Each and every bit of video that we have whereby ESPN sportscaster Chris Berman is behind the mike at the studio desk are simply “nuggets of gold” in our treasure chest of vintage memories here at ImaSportsphile…..cuz he is one of our legends of sportscasting that we hold in the highest regard….who embodied a style unlike any other sportscaster.
Berman is well known for his various catch-phrases and player nicknames as evidenced by the following:
His mid-play prediction of a touchdown run as “He could…go…all…the…way!” is perhaps his most famous phrase, and one of the first he adopted….for It was featured on the Jock Rock, Volume 2 compilation album.
His home run calls of “Back, back, back, back…Gone!”, which he implements most commonly during the MLB Home Run Derbyare drawn from Red Barber.
A “Whoop!” is uttered during highlights when a player makes a quick move or causes someone to miss or make a mistake.
“Tick, tick, tick, tick tick tick tick…” during a post-game recap, for a play or moment in which the clock is a factor.
When a large player such as a lineman runs with the football, Berman describes him as “rumblin’, bumblin’, stumblin'”.
Berman is also known for integrating puns into player nicknames like dubbing former Minnesota Twins pitcher Bert Blyleven “Bert Be Home Blyleven”.
Berman adopts the persona of his alter ego, “The Swami,” to make predictions on Sunday NFL Countdown.For seven consecutive years “The Swami” predicted a Super Bowl between the San Francisco 49ers and the Buffalo Bills….with one or the other, but never both…..making it during that span. In this video herewith, Berman is at the ESPN studio desk for the nightly highlights of NHL and MLB action on a night that has both leagues starting playoff play.
Simply put, Chris Berman was one of a kind…..whose 41 year career at ESPN serves to amplify the greatness of this man of sports.