Twenty Years Later, Paul Eels' Voice Still Echoes Across Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It was a warm summer day 20 years ago at the Beech Springs Church Camp in Louann, Ark. when I heard the news of legendary "Voice of the Razorbacks" Paul Eels passed away in a car accident.

I remember sitting underneath the awning on the picnic tables beside the pool in disbelief that the only voice synonymous with Arkansas football was gone.

Growing up in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was his calls of the seven overtime games, Matt Jones strolling down the field and understanding how special Darren McFadden was as a freshman because of the way Eels painted everything.

It was his "Touchdown Arkansas. Oh My." that you knew something spectacular happened.

The 1998 Redemption Game against Tennessee is one of my first memories. "Clint Stoerner to Anthony Lucas, 23 yards and the Razorbacks have the lead."

There was the Miracle on Markham game when Matt Jones couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. But then connected on his final two passes of the game against LSU in 2002 to earn a berth to the SEC Championship Game.

"Jones looking. Jones, now looking to the endzone...and it is COMPLETE! TOUCHDOWN! OH MY!"

"I can't believe it. 31 yards to DeCori Birmingham in the back of the endzone and this game is tied at 20-20."

As an eighth grader, hearing Eels' voice tell the world how McFadden split the Georgia defenders for a 70-yard touchdown run quickly made me understand the Razorbacks had a special talent on their hands.

Even in those days, not all games were televised nationally as they are now so it was up to Eels and fellow basketball play-by-play man Mike Nail to help everyone envision how plays were developing, stats, scores, and more.

It always sounded like he was sitting beside you on the couch, unable to contain himself when Arkansas made a big play. His excitement was never forced, but genuine in a way that generations of fans trusted him because of it.

Even my Papaw would play Eels and the Razorbacks Sports Network broadcast crew on the surround sound just so he didn't have to listen to the television announcers.

Having grown up in South Arkansas, a kid would see Eels on Channel 7 (KATV), where he was the station's sports director. We'd all get a taste of just how special the upcoming 2006 season was going to be with a returning McFadden, Felix Jones, Marcus Monk, Peyton Hillis, Jamaal Anderson, Chris Houston, Sam Olajabutu, and the Springdale Five.

There was great anticipation surrounding that team, and Eels spent his final weeks sharing that excitement with anyone willing to listen.

My parents bought me the popular cardinal red bracelets with the words "Touchdown Arkansas. Oh My." on them. I even had a t-shirt with a cartoon picture of Eels that I wore until it faded out.

Kind of wish I had another.

Eels made it easy being an Arkansas fan growing up.

The passion in his voice resonated with a kid like me — obsessed with sports to no end. His impact on my life led me on the path to pursue a career in covering sports. Not because it paid squat, but for all that he did for the Razorbacks.

Saturday morning, as I sat at a picnic table beside my camp at Lake Ouachita, I opened up Facebook to share another story as always.

But before I could, ESPN Arkansas posted an interview that Eels did with the station only days before his tragic accident.

Soon to be going into his 29th year on the job, Eels joined the Morning Rush to preview the 2006 season, and it was easy to capture the excitement in his voice.

"It really doesn't feel like [it's been 29 years], but I am really blessed to have made it this far," Eels told the Morning Rush. "Probably looking forward to one of the better seasons, hopefully, that I've had the opportunity of being involved with... [Arkansas] probably has the best talent they've had in years and years and years."

Eels would be replaced in the booth by Mike Nail on an interim basis for the 2006 football season that certainly lived up to the expectation with a berth in the SEC Championship game, a 10-win season and McFadden's emergence on the national radar with a runner-up finish in the Heisman Trophy race.

The Razorback fanbase has been blessed with another great radio voice in Chuck Barrett, who has filled that same booth with passion and excitement going into his 20th season as the voice. He had the hardest job to follow up a legend, but has done well, including some of the most memorable calls in Arkansas football history.

Twenty years later, Arkansas fans simply can't get the "Touchdown Arkansas. Oh My!" phrase out of their minds every time they see a big play on the screen.

Some voices... they never leave.

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