There are few moments in football more exciting — at least from a broadcasting perspective — than a Hail Mary touchdown. Every part of that play should be what all football announcers dream to call: the roller coaster of emotions, the jubilation the pandemonium — all of that.
Those plays have produced some of the great football calls. But no, the ESPN3 call of the finish to the Division II Grand Valley State Lakers and Ashland Eagles game will not be joining the pantheon of Doug Flutie at Boston College and the Minneapolis Miracle.
Tom Cleary — the regular announcer for Grand Valley State — was serving as the ESPN3 voice for the game, and when Ashland quarterback Austin Brenner completed a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown, Cleary chose to react with virtually no enthusiasm.
Brutal.
Even if your team is on the wrong end of a Hail Mary, most announcers would muster some emotion. After all, Hail Mary touchdowns don’t happen on a regular basis. And Cleary probably should have adjusted his coverage to suit an ESPN3 audience.
But no, he chose to be completely unimpressed by the objectively impressive touchdown. Ashland won the game, 20-17.
(Thanks to Awful Announcing for sharing)
