■ SPORTS EXTRA FOOTBALL
Allen appreciates role as ‘Voice of the Ducks’
Kris Honry
A s<xin jt»rk (oh across the street
from a music store and an inter
est in the Beatles made Jerry
Allen who he is today—the
"Voice of the Ducks".
While in high school. Allen
unintentionally fell into the field
of radio broadcasting one after
noon during a lunch break from
his soda fountain job in Grants
Pass.
"One day I was looking
through some records at the
music shop,” said Allen, "and
one of the announcers from the
radio station was in there pick
ing up some records. 1 just hap
pened to be standing by him and
he looked at me and said. 'Young
man. you really seem to like
music. Do you think you would
Ire interested in being a disc jock
ey on the radio?'"
Allen's eyes lit up and it was
then that he made the transition
from soda jerk to pulling news
copy at a radio station for six
months. Allen got a weekend job
on the radio and. after graduation,
he went full-time into the radio
business.
The first night with an open
microphone was on experience
the Grants Pass native remembers
to this day.
"1 was petrified," said the 4 tv -
year-old Allen. "My voice was
so high because 1 was nervous. I
was so scared that I probably
sounded like a 4-year-old or a
girl."
Allen has become a veteran
Oregon sportscaster for more than
20 years now and has been the
play-by-play voice of the Oregon
Sports Network for both Duck
football and basketball games
since 1<)87.
"I try to do the broadcasts in
a positive way and try not to nit
pick and tear people down by
being critical," said Allen. "1 try
to talk to the very average sports
fan and make it simple for the lis
*
GARY OMSSA
Jerry Alien describes his radio stylings as not flashy and directed
toward the average sports fan.
tenor to understand what I see
happening.
"When I first got the job i
thought that I find to separate the
emotion and !»• objective. I soon
realized that I was hired by the
University and that I'm talking to
Oregon fans. The listeners are
fans of Oregon who don't want
me to be as objective as I would
be if 1 were doing a national
broadcast with fans of both teams
listening I'm a Due k and I can't
hide that fact
Allen feels a huge sense of
pride to he a part of Oregon ath
letics and deemed the "Voice of
the Ducks" but. at the same time,
views his role ns a very small jwirt
of a larger picture.
"Some people may not look at
it as a small part (localise I'm who
they hear and their connections
to the game." said Allen "I con
he Hj it tm i <. >/ OSN,) are fans of Oregon who don't
■ want me to he as objective ns I would he if I acre
doing a national broadcast with fans of both teams lis
tening. I’m a Pack and I can t hide that fact
"Voce o< the Dueki' oo the Oegon Sporti Netvrcwk
sider mvMilf ii smnll part Ixx auxe
the real heart of ii is the players
who are putting in the hours and
the effort in the games.”
He has lawn in many exciting
situations since coming to the
University The most unusual
coming in Shreveport, Iji when
the football team went to the
Independence Bowl, the teams
first IxiwI appearance in 26 years
The Ducks pulled off an excit
ing 17 [mint comeback victory in
the hitter cold behind the dirts
lion of then junior quarterback
Bill Musgrnve
"That was a huge moment in
the school's history anil to be a
part of that was just exciting."
said Allen "The cold sort of
destroyed all of that for me to the
[mint that I wasn't thinking clear
ly When the game was over, my
whole focus was on survival
t>ei auso 1 was just so miserably
cold "
That is how Allen ended up
returning to Eugene with the
tiand on their airplane instead of
staying overnight like he had
planned He left his belongings
at the hotel in Shreveport o*'d
didn’t realize his mistake until
thousands of miles in the air
"I still can't Ixdieve I did that,"
said Allen on missing one of the
greatest post game celebrations
in the University's history "I just
wasn't thinking clearly When
people freeze to death out in the
wild now I understand why it
happens. You just loose all your
senses
Allen has had several "favorite
moments" in Ins sportsensting
n
history. the most recant ( timing
ill last season's final basketball
gam# against UCI.A at Mi Arthur
Court
"I was almost in tears." sail!
Allen "It was hart) to talk at the
end of that game I mm a use I knew
how hard the couches and play
ers had worked and how badly
they wanted that win.
"It's more than just a win. It's
knowing the feelings and emo
tions of the people involved and
the time they put in When it
happens, it's like watching one
of your own kids succeed 1
guess "
The toughest part of Allen's job
is his absence from his wife and
three children. Allen and his
wife Sharon recently celebrated
their .bird anniversary. The cou
ple are the parents of Tami, it.
Wendi, 17, and Geoff. 13.
"Sharon has been the differ
ence in my life." snid Allen.
"There are not a lot of people that
can (iut up with the hours and
the pressures and the frustrations
of this business "
Allen places most of the cred
it on his co-workers for making
his job enjoyable and easy to do.
Former Oregon quarterback and
OSN color-analyst Mike Jor
gensen particularly doesn’t get
enough credit for the outstand
ing job he has done, Allen said.
"It's a new experience for me
each year." said Allen "Sports
i anting is a great business to be
in It's a lot of hours hut there are
a lot of rewards I never dreamed
that I could lie in the position that
I'm at."
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