Big Bob Barry - It's official

[C&CDean]

I'm sure it's posted somewhere, but I didn't see it. Anyhow, Big Bob Barry has announced his retirement at the end of this season (football and basketball).

This thread is not for those of you who've spent the last several years bitching about Bob. This thread is for those of you who'd like to comment about his contribution to the Oklahoma Sooners. Be positive, or be gone.

http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-sports-bob-sr-retires-ok-sports-story,0,600739.story

[badger]

This thread is not for those of you who've spent the last several years bitching about Bob.


In this morning's paper:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/articleimages/2010/20100901_Plante20100901.jpg

happy retirement, bob:D

[85sooners]

:(

[OKLA21FAN]

I'm sure it's posted somewhere, but I didn't see it. Anyhow, Big Bob Barry has announced his retirement at the end of this season (football and basketball).

This thread is not for those of you who've spent the last several years bitching about Bob. This thread is for those of you who'd like to comment about his contribution to the Oklahoma Sooners. Be positive, or be gone.

http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-sports-bob-sr-retires-ok-sports-story,0,600739.story
How about them apples........... :pop:

[SunnySooner]

He'll now become part of the legend and mystique that is Oklahoma football tradition. 100 years from now, our crimson wearing great grandkids will hear recordings of his broadcasts and get the same chill down their spine that I did every time I heard, "TOUCHDOWN, OKLAHOMA!!" in that gravelly growl. You know when he says it that he's just as happy and excited about it as you are, because although it's been a job for him all these years, he's still a huge fan, and you could always tell he loved that he got to be so close to the coaches and the team. I hope we can send him out on a high note, with a season full of touchdowns, and a trip to a great bowl game, with his last broadcast being a resounding victory, he can describe our return to glory, and then ride off into the sunset to enjoy the remaining seasons of his life as a pure fan. I'm betting he'll always have good seats. ;)

[IslandSooner]

Great job Mr. Barry. No one could ever doubt your love of the SOONERS...... Enjoy retirement...... "TOUCHDOWN OKLAHOMA"

[MichiganSooner]

Congratulations Bob!! Everyone stop and think for a moment. Fifty Years!!!!!

[KantoSooner]

And, once again, "TOUCHDOWN, OKLAHOMA!"

[Mississippi Sooner]

To me, Bob Barry will always be the voice of sports in Oklahoma rather than just the voice of the Sooners.

When I was a kid growing up in Ada, we usually had a choice of two channels. We had KTEN out of Ada, and they barely qualified as a tv station, or WKY channel 4. Sometimes channel 5 would come in, but it was usually very fuzzy. Channel 9 never came in because KTEN bled over their signal.

Around the time I became aware of what football was and became enraptured by the Sooners, in the early 70s, Bob had already taken the job with OSU. So to me, John Brooks was the voice who brought the Sooners to life in my head on all those radio broadcasts back in the days before cable and satellite tv.

Nevertheless, Bob Barry was the face of all sports in Oklahoma. Remember the old WKY studio that was kept completely black? One by one as they went from news to weather to sports, only that section of the studio would be lit, and it was always Bob's smiling, cherubic face that was in the back, reading the sports headlines of the day. He seemed to be the ultimate authority in sports in the same way that Jack Ogle did for news and Jim Williams for weather.

When Bob finally did move back to the Sooners in the early 90s, I felt like it was something like a living piece of nostalgia. I'd never gotten to hear him call the Sooner games in the 60s, so this was something like getting to see Bud on the sidelines at Owen Field.

Say whatever about him staying around too long, but the man paid his dues and was truly the dean of Oklahoma sports broadcasters. And now, he's going out under his own terms.

[olevetonahill]

He'll now become part of the legend and mystique that is Oklahoma football tradition. 100 years from now, our crimson wearing great grandkids will hear recordings of his broadcasts and get the same chill down their spine that I did every time I heard, "TOUCHDOWN, OKLAHOMA!!" in that gravelly growl. You know when he says it that he's just as happy and excited about it as you are, because although it's been a job for him all these years, he's still a huge fan, and you could always tell he loved that he got to be so close to the coaches and the team. I hope we can send him out on a high note, with a season full of touchdowns, and a trip to a great bowl game, with his last broadcast being a resounding victory, he can describe our return to glory, and then ride off into the sunset to enjoy the remaining seasons of his life as a pure fan. I'm betting he'll always have good seats. ;)




Sunny , I aint a 100 years from Great Grand kids, Maybe not even 10 :eek:


Any who , I have not listened to a Radio Game in a long time , Seems like every game is on TeeVee, There were times I wanted to turn the sound off the TeeVee and turn the radio on , But the dayum time delay just pissed me off.

