George Dunham makes impact on UNT athletics

[Harry]

The words “Touchdown Mean Green!” can often be heard on 88.7 KNTU-FM every Saturday during the Mean Green football season, and the man behind the voice has a lot to say on how he worked his way to where he is today.

Head play-by-play caller George Dunham, better known as “The Voice of the Mean Green,” has been with the UNT Radio Network since 1990. While North Texas athletics may not be as elite as other programs, Dunham feels this is where he belongs.

Not only does Dunham do play-by-play for UNT athletics, but he also hosts the award winning “Dunham and Miller Show” every morning on Sports Radio 1310 “The Ticket.”

Born in San Antonio, Dunham moved around during his childhood and lived in cities such as Minneapolis and Chicago. Then, in 1980, Dunham moved to the Dallas-Forth Worth area, where he attended R.L. Turner High School before attending UNT.

Read more: http://ntdaily.com/play-by-play-man-makes-impact-on-athletics/

[ColoradoEagle]

I've never once heard George Dunham on 88.7.

[VideoEagle]

88.7? Proof reading articles, it's becoming a lost art.

[EagleD]

No mention of Bill Mercer, the guy Dunham screwed out of the play by play job.

[UNT 90 Grad]

88.7 = KTCU. (TCU's station). Nice.

[ADLER]

George Dunham makes impact on UNT athletics

From what height did he fall, and what did it register?

Just kidding, I love ol' Georgio. I remember him as kid covering the Corky's Corner coaches shows from the extravagant Rock Bottom Lounge.

[Travis Scott]

Our entire radio team is a joy to listen to. We are very lucky to have them.

[UNT90]

Our entire radio team is a joy to listen to. We are very lucky to have them.

This. There are college football broadcasters showing their wares on "homer call of the week" just about every week. Just listen to the radio call of Auburn's punt return for a touchdown wink the Iron Bowl last year and you will realize exactly how lucky we are.

Hank is also a really good college color guy, in my opinion. Great team and great for UNT.

If only player recruitment matched announcer recruitment, we would be a top 25 team.

Edited October 8, 2014 by UNT90

[MeanGreenTexan]

This. There are college football broadcasters showing their wares on "homer call of the week" just about every week. Just listen to the radio call of Auburn's punt return for a touchdown wink the Iron Bowl last year and you will realize exactly how lucky we are.

Hank is also a really good college color guy, in my opinion. Great team and great for UNT.

If only player recruitment matched announcer recruitment, we would be a top 25 team.

You don't thing Jub would do the same if that scenario played out in the game VS SMU?

[UNT90]

You don't thing Jub would do the same if that scenario played out in the game VS SMU?

No I do not. He has never squealed like a little girl on the air. Even his "do you believe in the Mean Green!" call was properly place and appropriate for the situation.

And no, even if we scored on the last play of the game to beat an otherwise undefeated SMU team (talk about fantasy), George would handle it like the professional he is.

And lets not leave Hank out of this. It's usually the color guy that squeals like a little girl in homer broadcasts. I have never heard Hank do that one time. Ever.

[CMJ]

George has made the homer call of the week before.

He and Hank are very professional, among the best I've listened to. But they are definitely just as much homers as anyone else.

[UNT90]

George has made the homer call of the week before.

He and Hank are very professional, among the best I've listened to. But they are definitely just as much homers as anyone else.

But they don't call games like homers. Hell, Hank is an assistant AD. He BETTER be a homer.

George probably won because he gets teased all the time about being a UNT fan, just another way to gig him.

[UNT90]

Listen to the Chancellor kickoff return from last year carefully...

What is wrong with "oh, he got away!" Followed by a clear description of what is occurring in the game?

Most of these homers would be too busy hooping and hollering OVER the play by play guy, making the broadcast completely inaudible.

[CMJ]

I remember back in 2001 George got it on the 80 something yard punt we had against MTSU to just about put the game away.

[VideoEagle]

George does a very good job. It's the MGRN so he calls the game from the view point of a Mean Green fan. He is very willing to say when an opposing player makes a good play and very is complimentary of good play by the other team. But the focus is on the Mean Green.

If you want homer radio, listen to an Aggie broadcast! At one point a few years ago, they wouldn't even give the names of opposing players. They weren't Aggie so it didn't matter to them! Opponents certainly never play well enough to be commented on. And at no point is any play calling decision even a possible mistake.

It is my understanding the Bill Mercer is now at least feeling better about George. I could be wrong about that, but that's what I was told. I haven't heard from Bill directly in several years. The handling of the change over was a long time ago, but it was unnecessarily ugly. There is a right way and a wrong way to go about replacing people in high profile jobs and that change over was not handled well. But it is long since passed. Bill was the voice of the Cowboys in two Superbowls, then called Ranger's and later White Sox games. Of course, he also did wrestling, which Verne Lundquist has pointed out made Verne's "Bowling for Dollars" broadcasts not look so bad.

