Fans of domestic soccer had mixed reactions when MLS announced in June that the AppleTV app will become the exclusive means by which every single one of the league's games is available for a 10-year period beginning with the 2023 season. One the one hand, Apple's big-money gamble (reportedly worth $2.5b over the life of the deal) is another sign of MLS' continued growth, and that's a good thing for our league. On another, though, the move signaled the end of local broadcasts, and as such, the swan song for a number of iconic broadcasters.
Close to home her in the greater D.C. metro, that means that Dave Johnson won't be on the call for D.C. United any longer. The ebullient Johnson, known for his signature "It's In the Net! It's In the Net!" call for the home team's goals, is the only play by play announcer the team has ever known, starting his job in 1996 when the team and league first took the field.
IT’S IN THE NET!
— D.C. United (@dcunited) October 31, 2021
When you hear that catchphrase, there’s only one person that comes to mind: @davejsports. With more than 20 years in the broadcast booth, Dave Johnson has become part of D.C. United tradition.
Out of Many, One presented by @CocaCola. pic.twitter.com/cELLI8BgEb
I've met Johnson on a couple of occasions, most recently when he served as the emcee of the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Leesburg stadium that's home to D.C. United's United Soccer League (USL) affiliate. He had no particular reason to be nice to me, but he was gracious and kind. Apparently that's on-brand for him. When I reached out to Shlara to ask if she'd had much interaction with him (he's also been the play-by-play announced for the Washington Wizards for 26 years, where his path crossed that of several FOG:TBs) just in case I was inadvertently celebrating a dickhead, she said, "Yes! Great guy."
Which is good enough for me.
As the video above demonstrates, Johnson is inextricably intertwined with the team that gave him his start in the play by play business at a high level. He's as much D.C. United as John Harkes or Andy Najar.
The same story is playing out in other markets across the league. Real Salt Lake fans started a petition to keep Brian Dunseth and David James in their analyst and play by play roles. Former USMNT striker Charlie Davis and Brad Feldman said their farewells last week as the New England Revolution season ended. Matt Lawrence and Glenn Crooks are out at NYCFC as soon as the defending champions end their playoff run.
Several eras, indeed, are over or soon to be.
What will likely last long in the memories of D.C. United fans, though, is that signature call.
It's In the Net! It's In the Net!
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17 comments:
I’m stunned by the number of different broadcasting partners/companies that the DC area has had over the years. Love the HTS clips from the mid 90’s.
lemme know if anyone up for a beer(s)/meal/mini-summit in nova tomorrow eve...schedule fluid but can make it work. staying in tysons but happy to make it convenient.
Jesus, gheorghies. Meet the Danimal!
wife and i are attending a beer launch at our local in leesburg. might be a tad far, but would love to see you.
Dave is a good dude, and he may be the hardest working guy in the DMV. He would get home from a Wiz or DCU road trip, where the plane lands at Dulles at like 3am, and then trek to WTOP to do the morning news and no one listening could tell he had zero sleep. And I just figured out that Dave's DCU broadcast partner is the dad of the family who moved into the house a few doors down from my sister.
I don't tune in many MLS broadcasts, but the loss of the local call is a bummer. I've been listening to CFB games recently, and prefer to listen to the broadcast of the team I expect to lose. There's just something soothing about listening to the misery of defeat.
ish smith must be a really good dude, no? don't imagine many assholes get a chance to play for 13 nba franchises.
Ish Smith is the Bruce Chen of NBA PGs
Chris Gatling is pretty offended by his omission in this conversation.
Mark West, 1090 games with 9 teams (two repeat stints)
Chris Gatling, 700 games with 9 teams (one repeat stint)
Kent Bazemore, 657 games with 7 teams (two repeat stints)... SO FAR
ODU, baby. They can bounce around with the best of them.
Not Cal Bowdler.
Odell Hodge….not so much.
I bet he has a good relationship with his realtor.
Piggybacking a bit off of Whit's remark above: Tony Massenburg, from Sussex, Va., and the University of Maryland, played 683 games for 13 teams (repeat stints with Spurs and Grizzlies) over 13 seasons. Also, played two years in Spain in early '90s.
Covered him some in high school. Chiseled 6-9 kid played for Sussex Central in what used to be called the Peanut District. Bunch of smaller high schools west and south of the James River -- Smithfield, Suffolk, Franklin. Though Massenburg obviously stood out because of his size, there were an inordinate number of ath-a-letes at those schools. Lot of raw, country-strong kids. Their games were events.
Look at our man in the OBX flashing his Peanut District bona fides.
He’s a suitor!
Spent all day on the soccer fields. Two wins: 4-0 and 5-1. Nice day for my keeper. She had a sleepover tonight for a friends birthday so the wife and I got a date night. And I hit my Ok State and K State bets. Quite a day.
spent the afternoon at a brewery in the country on a postcard-perfect autumn day. my bets, less good. need colorado to continue to flail against oregon state.
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