THE FRONT ROW: Verne says bye, y'all
Steve Cameron | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years, 1 month AGO
The only drama surrounding last Saturday’s Southeastern Conference title game came immediately after the final whistle.
Everyone and his dog knew the game would be a woofer, as mighty Alabama dismantled Florida 54-16 to the surprise of no one.
But what would happen post-game up in the broadcast booth, where Verne Lundquist — the voice of the conference on CBS for 17 years — had just called his final play?
Lundquist got a hug from partner Gary Danielson and tried to play it straight as he signed off, but Verne just loves people and loves what he does — so he choked up as he tried to say good-bye.
Trust me on this: Merton Laverne Lundquist Jr. was not teary-eyed to be leaving the Deep South’s manic hotbed of college football.
He has called the recruiting, academic misdeeds and other sins committed in the cause of winning “a cesspool,” and he’s happy to leave that behind.
Verne’s emotions were directed at the colleagues who’ve worked with him, with crews, staff, university information folks and everyone else with whom he’s developed relationships over nearly two decades.
AS IT happens, I’ve known Verne Lundquist for almost 40 years.
We’ve joked about his stint doing “Bowling for Dollars” at the beginning of what has been a brilliant career in broadcasting — both on radio and TV.
We’ve played golf almost every summer at the tournament he co-hosts in his hometown of Steamboat Springs, Colo. — and laughed about nearly everything under the sun.
Verne once said he hadn’t done too badly for a “scruffy son of a preacher man,” but that statement was made only partly in jest. His father was indeed a pastor and synod president in the Lutheran church, and Verne himself attended the seminary.
He’ll howl at me for writing this, but Verne would have made an outstanding man of the cloth — for the same reasons he’s a great broadcaster.
The guy is just a heck of a human being, and that laugh and infectious enthusiasm you hear when he calls football, basketball or golf is absolutely genuine.
Verne Lundquist loves life and the people around him. He understands that his smooth, friendly voice is truly a gift that has allowed him fame and riches beyond his imagination.
He’s more than happy to joke about it at his own expense.
BUT FANS and viewers should not mistake Verne’s laid-back demeanor and easy laughter with naiveté.
Sure, he can be funny.
I can’t remember the year, but there was a day when the Steamboat event was rained out, which was pretty rare for the Yampa Valley in July.
Somehow most of the golfers — a smattering of celebrities, athletes, locals, various friends of Verne and his co-host, the late Hall of Famer Doak Walker — wound up jammed into the clubhouse.
There were beverages served (there’s a Steamboat specialty called a “Skeeter Bite”) and eventually the jokes and tales began.
Verne somehow assumed the role of moderator, more or less, and soon the place was roaring.
For hours.
For all his fun and jovial attitude, however, Verne Lundquist is a very bright man who has, as he put it, “made myself imagine for three hours every Saturday that the world was bright and wonderful.”
Yet he’s never been blind to some realities of big-time college sports, especially football in the South — and Verne won’t miss that for a second.
He’s still going to do golf, especially The Masters, and some high-profile college basketball games.
His heart, though, is already back in Steamboat Springs.
Verne was barely untangled from Danielson’s hug when he tweeted: “Heading West, my friends.”
Welcome home, Pastor Lundquist.
Steve Cameron is a special assignment reporter for The Press who has covered sports at all levels for more than three decades. Reach Steve at scameron@cdapress.com.
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