Someone mentioned Hank Flick yesterday....

[thekimmer]

It led me to this old interview which is a bit dated but is still a very good listen. A poignant reminder for the average fan who tends to forget those sports figures we sometimes love to hate are still human beings with human emotions and human feelings. I'm sure this interview was posted way back when but its worth a repeat.

He obviously tended to connect with people on a very personal level. Especially touching to me is his story about mens basketball coach Jim Hatfield from the late 70s early 80s who was quite unpopular at the end. He came to Flick and requested him not to introduce him before a game so his kids wouldn't have to hear their father get booed. Another was his account of Rockey Felker who called him crying immediately after his firing to get help writing his letter of resignation. And then there is the story of his own dismissal as PA announcer. Great stories about the Kang and others. The only thing missing was a story about Jack. He had to have one or two but then Jack prolly never got that 'touchy-feely'.

Link

 

[Walter White.sixpack]

Flick was a MSU icon. And one of his classes, while quite challenging, was my favorite class I ever took at MSU.

RIP, Hank.

 

[InTheIttaBenaHotSun]

Glad I took Dr. Flick's Interviewing class. Sharp guy with a hilarious sense of humor.

I loved when someone would walk in late for his class....

 

[Hankp22]

Hank Flick was the best

One of the best things I did while at Mississippi State was taking both his Interviewing and Small Group Communication classes. My attendance record at MSU wasn't always the best but I never missed his class. If you missed his lectures, you cheated yourself. He had a unique way of getting his class involved in discussions. And I laugh each time I see a baptist pen of some sort. Or hear a Helen Keller reference.

The personality he added at MSU sporting events was just a bonus. I wish he had done that for many more years.

 

[Drebin]

Loved Dr. Flick. Spectacular human being. Fun basketball PA guy.

He sucked as a football PA guy, to be honest, but I can't help but get misty-eyed when I watch old MSU videos and can hear his nasaly voice echoing in the background. "Flag on the ground".

He was uniquely Mississippi State.

 

[Miketice]

Loved Dr. Flick. Spectacular human being. Fun basketball PA guy.

He sucked as a football PA guy, to be honest, but I can't help but get misty-eyed when I watch old MSU videos and can hear his nasaly voice echoing in the background. "Flag on the ground".

He was uniquely Mississippi State.

I may be in the minority but I liked him at the FB games. "JAAAAYYYYY JJAAAAYYY Johnson" was a beautiful sound to me. lol

 

[thekimmer]

Flick was a MSU icon. And one of his classes, while quite challenging, was my favorite class I ever took at MSU.

RIP, Hank.

His classes when I was at state were very hard to get into.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

I was in one of his Interviewing classes & one of my favorite undergrad professors. Radvanyi, Keehley (even if I did get a C in his class), and Dr. Zacharias also get thumbs up from me. Great basketball PA guy. Underrated football PA announcer.

 

[Daddy Rabbit Dawg]

Radvanyi was great. He didn't just teach Russian history, he had lived it.

 

[We Men]

I just can't help getting my 2 cents in. Flick was the absolute worst PA that State ever had or over will have, I hope. He always put the crowd and the F'ball team to sleep. No exuberance, no excitement. Blah. Tsun and others had lively, upbeat PA's that excited their teams and fans. I was so glad when he got replaced. I will always blame him for some of the home losses due to lack of team excitement. That was my impression. Never had him for a proff, however.

 

[AFDawg]

Flick saying JJ Johnson is one of my earliest memories of MSU.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Agreed. I interviewed Radvanyi for Flick's Interviewing class. Radvanyi in a lot of ways is responsible for my fascination with Eastern Europe. I've been to Latvia and Hungary and going to other former Soviet Bloc/former USSR states is on my bucket list.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Yep. I couldn't get into either of his two Small Group classes and I was in the Communication program.

 

[patdog]

Well, this is a first. I've never heard anyone blame a PA announcer for a loss before. He wasn't good as a football PA, but he wasn't as bad as a lot of people think either.

 

[aTotal360]

Agreed. His Interviewing class was the best class I took at State.

 

[Junction John]

I logged in just to downvote.

 

[Dawg1979]

I just can't help getting my 2 cents in. Flick was the absolute worst PA that State ever had or over will have, I hope. He always put the crowd and the F'ball team to sleep. No exuberance, no excitement. Blah. Tsun and others had lively, upbeat PA's that excited their teams and fans. I was so glad when he got replaced. I will always blame him for some of the home losses due to lack of team excitement. That was my impression. Never had him for a proff, however.

Well just how big a boy are ya? i loved Flick. basketball and football. i loved every part of it. early memories of Bulldog football are his "First Down, Bulldogs!". he was great.

 

[Dawgzilla]

Great man, didn't care for him as the PA guy. I'm in the minority, I know. Plus, sometimes if I'm watching MSU BB home games on TV and someone asks what on, I'll say, "an evening of BaAAAAAsketball, mississippistatestyle" so maybe I'm also a hypocrite.

 

[DawgsOnTheWing]

Put the football team to sleep?!? That's funny......don't think the PA is responsible for motivating the team. Give me accurate recap of play (tackler name, receiver name, penalty, etc) with down and distance and I'm fine with PA. Go to a wrestling match if you want entertainment from a PA.........

