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After 46 years of doing the play-by-play for WSU football games, Bob Robertson will have a different role in the Cougar Football radio broadcasts in 2013. Bud Nameck will take over as the play-by-play man this season with Robertson remaining in the booth along with color analyst Shawn McWashington. The school announced the move on Friday.
The move comes a year after the radio broadcast team underwent a significant change. McWashington replaced Jim Walden as the color analyst with Nameck moving from the sideline into the booth. Nameck has been the play-by-play man in waiting for years and WSU will make the transition from Robertson to Nameck this year.
The 84-year-old Robertson has served as WSU's play-by-play man for 46 years, including the last 41 in a row. The season opener against Auburn will snap Robertson's streak of 470 straight games of doing the play-by-play. Bill Moos said the move was done to relieve some of the demands the broadcast put on Robertson.
"Bob and I had discussions this summer and we were in agreement that with the demands placed on a five-hour broadcast, this is the best move going forward," Moos said, via the release from WSU. "Bob Robertson is synonymous with Cougar Athletics and will be a member of our broadcast team for as long as I am athletic director. The ultimate goal is to have him in the booth for many years to come."
Robertson appears to be in agreement with the transition, saying it is time to pass the torch.
"I will be almost 85 years old by the end of the season and my energy level isn't what it was when I was 35," said Robertson. "I'm not going to get any younger so I'd rather people remember me the way I was as opposed to the way I will be. It is time to pass the torch."
Although he won't be calling the play-by-play, Robertson will still host the pregame, halftime and postgame shows. He'll be in the booth and provide analysis during the games, likely similar to the role Nameck played last year.