A little piece of the NFL died yesterday.
Actually, you might say the league lost its voice.
Pat Summerall died.
For many of us, it was the calm, soothing voice of Summerall that meant NFL football. That smooth delivery was the vehicle that piped NFL football into our homes every Sunday afternoon.
Teamed first with local hero Tom Brookshier, then linking up with the more bombastic former Raiders coach John Madden, it was always Summerall who set the table.
In the process, that voice helped turned the NFL into a juggernaut.
You knew it was a big game, especially for the Eagles, when Summerall was in town.
In a business full of self-promoters who believe they are bigger than the game, Summerall was proof that less is more.
That kind of professionalism will be missed. And that voice simply will never be replaced.
You can read more about Summerall - he did a lot more than football, being the longtime voice of both The Masters and U.S. Open in tennis, here, as well as a long list of quotes from those saluting him.
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