Verne Lundquist calling his final CBS basketball game today

A legendary sports announcer will be saying another goodbye today in the Florida-South Carolina Elite Eight showdown.

What would our enjoyment of sports be without a great voice behind it? Announcers are what bring energy and livelihood into your living room, and Verne Lundquist has always understood that. Best known for his calls with Gary Danielson for the SEC’s top college football game of the week on CBS, Lundquist is among the best at his profession.

Today, he will be present for his final college hoops game in the Men’s NCAA Tournament. Verne gave a so long at the SEC Football Championship in Atlanta back in December, and it was full of emotion. You can see him fight some tears off again today prior to tip-off. Oddly enough, it had a pair of unheralded SEC teams on hand.

Lundquist is 76 years old and will be retiring from CBS very soon. He is scheduled to be a part of the group there in Augusta for The Masters in a few weeks. Lundquist has served as the voice for one of the top athletic conferences in the nation for years, and he has been identified as part of the game day experience.

For myself, Saturdays were not complete without Verne’s afternoon serenade featuring two clashing SEC foes. Lundquist has received tremendous gratitude on his farewell tour, and with good reason.

Uncle Verne’s list of achievements go way back. He’s been there for some of the biggest moments in collegiate athletics history. He has even been featured in video games, and was the tournament voice in the 1996 movie Happy Gilmore with Adam Sandler.

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Uncle was always a fitting nickname for our favorite announcer, probably because the feeling he gave you while sitting on the couch. You felt as though you were right next to him, watching the game and enjoying every minute of it. Verne Lundquist, you will be missed.