VFL's reflect on John Ward's impact

For hundreds of thousands of Tennessee fans — spanning multiple generations — legendary “Voice of the Vols” John Ward painted pictures with great clarity.

For those who provided the landscape for those pictures, Ward left a lasting impression as well.

“It's that feeling where you get the goosebumps when you go back and listen to those calls,” former quarterback Heath Shuler told VolQuest.

“You get that sense of wow that's John Ward talking about something we did on the field. Listening to John Ward calling one of your plays and the sense of feeling you have running through the T, it's the same.”

Former defensive back and current broadcaster Charles Davis said it was simple, John Ward talking about you meant you had arrived.

“I remember seeing a movie a few years ago about Ernie Davis called The Express. He plays his first game at Syracuse and they cut to a scene back at his house and his brother and grandfather were sitting there and the grandfather says, ‘Whoa they said his name. It's real.’ That's what it was like. If John Ward said your name. It was official, you were a Vol,” Davis said.

“In our state, that was the stamp. We all played hoping Keith Jackson would call our name in our era. But if you played at Tennessee, John Ward calling your name was a much bigger deal. That gave you legitimacy and credibility.”

Added Shuler, “The validation for me was when I had my first face-to-face visit and handshake before the season ever started. I introduced myself to him. He was the icon. The legend I grew up listening to. Then he says, ‘Oh your the quarterback from across the mountain in North Carolina.’ I was in awe that he knew of me as a freshman. That was so cool.”

Shuler grew up in Western North Carolina listening to Ward on fall Saturday's with his father. Years later the former pee-wee running back turned quarterback was a highly sought after recruit. In fact, for many Vol fans Shuler's college decision was the first recruit they ever followed. Ultimately, Shuler picked the Vols over Alabama in a major recruiting win. A victory that in some ways became a reality because of fall Saturday's on a farm with a transister radio.

“I had never gone to a Tennessee game but my dad would actually on Saturday's when we would be working outside in the fall he would always listen to the Tennessee games with John Ward,” Shuler said.

“I knew John Ward before I knew any of the coaches or any of the players. You knew about John Ward. He was my first relationship or connection to Tennessee.

“That was my relationship to Tennessee. So you felt a connection to the fans. I was kid who I would close my eyes and when he counted down the yardage going into the end zone you would imagine that would be you running down the sidelines to the end zone.”

Former Vol offensive lineman Trey Teague grew up in Jackson, Tennessee. His family were Vol fans. And like many of the Big Orange faithful, Teague spent more days listening to the radio than watching television.

“My uncle went to Tennessee and was a huge fan so any dove hunt you were at or any farm you were on or fishing you were doing, the game was always on the radio,” Teague said.

“Sometimes I think people would purposely go somewhere that there wasn't a TV because they enjoyed his description of it better than they did watching it on TV. I think I probably listened to as many games with the door of a truck open and the radio going as I did watch the games on TV.”

For the last decade, Davis has traveled around the country each fall calling games in both college and in the NFL. At each stop, the member of the 1985 SEC Championship team has sent Ward a postcard from his travels. For Davis, it's a way to keep in touch and a way to say thank you for Ward's help in his broadcast career.

“The first game, I probably ever did in my life was a Tennessee spring game in 1987 after I was done with school. They asked me to sit in with him and Mr. Anderson. He comes Mr. Know It All Davis bouncing up and I had nothing. I had no notes. I had no boards. I had nothing. I figured I knew the team. I was like this is going to be easy. Mr. Ward greeted me and asked me if I had any notes, do you have this or that. He very gently eviscerated me that I showed up with nothing. I realized what an affront that was to show up with no preparation and didn't ask what I needed. You know that he did to seal the deal and cement it home? He gave me another spotters board and told me he had prepared it for me. In other words, he told me without saying it that I knew you would come in unprepared. You talk about a lesson. The embarrassment level was super high. He guided me through it and through many other things in my career. He made such an impression right then and there.

“He's a mentor. He's my hero in so many ways. His legacy is that he's from an era we are not going to see again. He's the local voice of the University. The voice of the team is that galvanizing, touchstone for every fan. We all knew him. It's a legacy we are not going to see again.”

Added Shuler, “To me, obviously he was a legend, but he was an example of how we should all conduct ourselves in having the pride he had towards the University of Tennessee. That's what I was able to see. When football days were over for me and you got to sit down and have conversations you could sense the pride he had for the University. No matter where he was he would wave that Tennessee banner. He was all about the University.”