This is of little interest to anybody but Notre Dame fans. But he's been the ND announcer for 26 years, and I am surprised that they fired him. We haven't had the ND games here in Houston since they got the TV contract, so I haven't heard him in 15 years or so, except for one game I caught during Davie's last year and it was a Rutgers game. He and Tom Pagna were so frustrated calling the game (with the way the game was going) I personally thought they completely lost it in their disgust with the coaching. While I certainly felt the frustration, as a listener I was more interested in what was going on than their angst. I was not surprised when Tom Pagna was let go, then the Paul Hornung incident was up next and he was gone. But I thought Tony was one of those Icons that just went on and on...apparently not. Don Criqui is going to replace him, which is fine. Don is a ND grad and I have heard him a lot over the years and think he does a fine job. But I'm sorry to see Tony Go. As a youth though, to me the Voice of the Irish was Van Patrick. One last time Tony.... Touchdown Irish! Terry
I'm sorry to hear that. Like you, Terry, I've grown accustomed to Tony Roberts as the radio voice of the Irish. Life goes on, I guess. He'll find a good gig somewhere. On the other hand, Don Criqui is a known commodity and a very good announcer. If I once knew that he is an ND grad, I've long since forgotten.
Sid do you still get ND Radio broadcasts in Ft. Wayne? I think at one time there were more than 300 Radio Stations on the Notre Dame Radio Network back before the TV Contract. I'm pretty sure that has declined significantly over the years since then. I know you remember the days when you could only see ND football on TV once a year, usually the USC game. I think the old rules were something like 2 times over a 3 year period. So radio was huge for college football. No so much any more though.
I used to watch the games on TV but turn the sound down and listen to Roberts do the play by play on the radio. But for the past few years they haven't had a radio broadcast in Birmingham. We enjoyed Tony. Thanks for the memories! I remember Criqui. He'll do fine.
I'm sorry to hear about Roberts being let go. It 's been a long time. Although I remember Pagna being on Ara's staff I never really liked his style. He'd laugh before saying almost anything. (Roberts) "Looks like Pawlus is injured. (Pagna) Heh, heh, heh, looks like a broken clavicle to me Tony, heh, heh, heh. With just about every game on TV, it's rare that I listen to the broadcasts any more. Of course, sometimes I get off the course later than I'd planned....
Van Patrick was the first ND annoucner I remember, I used to listen to ND games on the radio starting in 4th grade in West Palm Beach Fla. I forget when he left/retired, the next guy was Al Wester or maybe he was once Tony's partner I forget. The opening back in those days was music (fight song?) followed by Notre Dame Football is On the Air...chills...
Irish fire long-time announcer By Teddy Greenstein Tribune media reporter May 15, 2006, 2:58 PM CDT http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/cs-060515irishannouncer,1,5676726.story?coll=cs-home-headlines Hall of Fame radio play-by-play announcer Tony Roberts is out after calling Notre Dame football games for 26 years. "They fired me," Roberts said. "For no cause." Roberts, who learned of the decision Monday from an executive at Westwood One Radio, will be replaced by veteran broadcaster and Notre Dame alumnus Don Criqui, who announced Notre Dame games from 1974 to 1976. Analyst Allen Pinkett, who had worked with Roberts since 2002, has been retained. "It was a great run and I'm sorry it's over," said Roberts, who started broadcasting Irish games in 1980. "I always wanted to walk away from it under my terms."
I remember Van Patrick. Don't recall Webster. Criqui announced games in the early 70's then I think he went to TV.
WESTWOOD ONE ANNOUNCES DON CRIQUI AS THE NEW PLAY-BY-PLAY VOICE OF NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL New York, NY Monday, May 15, 2006 - Westwood One (NYSE: WON) announced today the appointment of Hall of Fame broadcaster Don Criqui as the play-by-play voice of Notre Dame football. Criqui will be joined by former All-American Notre Dame running back Allen Pinkett, who returns for his sixth season as color analyst for Notre Dame football on Westwood One. For the 39th consecutive year, Westwood One will provide complete play-by-play coverage of the entire 12-game Notre Dame football schedule. Criqui previously served as play-by-play announcer for Westwood One's Notre Dame broadcasts from 1974-1976. He will now succeed Tony Roberts who has been the Voice of Notre Dame football on Westwood One since 1980. The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame are the only college football team whose games are carried nationally on radio. Westwood One's coverage of the 2006 Notre Dame football season kicks off on Saturday, September 2nd as Georgia Tech hosts Notre Dame. "We're ecstatic to land Don Criqui, a football play-by-play talent extraordinaire and decades-long, network television and radio sports fixture," said EVP/GM of Westwood One Sports, David Halberstam. "Don will continue the long heritage of glittering Notre Dame announcers, going back to Van Patrick, Al Wester and most recently, Tony Roberts. At the same time, we thank Tony for his 26 years of service as Voice of the Irish. The Irish faithful will long remember his riveting calls of great Notre Dame moments along the way." "It's a thrill to again be the radio voice of the Fighting Irish," said Criqui. "Notre Dame football is heard on the largest radio network of any sports team in the world. It's an honor to be part of Westwood One's coverage." Don Criqui is renowned nationally as one of the outstanding play-by-play broadcasters on network television and radio. In addition to Westwood One's Notre Dame coverage, Criqui also serves as play-by-play