Wes Durham
Encyclopedia
Dallas Wesley "Wes" Durham (born January 25, 1966 in Greensboro, North Carolina
) is an American
sportscaster
. He has been the radio play-by-play announcer for Georgia Tech football, men's basketball and baseball teams since the start of the 1995-1996 season, and is known as "The Voice of the Yellow Jackets." He is also Georgia Tech's Director of Broadcasting and the radio play-by-play announcer for the Atlanta Falcons
.
, was the legendary and long-time "Voice of the Tar Heels" for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
for forty years. Growing up in that environment gave Wes the opportunity to see behind the scenes of sports and sports broadcasting.
Wes worked as a disc jockey
for a roller rink and for a radio station
during high school. He then went to Elon College and learned about broadcasting while working as an undergraduate assistant on the Elon Sports Network. After graduating in 1988, he had stints as the radio announcer for the athletic teams at Marshall University
and Radford University
. He then spent three years at Vanderbilt
.
in football and Atlanta TV sports reporter Randy Waters on basketball. Particularly known is his statement upon Calvin Johnson's
game-winning catch against Clemson in a 2004 game:
in addition to his responsibilities at Georgia Tech.
"Fourth down and six, ball is at the twenty one and they're gonna kick it again. Manget from the other hash,spot, kick is away and it.. is.. GOOD GOOD... GOOD, GOOD, GOOD," - 1999 UGA @ Georgia Tech (Game winning Luke Manget field goal).
"Brett Basquin will hold, Ross Mitchell to snap. Snap. Spot. Kick is away.. and it.. is.. GOOD! With two seconds left Georgia Tech has taken the lead on Georgia twenty one to nineteen. And I wanna tell ya what.. it was cut like a prime rib.. right down the middle. Whoa.." -1998 Georgia Tech @ UGA (Brad Chambers winning field goal with 0:02 on the clock)
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
. He has been the radio play-by-play announcer for Georgia Tech football, men's basketball and baseball teams since the start of the 1995-1996 season, and is known as "The Voice of the Yellow Jackets." He is also Georgia Tech's Director of Broadcasting and the radio play-by-play announcer for the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early life
Durham's father, Woody DurhamWoody Durham
Woody Lombardi Durham , known as "The Voice of the Tar Heels", was the longtime play-by-play radio announcer for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill football and basketball teams from 1971 to 2011. Durham grew up in Albemarle, North Carolina alongside Bob Harris, longtime accouncer for UNC...
, was the legendary and long-time "Voice of the Tar Heels" for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
for forty years. Growing up in that environment gave Wes the opportunity to see behind the scenes of sports and sports broadcasting.
Wes worked as a disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
for a roller rink and for a radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
during high school. He then went to Elon College and learned about broadcasting while working as an undergraduate assistant on the Elon Sports Network. After graduating in 1988, he had stints as the radio announcer for the athletic teams at Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
and Radford University
Radford University
Radford University is one of Virginia's eight doctoral-degree granting public universities. Originally founded in 1910, Radford offers comprehensive curricula for undergraduates in more than 100 fields, and graduate programs including the M.F.A., M.B.A...
. He then spent three years at Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
.
Georgia Tech
Wes came to Georgia Tech in the fall of 1995. In 1997, he was also named Tech's Director of Broadcasting. Durham is normally paired with former Georgia Tech and NFL quarterback Rick StromRick Strom
Rick Strom is a Los Angeles, California based electronic music producer.Rick Strom was, shortly, signed to the Water Music Records/Universal label in 2001, but his album Flow was subsequently released as a free MP3 release via the Glowdot label and Soulseek Records...
in football and Atlanta TV sports reporter Randy Waters on basketball. Particularly known is his statement upon Calvin Johnson's
Calvin Johnson (American football)
Calvin Johnson, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Lions second overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia Tech....
game-winning catch against Clemson in a 2004 game:
NFL
Beginning with the 2004 NFL season, Durham also took on the radio play-by-play duties for the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in addition to his responsibilities at Georgia Tech.
Memorable Calls
"Carr to the right with Butler defending.. snap, Ponder hands.. this is Thomas.. FUMBLE, FUMBLED THE BALL aaaand GEORGIA TECH I THINK HAS RECOVERED, THEY HAVE! OH MY GOODNESS... OH MY GOODNESS... THE JACKETS HAVE RECOVERED THE FOOTBALL.... IN THE ENDZONE! He fumbled the football and Rashaad Reid fell on it. Oh.. my.. goodness." -2008 FSU @ Georgia Tech Football (GT goal line stand with less than a minute to play)."Fourth down and six, ball is at the twenty one and they're gonna kick it again. Manget from the other hash,spot, kick is away and it.. is.. GOOD GOOD... GOOD, GOOD, GOOD," - 1999 UGA @ Georgia Tech (Game winning Luke Manget field goal).
"Brett Basquin will hold, Ross Mitchell to snap. Snap. Spot. Kick is away.. and it.. is.. GOOD! With two seconds left Georgia Tech has taken the lead on Georgia twenty one to nineteen. And I wanna tell ya what.. it was cut like a prime rib.. right down the middle. Whoa.." -1998 Georgia Tech @ UGA (Brad Chambers winning field goal with 0:02 on the clock)