In the annals of ESPN, Mike Patrick’s name likely isn’t the first that most would associate with the network but, in retrospect, he absolutely should be. The veteran play-by-play man began his ESPN tenure in 1982 and, after more than 35 years of service, the network announced on Wednesday that Patrick will be stepping away into potential retirement.
ESPN will allot time during Wednesday’s broadcast of Duke-Louisville in tribute to Patrick, who was a mainstay for both the network’s college basketball and college football telecasts over more than three decades. In fact, ESPN Vice President for Production Lee Fitting (best known for his legendary College GameDay work) heaped high praise on Patrick for his laundry list of accomplishments.
“No play-by-play commentator in ESPN history has accomplished more than Mike Patrick. He is not only a gifted professional who skillfully captures the moments and makes others around him better; he brings a genuine sports fan’s excitement to the telecasts. It was a truly incredible run.”
Patrick’s last call for ESPN came on Dec. 30, when he was on the microphone for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl and, while that may not be fitting of his incredible career, it does drive across his professionalism and reliability. As with many play-by-play voices, there was a soothing quality to Patrick’s tone and die-hards likely became accustomed to hearing his tone surrounding big events, especially those from the ACC alongside Dick Vitale.
Undoubtedly, a segment of the sporting population didn’t rank Patrick among its favorite broadcasters, but at the very least, it is impossible to ignore what three-plus decades of broadcasts say about his effectiveness in the role.
Patrick made it a point to indicate that he is “not sure exactly what’s next” after his tenure with ESPN comes to an end, he is “looking forward to continuing (his) journey with new life experiences.” There is no question that Patrick was able to see, call, and experience quite a few memorable sporting events over the years and, even if his name is not one that will regularly appear in lights in the future, it was a job well done.
