* * Mike Burnop has the job we all want

Do you think you could say, “This guy is slicker than a peeled onion in a bowl full of snot!” over the radio to thousands of listeners? Welcome to the glib, colloquial world of Mike Burnop. Mike and Bill Roth are the voices of Virginia Tech Hokie football and basketball.

“We had a great running back a few years ago, Ryan Williams. In a game against Nebraska, he made an incredible run, cutting around a would-be tackler and gaining several additional yards. So I made that comment about him. Bill looked at me incredulously and said, ‘What did you say?’ He’d never heard it before, but I didn’t make it up. When you put a peeled onion in a bowl of snot, now that’s pretty slick.”

Burnop is so beloved to his fans and friends alike that he can get away with a few snot references, “boogers” and “snot bubbles” from time to time. He’s in his thirtieth year as a broadcaster, twenty-five with Roth. As the new season loomed, I chatted with him about his experiences.

Burnop played tight end at Tech from 1969 to 1973 after playing at Roanoke Catholic. “I grew up a mile from Andrew Lewis High School in Salem – they were the big gun – but I played in Roanoke. Everyone in Salem was mad at me.” He played basketball and football. He got lots of scholarship offers and took all the recruiting trips. But with many Tech connections, he chose Tech. He got his degree in Health Education and eventually a Masters Degree in Education.

I told Mike that one of the things that distinguishes his work as a broadcaster was his empathy with the players. He said, “Everybody out there is trying to do their best, on both teams. They want to be successful, to make the catch, make the tackle, don’t fumble. When something bad happens, nobody feels worse than he does. Lots of announcers will criticize players. Lots of announcers give no credit to the opponent. Sometimes the opponent makes a great play. (The announcers) blame the officials whenever a call goes against them. I’ve always felt you give credit where credit is due. Some days we’re just not the best team. Let’s recognize what the other team has done, too.

“In football, Bill and I do a lot of preparation. Including pre-game and post-game broadcasting, we’ll be on the air for 6 hours or longer. Basketball is only half as long, with fewer players to study. When you’re in conference, as we are, we play the same teams and there is some carry-over. It’s a part-time job but it’s almost a full-time job.”

Mike was tapped for the job in 1982, primarily because he was a good interview as a player. “I thought (the broadcast) was only on the student radio station. I learned that there were 60 stations in the network. Now, with XM and the Internet, we are heard all over the world.” When Roth came along five years later, there was instant rapport. Bill’s eloquence and smooth, clear voice fit in perfectly with Mike’s glibness and warmth. “We always had good fun on trips, and that’s where the stories come from when we’re on the air. When games are not competitive, we have fill material to keep our audience. We try to be funny and entertaining.”

I suggested that of the 120 Division One football programs, there really is something special about Tech. He said, “There is. It is incredible what Frank (Beamer) and his staff have been able to do. We have 19 bowl games in a row, 8 ten-win seasons, and 4 ACC championships in 8 years. But remember, Frank was almost fired after his third year. The future is scary because all the institutional foundation of Tech football is aging. Frank, (Athletic Director) Jim Weaver, (President) Charles Steger, and many others are nearing retirement. What will happen as new leadership comes along?

“Football really put Virginia Tech on a national map. The admissions office went nuts when we played for a national championship (in 1999). But the tail doesn’t wag the dog here. We do things the right way. It is a team thing, a family thing. (Bill and I) go to schools all over, but we never see anything like what we have here.”

Mike lost his best friend, business partner, and parent of his children when his wife Ellen died earlier this year from lung cancer (although neither she nor Mike ever smoked). “We had a special relationship. She was an incredible woman.”

In spite of his personal loss, he is looking forward to the coming season with eagerness and optimism. “We have incredibly passionate fans. They love the game day experience, whether home or away. They love their Hokies. It is something to behold and to be part of. It has been a great ride.”