Like so many others, I feel as though a part of my childhood has died. How many of us spent Saturday afternoons with our fathers listening to Jack bring a football game to life? Even now, as I watch football and basketball games, some of Jack's memorable phrases pop into my head.
I posted a list of some of my favorite "Cristilisms" a few years back and am pasting it here:
1. "Don Smith is engineering at quarterback for the Bulldogs, and the six-tall youngster hailing from Hamilton, Mississippi reads a four man defensive front with a three-linebacker set."
2. "Head coach Richard Williams is stylishly bedecked in his grey suit, harmonized with his maroon tie."
3. "The Bulldogs are seven yards away from the land of milk and honey, trailing nothing to three with two times out remaining."
4. "John Fourcade is hit and he is dropped, into the customary seating position. They will spot the ball along the forty-four yard stripe, 'they' being the working officials."
5. "The maroon-headgeared, maroon-jersied, white trousered Bulldogs have football possession with the ball equidistant from the sideline stripes, first and three and goal to go."
6. "The Bulldog offensive linemen are performing yeoman duty along the forward wall."
7. "The handoff is to the tailback and he cannot go, as he is stacked up by a writhing mass of humanity along the three yard line, led by Glenn Collins and Johnny Cooks."
8. "It's as cold as a pawnbroker's heart, but this crowd is alive here at Scott Field."
9. "Reggie Collier wants to throw . . . now under pressure and he's hit and dropped for a loss by Aaron Pearson," [Aaron then celebrates wildly] "and Aaron is aroused."
10. "And Dampier slams it in the goal. Kentucky asks for and receives time out, and we'll now pause for these messages on the Mississippi State network from Coke, from State Farm, and from our good friends at Iupe's, on the Square in Canton."
