Kevin Harlan
Encyclopedia
Kevin Harlan is an American television sports announcer. The son of former Green Bay Packers
executive Bob Harlan
, he currently broadcasts NFL
and college basketball
games on CBS
. Harlan is also a play-by-play announcer for the NBA on TNT. Until 2008, Harlan was the voice of Westwood One
Radio's Final Four
coverage, which is heard on hundreds of radio stations nationwide. In 2009, he began serving as a secondary announcer for Westwood One's Monday Night Football
broadcasts, and in 2010 he replaced TNT colleague Marv Albert
as lead announcer.
). He then was a basketball announcer for his alma mater, the University of Kansas
, for one year, then went on to call games for the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs
from 1985–93. Harlan also split time with the University of Missouri
(1986–89) calling football and basketball games, and worked as the play-by-play voice of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves
for nine seasons (1989–98). On the network level, Harlan called NFL football for NBC
in 1991, college football for ESPN
in 1992–93, NFL for Fox
from 1994–97, and joined Turner Sports
in 1996 to cover NBA playoff games (he would begin calling games throughout the entire season in 1997, which he continues to do to this day). He began working for CBS in 1998.
In addition, Harlan has called Chicago Bears
and Green Bay Packers
preseason games; basketball games during the now-defunct Goodwill Games
, which were owned by Time Warner
; college sports on ESPN
; and several bowl games during college football season. A Wisconsin native, Harlan attended the University of Kansas
and graduated in 1982 with a broadcast journalism degree. He took sportscasting classes under the guidance of former Super Bowl and Chiefs play-by-play voice Tom Hedrick.
He has also lent his voice on the NBA 2K
video game series. Curiously, his voice is similar to fellow NBA on TNT announcer Marv Albert
that 2K Sports
turned to him as a play-by-play announcer for said video game, in response to Albert being the voice on competitor EA Sports
' NBA Live series
.
dunk on Kevin Garnett
in the 2008 Eastern Conference Semifinals. "Lebron James, with no regard for human life!"
In a playoff game between the Los Angeles Lakers
and Minnesota Timberwolves
, Kobe Bryant performed a reverse windmill dunk over several defenders to which Harlan responded, "Buckle up for Kobe Bryant! Kobe Bryant just sucked the gravity out of the Target Center!" During a playoff game in 2005, Tracy McGrady drove to the rim and threw down a vicious one handed facial on Shawn Bradley, and Kevin Harlan said, "Here comes McGrady--OH, he just sucked the gravity right out of the building! What a play by T-Mac!"
As a Kansas City Chiefs announcer, he would often exclaim "Oh baby, what a play!" on any spectacular play resulting in a touchdown. This started in 1991 during a Monday Night Football
game between the Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills
at Arrowhead Stadium
.
Also said, "Is this the dagger?" during the VCU vs Duke
game during the 2007 NCAA tournament, when Eric Maynor
, made the final winning shot to knock Duke out in first round play.
On December 16th, 2010, in a game between the San Antonio Spurs
and Denver Nuggets
, following a monstrous dunk by the Nuggets' JR Smith, Harlan exclaimed, "We just saw man fly!! Ride 'em cowboy!!!"
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
executive Bob Harlan
Bob Harlan
Robert E. "Bob" Harlan is the former Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Green Bay Packers, an American professional football team. He is a graduate of Marquette University, where he was the Sports Information Director for many years...
, he currently broadcasts NFL
NFL on CBS
The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
and college basketball
College Basketball on CBS
College Basketball on CBS presented by State Farm is a presentation of men's NCAA Division I basketball games on CBS...
games on CBS
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
. Harlan is also a play-by-play announcer for the NBA on TNT. Until 2008, Harlan was the voice of Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
Radio's Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
coverage, which is heard on hundreds of radio stations nationwide. In 2009, he began serving as a secondary announcer for Westwood One's Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
broadcasts, and in 2010 he replaced TNT colleague Marv Albert
Marv Albert
Marv Albert is an American television and radio sportscaster. Honored for his work as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he is commonly referred to as "the voice of basketball." From 1967–2004, he was also known as "the voice of the New York Knicks."Including Super Bowl XLII, Marv has called...
as lead announcer.
