Always enjoy the comments, excitement, professionalism, and especially enjoy listening to his last comments after Tony Dorsett's last Game at Three Rivers while driving home from the Pitt-Penn State Game. The Pitt National Championship Game against Georgia was Fate Accompli, they never had a chance!
Excerpts:
They will be at Heinz Field on Saturday for Pitt's game against Duke, Bill Hillgrove in his 47th season calling play-by-play for Panthers football (48 for basketball), Bob Harris retiring next year after doing the same for the Blue Devils since 1976. “Between the two of us,” Hillgrove said, “there aren't two guys in the country who can stack that many years.”.............Sometimes, the travel gets tricky. In 2003, he needed to catch an Air Alaska flight from Boston to Seattle at 6:10 p.m. after Pitt's game at Boston College. Pitt assistant athletic director Chris LaSala knew a police official in Boston. “She was an unabashed Steelers fan,” Hillgrove said, “and she said, ‘The voice of the Steelers will make his plane.' ” With a police escort helping his car go the wrong way on one-way streets and Larry Fitzgerald's father along for the ride, Hillgrove was in Seattle in plenty of time for kickoff.................
Hillgrove said his most memorable games include:
• Pitt's upset of Clemson last Saturday.
• The four-overtime victory at Notre Dame in 2008 — with future broadcast partner Pat Bostick at quarterback.
• The 1976 victory against Penn State at Three Rivers Stadium in which Johnny Majors moved Tony Dorsett to fullback in the second half. “One of the few times Joe was outcoached,” Hillgrove said.
But it was a game he didn't broadcast that may be his favorite. Because of contractual situations, he was unable to work the 1982 Sugar Bowl between the last Pitt team to win 11 games and Georgia. Hillgrove was on the sideline, though, when Pitt needed only a field goal to tie (in the days before overtime). “I was there,” Hillgrove said, “when Sal Sunseri came running up to Jackie Sherrill and said, ‘Let's kick the field goal, get the hell out of here and go party on Bourbon Street.'
“(Dan) Marino was drinking a Gatorade and said, ‘Gimme the ball.' “Sherrill said, ‘Say that again.' And Marino repeated, ‘Gimme the ball.' Marino ran back onto the field and threw the iconic touchdown pass to tight end John Brown to win the game. “If I'm broadcasting,” Hillgrove said, “I don't see that.”
Notes: Eight players were declared doubtful or out on the Pitt injury report released Thursday. Out are running back Chawntez Moss, safety Jordan Whitehead and wide receiver Zach Challingsworth (upper extremity); wide receiver Tre Tipton (upper body), cornerback Phillipie Motley (lower extremity) and linebacker Elijah Zeise (lower body). Doubtful are defensive tackles Tyrique Jarrett and Amir Watts (lower extremity).
LINK:
http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/11489089-74/hillgrove-harris-game
Excerpts:
They will be at Heinz Field on Saturday for Pitt's game against Duke, Bill Hillgrove in his 47th season calling play-by-play for Panthers football (48 for basketball), Bob Harris retiring next year after doing the same for the Blue Devils since 1976. “Between the two of us,” Hillgrove said, “there aren't two guys in the country who can stack that many years.”.............Sometimes, the travel gets tricky. In 2003, he needed to catch an Air Alaska flight from Boston to Seattle at 6:10 p.m. after Pitt's game at Boston College. Pitt assistant athletic director Chris LaSala knew a police official in Boston. “She was an unabashed Steelers fan,” Hillgrove said, “and she said, ‘The voice of the Steelers will make his plane.' ” With a police escort helping his car go the wrong way on one-way streets and Larry Fitzgerald's father along for the ride, Hillgrove was in Seattle in plenty of time for kickoff.................
Hillgrove said his most memorable games include:
• Pitt's upset of Clemson last Saturday.
• The four-overtime victory at Notre Dame in 2008 — with future broadcast partner Pat Bostick at quarterback.
• The 1976 victory against Penn State at Three Rivers Stadium in which Johnny Majors moved Tony Dorsett to fullback in the second half. “One of the few times Joe was outcoached,” Hillgrove said.
But it was a game he didn't broadcast that may be his favorite. Because of contractual situations, he was unable to work the 1982 Sugar Bowl between the last Pitt team to win 11 games and Georgia. Hillgrove was on the sideline, though, when Pitt needed only a field goal to tie (in the days before overtime). “I was there,” Hillgrove said, “when Sal Sunseri came running up to Jackie Sherrill and said, ‘Let's kick the field goal, get the hell out of here and go party on Bourbon Street.'
“(Dan) Marino was drinking a Gatorade and said, ‘Gimme the ball.' “Sherrill said, ‘Say that again.' And Marino repeated, ‘Gimme the ball.' Marino ran back onto the field and threw the iconic touchdown pass to tight end John Brown to win the game. “If I'm broadcasting,” Hillgrove said, “I don't see that.”
Notes: Eight players were declared doubtful or out on the Pitt injury report released Thursday. Out are running back Chawntez Moss, safety Jordan Whitehead and wide receiver Zach Challingsworth (upper extremity); wide receiver Tre Tipton (upper body), cornerback Phillipie Motley (lower extremity) and linebacker Elijah Zeise (lower body). Doubtful are defensive tackles Tyrique Jarrett and Amir Watts (lower extremity).
LINK:
http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/11489089-74/hillgrove-harris-game
