Ray Didinger Praises Merrill Reese After Eagles Hall Of Fame Induction
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - 94 WIP's Ray Didinger reacted to Eagles play-by-play announcer Merrill Reese being inducted into the team's hall-of-fame by praising his connection to the fans in the community, telling Chris Stigall on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT that the bond Reese has with the city is not something that can easily be re-created.
"To have a guy like Merrill, who's calling the games of his hometown team, the team that he grew up following from the time he was a little boy, that's something special. You can't buy that. You can't bottle that. It's either there or it's not. I think that's one of the things that really sets Merrill apart and keeps him going."
Didinger said Reese's impact on the game stands out among his peers around the league.
"There aren't many guys that have that kind of longevity with one team, where they do it for 40 years, and especially with the team from their hometown. I think that's one of the things that makes Merrill so unique and so great is that he grew up in Philadelphia. He knows the history of the team. He feels the pain of the fans, just the way the fans do and he's great. I think that, after 40 years, to still have that enthusiasm and still be on top of the game the way he is, he's a remarkable guy."
He, like many Eagles fans, have inextricably linked Merrill's voice with their memories of the great moments in team history.
"When you have a career like Merrill had, where you do one team for 40 years, your voice becomes part of every big moment in that team's history. So people can't think of the Miracle in the Meadowlands or the Brian Westbrook return or the DeSean Jackson walk-off punt return, they can't think of the play without hearing Merrill call it. They become one in the same."