Biography
Harlan's broadcasting career began in 1982, when he became the TV and radio voice of the NBA's Kansas City Kings (now the Sacramento KingsSacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
). He then was a basketball announcer for his alma mater, the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
, for one year, then went on to call games for the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
from 1985–93. Harlan also split time with the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
(1986–89) calling football and basketball games, and worked as the play-by-play voice of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
for nine seasons (1989–98). On the network level, Harlan called NFL football for NBC
NFL on NBC
NFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS...
in 1991, college football for ESPN
ESPN College Football
ESPN College Football is the branding used for broadcasts of NCAA Division I FBS college football across ESPN properties, including ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, ESPN Classic, ESPNU, and ESPN Radio...
in 1992–93, NFL for Fox
NFL on FOX
NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports...
from 1994–97, and joined Turner Sports
Turner Sports
Turner Sports is the division of Turner Broadcasting System responsible for sports broadcasts on Turner channels including TBS, TNT, and TruTV, and for operating the interactive properties , , , and...
in 1996 to cover NBA playoff games (he would begin calling games throughout the entire season in 1997, which he continues to do to this day). He began working for CBS in 1998.
In addition, Harlan has called Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
preseason games; basketball games during the now-defunct Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
, which were owned by Time Warner
Time Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
; college sports on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
; and several bowl games during college football season. A Wisconsin native, Harlan attended the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
and graduated in 1982 with a broadcast journalism degree. He took sportscasting classes under the guidance of former Super Bowl and Chiefs play-by-play voice Tom Hedrick.
He has also lent his voice on the NBA 2K
NBA 2K
The NBA 2K series is a series of basketball video games developed and released annually. Beginning in 1999, the NBA 2K series was an exclusive to the Sega Dreamcast. The series was originally published by Sega, under the label Sega Sports and is now published by 2K Sports...
video game series. Curiously, his voice is similar to fellow NBA on TNT announcer Marv Albert
Marv Albert
Marv Albert is an American television and radio sportscaster. Honored for his work as a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, he is commonly referred to as "the voice of basketball." From 1967–2004, he was also known as "the voice of the New York Knicks."Including Super Bowl XLII, Marv has called...
that 2K Sports
2K Sports
2K Sports is a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. It comprises a single development studio, Visual Concepts, which was purchased from Sega in the year 2005. 2K Sports mainly develops and publishes American sports video games such as NBA 2K series...
turned to him as a play-by-play announcer for said video game, in response to Albert being the voice on competitor EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
' NBA Live series
NBA Live series
The NBA Elite is series of basketball video games, published by EA Sports. There has not been any entry in the series on a home console since 2009. In November 2010, development of the franchise was moved from EA Canada studio to Florida-based Tiburon studio...
.
Notable lines
Known for his witty dialogue and assortment of creative banter, Harlan can be heard exclaiming: "Buckle up for..." (when any NBA player is about to slam dunk the ball) and "Right between the eyes!" and "He just sucked the gravity right out of the building!" and "He's a flamethrower!" and "He is an assassin" and "Flight (jersey number) is cleared for landing!" and "Up high...and down hard!" and "Good!". Harlan has also been known to exclaim "With no regard for human life!" after an especially devastating play. The most well known are a dunk by Kobe Bryant against the New York Knicks in 2003 and the LeBron JamesLeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
dunk on Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
in the 2008 Eastern Conference Semifinals. "Lebron James, with no regard for human life!"
In a playoff game between the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
, Kobe Bryant performed a reverse windmill dunk over several defenders to which Harlan responded, "Buckle up for Kobe Bryant! Kobe Bryant just sucked the gravity out of the Target Center!" During a playoff game in 2005, Tracy McGrady drove to the rim and threw down a vicious one handed facial on Shawn Bradley, and Kevin Harlan said, "Here comes McGrady--OH, he just sucked the gravity right out of the building! What a play by T-Mac!"
As a Kansas City Chiefs announcer, he would often exclaim "Oh baby, what a play!" on any spectacular play resulting in a touchdown. This started in 1991 during a Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game between the Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
at Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs....
.
Also said, "Is this the dagger?" during the VCU vs Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
game during the 2007 NCAA tournament, when Eric Maynor
Eric Maynor
Eric Demarqua Maynor is an American professional basketball player at point guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He played college basketball for the VCU Rams...
, made the final winning shot to knock Duke out in first round play.
On December 16th, 2010, in a game between the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
and Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, following a monstrous dunk by the Nuggets' JR Smith, Harlan exclaimed, "We just saw man fly!! Ride 'em cowboy!!!"