Podolak Done with Game Color Commentary

[RobHowe]

FROM UI:

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Long-time University of Iowa football color analyst Ed Podolak is transitioning out of the Hawkeye football radio booth as color commentator.



“I have decided that this is a good time for me to step back from my role as color commentator for the Hawkeye football radio broadcasts,” said Podolak. “I believe there is no greater honor than to be part of the Iowa Hawkeye Football team. I have loved watching these young men and coaches compete for the past 42 years. Sharing my perspective for the incredible Hawkeye fans from coast to coast has been a thrill.



“I look forward to my new role this fall, providing analysis during the pregame shows and on podcasts.”



Podolak has been a part of nearly 500 Hawkeye football games as a radio analyst, spanning 42 seasons. Following a lengthy playing career, Podolak moved to the announcing booth, joining WHO radio broadcasts of Iowa football games in 1982 after initially serving as an NFL color commentator for NBC, and college football commentator at ESPN. He worked for WHO radio until joining with Learfield Sports in 1997.



“I have said it often across 27 years that Ed Podolak is the best I've ever worked with in the broadcast booth,” said play by play voice Gary Dolphin. “One of the game's great competitors, Ed's ability to explain plays was unparalleled. Football mentalities of all ages understood and enjoyed the humor each Saturday. I look forward to Eddie's continued involvement on game day."



Podolak played quarterback and running back for the Hawkeyes. He was named first-team All-Big Ten and team MVP in 1968. He ranks in the top 20 in school history in career rushing yards, passing yards and total offense. In 1968, he set a then-school and Big Ten record, rushing for a record 286 yards on 17 attempts against Northwestern. Podolak currently ranks 20th in passing (172-398, 2,316 yards, 8 TDs), 22nd in career rushing (407-1,710-14 TDs) and 14th in total offense (4,026 yards) in Iowa history.



“Ed Podolak has had an incredible impact on Hawkeye fans for 40 years,” said Moon Family University of Iowa Head Football Coach Kirk Ferentz. “He was one of the greatest college football players of his era, leaving his mark all over the Big Ten record books. He followed that with an outstanding professional career in Kansas City. And since his retirement from football, he has been the voice that Iowa fans have counted on for decades. Knowledgeable and passionate - always entertaining the fans across our state and across the country. There will never be another Ed Podolak. I hope Hawkeye fans will join all of us in wishing Ed the very best as he steps away from the broadcast booth.”



He was selected in the second round of 1969 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs and won Super Bowl IV in 1970. Podolak continues to hold the NFL record for all-purpose yards in an NFL playoff game, totaling 350 yards against Miami on Christmas Day, 1971.



A native of Atlantic, Iowa, Podolak is a member of Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Honor, the Iowa Letterwinners Club Hall of Fame, and the University of Iowa Media Hall of Fame.



Hawkeye Sports Properties, in conjunction with the UI Athletics Department, will begin a search for Podolak’s replacement this spring.

 

[Fryowa]

Not gonna lie, it'll be weird not hearing Dolph and Ed coming from every stereo speaker in Iowa City from sun up to sun down on Saturdays.

 

[RobHowe]

Have heard Kaeding as a candidate to replace. I think Herron would be great but he has a young family, lives in Chicago and has a better job.

 

[Fryowa]

Have heard Kaeding as a candidate to replace. I think Herron would be great but he has a young family, lives in Chicago and has a better job.

I could get on board with Kaeding as a Hawkeye fan myself. He's young enough to make it a long-term gig which is good. One thing I hate is when teams change announcers all the time. Even if they're annoying sometimes, consistency is better.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Have heard Kaeding as a candidate to replace. I think Herron would be great but he has a young family, lives in Chicago and has a better job.

Either would be great. I've heard Vandebergs and Dallas Clarks names thrown out there too. If Clark wanted it I would think it'd be tough to tell him no. But he's such a busy body it seems like I'm not sure he would. Maybe offer it to Chad Greenway so his daughter can move closer to Iowa city.... Just a thought haha

 

[dagdaj]

I am gonna miss him. I never thought he was a particularly good broadcaster. Doing "color" is hard. I tried it exactly twice and it was a disaster. Ed just laid it out there, wore his heart on his sleeve and worked with one legendary broadcaster who bridged the gap from the 'ole days' to the contemporary era and one exceptionally skilled broadcaster.

