I don't know how I missed the news this week that former Channel 4 sportscaster Paul Eels was killed in a car accident in Arkansas. Those of us who have been in the Nashville area for awhile will remember his tag line of "Holy Smokes!" from his years at the sports helm of WSM TV from 1967-1978. Paul was the first sportsguy I recollect ever in my life.
Paul went from Nashville to Little Rock where he became the Voice of the Razorbacks. Arkansans loved Paul Eels so much, Governor Mike Huckabee ordered flags to be flown at half staff.
You can see pictures and video about Paul here. Terry Bolger did a wonderful piece on Paul that you can see from that link.
I just told CeeElCee not long ago that he made me think of Paul Eels. I'm not saying he could pass for his twin, but, his demeanor and the fact he makes you think of a smiley face is what made me think of him.
3 comments:
Gosh, Sista, I read several Nashville blogs but none make me feel quite as homesick as yours does sometimes (that's not a bad thing, it's a good thing). Seems like every week you write about something or somebody that I'm either shocked to see their name, or I'm, like, OK, I can't believe someone else knows who that/what that is. Heh. Thanks for posting all you do, lots of stuff I'd not have been aware of otherwise over the months.
Anyway, yes, sad to hear about Paul Eels. Unless we were/I was out of town or the power was off, the TV dial in the house I grew up in was on Channel 4 at 6:00 & 10:00 every night, as well as at my grandparents' house too. Matter of fact I just wrote about Dan Miller & Bill Hall (and that scary freak SnowBird) on my blog the other day.
Showin' my age here, but Rudy Kalis was always "the new guy" to me. R.I.P. Paul. Thanks for sharing, Sista.
Interesting that before Lynnster, nobody has commented about this one, but, I've had a ton of hits on the Site Meter from Arkansas and other places (even in Hawaii) of people doing a search on Paul. You watch some of the clips from the news stations and his funeral and that man was nothing short of royalty in Arkansas.
Oh, I 'spect we'll see the same here in the Vol State when it's John Ward's time (hopefully later than sooner, not wishing that of course) - Knox County's liable to shut down for a week and every orange and white flag from Johnson City to Memphis will be flying at half staff...
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