FTR, Flick fan here.....

 

[Original48]

Agreed. His Interviewing class was the best class I took at State.

Most beneficial class I took as well.

 

[Crucifictorious]

A history dept prof once told me that he asked Radvanyi if he was worried about the Soviets knowing he was living in Starkville. Radvanyi replied that to the Soviets a small town in Mississippi would seem like a punishment akin to Siberia, so he figured they assumed he was unhappy and, thus, not worth bothering with. Of course he loved everything about Starkville.

 

[Duke Humphrey]

Radvanyi was one of those treasurers/assets MSU had that we didnt know

I was in one of his Interviewing classes & one of my favorite undergrad professors. Radvanyi, Keehley (even if I did get a C in his class), and Dr. Zacharias also get thumbs up from me. Great basketball PA guy. Underrated football PA announcer.

The only reason he ended up at MSU was other universities were too worried to hire him. He was, I believe, the highest ranking Communist Party official to defect so there were many skeptical to hire him. He also played a significant role when the USSR was breaking up, in that much of what the State Dept in Washington was learning was coming through a fax machine in Starkville, MS.

 

[HumpDawgy]

Heeeeeeeerrrrreeeee come your Bulldags!!!!

 

[cowbell88]

Sorry, for the down vote, I fat fingered it.

 

[Drebin]

Heeeeeeeerrrrreeeee come your Bulldags!!!!

You forgot the woofing like a dog he did after he said that.

 

[StarkVegas Steve]

I can still vividly remember when the Hump was rockin and you heard that buzzer sound and ole Hank Flick came over the PA and welcomed everyone to The Hump FOR HOOPS and let everyone know it was time to play some basketball MISSISSIPPI STATE STYLE. Also, can we petition to bring back those damn light up pom poms?

 

[J-Dawg]

Put the football team to sleep?!? That's funny......don't think the PA is responsible for motivating the team. Give me accurate recap of play (tackler name, receiver name, penalty, etc) with down and distance and I'm fine with PA. Go to a wrestling match if you want entertainment from a PA.........

FTR, Flick fan here.....

This is my take as well. Compared to alot of radio announcers, Jack woulda dulled people to sleep, too. But he's considered an icon. PA guy should be no different. Be sharp, accurate, and thorough. No need for a cheerleader.

I miss Flick terribly for basketball (the new guy is way worse, IMO) AND for football.


"TANNNNNNNNNNNG HAMILTON FO-O-OR THREE!"

 

[J-Dawg]

"To the Hump...... forrrrr HOOPS.

A Good Good Evening and welcome to the Humphrey Coliseum on the campus of Mississippi State University, for an evening of BASSSSS-KETTTT-BALLLLLLLL..... MISSISSIPPI STATE STYLE. Today's contest is between the visiting [Mascot] of [School]......... annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd the BULLDAGS of MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY."

 

[Drebin]

 

[Drewbowski]

Fatfingered the upvote.

Blaming the PA announcer for a loss is the dumbest thing ever. You are an absolute idiot.

 

[Forrest4Moore]

I just can't help getting my 2 cents in. Flick was the absolute worst PA that State ever had or over will have, I hope. He always put the crowd and the F'ball team to sleep.

Can an individual post win DDDY?

 

[Junction John]

I dare anyone of my era to think of Silky Smooth Tony Watts without hearing his name in Hank's voice.

 

[Junction John]

In my day, he only told time on his "commemorative Liberty-Bowl watch", and most of his references were from Married with Children.

 

[Junction John]

I haven't even watched this video yet and it's all chilly in here.

 

[RocketDawg]

Loved Dr. Flick. Spectacular human being. Fun basketball PA guy.

He sucked as a football PA guy, to be honest, but I can't help but get misty-eyed when I watch old MSU videos and can hear his nasaly voice echoing in the background. "Flag on the ground".

He was uniquely Mississippi State.

I always liked him OK as a PA guy, but I recall a LOT of people (not sure if here or on Gene's) page 15 or so years ago really wanted him replaced as the football announcer. Now, everybody seem so like him.

 

[Cary Hudson's little bro]

Greg Byrne fired him though, right?

 

[bbqbully]

I’m WAY older than most of you. I took his intro to public speaking when he was Mr Flick,not Dr. Flick, and just a newly hired instructor. He told us his door was always open to us and he’d always take our calls EXCEPT from 10 to 11 Saturday mornings. Nothing and nobody kept him from watching Mid South Wrestling!

 

[jdbulldog]

And we all thought Stansbury was the problem......all along it was Hank! Heck, how many championships did Hank cost us?

I loved the guy.

 

[Shamoan]

I just can't help getting my 2 cents in. Flick was the absolute worst PA that State ever had or over will have, I hope. He always put the crowd and the F'ball team to sleep. No exuberance, no excitement. Blah. Tsun and others had lively, upbeat PA's that excited their teams and fans. I was so glad when he got replaced. I will always blame him for some of the home losses due to lack of team excitement. That was my impression. Never had him for a proff, however.

^^^^Anthony Craven

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

Agreed. His Interviewing class was the best class I took at State.

Ditto! He and Bob were the only folks in the building who got my crazy sense of humor.

He was always friendly and funny when I came back to help Dr. Forde with stuff. I wish all three of my kids could have sat in his class.