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Joshua Joffrion looks at the career of Saints' play-by-play man, Jim Henderson

The Voice Behind The Plays: Jim Henderson

by Joshua Joffrion (Scribe)

2

146 reads

History

October 03, 2008

Football, NFL, NFC South, New Orleans Saints, History

New Orleans Saints' radio playcaller Jim Henderson has been called the best play-by-play man in the NFL. Henderson started his career by reporting on Little League games in his hometown of Rochester, New York. Soon after receiving his bachelor's degree in English from the State University of New York, Henderson also to receive his Master's degree in Radio and Television from Syracuse University.

His first sports reporting job was as Sports Director for a station in Panama City, Florida, he then headed for Atlanta where he reported on sports for a station there. Henderson joined WWL TV on May 1, 1978 where he became the sportscaster.

He formely called the games with former Saints' quarterback Archie Manning but Manning stopped doing the broadcasts in 1997. Henderson then teamed up with the former Saints' fullback Hokie Gajan who he currently calls the games with now.

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Henderson is know for getting a bit excited whenever the Saints make a particularly good play, one of his signature calls came when a St. Louis Rams player dropped a punt during a Saints' playoff game and the Saints went on to win the game (you can hear the call at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xtns7mTdhQ).

Henderson has screamed whenever the Saints won in the Superdome and nearly cried at other times, whenever the Saints weren't so lucky. He still hasn't had the privilege of calling a Super Bowl for the Saints, but hopefully his chance will come very soon.

Henderson is a 13 time winner of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association's Sportscaster of the Year Award, an award conferred by sports journalists from all over Louisiana.

 

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comments (2) write a comment »

  1. Who is calling Jim Henderson the best play-by-play announcer in the NFL? While I think he has extensive knowledge about football and the Saints and his passion for the Saints will never be questioned, his play-by-play narration is terrible. He tends to describe the action as if I can see what he's talking about and doesn't out forth as much detail as he should. There have been plenty of occasions when I have flipped on the radio mid-way through the game and it has taken 15 minutes before he tells me the score.

    1. I think that he has been called the best play-by-play announcer because of his passion and extensive knowledge. The score thing is a little aggravating though...

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About the Author Joshua Joffrion (scribe)

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