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Radio days were early glory days for LSU
Posted on 10.17.08
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Doug Nye
On the Air
dougnyesc@yahoo.com
(803) 771-8395
FIFTY YEARS AGO, during the autumn of 1958, I would spend Saturday nights in the Midlands roaming the dial of my dad's General Electric console radio hoping to pick up a college football broadcast from some faraway station.
In those days, there was one game a week on television, and it was always on Saturday afternoon. I remember many times watching the game that was on TV while listening to two radios so I could keep up with both South Carolina and Clemson.
For us college football fanatics, that was not enough, which is why Saturday evenings were spent tuning the radio dial. On the first weekend in October, I stumbled upon a station out of Baton Rouge that was broadcasting LSU football.
I was mesmerized by the play-by-play of announcer J.C. Politz. His enthusiasm was infectious, his rapid-fire delivery filled with excitement. When LSU scored a touchdown, Politz belted a mighty "Listen to that crowd!" Even on the radio, the roar was deafening. It turned out the game wasn't a big one, as LSU eased past Hardin-Simmons 20-6.
The following week, LSU rolled over host Miami 41-0. I hadn't listened to the game, but I realized that made LSU 4-0. So the following Saturday night, I was by the radio to hear the Bayou Bengals, as Politz loved to call them, take on Kentucky. As the crowd seem to roar continuously, LSU romped, 32-7.
I was hooked. I guess it seems strange that a kid from South Carolina would be pulling for a team hundreds of mile away, but if you had heard those broadcasts, you would understand.
I began to learn the Tigers' names: Quarterback Warren Rabb ... halfbacks Johnny Robinson and Billy Cannon ... ends Billy Hendrix and Mickey Mangham ... Lynn LeBlanc ... Larry Kahlden ... J.W. "Red" Brodnax. And on and on. They rolled off Politz's tongue as smooth as a perfect spiral from Rabb to Hendrix.
By then, LSU and their young coach, Paul Dietzel, were beginning to gain national attention. In that era of limited substitution, Dietzel had devised a three-team system with the White team, the Go team and the Chinese Bandits. The latter group became famous because Dietzel would send them in during key defensive situations.
"And here come the Chinese Bandits!" Politz would shout above the 67,000-plus cheering fans in Tiger Stadium. I could "see" it all vividly in my mind as I lay by the radio.
In its sixth game, LSU struggled to get past Florida, 10-7, but still ascended to the top of the national rankings. Unbeaten and sixth-ranked Mississippi, featuring Cowboy Woodruff and Charlie Flowers, next visited Baton Rouge. Politz and the Chinese Bandits were at their best as LSU prevailed 14-0.
I followed the Tigers the rest of the way — including a nail-biting 7-6 victory against Mississippi State — and "saw" them finish the season undefeated to win the national championship. The electricity I felt listening to LSU on those Saturday nights so long ago never will be forgotten.
The postseason ended with a surprise for me. LSU took on Clemson in the Sugar Bowl. I watched NBC's color telecast of the game with mixed feelings as the Tigers from the Palmetto State played in their new "Sugar Blue" jerseys. It was a heckuva game, with LSU claiming a 7-0 victory.
And on that day, I never would have believed that less than 10 years later, I would be interviewing Dietzel, who by then had become the coach at South Carolina.
As LSU runs into Williams-Brice Stadium to face the Gamecocks at 8 p.m. Saturday on ESPN (cable channel 26, high-definition channel 950), I'll briefly flash back to those autumn nights of 1958 when the Bayou Bengals and J.C. Politz captured my imagination.
It's the stuff kids' dreams are made of.
Dabo's debut. Dabo Swinney’s first assignment as Clemson's interim coach comes when Clemson faces Georgia Tech at noon Saturday on ESPN (cable channel 26, high-definition channel 950). Dave Pasch and Andre Ware will be the announcers. The game can be heard on ESPN Radio 93.1 FM, with Pete Yanity doing play-by-play and Will Merritt serving as analyst for the Tigers Radio Network. Patrick Sapp will be on the sidelines.
Gamecocks face LSU. Stephen Garcia's first start as USC's quarterback will come in front of a national TV audience as he leads the Gamecocks against LSU at 8 p.m. Saturday on ESPN (cable channel 26, HD channel 950). Mike Patrick, Todd Blackledge and Holly Rowe will form the announcing team. The game can be heard on WNKT-FM 107.5, WISW-AM 1320 and XM144, with Todd Ellis and Tommy Suggs in the booth and Duce Staley on the sidelines.
Some 'Magic' for ESPN. Magic Johnson has joined ESPN as an NBA studio analyst and will work with Stuart Scott, Mike Wilbon and Jon Barry on ABC's "NBA Countdown" show. He will provide analysis on Christmas Day, when ABC and ESPN combine to show an NBA tripleheader beginning at noon.
Johnson comes to ESPN from Turner Sports, where he was an NBA analyst for seven years.
— Doug Nye
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