CHS ANNOUNCERS HAVE SEEN IT ALL DURING 23 YEARS by Barry Currin
One thing is certain as Terry Evans and Scott Carroll enter their 24th season as the WCLE Cleveland High School football broadcast team: they’ve seen it all, from best to worst. And there’s always a joke lurking, regardless of the situation. A good example of the worst happened several years ago at an away game. “We went down there, and there was a dead pigeon in the back of the press box,” Evans said. “We went back two years later, and its bones were there — the same old bird, and the press box hadn’t been cleaned out in two years.” Another incident at an away game involved mistaken identity, as Evans explained. “The press box was right there with the stands. Well, Cleveland is winning big, and this (fan) had been listening to the radio. He stands up, looks at Scott this close, and says, ‘I hope you’re happy’ or something like that.” “Guy cussed me or something,” Carroll laughed. “I’m like, ‘what are you talking about? I know you’re not listening to us because our signal doesn’t get out of (Cleveland).’” At the time, the team was on the AM frequency, which broadcasts at lower power at night. Evans said, “He’s thinking Scott was saying all this stuff, and he’s about ready to fight.” Carroll deadpanned, “Then we realized it was one of the player’s moms.” But, for every expired bird there have been a dozen pots of gold. Carroll recalled their first state championship broadcast at Vanderbilt Stadium in 1993. “We were treated like royalty. We were in the big press box, and the buffet… The next year we go back, we’re all pumped, we’re fired up. They put us on the roof of the press box. It’s snowing. You’re talking about cold. We were way up. But we won, so it wasn’t so bad.” Evans summed it up. “We’ve had a world of fun in the 24 years.” Carroll added, “Me and Terry – we’re like a pair of slippers. It just fits. It’s comfortable, and we’ve worked together so long, it’s easy.” Evans said, “We have to give credit to Steve and Jennifer Hartline for allowing us to do it. Then there are a lot of people behind the scenes that their name is not out there, like the sales reps at the station, the people who do the equipment. And the sponsors, you’re not there without them, and then of course the fans.” Carroll added, “Steve has basically just said, ‘It’s your baby, and you just do what you need to do.’ And that says a lot. We just show up, do our thing and don’t have to worry about anything else.” Except for the occasional pigeon.