Spring Break
Venerable voice
A face to the voice
By: John Kennedy
Issue date: 7/21/08 Section: News
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"I am an entertainer more than anything else," South said. "Right now I want to sell Texas A&M. I want you [the listener] to be excited about Texas A&M."
Despite not going to A&M as a student, South said he felt destined to come to A&M since the fifth grade.
South's fifth grade teacher was the wife of Dick Todd, A&M class of 1938 and an All-American football player for the Aggies. Todd used to come up, play catch and talk to the class about the University.
"[It] seemed like a great place," South said of his first encounter with an Aggie.
South started his career in Wichita Falls, Texas, where he went to college and majored in history with a minor in speech. South said a radio, television, film degree is good for getting into the business, but experience is far more beneficial.
South started off doing lower level sports broadcasting. He covered anything, including junior varsity basketball games, little league baseball games and peewee football games.
"You just pay your dues and the more experience you get pays off for you," South said.
Having covered Aggie sports for 23 years, South said the job of live broadcasting is no longer overwhelming, as it was in the beginning.
Even with years of experience, preparation is still vital to his job. Preparation for the next game begins for South immediately after the previous week's game.
He watches game film on opponents and their team and individual statistics. South attends A&M practices and has extensive information on every player at A&M.
South claimed to only use 25 percent of the material he prepares for, but on live radio, it is essential to have all the information possible, just in case.
"If you're going to be a writer, I think you need to be a student of the game, and that's the writing game," South said. "If I'm going to be a broadcaster I need to be a student of the broadcast game."
After 23 seasons, South has not lost passion for what he does. South broadcasts to one of the nation's most passionate fan bases and said his enthusiasm is essential for his success as a broadcaster.
"If somebody tunes in, I want them to know whether we're ahead or behind by the tone of my voice," South said. "If I weren't that way, I wouldn't want to do this. I want to be emotional about Texas A&M because it's a great place and we're all fortunate to be here."
Through his career at A&M, South has witnessed many great events in Aggie athletics. Of all the highlights he called the broadcasts for in his 23 years at A&M, he listed a few of his personal favorites.
During his first year officially covering the Aggies in 1985, Head Coach Jackie Sherrill led the football team to a Southwestern Conference Championship, his first at A&M.
That season also ended with a memorable highlight with A&M playing Auburn in the Cotton Bowl. South witnessed the Aggies defeat Auburn - led by Heisman Trophy winner Bo Jackson - on an unforgettable goal line stand.
South recalled another career highlight from a football game in 1986 at Kyle Field. The Aggies played Baylor in a game voted by the Southwest Conference as the "Game of the Decade." A last second juggled touchdown pass caught by Tony Thompson put the Aggies up 31-30 over the Bears to win the game.
He broadcasted Jackie Sherrill's multiple upsets of Texas and watched R.C. Slocum take over a team on probation in 1989. He saw the overcoming of obstacles and restoration of the A&M's program.
South called the "thrilling" play by play of Slocum's blowout win over heavily-favored Brigham Young in the 1990 Holiday Bowl. South was also there for the end of the Southwest Conference and the birth of the Big 12 in 1996.
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