Versatility is always a key in sports. General managers talk about it as a way to have more flexibility on their rosters all the time these days. Versatility is also a key in sports broadcasting. In this case, the ability to call multiple sports, sometimes in the same week, at a high level. No drop off between sports, and no indication of fatigue based on scheduling.
To me, that tells the story of Dave Pasch. He’s been in the game a long time and continues to be at the top of his game whether he’s broadcasting the NBA, college football, or the NFL. It’s a skill that only a very few own.
I might add, he gets the job done on both television and radio. The balancing act of going back and forth between the two media forms isn’t all that easy, either. Descriptive to the max on one and letting the pictures tell the story on the other. Mastering that craft is not something everyone can do.
THE ROAD TO ESPN/ARIZONA CARDINALS
Pasch went to Syracuse and got started at the student station WAER-FM, where he worked from 1990-94. A year later, he went to work for the West Virginia Radio Corporation from 1994-1995 as a news and sports anchor, and he called high school football play-by-play.
Pasch also worked for WMAQ-AM in Chicago, the signal that now is home to WSCR, one of the sports radio stations in the city. At ‘MAQ, he hosted a talk show (The Sports Huddle) and the Chicago Blackhawks’ pre-game show, as well as calling play-by-play on select Blackhawks broadcasts.
From Chicago, it was on to Detroit. Pasch worked for WDFN-AM there, serving as a sports anchor, talk show host, and play-by-play commentator for International Hockey League Detroit Vipers broadcasts.
He then went back to his alma mater, Syracuse, where from 1999-2002, he was the radio voice for Syracuse football and basketball. Pasch also called select NFL and NFL Europe games for Fox Sports in 2002 and 2003, and did the Buffalo Bills preseason telecasts in 2001.
In 2002, he became the radio voice of the Arizona Cardinals. He has been balancing that job with several others, mainly for ESPN, where he’s been since 2003. For the network he calls NBA games, college basketball games and college football as well. Pasch occasionally pops up on Westwood One radio to broadcast the NFL and the radio network’s coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. He just called the Rams-Buccaneers NFL playoff game on Westwood.
Pasch has worked with a who’s who of analysts in each sport he calls. Chris Spielman, Bob Griese, Urban Meyer and Andre Ware in college football. His partners on his NBA and college basketball telecasts include Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson, Hubie Brown, Doug Collins, Jay Bilas, Dick Vitale, Bill Raftery, Doris Burke and, of course, Bill Walton. More on his relationship with Walton later.
Also at ESPN, he’s handled Major League Baseball broadcasts and women’s college hoops as well.
WHY IS HE SO GOOD?
I already mentioned Pasch’s versatility, and his ability to handle the array of sports he does. As a play-by-play announcer, he is rock solid and always brings an energetic and informative broadcast to the viewer/listener. There’s no flash, but it’s not needed when you have what it takes to deliver games the way he does.
For broadcasters that do multiple sports in the same week, preparation can be an issue. Where do you find time to get ready for each team and each sport in a manner that they deserve? If a broadcaster isn’t sufficiently ready for that game, there’s no fooling the audience. It becomes pretty clear. For Pasch, the preparation is there, the knowledge of the teams is there, and that’s why he’s a pro’s pro.
I also appreciate his sense of humor. There is a way in which he can laugh at himself and his partner without making it too much. In other words, Pasch allows for a little fun when needed and called for within a telecast or broadcast. I’m good with that if it isn’t at the sacrifice of key moments in a game. He has that style down to an art form. This makes a game between two teams that maybe the viewer doesn’t have a rooting interest in fun to watch.
He has the ability to play the “straight man” in the context of his partner getting a little outside the broadcast. Pasch has had plenty of experience being a good partner, especially when it comes to working with Bill Walton.
BILL WALTON
Pasch was paired with Walton on college basketball for ESPN’s Pac-12 coverage starting in 2013. The two work together often and just did a game the other night between Oregon and UCLA. Pasch never knows what might happen during a broadcast.
For example, in this game, Walton went off the rails as usual and also as usual, Pasch played off it, questioned the big man’s thoughts, and offered some well-placed sarcasm. Pasch also kept the viewer up to date on the game while the nonsense was going on.
In the second half of the game, Walton casually mentioned how the “Tinder portal” has worked out very well for the Pac-12. After the UCLA legend kept talking for another few moments, Pasch had to jump in to point out that Walton referred to the NCAA’s transfer portal as the Tinder portal.
Pasch: “You mean the transfer portal? You called it the Tinder portal.”
Walton: “Tinder portal, yeah. That’s what it is.”
Pasch: “You’re saying the transfer portal is like Tinder? You swipe right or left to get a player?”
Walton: “Do you love me today?”
Six game minutes later, Walton again brought up the Tinder portal, and offered an explanation for “the way that works.”
Walton: “The way that works is that they put their name in there and then the coaches start pushing left and right.”
Pasch (sarcastically): “Exactly.”
This is television gold, showing exactly why Pasch is the perfect foil to Walton’s outlandish commentary.
Pasch though told The Oregonian that he appreciates working with Walton and that the former UCLA star wants to be good at what he does on television.
“I emailed Bill after the game this past weekend and his response was, ‘I’m sorry I let you down,’” Pasch told John Canzano. “He’s so hard on himself. I don’t know what he’s talking about. It’s Bill. He’s hard on himself. That’s what made him a great player.”
The broadcaster was also willing to point out that his broadcasts with Walton doesn’t serve all audiences.
“Not everybody finds what we’re doing entertaining. There are plenty of people, probably including several coaches in the conference who don’t enjoy it,” said Pasch.
“The biggest thing is to document the game. When your goal is to document the game and celebrate the players, you can still have fun and allow Bill to be Bill. I do think there’s a fine line there. I’m sure we’ve crossed it where you’re trying to be funny or you’re trying to have a gag work and it doesn’t work because you tried… there is a complete spontaneity to the broadcast.”
COMMUNITY/FAITH
Pasch is a man of faith and put that on display at the beginning of the pandemic. He and his family offered assistance to those struggling to pay their bills. He tweeted the following on March 14, 2020:
“If there is a family in the Phoenix area who will have lost income because of the Coronavirus, and cannot pay a bill, please DM me. The Pasch family would love to hear your story and try to help. Acts 20:35.”
Pasch expanded on his motivations that week to Jeff Metcalfe of the Arizona Republic.
“I just felt this is an opportunity for me as a Christian to live out my faith in a way that’s real and kind of where the rubber meets the road,” said Pasch. “Here’s an opportunity to step up when you’ve got a lot of people that are hurting and suffering and unsure of the future, scared, nervous, anxious.”
He asked those within sports to set the right example. Such a fine message shows how a sportscaster for a local team can become instantly involved in his/her community. It’s so important to have that relationship with the fans on a deeper level.
CONCLUSION
I’m a big fan of Pasch’s work and enjoy pretty much everything he calls on ESPN. Glad to see that solid, no-flash broadcasters are still prospering in the industry. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I appreciate when the announcer excels at making the game the star.
SUMMARY
Dave Pasch has risen through the ranks of top play-by-play announcers in the game. Hard work and a tremendous work ethic and style have helped him along the way. Pasch handles a busy schedule like a pro and excels at all the various sports for which he calls games.
Andy Masur is a columnist for BSM and works for WGN Radio as an anchor and play-by-play announcer. He also teaches broadcasting at the Illinois Media School. During his career he has called games for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox. He can be found on Twitter @Andy_Masur1 or you can reach him by email at Andy@Andy-Masur.com.
