![Jim Nantz]()
Jim Nantz is one of the best sports broadcasters of all-time, and like many of his legendary ilk, he has certain mannerisms, quirks and catchphrases that stand the test of time. None of Nantz's calls, however, is more iconic than his formal greeting of the audience. It's the same every time.
"Hello friends."
You'd be forgiven for thinking that was a go-to line for Nantz to ground himself and relate to the viewers in more of a personalized fashion. For me, I won't lie, it seemed a little corny, and for so many years I missed out on what the phrase's greater significance was.
If you ever belittled Nantz from your living room for his "hello friends" refrain, get ready to feel like an a**hole. I'm just kidding, be kind to yourselves, and just enjoy the sentiment behind it that is so befitting for Father's Day.
"It was a connection phrase with my ailing father, who had Alzheimer's and struggled for 13 years before succumbing in 2008. But in 2002, just days before I headed to Hazeltine and the PGA Championship, I sat next to my father and told him that this weekend, I'm going to say something when I come on the air. I'm going to look into that camera, Dad, and I'm going to say, 'Hello friends, Jim Nantz here.' My dad's name is Jim Nantz, and I wanted to give him something on the air that let him know I was channeling him at that moment."
https://twitter.com/golfoncbs/status/1802332909015069182
Even if Nantz isn't your cup of tea, or you think he's a little
too involved in the industry — which other announcer has the versatility/chops to call The Masters and the Super Bowl with such aplomb? — you can't deny how lovely this particular piece of his story is. Once he did the phrase the first time, those who caught it encouraged him to keep it going, especially once they heard why he said it in the first place.
Nantz has always been a class act. How he also tied in his explanation of his "hello friends" intro to the game of golf in the video above speaks to the bottomless thought and care that resides in the man's heart:
"[...] Like the first shot in golf, there's a little bit of nervous energy, but when I say, 'Hello friends,' for that flicker of a second, I think of my dad. It relaxes me. It calms me.
And I'm able to kind of move into the show feeling comfortable and confident — and more importantly than anything, connected to my dad. My voice is my father's voice. It's identical. I heard that ever since my voice turned. I'm honored to be carrying my father's voice.
My father's voice runs through me. He's being heard. I really believe that."
I really hope Nantz's father grasped what his son did at the top of that 2002 PGA Championship, but that's not the point at the end of the day. The point is Nantz honoring his dad's legacy. He no doubt made his old man proud. There's something so poetic about how they shared the same voice, and although the elder Nantz's voice is no longer heard from the man himself, it's been amplified by James William Nantz III to millions upon millions (maybe billions?) of people over the years.
Father's Day can be a tough holiday for some. I'm sure it hasn't been easy for Nantz ever since his dad passed away. His vulnerability is courageous on multiple fronts, too. Enduring any and all scrutiny from ignoramuses like myself who used to find "hello friends" corny, though given the backstory, he couldn't care less about any of that noise. Sharing such a personal side of himself with so many strangers is such a commendable act, too.
What else can you do but embrace Nantz upon hearing this emotional tale of loss and inspiration? What an amazing way for Nantz to bridge generations of his family with one of the most enduring two words in the history of broadcasting? I personally love it.
To all the amazing dads past and present and my own, here's to a Happy Father's Day.
As we head into U.S. Open Sunday with
PGA Championship runner-up Bryson DeChambeau owning a three-stroke lead, here's a flashback to the PGA, where
Nantz shared this story about his dad and "hello friends" before delivering yet another memorable call for Wanamaker Trophy winner Xander Schauffele.
https://twitter.com/GolfonCBS/status/1792328497307799728
