Marty Gordon NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Typically when I watch Virginia Tech football games on television I find myself turning off the sound and turning on the radio broadcast. I just enjoy the game better when I listen to familiar voices who know what they’re talking about when it comes to the Blacksburg school.
Super Bowl Sunday, I found myself watching the game at a friend’s house and listening to the television announcers. But after leaving at the end of halftime, I moved quickly to try to pick up the radio broadcast.
Not bad with the likes of Boomer Esiason and other outstanding NFL announcers. But again, I wanted to hear a familiar voice, so I started searching on the Internet for the Falcon broadcast. This time, I got to listen to a familiar voice from a long, long time ago.
Dallas “Wes” Durham is the voice of the Atlanta Falcons and was once the play-by-play radio guy at Radford University. I was covering Radford University athletics and was a former member of the university’s sports information staff when I met Wes.
He had that voice and sound that lots of people were looking for. He graduated from Elon College and spent time at RU and Marshall University. Durham left RU and spent three years at Vanderbilt University before heading to Georgia Tech. That gig led him to the radio job for the Atlanta Falcons in 2004 where he has been ever since.
Durham is also doing both TV and radio work for Fox Sports Net. His talents might have come naturally as his father “Woody” was the voice of the North Carolina Tar Heels for over 40 years. Thus, Wes grew up in the business and learned specifics from his father.
He spent time as a disc jockey for a roller rink and at a radio station both during high school, growing up in North Carolina.
While his time at Radford University was a short one, he still got his early start with the Highlanders. Several former RU colleagues wished him well on his Facebook page.
So for now, he is the first and maybe the only connection the Radford school will have, but I’ll take it. I’m just sorry that his Falcons came out on the wrong end of the scoreboard in Sunday’s Super Bowl, but we will always remember him.
Who knows, he might have another chance next season.
