2011
12:50 pm
RIP Mr. Munson, sorry we never fished together. You will always be the “Voice” of the Georgia Bulldogs. There will never be anyone like you.
Blessings to U and your Family.
Mobile Dawg
November 21st, 2011
1:05 pm
Eeery things is I can remember exactly where I was on most of those calls. There are times now when I can’t remember what I had for breakfast.
Cuz, God be with you and your Daughter too. I’ve got a “perfectly beautiful” 5 year old and I’m going through round two in life. Whenever I hear of someone going through difficult times with a child I count the blessings we have “right now”. You never know how long they are going to last. I appreciate things so much more now than I used to.
Mobile Dawg
November 21st, 2011
1:08 pm
Interrupted by a phone call, to finish that last paragragh Cuz, I’m sure you appreciate every moment also.