Any way Thanks for what memories I have that you Helped bring me BBS

[fwsooner22]

Bye Mr. Barry

[OUmillenium]

Thanks for all the great memories, Bob.

Now, get John Brooks back. It is a travesty having him as the voice of the Onion Redskins.

[Wishboned]

51 years. He's had an incredible career, and he's not only seen Sooner history, he has participated in it.

I will miss Bob Barry. Listening to him on the radio is like hearing from an old friend. I hope he gets the send off that he well deserves, and that he gets to enjoy a wonderful, and long, retirement.

[XingTheRubicon]

back in 1989, BBS announcing for O state vs. OU basketball.

"Oklahoma with 6 turnovers and 3 steals, legally...ha ha." (referencing Oklahoma's very current NCAA troubles in football)

[IB4OU2]

Congratulations to you Bob! You will be missed. If people knew what a wonderful family the Barrys are they would think twice about saying hurtful things. I grew up with Frank his oldest son and Bob Jr. would tag along with us when we played golf. Mrs. Barry was very kind. Bob was always my favorite Sooner broadcaster and I missed him when he worked at OSU for 18 years (73-91). 50 years is remarkable.

[LePetomaine]

Cheers to him. Cleaned out many a garage listening to Bob. Any of the gaffes? never bothered me; it just brought personality to the experience. Living down here in enemy territory, especially in the lean 90's, the radio was the only way to get a game (ex: when I was serving my three year term in Waco, one year instead of OU/TX, my tv game was Ohio -Indiana). So, that voice was always welcome.

[SouthFortySooner]

Bob had a wonderfully recognixable voice. Twirling the old transistor out on the back side of the farm, his voice was like, BINGO!

[XingTheRubicon]

On the flip side, I was driving from Palm Springs to LA in 2000, couldn't get the OU/A&M game on any channel in the desert, not even an update. Then, all of the sudden, as I'm frantically trolling every AM and FM station...I hear Bob Barry's voice. Some sports station in LA, switched to the OU game because OU was ranked number 1 and down 10 points late. I don't know how many limp-wristed SoCal drivers I inadvertently put in the bushes listening to that 4th quarter, nor do I care.

That call on Torrence Marshall's pick was/is one of my favorite memories of being a Sooner fan. Up there with "Go, Joe" in '75. The radio signal had a very slight static to it and the escalation of Bob's voice from the pick to the sideline run for a go ahead TD was ****ing awesome.

[Hotrod3157]

Thanks for the memories, enjoy retirement, and the nice sideline view you'll have the rest of your life.

[OhU1]

Thanks Bob, your love and enthusiasm for OU sports added much richness to the listening experience. We will miss you.

[sooneron]

Have a great retirement, Bob.

[Chuck Bao]

Over the last 10 years, I have spent many of a late night or early morning in Bangkok listening to Bob and the Sooner Sports broadcasts over internet radio.

It was good. It was a godsend. Bob had a fan in Bangkok.

Before the advent of the internet, the only way I could keep up with OU sports in the 80s and 90s is to wait at a local newstand for the delivery of USA Today on Monday afternoon.

Hearing live broadcasts with TOUCHDOWN OKLAHOMA brought back great memories of listening to John Brooks' Jimminey Christmas when I first became a Sooner fan as a young kid while listening to the radio my fall Saturdays plowing fields.

I wish Bob the best in retirement.

I don't know what the next 10 years will be like without Bob being the voice of the Sooners. I do hope that whoever it is will provide as many really great memories.

[yukonsooner]

The last time Bob announced he was retiring after the current year was after OU went 8-5. We then went on to a 13-0 season. Could this be just one more indication of things to come?.........

[pilobolus]

Bring on JR and Lawler.

[soonerhubs]

During the Magical Season of 2000 I was able to follow the Sooners because Bob Barry and company was on 107.7 while I was in a tool shed in NewCastle hiding from a foreman and listening to every play. I'll never forget it. Thanks BBS!

[StoopTroup]

Dean are you saying that since Bob is retiring....nobody can bitch about him again on this board? If that's what your saying....

Thank You. :D

If it's just in this thread....I'm a tad disappointed.

[Jacie]

Rules! In a knife fight?

[goingoneight]

I like how Joe C. said he'd still be a part of pre-game and post-game... that's where I really think he'll be good. It's hard for anyone who's not razor-sharp to call games perfectly, as BBB pointed out yesterday. But the guy does know a lot about the program, the offense, the defense and the opposition on Sooner gamedays.

[Denver_Sooner]

"Touchdown Oklahoma!!...NO Flags!!"... during the Blake years

[HBick]

Always heard he was great early on, and during the Stoolwater years. But I'm glad he knows this season is his last and doesn't dangle it like the guy from the dodgers or the guy from Bama who passed on during the season if I'm right.

