Paul Eells: Voice of the Razorbacks Dead

RE:death

Joseph,

It sounds like he was drinking or asleep? Wonder about the family of the other driver how they will take flying flags at half mast?

 

:tear: :tear:

9/24/1935 - 7/31/2006
He will be missed.​

Schaeffer's Corner - August 1, 2006
Paul Eells - Model of Servanthood
by Rick Schaeffer​

Only the angels are rejoicing. The rest of us are left with a huge void in our lives as Paul Eells, one of the finest gentlemen who ever has graced us with his presence, has gone to spend eternity with the Lord. ​

Paul humbly and openly professed his love, trust and faith in Jesus Christ and he modeled that faith for all of us. He was gentle, kind, never boastful and treated everyone he touched as if that person was the most important person on earth. ​

Only when Frank Broyles eventually leaves the Razorbacks as athletic director will there be bigger shoes to fill in the world of Arkansas sports. Paul visited all of our homes, cars and businesses and told us every delicious detail of Razorback football. His trademark call, "TOUCHDOWN ARKANSAS!" thrilled thousands, even millions of Hog fans all over the world. ​

Paul was everyone's friend. He loved Lou Holtz, Ken Hatfield, Jack Crowe, Danny Ford, Houston Nutt, Eddie Sutton, Nolan Richardson and Stan Heath, even as he hosted their coaches' shows. They loved him back. I've never heard a coach Paul worked with say an unkind word about him. They knew how loyal and devoted he was and how he treasured their success more than he did his own. ​

Broyles loved him, too. He and Dale Nicholson of KATV brought Eells to Arkansas from Nashville, where he was the voice of the Vanderbilt Commodores. I still remember Coach Broyles handing me a reel-to-reel tape and asking me to listen to it as the University searched for a football and basketball play-by-play man. The first time I heard Paul's voice it was easy to determine how smooth it was. Once Paul was hired, he never left.

I had the privilege of working football and basketball broadcasts with him for many years. He never changed. He expressed the deepest thanks for any small favor, even something as simple as delivering a Coke or water to his broadcast position. He described the games for his listeners, never for himself. ​

Paul had a natural pause between every play, always leaving room for color commentary. He treated every comment by those he worked with as important and privately expressed amazement at how much we knew when none of us were his equal. ​

Paul delivered a lifetime of memories. He was the voice of UA football and basketball until the increased number of telecasts of Razorback basketball caused him to leave the radio broadcasts in that sport. ​

He was the basketball voice for the classic Sidney Moncrief-Larry Bird confrontation in the 1979 NCAA regional finals. He called U.S. Reed's half court shot that stunned Louisville in the 1981 NCAA Tournament. Paul and I both jumped out of our seats when the ball swished through the nets. ​

In football he called victories over Texas, Alabama, Florida (in the Bluebonnet Bowl), Georgia, LSU, Auburn, Texas A&M and hosts of others but none meant more to him than victories at Tennessee in 1992 and over the Vols at Fayetteville in 1999. ​

As voice of the Commodores Paul had never called a victory over the Volunteers. Before Todd Wright kicked his game winning field goal at Knoxville in '92, Paul said he would run a victory lap around Neyland Stadium if the Hogs won. He didn't physically fulfill that promise but no doubt his heart raced around the field as the Razorbacks celebrated the win. ​

Like all of us, Paul's spirits dropped when Clint Stoerner fumbled in the final minutes at Knoxville in 1998 and the Razorbacks suffered their most disappointing loss in decades after coming so close to an upset over the number one ranked Volunteers. ​

That made the '99 call so satisfying as he practically leaped out of the booth when Stoerner hit Anthony Lucas with what proved to be the game winning touchdown pass at Fayetteville.

While Matt Jones and De'Cori Birmingham will always have legendary status for the incredible last second touchdown that allowed the Hogs to beat LSU in 2002's "Miracle On Markham", Paul's call of the play will be forever be remembered. ​

While Paul gave us considerable thrills with his descriptions of Razorback heroics, it was his daily life that leaves an impact on all who knew him. He would do anything for anybody. Status meant nothing to him. He treated fans from the farthest corner of Arkansas with the same kindness he displayed to coaches and all he worked directly with. ​

Even on his last day on earth, he considered it a privilege to drive to Fayetteville and play in Houston Nutt's golf tournament. He played that day with Danny Nutt. No doubt Danny will treasure that memory for the rest of his life.

The last time I saw Paul, he smiled and waved at me as I was leaving the course to spend three hours on our daily radio show. No one could know we would never see him again on this earth. ​

No doubt Broyles and Nicholson will find a talented replacement for Paul Eells by the time Arkansas plays Southern Cal on Sept. 2 but the memory of Paul will hang heavy in the air. The first time the Hogs score we will be anticipating "TOUCHDOWN ARKANSAS" but will no longer hear that trademark call.

When Jack Buck, beloved St. Louis Cardinal broadcaster, passed away a few years ago, the headline of the St. Louis Post Dispatch said, "A City Loses Its Soul." We in Arkansas have lost a bit of our soul as well. While the angels are rejoicing we are left with a void that will last as long as we live.


- www.arsnonline.com

 

RE:death

Thanks Ken,

I was not aware of his reputation. My apologies for the earlier question.

 

This is sad news. I met him in an elevator in a hospital in Little Rock many years ago. I found him to be a very gracious, humble man.