As we’re patiently (sorta) awaiting the return of sports, I got to thinking about what I miss about live games. I miss the fans, I miss the players, and I miss the uniforms. But one aspect of live sports that make it so special are the broadcasters.

I’m not talking about the studio guys who do the pre and post-game shows. I’m not talking about the anchors, hot-take artists and reporters we hear daily on ESPN. I’m talking about the play-by-play guy and the color commentator; those who make games come alive.

Whether it’s the familiar sound of your local play-by-play guy’s voice narrating the action of your favorite team, or a color commentator who brilliantly analyzes what is actually happening on the field or court, they are the voices of all our greatest sports memories.

So here is my list of 10 in game broadcasters that we miss most as a sports fan community.

Honorable Mention: Marc Zumoff

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I am not a Philly guy. Though as much as I despise the Philadelphia 76ers and all they stand for, I gotta give credit where credit is due. He may not quite make my official list, but Marc Zumoff is great example of a beloved local play-by-play guy.

He is Philly through and through. He’s clearly a fan of the team, he’s a homer when he has to be, and he has electrifying phrases that have become trademarks for basketball in the city of brotherly love.

When the Sixers have a big defensive stop, it’s “lock all windows and doors!” When the Sixers have the final shot in a quarter, it’s “shot-clock unplugged!” When the final possession in a close game is coming up, it’s “we’re coming in for a landing!” When a Sixer turns a missed shot into a bucket, it’s “turning garbage into gold!”

And when the big shot in a game is hit, he roars his simple yet familiar “YES!” He fits the mold for great local play-by-play guys, and we miss those sorely.

Gus Johnson

Full disclosure for this pick, I’m not the biggest Gus Johnson guy in the world. But though I’m not his number 1 fan, I’m a man of the people, and he is a no-doubter fan favorite.

He’s a play-by-play broadcaster, well known for his enthusiastic and over-the-top style of calling games. He currently works for FOX, but has previously worked for the Big Ten Network, MSG, and CBS. It was at CBS where he became a staple for the annual (at least what used to be annual) NCAA men’s basketball tournament. His voice would pour over the broadcast during the most exciting moments of the college basketball season. And his excitement always matched the moment. I miss his voice more than anyone else’s involved in March Madness.

He also had a two-year run as the voice of EA Sports Madden NFL video game. He was every bit the spark plug in the virtual world that he is in real life. Actually, my all-time favorite Madden announcer quote was a Gus Johnson original. “He’s got run away from the cops speed!” That one says it all.

Tony Romo

It’s actually somewhat ridiculous how good Tony Romo is on an NFL broadcast. Working as the color commentator for CBS with Jim Nantz as the play-by-play guy, Tony seems to know what the QB is doing before anyone else watching does. He uses his experience and borderline football genius to dissect the pre-snap movement and predict the play seconds before it unfolds.

He also contains a child-like joy for the sport that shines through the broadcast. He gets almost giddy before a big game and we, the sports fans at home, can absolutely feel the pre-game anticipation in his voice.

My favorite thing he does, and I know I’m not alone here, is when there is a close call on a play being reviewed. As the slow-motion replay displays what happened, Tony shows his uncertainty by looking over to Jim Nantz and letting out a distinct, “ehhhhhhhhhhhh I don’t know, Jim.” Brilliant.

If the NFL season is somehow canceled, and we don’t get Tony Romo calling a football game, we riot.

Gary Cohen

This is a completely shameless bias selection. Some may not like that. But it’s my list, so I don’t care.

Gary Cohen is the brilliant play-by-play guy for SportsNet New York (SNY), the home television network of the lovable loser New York Mets. While this pick is absolutely guided by my Mets fandom, Cohen has an inarguably flawless reputation in the industry. He works alongside commentators and former Mets World Series champions, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez.

The three of them work perfectly together, but Cohen is the one who steers the ship home. For years, during elongated periods of failures for the Metropolitans, all we’ve had as fans is the SNY broadcast booth game-in and game-out. When the Mets finally made another World Series in 2015, they let Cohen join the radio broadcast for a time so he got the chance to call a World Series game for his childhood team.

When the game ends, and the Mets are victorious, you hear him shout, “And the ball game is over!” It’s a staple. And when a player on the Mets hits a long-ball, Gary lets out a fierce, “It’s outta here!” It’s irreplaceable.

Mike “Doc” Emrick

This is the man I associate with his sport more than anyone else on this list. When I think of NHL Hockey, this mans voice is the first thing that comes to mind. For my generation, he is the voice of the NHL.

Whether it’s a random Penguins game on NBCSN that my dad’s watching, or the Winter Classic on New Years Day, I associate watching the puck move up and down the ice with Mike Emrick’s voice directly in my ear. He is known for his comedic relief, sense of humor, and unmatched knowledge of hockey history.

Something unique he does that fans seem to enjoy is his description of hockey equipment as “paraphernalia.” The sooner we get sports back, the sooner we get Hockey, and the sooner we get Doc again.

Tommy Heinsohn

Once again, this pick is nothing short of an extremely biased fan decision, and once again I do not care. Tommy Heinsohn is a basketball legend. He is an eight-time world champion as a player, and a two-time world champion as a head coach, all for the Boston Celtics. He was an All-American, rookie of the year, and had his number 15 retired by the greatest franchise in basketball history.

His incredible career didn’t stop on the hardwood. He became CBS’ color commentator in the 80’s, calling Lakers/Celtics finals games with no regard for impartiality. Seriously, watch some highlights of those finals, it’s awesome.

Since the 90’s he has been a loyal Boston Celtics broadcaster, bringing joy to C’s fans (like myself) everywhere during games. There has never been a homer quite like him, at least that I’ve ever heard anyway. If a call goes against Boston, even if it’s a good call, Tommy acts like a felony has just occurred.

He’s one of a kind. He is as accomplished and qualified as almost anyone in the history of the sport. I need my Celtics back so I can hear his bias yet again.

Joe Buck

The son of the great Jack Buck, Joe has become one of the titans of sports broadcasting. Working for FOX, he has been the voice of the NFL and MLB for some time now.

Whether it’s on Sundays working with former QB legend Troy Aikman, or during summer baseball games working with the great Tim McCarver, he is a true professional and immensely talented at calling a ball game.

What we’re really missing right now is his calling baseball. Though there is still an off chance the NFL season is in jeopardy, it’s likely that we’ll get to hear him in NFL booths this year. Calling baseball games doesn’t feel as sure.

Buck has received some heat through the years for being slightly bland. He has worked to change this narrative however, and these days has done a better job of mixing his calm nature with enhanced exhilaration.

Whether you love him, hate him, or are completely indifferent, he is one of the handful of broadcasters who are synonymous with big games. You can’t think of nationally televised FOX Baseball without thinking of Joe Bucks’ voice.

Here’s to hoping we get to experience him call a player going yard soon enough.

Kevin Harlan

What can I say about Kevin Harlan? He is a living legend. He is as good as it gets. He is *chef’s kiss* for play-by-play guys.

Harlan is the only man on this list who can challenge Gus Johnson’s sheer enthusiasm. He calls Monday Night Football games on the radio for Westwood One. He works for CBS calling Sunday NFL games as well as college basketball games.

He is perhaps most known however, for his brilliance on TNT calling NBA games. No spoilers, but there is only one other man on this list (yet to come) who I associate more with basketball. Kevin Harlan makes good games great. He makes forgettable moments memorable. His call of Kawhi Leonard’s miraculous series-winning shot in the second round of the NBA playoffs against Philly was unbelievably good.

“It’s off to Leonard, defended by Simmons, is this the dagger?” *Ball bounces off the rim four times and then falls in*. “Ohhhhh!… game! Series! Toronto has won!” So good.

Bill Walton

Now, I know exactly what you’re thinking. “What!?!?”

Yes, Bill Walton is third on my list. He may not be the most technically sound TV personality, sure. He may not be a brilliant analyst of basketball schematics, maybe. But the man will bring up Jerry Garcia on a whim during an Arizona State/UCLA basketball game at 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Does your color guy do that? He once, on air, ate a cupcake that had a candle still lit on it. You cannot make this stuff up.

I am fully willing to concede that he might be the least talented broadcaster on this list, but no one matches his entertainment value. This is a man who has probably done more acid and magic mushrooms than your old neighborhood Dead Head. This man was one of the greatest college basketball players of all time, while smoking weed and protesting wars. His experiences are second to no one.

Bill Walton is one of my favorite color commentators of all time, and you cannot convince me otherwise. He is as accomplished as he his goofy, and I miss him dearly.

Jim Nantz

“Hello friends, welcome to a tradition unlike any other.”

That’s a phrase that ranks at the top of the list of things missed most with the current sports layoff. That’s a quote by Jim Nantz that has opened every Masters since 2002.

The story behind how he came up with this opening is actually really fucking beautiful. It’s a story about his sick father and his intention to connect with him over the air. It’s also the opening of one of the most hallowed traditions in American history. We’re supposed to hear it every April. This year, COVID-19 has stolen that from us.

One of the four Major championships in golf, The Masters has been an essential staple in the US for almost nine full decades. Jim Nantz, who is also one of the most iconic NFL play-by-play guys in history, has further etched him name in broadcasting stone by becoming the singular voice of the tournament held every year in Augusta, Georgia.

It’s something that even non-golf fans can recognize as an unrivaled event. That, along with March Madness, is the face of the lost sports season we are currently experiencing. I speak for almost all fans when I say, the sooner we get to hear Jim Nantz greet us again, the better we will all feel.

Mike Breen

This wasn’t a hard selection at all. As an absolutely die-hard NBA fan, who is taking the loss of the season harder than maybe anything else we’ve lost in sports, Mike Breen is the one voice that I miss the most.

“Bang!”

This is his simple yet dazzling call for a made bucket. He doesn’t overuse or underuse it. He saves it for just the right shot in a game. And his cadence is always right. Even when his voice cracked slightly during his call of Steph Curry’s 38 footer against the Thunder in February of 2016, it fit the moment perfectly. The shock in his “bang!” matched every fans reaction around the world.

His most brilliant call was during one of the most memorable moments in NBA history. Later that same year, June 19, game seven of the 2016 NBA Finals in Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. Only 1:56 left in regulation, tied at 89, Andre Iguodala rebounds a Kyrie Irving missed lay-up and proceeds to push it down the court. Take it away Mike…

“Iguodala to Curry, back to Iguodala, up for the layup… OHHHH! Blocked by James! LeBron James with the rejection!”

LeBron swatted Iguodala’s layup off the backboard like an inhuman monster, and the Cavs went on to win 93-89 and steal the NBA championship on the road against the team with the best record in NBA history. Absolutely iconic.

We miss you Mike Breen. And god, we miss sports.