Five iconic Chris Berman calls to celebrate his birthday
Published May 10, 2021
Chris Berman is a jack of all trades, and it would be a challenge to find out what major sporting event he hasn’t covered.
Growing up in Irvington, N.Y. and raised Jewish, Berman– or “Boomer,” as he is known — has been an anchor for ESPN’s Sports Center since 1979, only a month after its initial launch. He also hosted the network’s Sunday NFL Countdown for more than 30 years.
In honor of the six-time winner of the National Sports Media Association’s “National Sportscaster of the Year,” award turning 66 today (Monday, May 10), here are five of his most famous catchphrases that turned him into the great anchor that we know and love.
“He could…go…all…the…way!”
The classic call for a player on his way to the end zone, this is probably Berman’s most recognizable catch phrase. His mid-play prediction of a touchdown is one of the first he adopted, and even was featured on the Jock Rock, Volume 2 album of famous sports sound bites and songs.
“Back, back, back, back…Gone!”
While Berman is known more for football, his baseball calls are just as memorable. Boomer often takes the helm during the MLB Home Run Derby, where he showcases just how much range he has, no matter the sport.
“Whoop!”
The most versatile — and loudest — of his calls, Berman utters this whenever a player makes a quick move, a player causes someone to miss, or a player makes a mistake, like in this clip shown above.
“Rubmlin’, bumblin’, fumblin’, stumblin’!”
Usually saved for when a larger player, normally a lineman, runs with the ball, Berman uses this phrase to showcase that not all football players are as graceful and fast as you’d think.
Player Nickname Puns
Berman is often known for having some fun with the names of the players he covers. Whether it’s former Minnesota Twins pitcher Bert “Be home” Blyleven, or the Cowboys Wide Receiver “ABCDEFG” Lamb (shown above), Boomer can always make something out of nothing.