Wish him well, nothing but the best. Enjoy the twilight years.

[texaspokieokie]

dodgers guy is still one of the best.

[soonerborn30]

"Touchdown Oklahoma!!...NO Flags!!"... during the Blake years

We still say that in our section every time we score. NO FLAGS!! WOOOHOOO!!!

[fossil]

Cheers to him. Cleaned out many a garage listening to Bob. Any of the gaffes? never bothered me; it just brought personality to the experience. Living down here in enemy territory, especially in the lean 90's, the radio was the only way to get a game (ex: when I was serving my three year term in Waco, one year instead of OU/TX, my tv game was Ohio -Indiana). So, that voice was always welcome.

:D Ummmmm........what were you in for?

[budbarrybob]

Buh Bye Sooner

[StoopTroup]

SPEK for the ICON Triple B

[stoopified]

I love Bob Barry as a person,he is truly one of the nicest gentlemen I have ever met.Having said that I am very glad he has FINALLY stepped down.

[LePetomaine]

:D Ummmmm........what were you in for?

law school

[SeattleOUstudent]

Seriously. This cannot come soon enough. I was forced to listen to this crap for a whole qtr tonight. It was near impossible to make out what was going on. Can we fire him mid-season?

[pilobolus]

Kevin Harlan would be great.

[Lott's Bandana]

Seriously. This cannot come soon enough. I was forced to listen to this crap for a whole qtr tonight. It was near impossible to make out what was going on. Can we fire him mid-season?


To his defense, it was hard to figure out watching it as well.

[cccasooner2]

law school

Sure,..... was the appeal successful? :D I couldn't resist the setup.

Enjoy your retirement Bob, what a fun career it must have been!

[soonerhubs]

Seriously. This cannot come soon enough. I was forced to listen to this crap for a whole qtr tonight. It was near impossible to make out what was going on. Can we fire him mid-season?

WADR, did you not read Dean's post at the start of this thread?

[sooner_born_1960]

Heh, hope he had a chance to make peace with his maker.

[budbarrybob]

"Touchdown Oklahoma!!...NO Flags!!"... during the Blake years

LOL I still say that!

Peace in all things BB Sr.

[VA Sooner]

Thanks for the memories, BB Sr. I remember when I was watching you give the sports updates on NBC. Great career.

[boomerinhou]

Thanks for all the great memories, Bob.

Now, get John Brooks back. It is a travesty having him as the voice of the Onion Redskins.

Dude...John Brooks is in his 70s now. Sure, I'd love to have him back too, but he kinda burnt his bridge with the OU athletic department when he was replaced. He still has a great voice, but don't know how much staying power he has.

:(

[Boomer Mooner]

I wonder how many hours I have listened to Bob over my life? Man, I'm going to miss him.

[StoopTroup]

I think I'm going to miss him too.....although...I quit listening to him at the games as I found it distracting. I like figuring things out on my own most times and listening to him and the others spout out what just happened kind of took the fun out of it for me.

I think what I won't miss is the folks who come to a game and listen to him and when he'd make a mistake they would shout out "Way to go Bob!" and roll their eyes. It was like the Sooners would perform better if he hadn't made the call he did. That situation probably was the largest contributor to me quitting listening to the live broadcast. I think I'm better friends of the folks around me too for not being one of those type of fans too.

Good Luck the your future endeavors Bob and Boomer Sooner!

[ictsooner7]

I'm a dumbass who cannot read.

[OUthunder]

Enjoy retirement BB. Next year I can finally listen to OU games on the radio again.

[SoFla Sooner]

I live far far away....so occasionally I have the occasion (and need) to listen to Bob. He is very loyal, passionate, charming, and terribly inaccurate. But somehow, I will miss him.

[olevetonahill]

I aint listened to radio in years, Mainly cause the radio is delayed from the TeeVee. So by the time a play is announced on the radio its already over on TeeVee.
Heel Id love to watch the Game and listen to Bob B than have to put up with most of the TeeVee announcers

[AirbOUrne]

I haven't listened to the radio much since Stoops took over. However, during the Blake years, unless you could make it to the road games, bumbling bob was your only choice. Call him a Sooner if you wish, I grew up with Brooks. Never really cared much for barry, even with his calm country, senial demeanor. Flame me if you wish, but it's for the best. Happy retirement...should have happend a long, long time ago.

[Cinco Ranch Cougar]

I grew up listening to Mike Treps and then Bob Barry. (I have yet to grow up). I am convinced that I have truly been blessed to have both of these guys describe the action on the field.
Treps was great, and Bob was great as well, albeit not as sharp as he once was, but still he is OURS, and I will truly miss him.
Jim In Katy