As the NFL continues its playoff slate of games, broadcasts are available to consume on numerous platforms. Pertaining to local radio broadcasts, fans heard the announcing teams they were accustomed to on a weekly basis. The Green Bay-Dallas game, in particular, drew attention not only because of the outcome, but also for the announcers themselves. There were several impassioned calls on the Packers Radio Network by play-by-play voice Wayne Larrivee.
Larrivee is in the midst of his 46th season broadcasting NFL games and was joined alongside Larry McCarren. He delivered an impassioned call of a touchdown by tight end Luke Musgrave on Sunday afternoon. During his commentary, Larrivee referred to the play as “a dagger right through the heart of the Cowboys.” In reviewing the game on Monday, 98.5 The Sports Hub morning show Toucher & Hardy played this clip and broke down the action.
“Their play-by-play guy Wayne Larrivee is one of the best,” co-host Ryan Johnston said. “When I lived in Chicago for a little while, he was doing Bears games at the time. It was Dick Butkus and Hub Arkush [who] were the color guys, and it sounded exactly like that. You never knew what was happening because Larrivee was drowned out by the color guys just yelling, ‘Go! Go!’”
Show anchor Jon Wallach remarked that the Cincinnati Bengals find themselves in a similar situation on their radio broadcasts. He explained that Dan Hoard, the team’s play-by-play announcer, is often drowned out by color commentator and former offensive lineman Dave Lapham. With the Bengals qualifying for the postseason in two of the last three seasons, there has been considerable excitement surrounding the team.
“At least Ron Wolfley down in Arizona, who sounds like Yukon Cornelius, and he’ll lay out and then at the end he’ll just come in with a, ‘Oh baby. They really took it to the house,’” co-host Rob ‘Hardy’ Poole added, “but he doesn’t interrupt.”
The NFL playoffs continue on Monday afternoon when the Pittsburgh Steelers visit Highmark Stadium to face the Buffalo Bills at 4:30 p.m. EST/1:30 p.m. PST. Both teams will have their local radio announcers commentating the action, along with the NFL on CBS lead announcing team of Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson. The game was supposed to be played on Sunday afternoon; however, a lake-effect snowstorm in Buffalo, N.Y. caused the game to be postponed due to the treacherous conditions.
