Wes Durham - Al Ciraldo

GeorgiaTechFan

GeorgiaTechFan

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My only real memories of Al Ciraldo were in the '80's and then early '90s when I thought he had slipped somewhat...wondered if any of the older crowd here could relate with what Durham does today with Ciraldo of the '60s-'70's...maybe early 80's?

For the record I think Durham is as good as it gets....I even enjoy his calling the Falcons games...and his contributions during the week on 790. Maybe the one negative, I wish he was a bit more of a homer....

Was Al Ciraldo a better play by play man in his prime?
 
---AL could make a corpse rise up and sing Ramblin Wreck--he was very excitable--maybe not as "polished" as some but he bled Old Gold.
 
Wes is the best I have ever heard. The bits of knowledge he has on so many players at his fingertips amazes me.

Al did bleed White & Gold, but I don't think he was near as competent as Wes. But that is OK.

A side note - someone with real knowledge told me that when GT owned WGST, that made Al a state employee. Al sold tons of advertising for WGST, and there were times in his career that he would be the highest paid state employee for the year.

Don't know if true, but I do believe the man who told me.
 
texstinger said:
Wes is the best I have ever heard. The bits of knowledge he has on so many players at his fingertips amazes me.

Al did bleed White & Gold, but I don't think he was near as competent as Wes. But that is OK.
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I go all the way back to the days when Al first started announcing the Tech games and I agree with what you wrote. Al was a great Tech man but Wes is best of the two, IMHO, and that's definitely saying a lot. Kinda like comparing 22 to 24 carat gold.
 
The guy before Al was great too. Jack ...? But Al had those great signatures ("Toe meets leather".) I must say I liked him better than Wes, who is essentially a reporter, not a homer.
 
Both are great announcers. Al was very distinctive - great voice, wonderful phrases unique to him, painted a great picture with his words. He was on the radio at a time when few Tech games were on TV - so he really was great at calling the game and you could close your eyes and envision what was going on.

Wes is more articulate and accurate - a true professional. He realizes almost all of the games are on TV and many of the listeners are watching the video as he provides their audio. Brings great excitement to the game. Glad he is our voice and hope he will be for years to come.
 
Wes is great, and it seems like everyone who ever hears him agrees. Spencer Hall put something about him in the alphabetical a couple of weeks back. He needed to run an errand on a Saturday afternoon and put our game on the radio. I don't remember exactly how he put it (he's much better with words than I am), but basically he said that Wes described the way one of our plays evolved so well that Spencer could see the whole thing in his head. Given the complexity of what we do at times, I think that's a great compliment. If I could find a way to delay ESPN3 to match up with Wes, I'd only listen to him for the rest of the season.
 
bellyseries said:
The guy before Al was great too. Jack ...? But Al had those great signatures ("Toe meets leather".) I must say I liked him better than Wes, who is essentially a reporter, not a homer.
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Jack Hurst was the guy before Al and very good but Al did the color.
The guy (Bob Fulton) that did USCe games for a very long time also did GT before Al.
IMO Wes is the best thats ever done GT.
 
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Ciraldo was THE legendary voice of the Jackets. Old school. 110% commitment - loyal to a fault. Al would make mistakes sometimes but so did everybody else back in the prehistoric days of mainstream media. That was part of his charm. Everybody just really loved Al and he loved Tech. Would probably have gotten sick and died if he were turned out to pasture. "They" did try to retire him once, back in the 80s I guess, and it went over like New Coke. I think that was back when "they" hired that clown Norman Whatshisface to redo the image and he was trying to change the fight song, the nickname, etc. Huge fiasco. Long story short - Al was back! Wes is naturally a more modern media pro who could transition anywhere. One of the best around and a great part of the Tech team, probably a little under appreciated. Back in Ciraldo's time EVERYBODY listened to the broadcast because so few games were televised. You were lucky to get on once a year so you lived and died with Al. Ciraldo actually called a mean basketball game, too. Think he started with hoops. Pro vs. Legend. We're fortunate to have had them both.
 
