Bulldogs' football announcer Ron Hanson is in his 30th season. He's know for the catchphrase "how bout those Bulldogs."By ERIC PLUMMER SANDPOINT -- It's a pretty safe bet that most of the fans at Barlow Stadium on Friday night will want to hear Sandpoint announcer Ron Hanson saying, "How 'bout those Bulldogs!
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It's an even safer bet that Hanson himself will want to be saying it, as he has been for the last 30 years atop his perch in the press box high above the 50-yard line, because it will mean the Bulldogs have probably scored a touchdown.
Hanson, 57, was born and raised in Sandpoint. He has five children, and one of his grandsons, Drake Hanson, was a key member of the state champion soccer team.
Since the age of 27, Hanson has been the announcer under the energetic Friday night lights of Barlow Stadium at War Memorial Field. He's watched a lot of football from his "osprey view" and as one would suspect, has a wealth of stories from his experiences.
"One year I had an altercation with a Coeur d'Alene coach in the booth," says Hanson with a chuckle.
"He didn't like the fact that after every touchdown I say 'how bout those Bulldogs.' He took offense at that and tried to take the mic away from me."
He's seen coaches from Cotton Barlow, to Bill Barlow, to Satini Puailoa, to Sean Dorris to this year's coach, Mike Mitchell.
He's watched quarterback Dave DeMers, whom he called a "phenomenal player, and a man among boys." He mentioned watching all of the great running backs from Eric Becker, to Jeremy Thielbahr, to Isao Puailoa to Kurt Stoll. He remembers receiver Caleb Bowman as "electrifying.
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"Seeing Satini Puailoa take this whole program and move it up to the level it's at now," says Hanson of one of the best highlights he's seen. "It was bottoming out, in tough shape, no fan support or intensity; it was pretty dire.
"To see him resurrect that was really gratifying.
That's how it was when I was growing up as a kid here."
Hanson just loves being around the element of sports teams and high school athletics. He says it's something that just grows on you, and it's as good a vantage point as there is to watch a game.
He's looking forward to Friday's game against Bishop Kelly, and remembers last year's well.
"Even though we lost, that was the game played with the most heart I've ever seen," says Hanson. "I've never witnessed a team play against more adversity than that team.
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He recalls another experience with Coeur d'Alene in town, this one a little more heartwarming.
"I had a request to announce a happy birthday to Tommy Barlow, who was playing for the Vikings at the time," recalls Hanson. "When I mentioned it, all of the people from both sides gave him a huge round of applause; it was pretty cool.
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Through it all he's missed only two games, including two weeks ago when he opted to take his wife Ranel to Seattle to see a Bob Dylan concert.
"I did it for her, I've really short-changed her on a lot of Friday evenings," says Hanson, who thinks he might do it for another five years. "I was thinking about retiring 20 years ago.
I guess I'll do it until my wife tells me that she'd like to do something else on a Friday night than sit home and watch T.V. by herself.
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He remembers a huge Vikings team coming to town one year, so he decided to announce each kid 50 pounds and six-inches less than they were listed on the program. He said the Viking coaches weren't enthused.
Dwight Sheffler has been Hanson's spotter for the last 25 years, and filled in at announcer two weeks ago.
Hanson calls him a real asset, and remembers a time when the former mayor of Sandpoint had to sing the national anthem as a fill-in.
"We had this old tube amplifier and Dwight hit a note that it couldn't handle and it went up in smoke," recalls a laughing Hanson, who wanted to thank the city for the new sound system.
Friday night will be the latest in a long line of great games with Hanson behind the mic.
Here's to hearing a lot more "how bout them Bulldogs!
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