Many consider these, the best two words in sports: Game Seven. The intrigue, drama and suspense of the ‘winner take all’ game takes a special announcer to be able to convey the feeling without going over the top. Announcers that can control their emotions and at the same time make sure their audience knows and feels the tension involved, are the ones I want calling a game seven. Having control and command of the situation is critical, without getting too swept up in the moment is the key to success in these decisive games. Monday night, Sean McDonough showed he belongs in this group of announcers.
He was tasked with calling Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Oilers were trying to become just the second team in history to win the cup when trailing in the series 3-0. The Panthers were looking for their first ever championship. In what started as a rather one-sided series, it came to an end in dramatic fashion in Florida.
During the final moments of the game, with Edmonton swarming the Florida end of the ice, with all they had, McDonough made a great observation about the group that was on the sheet for seemingly 20 minutes.
“They all look gassed in the Edmonton white,” McDonough said with under a minute left.
Surprisingly with the flurry of activity, McDonough kept his energy and strength up.
“20 seconds to go! One last gasp for Edmonton … 12 seconds to go!” McDonough exclaimed. “Florida trying to end it up against the wall, which would be fitting. Three seconds to go! The Florida Panthers have won the Stanley Cup!”
McDonough then laid out for 68 seconds. Great announcers know that they can’t say anything as poignant as the pictures can. While he was silent, the ABC/ESPN production let us hear and see everything that was going on. The crowd was roaring, the goal horn blaring and the PA announcer anointing the Panthers as champions. It was also a great time to show the contrast between the emotions of winning and that of losing, with a shot of Connor McDavid with his head resting on the boards in front of his bench.
When it was time to speak again, McDonough made sure to recap and put a bow on what happened.
“For the first time in their 30-year history, the Florida Panthers are Stanley Cup Champions. They made it about as hard on themselves as they possibly could.”
Subtle, in control, succinct and simply brilliant. Most on social media agreed with me.
McDonough is no stranger to calling a Game 7. Back in 1992, when he debuted as the lead voice of Major League Baseball on CBS, he was in the booth for the deciding game of the ’92 NLCS between the Braves and Pirates. With Atlanta trailing 2-0 going to the bottom of the 9th, the Braves would score a run, then with two men on, Atlanta’s Francisco Cabrera came up with the game winning hit.
‘Line-drive and a base-hit! Justice has scored the tying run, Bream to the plate…and he is SAFE! Safe at the plate! The Braves go to the World Series! The unlikeliest of heroes wins the National League Championship Series for the Atlanta Braves. Francisco Cabrera, who had only ten at-bats in the major leagues during the regular season, singled through the left side, scoring Sid Bream from second base with the winning run. Bream, who’s had five knee operations in his lifetime, just beat the tag from his ex-mate Mike LaValliere and Atlanta pulls out Game 7 with three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. This place is bedlam. There will be no second nightmare for Bobby Cox. Final score in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series: The Braves 3 and the Pirates 2.’
Another great call by McDonough.
He’s not alone in being adept at calling Game 7’s. I started to think about assembling a ‘fantasy team’ for announcers that I would like to hear on that ‘win or go home’ broadcast. The broadcaster could have done a bunch of those games, one, or even none to get on this ‘team’. There’s a certain style that I’d be looking for, including many of the traits I’ve already discussed when talking about McDonough. The broadcaster doesn’t have to be active to be on the list either.
Game 7 Team (in no particular order):
Al Michaels
With six words, he’s a must to be on this team. “Do You Believe In Miracles? Yes!” Michaels handled the US Olympic Hockey win over the USSR in 1980 pretty perfectly. He asked the question we were all probably thinking when the clock hit zeros. He’s a first team All-American “big call” announcer to me.
Mike Breen
He’s been on the call for nearly two decades of ABC’s coverage of the NBA Finals. Breen has the big game touch, based on his enthusiasm and command of a broadcast. His energy is close to being unmatched among the big four sports broadcasters.
Doc Emrick
I still miss Doc on the call. Nothing against McDonough, but I enjoyed Emrick so much all those years on NBC. Doc had a distinctive voice that lent itself to big moments. The way he articulated his words was pure poetry. His vocabulary, his humor and his enthusiasm make him an easy addition to this team.
Jim Nantz
For years his voice has been synonymous with big moments in sports. Whether it be a Superbowl, an NCAA Championship game or a big finish at Augusta National, Nantz was probably on the call. His call on Tiger Wood’s 2019 win at the Masters was epic. Woods completed the tap-in to win, with Nantz exclaiming , “The return to glory!”, then nothing for 2 minutes and 42 seconds. Nantz let the moment speak for itself. No brainer for him to be here.
Gary Thorne
A nickname like “Game Seven Gary” gets you an invite here too. While he hasn’t been working since being let go by the Orioles, his previous life as a hockey play-by-play announcer was legendary. He alongside Bill Clement were around for many big moments in the NHL. He was there when Wayne Gretzky became the all-time leading goal scorer in NHL history. Thorne was on hand when the Rangers won a Stanley Cup for the first time in 54 years back in 1994. What’s he up to now? Check it out.
Once a play-by-play guy, always a play-by-play guy.
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.