Wayne Larrivee

Wayne Larrivee is an American sports broadcaster. He is the radio play-by-play announcer for the Green Bay Packers, along with hosting the team-produced "Inside Lambeau" television program which previews upcoming games and airs every week on several Wisconsin television stations. He also does a daily sports commentary segment called "The Back Page", which originates from Packers flagship WTMJ-AM (620) in Milwaukee, and is syndicated to stations throughout Wisconsin and Northern Illinois and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He called games for the Chicago Bears for 14 seasons. He also was the television play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Bulls during WGN-TV (Channel 9) games for 17 seasons. He has also called games for the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Chiefs. He is also an announcer for Big Ten football and basketball for ESPN. He also called the 2007 NCAA Tournament and NFL football for Westwood One. It is common for him to call three different games in one week, or even a single weekend: a Packers game, a Bulls game, and a Big Ten basketball or football game. He was the recipient of the Silver Dome Award for Best Radio Football Play-by-Play from the Illinois Broadcasters Association.

At crucial moments at the end of games, Larrivee refers to a clinching point as "The Dagger", which is perhaps one step under the proverbial "nail in the coffin." For example, after the big play, he will say, "and there is your dagger!" This 'catch phrase' has become synonymous with Larrivee and it is believed that he is the announcer that has led a surge in other announcers' using the phrase as well. Some of his earliest "Dagger" calls include Sunday, November 11th, 2007 when he called it in the third quarter in the Packers' 34ndash;0 rout of the Minnesota Vikings after Green Bay scored a touchdown to make it 27ndash;0, Wayne emphatically cheered, "Dare I say with 3:22 left in the 3rd quarter, THAT is the DAGGER!" and on October 9th, 2005 when he called late in the second quarter of their 52–3 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

Another well known catch-phrase of Larrivee's is "Ring It Up!", used typically as emphasis for a three-point basket made, and, of most recent note, for the buzzer-beating overtime 3-point basket on the Westwood One radio network broadcast of the first round contest between Western Kentucky University and Drake University in the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament.

On July 18, 2007, Larrivee was named the #2 play-by-play announcer for football games, by the Big Ten Network. Larrivee is due to work with former Northwestern and Chicago Bears defensive back Chris Martin. Thom Brennaman was named the lead announcer on the same date.

On May 6, 2008, it was announced that Larrivee would no longer be the WGN-TV play-by-play man for their Chicago Bulls telecasts.

External links

* [http://wgntv.trb.com/sports/wgntv-larrivee-waynebio,0,3549510.story?coll=wgntv-sports-4 Larrivee's Bio] at WGN-TV
* [http://www.620wtmj.com/shows/directory/7764517.html Larrivee's Bio] at WTMJ-AM
* [http://www.620wtmj.com/sports/thebackpage "The Back Page" Audio Archive (hosted on WTMJ-AM's site)]