Twitter says goodbye to Verne Lundquist during SEC Championship Game
By John Buhler
The 2016 SEC Championship Game was the final college football game of play-by-play superstar Verne Lundquist. Twitter gave Lundquist the proper sendoff.
Fall Saturdays down south have had a familiar voice telling us what’s up for the last 16 years. After 16 years in the booth for the CBS SEC Game of the Week, the ever-popular Verne Lundquist will retire from calling games as one of the best play-by-play guys in the sport’s history.
Lundquist has been a huge centerpiece for everything SEC at CBS since 2000. His arrival at CBS to call SEC games has helped legitimize the SEC as a money-making football institution.
Fans of all 14 SEC fan bases know Lundquist’s voice all to well. He has been there for the good, the bad, and the ugly times for all 14 programs. There is a good chance that Lundquist has called the greatest game in each SEC school’s history for the last decade plus, and probably some school’s very worst.
Lundquist has been on a retirement tour all season and the buck stops in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome for the 2016 SEC Championship, fitting between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Florida. Twitter was gracious in Lundquist’s sendoff. Here are some of the finest tweets about Lundquist after his final SEC game.
Verne, as you call your last championship game, thanks for one of my favorite memories 30 years ago. Yes sir! #86Masters #SECChamp25 pic.twitter.com/373YXeaux7
— Jack Nicklaus (@jacknicklaus) December 3, 2016
End of a wonderful era: listening to Verne Lundquist's SEC finale. Bravo, my friend. See you in the Rockies. #legend
— Chris Fowler (@cbfowler) December 3, 2016
Verne Lundquist is about to call his last SEC game on CBS. Check out this @bryancurtis feature on him from Septemberhttps://t.co/z0Q43fnkyG
— The Ringer (@ringer) December 3, 2016
Miss you, already @VerneLundquist #youarefamily #dontgo
— Safe Kids Travel (@SafeKidsTravel) December 4, 2016
Thanks to #vernelundquist for many wonderful years. As a broadcaster I will miss your style, and your voice. A true pro. @680_The_Fan
— Christopher Rude (@ChristopherRude) December 4, 2016
Saturday afternoons won't be the same without Verne on tv. Good luck and Happy Retirement . #vernelundquist
— James Burr (@burzey21) December 4, 2016
A standing ovation for Verne Lundquist - the newest member of the 2016 SEC Legends class! @SEConCBS pic.twitter.com/grh2kv5Q3s
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) December 3, 2016
Thanks, Uncle Verne. It has been a helluva ride. https://t.co/l757D5Tobn
— Tony Barnhart (@MrCFB) December 1, 2016
gonna miss u @VerneLundquist #KeithJackson #CharlieJones #VinScully #DickEnberg #PhyllisGeorge #DallasCowboys we love you Verne in #Tulsa pic.twitter.com/SUawdQ2fjK
— David Rutkauskas (@davidrutkauskas) November 26, 2016
Gonna be weird next year watching SEC games and not hearing Verne Lundquist announcing those games on CBS
— Andy Kersten (@Andy_Kersten) December 4, 2016
SEC Football will never sound the same. Enjoy your retirement Uncle Verne. You deserve fall Saturdays on your couch. #vernelundquist
— Lewow Media Group (@lewowmedia) December 4, 2016
The overwhelming sentiment from Twitter is that fans of SEC football and college football in general are going to miss Lundquist calling games on fall Saturdays.
Next: Ranking The 25 Best Rivalries In College Football
Lundquist has brought the sport of college football some of its greatest moments to life for the last 16 years. Enjoy retirement, Uncle Verne!