RIP, Larry Munson

"Larry Munson is to Georgia football what fried chicken is to a tailgate party. You can't enjoy one without the other." - Lewis Grizzard

I haven't had much time to write this month as I have to have my book finished in a few days, but I did want to take a few minutes tonight to remember Larry Munson as I just learned of his death. (Ironically, I named the county where my story takes place "Munson County.")

You don't have to be a Georgia football fan to know who Munson is. He was the dictionary definition of a legend . His voice and his presence meant so much to so many people in Athens, across Georgia, and throughout the nation.

Some of my most vivid childhood memories involve sitting around my grandparents' living room with my family, the Georgia game on TV, the sound turned down, and my grandfather's little radio sitting on the fireplace with Munson's commentary front and center. I didn't understand at first why we had to have TV and radio, but as I grew older and longed to hear that voice every fall Saturday, I understood exactly why we did it, and today, I am so thankful to have that memory.

There are few other things that bring me such comfort and make me feel so at home than the sound of Larry Munson's voice, and I will be forever grateful that I had the opportunity to hear it through 27 football seasons.

The AJC has done a good job with that tonight, as has GeorgiaDogs.com, and I'm sure many others will in the days and weeks to come. It's all so much better than I could do, so I'll leave you with their words.

There are some YouTube tributes to Munson that I find myself listening to every September, especially since he retired a few years ago. They give me chills and/or bring me to tears on a good day, but tonight, they really get to me and many others, I'm sure. Here are a few: