Starkey or Simmons?

Niners99 · 2013-01-10T01:27:50-08:00

Favorite 49ers announcer? Im assuming the older fans will vote Simmons. I personally think of Joe Starkey as the voice of the 49ers. I was sad to see him retire from Niners broadcasts in 08. Ted Robinson is fine, but we got spoiled with 2 of the greats for around 50 years. I wish i had been old enough to enjoy the 1987 and 1988 seasons, when Simmons was play by play, and Starkey was color.

Jan 10, 2013 at 2:43 AM

mod
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Jan 10, 2013 at 5:58 AM

Kaepmandu
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Lon Simmoms hands down!! Plus he's a hell of a baseball announcer..

Jan 10, 2013 at 1:00 PM

iLL49er
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was very disappointed w/ starkey was done but ted robinson's call against the saints was impressive

Jan 10, 2013 at 1:13 PM

49AllTheTime
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you can put it onnn the Boooard , Yes !

Jan 10, 2013 at 1:15 PM

Paul_Hofer
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IMO, anyone who prefers Starkey over Simmons didn't hear (are too young to have heard) Simmons.

Jan 10, 2013 at 9:20 PM

Niners99
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Originally posted by Paul_Hofer:
IMO, anyone who prefers Starkey over Simmons didn't hear (are too young to have heard) Simmons.

Starkey was the announcer for the vast majority of the good years though. Simmons was gone from 1981-1986, and he retired after 1988. Starkey was the voice for a lot of good memories.

Jan 10, 2013 at 9:47 PM

KowboyKiller
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Oh what a bonanza.

Jan 11, 2013 at 1:44 PM

Paul_Hofer
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Originally posted by Niners99:

Originally posted by Paul_Hofer:
IMO, anyone who prefers Starkey over Simmons didn't hear (are too young to have heard) Simmons.

Starkey was the announcer for the vast majority of the good years though. Simmons was gone from 1981-1986, and he retired after 1988. Starkey was the voice for a lot of good memories.

I guess you're saying it was the team and not the announcer. I agree. Over 24 years as the Niners' announcer, Simmons called the Jim Marshall wrong way "TD," the Steve Young 49-yarder against the Vikings and the Montana to Taylor TD that won SB XXIII. Classic. Starkey had a handful of stock cliches' like "What a bonanza" noted above that he repeated ad nauseum. Simmons had a sense of humor, was objective, exciting and didn't shine his boss's azz.

Jan 11, 2013 at 6:36 PM

dcsham
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Originally posted by Paul_Hofer:
I guess you're saying it was the team and not the announcer. I agree. Over 24 years as the Niners' announcer, Simmons called the Jim Marshall wrong way "TD," the Steve Young 49-yarder against the Vikings and the Montana to Taylor TD that won SB XXIII. Classic. Starkey had a handful of stock cliches' like "What a bonanza" noted above that he repeated ad nauseum. Simmons had a sense of humor, was objective, exciting and didn't shine his boss's azz.

Simmons is one of the greatest announcers ever. Superb at both baseball and football, which is why he is in the hall of fame, equally good at both radio and television. Starkey was good, but nowhere near Simmons caliber. Anyone old enough to have listened to both of them for any length of time would come to that conclusion quite easily. I do agree that many of the younger posters will not have a frame of reference because Simmons was before their time.

Jan 12, 2013 at 3:23 PM

#10

GNielsen
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Simmons' call of Steve Young's famous 49-yard td scramble is one of the funniest and most exciting things I've ever heard. "Gets away, gets away again..." Every time I hear it, I almost fall out of my chair laughing. Simmons was great. But, Starkey is also good.

Jan 12, 2013 at 5:22 PM

#11

OnTheClock
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Can't choose between them. Both were incredible.

Both > Ted Robinson.