University of Notre Dame professor Ted Mandell's
book on the greatest finishes in college football history is packed with 336
pages of anecdotes, photos and interviews.
Like everyone else, I went straight for the
CD.
"Heart Stoppers and Hail Marys," is a detailed
look at both the most publicized last-second wins, such as California's kickoff
return against Stanford and the Stanford band in 1992, and obscure classics,
such as Williams' win over Amherst in 1997 where a freshman wide receiver
kicked the game-winning field goal.
But the book's hook is the audio.
Mandell tracked down the radio calls of 64
of the games and included them in an accompanying compact disc, which was
mastered by Larry Pester at Sweetwater Sound in Fort Wayne.
"Everybody loves the CD, no question," Mandell
said.
There may be no better primer for the college
football season than listening to these screams and gasps by announcers with
no pretenses of self-control.
It's impossible to do justice in print to
Michigan announcer Bob Ufer's call of a Hail Mary reception by Anthony Carter
to beat Indiana in 1979.
But within a rambling four-minute monologue,
Ufer describes Bo Schembechler as "looking up at Fielding H. Yost in football
Valhalla," and later says Carter "was streaking down there like a penguin
with a hot herring in his cummerbund."
The flip side, of course, is that some fan
of the other guys will feel sick with every ecstatic call.
"I ran into Lee Corso (who coached IU in
1979) last year when he was setting up with ESPN before the Nebraska (game)
and I told him about the book," Mandell said.
"I told him I had the '79 game against Michigan
in there. He said, 'No, no, no.' He's still depressed about it."
Another unintentionally humorous track is
by a group of student announcers calling the NCAA Division III game between
Williams and Amherst in 1997. Mandell lends a sense of history by writing
of how the schools' rivalry began when Williams' former president founded
Amherst.
The radio call is more hysterical than historical.
The announcers spent the first half of the
game tailgating while waiting for their equipment to arrive. Inhibitions were
left in the parking lot before the final play: "Unbelievable! In the history
of Williams-Amherst, I highly doubt it's ever been this exciting!"
Mandell's prose adds new insight to old games.
For example, he writes that had John Elway waited four more seconds to call
timeout before Stanford's final field goal -- preceding Cal's infamous kick
return -- Stanford would have won.
"I thought I might get John Elway to sign
a copy of the book," Mandell said, "but now I'm wondering if he's going to
kick my a--."
Mandell also brings to life unknown last-second
gems from Bloomsburg vs. West Chester in 1984, Appalachian State vs. James
Madison in 1992 or Thomas More vs. Defiance in 1993.
"Heart Stoppers and Hail Marys" isn't cheap.
It's listed at $49.95, CD included. But reliving past prayers whets the appetite
for the ones yet to come.
Cue Track 18: "(Doug)Flutie takes the snap
. . . uncorks a deep one for the end zone. (Gerald) Phelen is down there.
Did he get it? He got it! Touchdown! Touchdown! Touchdown Boston College!
He did it! He did it! Flutie did it! He got Phelen in the end zone! Touchdown!"
No word on whether Phelen resembled a penguin with a hot herring in his
cummerbund, however.