Commentators you would want calling your life’s play-by-play

They’re the ones who add excitement, drama and energy to the game. The ones who capture the essence of each play and bring everything to life. The ones who entertain you and give you a total sports experience. Sports are a treat to watch in itself, but when you add the lethal combination of an epic play call coming from a commentator’s voice; it turns into must-see TV. Commentators are critical to a viewer’s experience as he/she watches the game. That is why the best commentator’s always shine above the rest and capture the appeal from the average viewer. Each breath, each moment, each call is exhilarating.

Now imagine you had one of these guys doing a play-by-play on your every day life? That would be beyond awesome.

If you had an opportunity to choose one commentator, to call your life’s play-by-play for the rest of time, who would you choose?

Let’s try and limit the options. In no particular order, here are some prime candidates:

Gus Johnson

One of the most entertaining voices anyone has ever heard. I mean this guy puts the thunder in everything he calls. Boring does not exist in Gus Johnson’s word diet because he’s the absolute polar opposite. Gus Johnson now works for Fox Sports and by many is considered the voice of college hoops. He’s most famous for this call, which landed him to be the voice of Madden 11.

Imagine if Gus Johnson was calling a football game between yourself and your friends?

Kevin Harlan

Kevin Harlan is TNT’s man. The sharp and crisp calls made from him go beyond what anyone else has ever heard in a televised NBA basketball game. Harlan also calls NFL and college basketball games. When you hear Harlan speak, you just know right off the bat that he has “the voice” you’d imagine a great commentator to have. Harlan has such an electrifying voice that he turns any big play into an instant memorable sound bite. Anything you do would be exciting.

Even dunking on your little sibling on a fisher-price net.

WITH NO REGARD TOWARD HUMAN LIFE.

Here’s the real sound clip of this infamous call. Breath-taking.

Marv Albert

We couldn’t make this list without including Harlan’s fellow TNT colleague, Marv Albert. He’s the veteran and the cool cat of the TNT broadcasting crew. He’s the cool cat because he’s so soft-spoken but effective with his style of broadcasting. He’s in the basketball HOF and is considered to be the voice of basketball.

Watch and listen as Marv Albert smoothly calls this grade-one basketball game.

Vin Scully

“Scully sets up the action in a way that is easy even for the most casual of baseball fans to understand. He’s also the only announcer in all of baseball who doesn’t need a color commentator by his side. He doesn’t need one, he describes all of the action perfectly. Over 60 years after his career in announcing baseball games started, he’s still unique.”

–Stephen Smith

Scully is a one-man show and has called some of baseball’s greatest moments. Scully would illustrate what you’re having for dinner to a tee and make it interesting.

Bob Cole

Bob Cole is 80-years-young and is arguably the greatest hockey commentator of all-time. He’s known for his primary work on Hockey Night In Canada and never ceases to entertain any listening audience. Many older hockey fans grew up listening to Mr. Cole and still do because he’s simply too awesome to retire. Bob would make your beer hockey league the new NHL standard.

Jim Ross

There’s no order on this list but it’s simple. Jim Ross is the greatest commentator of all-time. I know, I know, he made a career calling WWF/WWE matches but man could he sure ever entertain an audience with the energy. Good ‘ole JR now works with Fox Sports and this is well deserved because he changed the way people watch wrestling. This WWE HOF’er has also been a hit sensation, going viral numerous of times because of fan-made JR voice over videos.

Here are a couple.

THIS ONE IS GOLD!

Jim Ross is the epitome of a good commentator. He made you feel like you were standing right in the middle of the ring, while absorbing whatever was happening. His dramatics were untouchable and he always went above and beyond with each of his calls, making for some epic moments.

*You accidentally fall down the stairs*

(GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY, GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY, THEY’VE KILLED HIM. AS GOD AS MY WITNESS HE IS BROKEN IN HALF!” (JR Voice).

Luca Rosano @TheSportsRose