Congressional Record—Senate S8087
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December 1, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S8087 can do except wait for the election re- Larry Munson was simply a man who after that, the voice of the Georgia sults of 2012 when we may have a dif- loved the University of Georgia. He Bulldogs retired and went to another ferent President or a different Con- loved calling football games, and he job, and Larry Munson was asked to gress, we have a responsibility to act loved putting his emotions into those take over broadcasting at the Univer- now. There are ways we can do this. We calls. He was also a man who cared not sity of Georgia. He was a Yankee, an need to demonstrate to ourselves and just about the University of Georgia outsider, not one whom many people to the American people that we will ac- but about his students. He used to have thought much of when he started. Well, cept this responsibility. I choose to do what he called a Wednesday night he became a legend in his time. He is a that. I choose to take the tough medi- movie night where he would invite stu- revered person in our State. cine for the future of the country. I be- dents to join him at a theater in Ath- It is said that Southeastern Con- lieve the American people choose to do ens, GA, and he would share time—his ference football is not a game, it is a that as well. time—with students that he loved. He religion. In that analogy, if it is a reli- I urge my colleagues to join me as we did this for years and years and years. gion in the Southeastern Conference, move forward. Let’s not sit and wait I have heard stories from some of those Larry was the high priest. He was the for election results. Let’s do something folks who attended those movie nights man whom everybody looked to to now because the urgency and the crisis that Larry Munson was more pas- make the call nobody else could. The is real, and it needs to be addressed sionate about movies than he was greatest tribute I ever saw to Larry now. Let’s be responsible and step up about University of Georgia football, Munson was on SEC football on an and do it. which is hard to imagine. afternoon, at 3:30, when, a couple of I yield the floor. As we look back on the life of Larry years ago, before he retired, the an- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Munson, those of us who live and nouncer for CBS television brought in pore. The Senator from Georgia is rec- breathe Georgia football will always Larry Munson’s radio play by play and ognized. remember the passionate calls, the way set themselves aside because he was f he put his heart and soul into the foot- that good. He brought the game to life. ball game, but we will also remember TRIBUTE TO LARRY MUNSON He brought a spirit to the game you the man Larry Munson, who enjoyed just could not find. Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I life, enjoyed people, enjoyed his profes- He was a hometown boy. There was rise today, along with my colleague, sion, and who gave so much back to his no question whom he worked for, no my fellow University of Georgia grad- profession. question who signed his ticket. He was uate, Senator ISAKSON, to honor a man He was a man who loved the out- always fair but always friendly to the who died last week who became a leg- doors. He came south from his birth- Dogs. It was his spirit that brought the end in his own time in our great State, place of Minneapolis many years ago. University of Georgia from the dol- a legend who was respected by, as we He remained a true southerner not just drums of the 1960s to the height of col- would say, folks on both sides of the for his 40 years of broadcasting at the lege football—the national champion- aisle. That term for this man means he University of Georgia but in his bass ship in 1980, four SEC championships in was respected by Georgia Tech football fishing, for example. I remember when the last 12 years, and, hopefully, an fans as well as University of Georgia he would come down to our part of the SEC championship this Saturday football fans. world in south Georgia to speak to a night. The man I am talking about is Larry touchdown club, or whatever it may be, Larry Munson passed away a few Munson. Larry Munson was not a and he would always call up and say, days before Thanksgiving in his be- southerner by birth, but he became a ‘‘Where is the best bass pond in south loved town and hometown of Athens, southerner and Georgia Bulldog by pas- Georgia? That is where I want to be GA. Although he started in Min- sion. He was the Georgia football an- this afternoon before my speech.’’ He neapolis, MN, and went to Wyoming nouncer for over four decades. During thoroughly enjoyed the outdoors, and and later to Tennessee, he finally re- those four decades, he not only wit- he enjoyed being around people. That sided in Georgia, and he died in Geor- nessed some of the most memorable was obvious in the way he expressed gia. He is esteemed in our State. football games, but he made some of himself behind the microphone when he On this day, let me, on behalf of the the most memorable calls. His way of called football games. people I represent in my State of all describing a football play will go down As we celebrate the life of Larry persuasions when it comes to college in the annals of broadcasting as not Munson, we celebrate more than his football, pay tribute to a man who gave only being unique, not only being fas- historic calls. His passion for football, every single measure of himself to cinating, but it will go down in the an- his passion for his family, and his pas- make sure every person who listened to nals of sports broadcasting as being sion for friends exceeds any passion he his voice saw a game, whether they some of the best and most professional had for football. He was a great man, a were blind or could see, because he calls ever made on a football field. great friend, and he will certainly be brought life to a game like nobody else But there was more to Larry Munson missed by our State and particularly could. He was a great Georgian and a than the ‘‘Run, Lindsay, run,’’ more to by our university. great American. He will be missed. Larry Munson than the ‘‘Oh, you Her- With that, I yield to Senator ISAK- I can promise you this: His view at schel Walker,’’ more to Larry Munson SON. Stanford Stadium today is far better than ‘‘We just stomped on them with a The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- than the view he used to have in the hob-nailed boot.’’ He was a man who pore. The Senator from Georgia, Mr. broadcast booth because he is high over had passion for life, a man who had a ISAKSON, is recognized. the stadium, where he made his living thorough understanding of his profes- Mr. ISAKSON. I appreciate the op- and where he will always be remem- sion, and a man who worked very hard portunity to share a few moments with bered. at his profession. Senator CHAMBLISS on the floor of the I yield the floor and suggest the ab- He used to get up every Saturday Senate to pay tribute to a great Geor- sence of a quorum. morning before a football game and gian, Larry Munson. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- have coffee with our legendary coach, Larry Munson was born in Min- pore. The clerk will call the roll. Vince Dooley. Coach Dooley said he fi- neapolis, and after the service he got a The legislative clerk proceeded to nally had to stop having coffee with scholarship at a broadcasting school, call the roll. Larry Munson because Larry was ever and he got a job at the University of Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I ask the pessimist, from a football stand- Wyoming. He worked his way to Ten- unanimous consent that the order for point. Coach Dooley would come to nessee, where he announced for the the quorum call be rescinded. those coffees feeling good about his Vanderbilt basketball and football pro- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. chances in the ball game that day, and grams. Then, when the Braves moved BROWN of Ohio). Without objection, it by the time he finished having coffee from Milwaukee to Atlanta, he was is so ordered. with Larry Munson, he had to go back brought in to be one of the announcers Mr. GRAHAM. I believe we are still and rewrite his playbook. for Atlanta Braves baseball. Shortly in morning business. VerDate Mar 15 2010 07:23 Jan 22, 2013 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD11\RECFILES\DECEMBER\S01DE1.REC S01DE1 bjneal on DSK2TWX8P1PROD with S8088 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE December 1, 2011 The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- their fellow citizens. It is not a crimi- Hamdi case dealt with an American ator is correct. nal event we are investigating or deal- citizen helping the Taliban in Afghani- Mr.