We’ve been graced with a plethora of historic calls from all-time great announcers. But only one features “bacon,” putting ESPN’s Rece Davis in a class of his own.
The Miami Hurricanes and Virginia Tech Hokies played an important ACC Conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night. Meh. But the Hurricanes and Hokies playing an important ACC Conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night with bacon on the line is a whole different story.
Late in the second half, Miami’s Jordan Miller went to the free throw line with the Hurricanes up by six. Miller missed the first free throw, putting Virginia Tech’s bacon promotion into play. If Miami misses consecutive free throws, everyone at Virginia Tech’s Cassell Coliseum goes home with free bacon, courtesy of Smithfield.
Recognizing what was on the line with Miller’s second free throw attempt, play-by-play voice Rece Davis gave the moment the kind of credence it deserved.
“BACON FOR EVERYBODY!” 🥓 – @ReceDavis pic.twitter.com/OAZAz9ghwg
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 22, 2023
“After Jordan Miller missed that free throw, the crowd is going nuts. Here’s why. If he misses the second one, everybody in this house gets free bacon,” Davis said to set up what might be the best call of his career. “BACON FOR EVERYBODY! Sizzle it up in the frying pan!”
A free t-shirt, hat or foam finger is nice, but the opportunity for free bacon brought a level of excitement to a sporting event that we haven’t seen since 1979. There, a Wendy’s executive stepped on the ice after the Islanders scored their sixth goal and announced the crowd would earn “double chili” if they scored double-digit goals.
The Islanders beat the New York Rangers 10-5 that night. Free double chili for everybody. And more than four decades later, it’s free bacon for everybody.
[ESPN]