Essobee said:
I go all the way back to the days when Al first started announcing the Tech games and I agree with what you wrote. Al was a great Tech man but Wes is best of the two, IMHO, and that's definitely saying a lot. Kinda like comparing 22 to 24 carat gold.
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I know Wes and I met Al circa 1984 and chatted with him briefly then. It is difficult and perhaps inadvisable to try to compare a radio play-by-play guy when games were not televised with one when games are televised because certainly their roles are different. I began listening to Al when he did the Tech basketball games during the 1954-55 season, which was also his first year. Al was young then, 33, and presumably didn't miss very many calls, but I don't know for sure because the games weren't televised. In fact, I can't recall seeing a GT regular season game in either football or basketball on TV during the 1950s. That did change in the early 1960s, however. Obviously Wes prepares very well for games, whereas my guess is that Al prepared less and relied on spontaneity, at which he was really, really good. Al had empathy for the fan who wasn't able to watch the game and deliberately tried to make the game come alive for us, as he stated a time or two. He certainly did that for me -- in spades! I have a preference but I'm not going to say who because, as I said, I don't think it is appropriate to compare them. I'm just glad that we have had both of them.
 
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This is also one area Georgiia Tech is head and shoulders above Georgia. Wes Durham puts Scott Howard to shame. And although many may disagree, I thought Wes was a couple notches above Larry Munson as well. Although like my first comment, the homer play by play calling is something I like and Larry was huge with that. But who knows, maybe another five or ten years from now Wes will start doing more "they have us backed up inside our own 10" or "we're running it down their throats".

As far as our anaylyst, I loved Kim King along side Ciraldo and Wes. And although in the minority I'm sure, I actually like when Jeff Van Note was partnered with Durham.
 
Only one old mans perspective but, Al Ciraldo was number 1 with me.
 
texstinger said:
Wes is the best I have ever heard. The bits of knowledge he has on so many players at his fingertips amazes me.

Al did bleed White & Gold, but I don't think he was near as competent as Wes. But that is OK.

A side note - someone with real knowledge told me that when GT owned WGST, that made Al a state employee. Al sold tons of advertising for WGST, and there were times in his career that he would be the highest paid state employee for the year.

Don't know if true, but I do believe the man who told me.
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This is true, he called on my company many times. A truly class individual.
 
Al was the greatest during his era. No doubt about it. He did bleed the White and Gold. He was a hell of a Salesman for the radio station and a devoted family man as well.
I am so glad Al Jr. is still working in the booth.

Wes Durham is the new era sensation and is just a natural at what he does. Hope we have him for a long long time.
 
Some very good perspectives in this thread.

When Wes retires from broadcasting, he willl likely assume a role similar to Ciraldo in Tech lore. I just hope Wes gets a shot to broadcast a MNC in football (and another shot at a NC in basketball) before his career is finished.

P.S. After big GT wins, I know Al Ciraldo and Kim King are smiling down on us.
 
RickyReck said:
Jack Hurst was the guy before Al and very good but Al did the color.
The guy (Bob) that did USCe games for a very long time also did GT before Al.
IMO Wes is the best thats ever done GT.
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I remember Jack Hurst well he was first I ever heard talk about wrestling runners to the ground.I think Wes is a good second though.Al was just tech period.I could not follow him at times since he got so excited but he was a good one.When I started he was on the field like a Ga Lawrence Smith etc.
 
"And the legend is born in Calvin Johnson... (Laughter and cheers in the background)... Ho-ly SMOKES!!!"

Wes could be more of a homer but there is no doubt he LOVES Georgia Tech!
 
Both men are part of the rich tradition of Georgia Tech sports and Georgia Tech football in particular. Their DNA is entwined with the greats such as Heisman, Dodd, Alexander, Johnson and so many more to form something that is to be truly treasured. They are the reason when they strike up Wramblin Wreck from Georgia Tech the goose bumps rise on my skin and a wave of emotion comes over me that I just can not compare to anything else I have experienced. I love and appreciate all the many great traditions of Georgia Tech football.

Go Jackets!

Go Jackets!
 
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