Falkenstien

"Kansas City's Most Quoted Media Site..."

How tough will it be trying to replace Max Falkenstien, legendary University of Kansas announcer the past 60 years? Very. David Lawrence, sideline reporter at KU football games the past 12 years, will now move into the legend's hallowed seat, according to Jeffrey Flanagan in his Kansas City Star column (5/26):

"The Kansas Jayhawks have their replacement for Max Falkenstien, at least for their football broadcasts.

David Lawrence, the sideline reporter for Kansas football games for the last 12 years, will succeed Max.

It is the second stint in the position for Lawrence, who was the radio analyst in 1982 — the season after he graduated from Kansas.

WHB’s Nate Bukaty will succeed Lawrence as the sideline reporter for the Jayhawk Radio Network. Bukaty also will replace Lawrence as host of the football pregame show.

“No one can ‘replace’ Max,” athletic director Lew Perkins said. “But in David and Nate, we have two experienced professionals who know our program, and who will contribute color and insight into our football broadcasts.”

Lawrence and Bukaty will work with play-by-play announcer Bob Davis, who heads into his 23rd season of Kansas football and men’s basketball.

Perkins said a color analyst for Kansas basketball will be named later."

One former local sports broadcaster provided his input on the selection:

"I think Bob Davis will have a hard time getting his words in as David Lawrence seems to have quite the ego and likes to talk," he says. "Nate will do a good job. He was probably trained by Tom Hedrick, a.k.a. "The Parrot'."

Veteran radio/TV broadcaster Duke Frye also shared his thoughts:

"David Lawrence will do a great job in the booth as analyst/color announcer.

He will obviously be a totally different style than Max was because he played the game and can break it down. No one will replace Max, but David will do a great job as anyone who listened to him last fall when Max was out after surgery should know.

Nate will probably do okay as the pre and post host...That's why David was so good from the sidelines, he gave you an in-the-trenches view of the game that few sideline reporters do these days.

Even though coaches like to cloak their sidelines in secrecy, it's a sideline reporter's job to tell us what's going on down there, not give us drivel from the game notes. Even if you work for a school. Few people do that anymore. That's why most sideline reporters are worthless. Just a few thoughts from a guy who's been there."