KEVIN HARLAN’S BEST MNF CALLS OF 2010

As I was researching the Kansas City Chiefs playoff history last week, I learned that their last playoff win was way back in January of 1994. They beat the Houston Oilers 28-20 to earn a trip to the AFC championship game. The Chiefs iced that game late in the 4th quarter thanks to a 21-yd Marcus Allen TD run.  I knew Kevin Harlan was the radio voice of the Chiefs back then, so, naturally, I had to give the highlight a listen.  As usual, Harlan’s description was on the mark and his excitement was off the charts. Go ahead, give it a whirl, it’ll pump you up. Special thanks to the Kansas City Chiefs Radio Network for the audio.

Seventeen years later, Harlan is the lead play-by-play announcer for Westwood One’s Monday Night Football broadcasts.  With Harlan’s first MNF season in the books, I thought it was worth lending an ear to some of his best calls of the 2010 season.  Buckle up, Harlan’s known for his high energy and intensity, this ride is not for the faint of heart.

Devin Hester’s 62-yd punt return for TD in week 3 against the Packers

A tremendous amount of detail here, but that’s common for Harlan. There isn’t many announcers who can squeeze in so much information as quickly and as clearly as Harlan does in this highlight. Harlan’s signature growl, coupled with the roar of the crowd, as Hester dove into the end zone, was a nice cherry on top of what was an exciting play, made by, as Harlan said, an electrifying player.

Brett Favre’s 37-yd TD pass (500th) to Randy Moss in week 5 against the Jets

Some announcers tend to tighten up when there’s potential for a milestone or record-setting play.  As a result, they botch the call, but not Harlan. He laid out for just the right amount of time before reeling off that it was Favre’s 500th career TD pass. The “37 yard strike from one hall of famer to be to another” line was a nice touch.

Mike Vick’s 3-yd TD pass to Jason Avant in week 10 against the Redskins

Harlan’s ability to speak so quickly and cleanly is really evident here.  There was a lot going on during this play and he nailed it.  As Vick dodged, juked, cut and slipped with his feet, Harlan did the same, but with his words. It’s pretty incredible that he never once stumbled or hesitated. It’s funny because Harlan is the Mike Vick of play-by-play announcers, he’s just sharper and quicker than everybody else.

Kyle Arrington’s 35-yd TD off of Patrick Chung’s FG block in week 4 against the Dolphins

This may be Harlan’s best call of the season. It’s my personal favorite. Why? Well, he was right on top of everything. He immediately knew that Chung blocked the field goal and that it was Arrington who recovered the ball, that’s not easy to do, especially when a play is as chaotic as this one was.  Harlan’s yardage figures were spot-on and he knew exactly what to emphasize after the score, which was Chung, who was the key to the play and was the story of the night.

Matt Schaub’s 5-yd TD pass to Andre Johnson in week 14 against the Ravens

As good as Harlan is, he never forgets the fundamentals of his craft. When I say fundamentals I mean constantly giving down, distance, time, score and field location.  It’s sometimes easy to lose sight of this stuff when you’re as gifted as Harlan is and when you’re caught up in the moment. Some guys would scream “TOUCHDOWN” and lay out for 10 seconds and let the analyst take over.  Harlan, however, gave listeners everything they needed, he didn’t overlook any of the vital information.

Dez Bryant’s 90-yd punt return for TD against in week 7 against the Giants

Here, Harlan’s choice of words was impressive.  He chose to refer to Dez Bryant as “the celebrated rookie.” Which, coincidentally, was exactly what Bryant was this season. Being a play-by-play announcer is more than being able to accurately describe the action.  You have to weave in the storylines of the game, season, players and situation.  Harlan did this with three simple words, that’s quite impressive.

Josh Wilson’s 12-yd interception return for TD in week 14 to beat the Texans

What I took notice to on this call was how Harlan didn’t allow the crowd’s reaction to dictate his play-by-play.  After the touchdown, the entire stadium became silent as the crowd hushed in disappointment, but Harlan wasn’t fazed. He finished out the play properly by not letting the depressed atmosphere around him affect his level of excitement. It’s not natural to be peppy at a funeral, that’s essentially what Harlan was here.

Drew Brees’ 30-yd pass to Marques Colston in week 2 against the 49ers

Here’s another example of Harlan’s knack for being able to clearly relay large quantities of information in the midst of a high-speed, important play. If you hadn’t noticed, this is the only highlight on the list that isn’t a touchdown. I want people to realize, if they haven’t already, that Harlan isn’t a one-trick pony.  He’s capable of calling all sorts of plays under all kinds of circumstances.

Garrett Hartley’s 37-yd game-winning FG in week 2 against the 49ers

A list of Harlan’s best MNF calls of 2010 wouldn’t be complete if there wasn’t a game-winning field goal included. Yes, the kick was good, but did you notice how he described the flight of the ball? He made sure to mention that the ball was “creeping across” the cross-bar and picked up on the fact that it was tipped by a defender.  The guy has a great set of eyes.

Mike Vick’s 88-yd TD pass to Desean Jackson in week 10 against the Redskins

So many good things to say about this highlight.  First, this was the opening play of the game and Harlan wasn’t caught off-guard at all.  You often hear announcers screw up on opening play touchdowns and it’s not hard to understand why.  They set the scene, get through all the sponsors and then do the lineups, after all this, they tend to take their foot off the pedal just a little bit.  Harlan, on the other hand, has his foot on the gas and is focused from start to finish. The result, an excellent touchdown call on the first play from scrimmage. Secondly, to use the term “speed merchant” to describe Desean Jackson is clever and shows that Harlan is as imaginative as they come.  Finally, I loved how Harlan didn’t just say that Jackson ran into the end zone, he said “back-pedaled.”  Yes, a minor detail, but, in this business, the details make all the difference.