KevinWhitehead
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Posts posted by KevinWhitehead
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Hello everyone ... this is Kevin Whitehead, and I must tell you that I've gotten quite a kick out of this trip down memory lane just as you have. Interestingly, you've listed most of my favorites, as well. The TJ HAYS phenomenon was simply the perfect intersection of hot wrestler with a rabid (Belmont) fan base; a can't miss combination. Jankowski and the echo from the Mater Dei folks was much the same ... it just never created quite the "wall of sound" that we had with TJ. The best combinations come from multi-syllabic names with long vowel sounds ... that's why names like Escobedo, Maldonado, and Weinzapfel were (and are) so great to work with. Hard consonants like Js and Ks are also good. The "growling R" sound in Radnovich worked so well because it seemed to mirror DJ's on-mat personality. Beyond the fan participation favorites (Hays was #1; Jankowski was #2), I think my personal favorites have probably been Rico Talamantes and Demetrius Jackson. Over 33 years, I'm sure I'm somewhere in excess of 5000 different wrestler names called out now, and there have been MANY great ones. It's been my honor and my pleasure to be entrusted with the state finals microphone all that time. Glad you all have enjoyed the ride with me! THANKS!
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Hmmm ... List is probably not all-inclusive after all these years, but these come quickly to mind:
> T.J. Hays
> Dan Jankowski
> anyone with last name JACKSON; but especially Demetrius
> anyone with last name ESCOBEDO
> anyone with last name TALAMANTES
> anyone with last name MALDONADO
> anyone with last name WEINZAPFEL
I have my reasons ...
Wrestlers' Names and State Final Announcer
in Past Discussions
Posted
My sincere thanks to all who have weighed in here. The many wonderful comments shared are both humbling and extremely gratifying. I will honestly admit that the Tom Carnegie reference made me a bit emotional, because that's the model I've long held as the gold standard in this pursuit. To answer a couple of questions raised ... YES, I announced the New Castle semistate for the better part of the 1980s and 1990s, and then did several years at the Evansville semistate beginning with its move there in 2000. And NO, this is not intended as a farewell ... although I'm certainly not anticipating another 33 years! We'll just take it a year at a time ... always waiting for that next great name and next great moment! Bring 'em on!