APToday’s Redskins opener is about ushering in a new era, with quarterback Robert Griffin III.
At the same time, they’re phasing out an old era, as their broadcast crew will be without Sam Huff for the opener for the first time since 1974.
The 78-year-old Huff accepted a lesser role on Redskins broadcasts this year, working only the home games and two road games, against division rivals Dallas and New York. Which means when RG3 lines up today against the Saints, Huff won’t be there to talk about him alongside longtime partners Sonny Jurgensen and Larry Michael.
“Everything ends in sports,” he told Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post.
To say Huff accepts the decision wouldn’t be accurate.
“I don’t understand it all,” he said. “I have a listening audience that other people don’t have,” Huff said. “They say, ‘We love you and Sonny.’ ”
At the same time, Redskins broadcast decision-makers acknowledged that Huff has slipped over the years, especially during night and road games.
“I listened to all the games last year,” Chuck Sapienza, the executive producer of the Redskins Radio Network said. “Is Sam the same as 20 years ago? No. But in 1 p.m. home games, he was fine. He really was. When he got fatigued, that’s when some mistakes showed up. But at home, he was good.”
For a player such as Huff, a Hall of Fame linebacker, the inevitable fade of his broadcasting career is hard to face. He told Svrluga “I don’t know what the hell happened,” when talking about being removed from six games this year.
It might make for a cleaner broadcast, but it won’t be the same, without a central figure in the team’s history.
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Here we go Steelers, here we go!
This should have happened when they screwed Frank Herzog out of his spot for monotone Larry Michael. The Redskins Radio crew could be so much greater than it is with all the broadcasting talent Washington DC/Maryland produces.
We skins fans know, we know. Snyder sux blahblahblah, shanarat, blah. Its different in The Dmv these days. You know u wish u had rg3 on your team, well some teams. We are a better squad all the way around.
Funny how the show hosts of DC ESPN 980 never talked about this. Must have been a bit of pressure from above.
When he lead off the 2011 season ranting about how much the players were being paid, he was laying it on way too thick.
Even as team homers go, he was far worse in stating every penalty against the Redskins should have been investigated by the Warren Commission, Senator Ervin, and Ken Starr.
I’m sure his response would be “Well, they should have been!”
I was pissed when they removed Frank Herzog from the “Sonny, Sam & Frank” broadcast team, and while this seems like a similar move to replace redskins history with hack Snyder flunkies, you’ve got to read between the lines to know what might be going on.
I love Sam Huff, but I’ve wondered for years if he is suffering from early onset dementia. I don’t mean that as a joke.
You know u wish u had rg3 on your team, well some teams. We are a better squad all the way around.
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Yeah, I hear ya. I mean – with all those national championships he won in college – he should be awesome! Oh, wait…
You guys down the Parkway in DC just slay me. Yes, this guy could turn out to be Peyton Manning. He could also be Ryan Leaf. How about we let him play of a few games before we build a statue to him, huh? Ah, but it’s DC, and everything works out great all the time in DC, right?
is he the one that’s an alcoholic, or is that jurgensen?
Grew up in the DC area. Listened to Sonny and Sam most of my life. Was back there at Christmas last year and heard a radio broadcast. The difference between those days and now is striking. He wasn’t sharp or funny or informative about defense like he used to be. By the end of the game I was expecting to hear, “Hey you kids, get off my lawn!”
Sam, we love ya. But it’s time.
“We skins fans know, we know. Snyder sux blahblahblah, shanarat, blah. Its different in The Dmv these days.”
Sure, just like the last dozen years or so.
The only thing worse than the skins is those two dummies Sunny and Sam. If the NFL needs more proof that football causes brain issues they need to look no further than those two clowns.
I hope Sonny has his eye on the other shoe. Bill
theravenlives2 says: Sep 9, 2012 10:48 AM
You guys down the Parkway in DC just slay me. Yes, this guy could turn out to be Peyton Manning. He could also be Ryan Leaf. How about we let him play of a few games before we build a statue to him, huh? Ah, but it’s DC, and everything works out great all the time in DC, right?
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One thing we know – he will not be Kyle Boller or Joe Flacco.