By the way, Bill Mercer also covered the midnight press conference in 63 when the Dallas Police brought out Oswald to meet the press.

NT has been blessed with quality people calling it's games.

[TheColonyEagle]

George does a very good job. It's the MGRN so he calls the game from the view point of a Mean Green fan. He is very willing to say when an opposing player makes a good play and very is complimentary of good play by the other team. But the focus is on the Mean Green.

If you want homer radio, listen to an Aggie broadcast!

You are right on here......

There's nothing wrong with the school's radio network being slanted toward their own team. It should be expected. But George and Hank do a great job of balancing the two. We are very lucky to have them.

Those Aggie broadcasters are a joke. When a play by play guy or color commentator refer to the team they're covering as "we" it is embarrassing and sounds like a highschool game.

"We got the first down." or "We need a stop."

Horrible.

[hickoryhouse]

No mention of Bill Mercer, the guy Dunham screwed out of the play by play job.

Not sure who Bill Mercer is, i don't think i was around back then, but screwed out of the job sounds either really unnecessarily harsh, or like there is a story there somewhere. I prefer to think harsh....

[Coffee and TV]

This. There are college football broadcasters showing their wares on "homer call of the week" just about every week. Just listen to the radio call of Auburn's punt return for a touchdown wink the Iron Bowl last year and you will realize exactly how lucky we are.

Hank is also a really good college color guy, in my opinion. Great team and great for UNT.

If only player recruitment matched announcer recruitment, we would be a top 25 team.

While guys like Gus Johnson can go way overboard, I don't fault the Auburn guys at all for that call. I think I was in hysterics watching that play unfold on TV and I'm not even an Auburn fan. You expect a little bit of homerism for those types of broadcasts, and what exactly could the color commenter add to that play besides the pure emotion that was pouring out of him at that time.

[UNT90]

While guys like Gus Johnson can go way overboard, I don't fault the Auburn guys at all for that call. I think I was in hysterics watching that play unfold on TV and I'm not even an Auburn fan. You expect a little bit of homerism for those types of broadcasts, and what exactly could the color commenter add to that play besides the pure emotion that was pouring out of him at that time.

He could not squeal like a 12 year old.

You were watching it. If you were listening on the radio, you would have known sonething good was happening, but would have had to deduce the rest for yourself. George and Hank have never put UNT fans in that position, as far as I can remember, which granted only goes back to about 2007 (wasn't that involved previous to that date).

And I only use the Iron Bowl as an example. There are far worse major college calls out there besides that one.

[Coffee and TV]

He could not squeal like a 12 year old.

You were watching it. If you were listening on the radio, you would have known sonething good was happening, but would have had to deduce the rest for yourself. George and Hank have never put UNT fans in that position, as far as I can remember, which granted only goes back to about 2007 (wasn't that involved previous to that date).

And I only use the Iron Bowl as an example. There are far worse major college calls out there besides that one.

The squealing you speak of was the color guy though. The play-by-play dude did a pretty good job describing what happened even though he had heavy emotions.

[meanJewGreen]

You wouldn't tell me that if UNT was in a position like Auburn and about to knock off huge rival to advance to a championship game, you wouldn't think George would be in hysterics?

The squealing you speak of was the color guy though. The play-by-play dude did a pretty good job describing what happened even though he had heavy emotions.

[VideoEagle]

Not sure who Bill Mercer is, i don't think i was around back then, but screwed out of the job sounds either really unnecessarily harsh, or like there is a story there somewhere. I prefer to think harsh....

Here's a link to Bill Wikipedia page for more info on him. Incredible guy. He did NT play by play from around 59 till 94 I think. The press box in Apogee is named for him. George had been around a while before he replaced Bill. I would not use the term "screwed" but I certain would say "ugly."

[aztecskin]

An awful lot of you listen to Aggie broadcasts.


I don't mind a little 'we' in there. It isn't a national broadcast. I don't mind a little homer-ism.

[Christopher Walker]

I said listen carefully. :18

Not sure who it was, though it wasn't George.

I've maintained that someone, a Georgia defensive coach perhaps, is yelling "Sonovabitch!" at that :18 mark through the wall.

Hence the muffling.

Edited October 9, 2014 by Christopher Walker

[ParksAndRecRick]

So proud of what Georgio does for the Mean Green Nation. He is a true UNT Mean Green Fan. I'm proud to know him...because George is UNT! And, one nice and talented guy as well!