Larry Munson Remembered

Monday morning I awoke to the sad news that Larry Munson had passed away Sunday. I have never met Larry but his graveled voice holds many memories for me. I was born in 1983 so I don't remember all of Larry's calls. I wasn't alive to hear him call some of his great calls like this one from 1980, "Florida in a stand up 5, they may or may not blitz, they won't. Buck back, 3rd down on the 8. In trouble gotta block behind him, gonna throw on the run, complete to the 25 to the 30, Lindsay Scott 35, 40, Lindsay Scott 45, 50, 45, 40, Run Lindsay! 25, 20, 15, 10, 5! Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott! Lindsay Scott!"

However, what I do remember is growing up a Georgia Bulldog fan in the 80's and 90's listening to Larry Munson. Georgia football was my first sports team that I loved. I inherited that from my Grandfather. Some of my most precious memories as a child and teenager were watching UGA games with my Grandfather. He would turn the TV sound off and turn up the radio to hear Larry call the game. The timing didn't always correspond between the TV and the radio but it was worth it to hear Larry call the game. My grandfather passed away in 2008 and I still think about him every time Georgia takes the field. I can still hear Larry's voice in the background and my grandfather yelling at the TV. Larry was one of us, a fan and I can't help but think that maybe this week another fan, my grandfather might just be hanging out with Larry somewhere in heaven sharing some memories becuase Larry's voice filled our house every fall.

As I write this I have a picture of Larry and some of his great calls written out hanging above my desk. This time of year especially I look at that picture and I get a chill as I think about those precious memories of growing up a Georgia Bulldog fan and a Larry Munson fan. One thing that made Larry so great was that he was eternally pessimistic about the Dawgs. That made every win even the more enjoyable. In a season that began 0-2 there was plenty of reason to be pessimistic about this season. But the beloved Dawgs are headed to the SEC Championship game! But first, we gotta beat TECH so come on boys lets win one for Larry. As the Tech game approaches this weekend I can almost hear Larry, "Here we are only 14 seconds for 8 yards. We spread 4 men out The ones on the right are kinda wide. Stafford pointing at the denfense, our center. Shotgun Bobo. Bobo gonna take it and look and throw it in the corner and a TOUCHDOWN! Oh my God a touchdown in the corner. My God in the corner, ole my it couldn't have happened...Our hearts that was torn out and bleeding, we picked it up and we stuck it back inside. I can't believe this we won 27 to 24 and at the end we had no business winning this game." (1997 vs TECH).