Dolph was such an excellent move, because they can bring on a former player and give them the room to figure it out and learn on the fly. I'd be OK with Nate. No clue if he's any good. Doesn't really matter. Someone like him is a good option.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

I could get on board with Kaeding as a Hawkeye fan myself. He's young enough to make it a long-term gig which is good. One thing I hate is when teams change announcers all the time. Even if they're annoying sometimes, consistency is better.

Totally agree. And how spoiled have we been? I can't even say I remember who was doing color prior to Bobby Hansen. I remember the end of his pro career and that was kinda when I started listening to games on the radio more and more. Ole Eddie though he's been there forever and a day and it's just going to be weird without him. Good for him if anyone deserves to slow down and smell the roses it's him

 

[dagdaj]

Either would be great. I've heard Vandebergs and Dallas Clarks names thrown out there too. If Clark wanted it I would think it'd be tough to tell him no. But he's such a busy body it seems like I'm not sure he would. Maybe offer it to Chad Greenway so his daughter can move closer to Iowa city.... Just a thought haha

I feel Clark would literally be the second coming of Ed Podolak.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

I feel Clark would literally be the second coming of Ed Podolak.

He'd be awesome that's for sure. He was on with the WUWs not long ago for over an hour check that out if you haven't already. Paul Burmeister is another name. He could do PBP too whenever Dolph hangs it up. He used to do Notre Dames for awhile I think I'm not sure what he's up to now

 

[Fryowa]

I am gonna miss him. I never thought he was a particularly good broadcaster. Doing "color" is hard. I tried it exactly twice and it was a disaster.

I've done it for high school baseball a few times for local radio and I loved it.

Play by play...no way in hell could I do that. My brain doesn't work that fast and I'd have listeners thinking I had a stroke within the first 5 minutes.

 

[Fryowa]

He'd be awesome that's for sure. He was on with the WUWs not long ago for over an hour check that out if you haven't already. Paul Burmeister is another name. He could do PBP too whenever Dolph hangs it up. He used to do Notre Dames for awhile I think I'm not sure what he's up to now

Clark would be awesome. I just feel like he's way too rich and busy to mess with it but who knows? I'm not sure how old his kids are but that my be tough if they have sports stuff going on on the weekends in Livermore which is way up towards us.

Nate would kind of be a shoe-in I'd think living in IC and being from there originally. The more I think of it, sign him up. If he sucks at it who cares...Ed wasn't exactly Verne Lundquist or something...

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Clark would be awesome. I just feel like he's way too rich and busy to mess with it but who knows? I'm not sure how old his kids are but that my be tough if they have sports stuff going on on the weekends in Livermore which is way up towards us.

Nate would kind of be a shoe-in I'd think living in IC and being from there originally. The more I think of it, sign him up. If he sucks at it who cares...Ed wasn't exactly Verne Lundquist or something...

Clark is living back up that way? That's awesome I knew he'd came back to Iowa but didn't know he'd went up to his hometown ball park that's pretty cool.

I can't hate on Nate at all I can't say I've heard more then 3 interviews with the guy over the yrs. No idea how good he'd be at it. I'd just like a good story teller. I'm a sucker for those. The football part isn't too tough. Be a homer and call it like you see it. Clark is a story teller but being able to do that during the course of a game and not stepping on the PBP callers toes is a balancing act. Eddie got great at all of it over the yrs.

 

[Fryowa]

Clark is living back up that way? That's awesome I knew he'd came back to Iowa but didn't know he'd went up to his hometown ball park that's pretty cool.

Yeah they have a big place on 3 or 4 hundred acres between Livermore and Humboldt. A guy I work with is friends with his family somehow.

 

[Hawkboys]

tbh... I'd rather Dolph retire than Ed. EP reminds me of Ron Santo when he was alive, there was some good commentary and some not so good, but either way you feel connected to him. I just can't follow Doph's Play-by-play at all during the broadcast.