announcer for the NFL on CBS Television. Criqui received critical acclaim for his work on NBC and CBS Sports' coverage of the NFL, and in 2003, was presented with the highest award for a broadcaster when he received the Pete Rozelle Award at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Criqui's many broadcast credits include college and NBA Basketball, fourteen Orange Bowls, Notre Dame football for Westwood One from 1974-1976, PGA and LPGA golf, the Olympic games, track and field, swimming, auto racing and gymnastics. In addition, Criqui hosted "This Week in the NHL" on Westwood One from 1998-2002. Criqui is also widely known for his insight and humor during over 25 years as a contributor on Westwood One's Imus in The Morning and for more than 30 years, Criqui has served as one of the six regional heads of the Heisman Trophy committee. He and his wife Molly are the parents of four sons, one daughter and have six grandchildren. Westwood One is the leader in play-by-play sports broadcasts on radio. Westwood One's sports lineup includes regular season NFL football, the Playoffs and the Super Bowl; Notre Dame Football; NCAA Football and Basketball including the Final Four; NHL Hockey and the Stanley Cup Finals; Horse Racing's Triple Crown, U.S. Open Golf; the PGA Championship; and the Master's Golf Tournament and the 2006 Ryder Cup. Westwood One (NYSE: WON) provides over 150 news, sports, music, talk, entertainment programs, features, live events and 24/7 formats. Through its subsidiaries, Metro Networks/Shadow Broadcast Services, Westwood One provides local content to the radio and TV industries including news, sports, weather, traffic, video news services and other information. SmartRoute Systems manages traffic information centers for state and local departments of transportation, and markets traffic and travel content to wireless, Internet, in-vehicle navigation systems and voice portal customers. Westwood One serves more than 5,000 radio stations. Westwood One is managed by CBS Radio. ### For more information please contact: Peter Sessa Westwood One 212.641.2053 peter_sessa@westwoodone.com
Nothing.. <t>Really surprises me anymore Terry. I wonder what the inside is on what happened. I only caught one radio broadcast this past year and that was the Pitt opener on the internet out of Chicago. <br/> <br/> Tony will be missed.</t>
I hate to hear this. Tony Roberts IS and was the voice of ND football. Very sad this has happened. Tim
Sid, Thanks. I thought that was what the little guy might have looked like after the MSU team pulled up some of the sod from the playing field at the end of the game last year. I hope he looks like that going into this years game. God help those spartans.
Thank You Tony By Bob Chmiel Upon hearing the announcement that Tony Roberts had been dismissed of calling Notre Dame football games on Westwood One, I was a bit shocked and dismayed. Tony went out of his way to be so complimentary of the pre and postgame show that I co-host when not doing ESPN Regional television. We do the show from the Notre Dame press box and Tony has been a frequent guest on the show. He literally lights up the press box when he arrives. He would have a good and encouraging word for all in attendance, and during Coach Weis' first year as head coach, Tony would always be so optimistic. From my prospective in the press box, I knew that Tony was disheartened by the events that led to Paul Hornung and Tom Pagna no longer being a part of his team. However, Tony moved on as the professional that he is. I was flattered when Tony accepted my invitation to join us on the air Monday evening directly following the public announcement that he would indeed not be back next year. He was emphatic in letting everyone know that this was a decision of Westwood One, and that this decision was not influenced by Notre Dame. He spoke of Notre Dame, the culture, the campus and all that many of you love in glowing terms beyond description for this account. He chose to take the high road. But that should come as no surprise. Again, that is Tony. Tony referred to this situation as strictly an employee/employer issue. He was called in and told that if he were to continue in his role, he would basically be paid with a feeble two-year severance package. The management of Westwood One told Roberts they wanted to "go in another direction." In my opinion, "going in another direction" is a cowardly explanation used by so many employers during this time. I firmly stand by that statement. If you are going to terminate a person, have the courage to get into specifics. "Going in another direction" is a comfortable use of words for any employer. The semantics of this phrase gall me. In any event, and in typical Tony fashion, he was gracious. He wanted all of the Notre Dame faithful to greet Don Criqui with great respect and enthusiasm. It is the end of an era. For 26 years, Tony was "the voice" of Fighting Irish football. I just wish that Tony had the opportunity to say goodbye under his terms. I know about these things and being able to say goodbye, gives an opportunity for closure. And without this opportunity, speculation can cause heartache. I wish Tony only the very best, because he was the best. Tony was a gentleman, a professional in every sense of the word. Tony, thank you for giving me the opportunity to call you friend.
That's the hard part is that Tony was one of those ND icons, we assoc some many things in the past like his call of Harry Olivers Miracle vs Michigan and many others. You'd like to see him go out with grace, stepping down on his own terms. Not get fired. But then he won't be the last sports icon to go out on less than his own terms and he's not the first. That said, I have read many guys who listen to the broadcast's say that Tony's on the air performance has declined over the last few years. So maybe it was time for him to go, but as I said too bad it had to happen this way. Touchdown Irish!!!!!!!!!! Terry