Whoa Nellie!...for Football?

Keith Jackson long ago was a television football announcer.  With all his quips and bits of wisdom, he was simply the best.
One of his favorite sayings was, “Whoa, Nellie!”  Now apparently he grew up on a farm.  So, quite naturally people would ask if “Nellie” was a donkey.  He replied, “Yes, I had a donkey, but its name was Pearl.” 
“He’s rumblin’, stumblin’ and now he breaks out into the open.  The end zone is in his sight; Whoa Nellie!”
My Dad was the football announcer at Titonka High.  Only my Dad had his own style of announcing the plays.  He actually called the play from the booth.  If the other team had the ball, he’d say, “The quarterback drops back to pass to the tight end on the right, number 38…..”  I was his spotter.  We were a team!
Now the difference between Keith Jackson’s announcing and my Dad’s announcing was that Jackson’s words could not be heard by the players.  When my Dad announced the play in progress, it’s as if our team had the proverbial twelfth man on the field. J
Now to get up into the elevated announcer’s booth at Titonka, you had to climb a ladder.  With that in mind, picture this…..
Dad calls the play in progress, the referee blows the whistle, and runs off the field.  “Looks like he’s coming our way, Dad.”  The referee climbs the ladder and says, “Alfred, you gotta stop telling those Titonka football players where the football is.” J
Keith Jackson had his style of announcing.  My Dad had his style of announcing.
I will say, my Dad must have helped our team.  We had one loss that year….it was an away game. J
I have my style of announcing too.  “Keep your eye on the quarterback.  His name is JESUS!”

Love in Him,
Pastor Allan
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