 

[Fryowa]

tbh... I'd rather Dolph retire than Ed. EP reminds me of Ron Santo when he was alive, there was some good commentary and some not so good, but either way you feel connected to him. I just can't follow Doph's Play-by-play at all during the broadcast.

With Dolph it's more of a nostalgia thing. People don't really listen to radio broadcasts much anymore, it's more of a background noise ambiance that's been in the air everywhere you go in IC on Saturdays for over a quarter century.

I mean, every tailgate, bar, store, bus, train (before the assholes ended it), backyard, stadium, what-have-you in Iowa City has Dolph talking in the background interviewing someone or talking about the Hawks since before I could drive a car and I'm 43. Maybe if you haven't been in the area much during that time and the only time you hear Dolph is listening to the odd live broadcast I can understand, but to me he's more part of the environment itself rather than a way to hear what's going on.

The minute you hit the sidewalk on a Saturday morning in Iowa City all the way up to the drive home post game it's a familiar sound that whether he sucks or not, I'll miss when he's gone. I'm too young to remember but I'm sure there were a lot of people who felt the same way about Zabel.

 

[dagdaj]

I've done it for high school baseball a few times for local radio and I loved it.

Play by play...no way in hell could I do that. My brain doesn't work that fast and I'd have listeners thinking I had a stroke within the first 5 minutes.

I think it's definitely a 'brain' thing. It either works one way or the other. There's a few real talented people who can do both. Algebra vs. geometry.

Part of my problem is, I never played the sports I tried to do color for. But, even then, I just wasn't comfortable. Not knowing when to crack the mic. Or when there was an opportunity I'd scramble for anything to say. You gotta know the sport pretty well, the culture, the team, the game....to do color. I don't know it at that level. Even then, I still sucked. The PBP guy I worked with on those two occasions was an amateur, but also one of the best talents I ever saw in PBP. I figured the less of me, the better.

But, I can tell a curve from a fastball....or describe the action on a hockey rink....or name the football play that's being run. And describe who's doing what. That's fairly binary for me. 0s and 1s. And, if it's radio, you can just sorta be wrong about a lot and nobody's any the wiser. Even then, I was really on serviceable. I didn't do it all that much. I suppose I could have gotten better. Color was just that. Color. And my palette is pretty bleak.

Yet, oddly....my experience in the studio on say morning shows and stuff where I was usually the 'straightman'....it was the same exact nature as color. But, we weren't necessarily talking about sports. It could be anything so I was OK there. I usually interacted with the hosts on air like I did IRL. Just shooting the sh#t. Or it was a pretty pre-planned bit.

 

[MikeyLikesIowa]

I feel Clark would literally be the second coming of Ed Podolak.

He'd first need to dramatically improve his communication/public speaking skills. Maybe it was because he was so excited to be there, but when he was on the WUWs podcast it seemed like every time he spoke it took five minutes for him to recall a memory and spit it out. I enjoyed that episode nonetheless, but hearing him constantly struggle to speak clearly got old fast. I don't mean to insult him because I know he's a good dude and means well, but I'm just calling it like I heard it.

I think Nate Kaeding or even Chad Greenway would do a good job.

 

[hawkinn3]

I know a former OC who needs a job.

 

[dagdaj]

He'd first need to dramatically improve his communication/public speaking skills. Maybe it was because he was so excited to be there, but when he was on the WUWs podcast it seemed like every time he spoke it took five minutes for him to recall a memory and spit it out. I enjoyed that episode nonetheless, but hearing him constantly struggle to speak clearly got old fast. I don't mean to insult him because I know he's a good dude and means well, but I'm just calling it like I heard it.

I think Nate Kaeding or even Chad Greenway would do a good job.

This is precisely why I think he'd be the second coming. Ed always has something to say (when he's not speechless).
I scratch my head a lot when he contributes.
But I also love him.

 

[dagdaj]

I know a former OC who needs a job.

Cue the gif of Steve Carrell yelling "No, no! God no!"