“Cool” Anonymity Factor of Voice Over

You could compare meeting Sean Moth to unmasking the Wizard of Oz.

As the public address announcer for the University of Louisville, Moth’s voice resonates loudly from the microphone, filling Freedom Hall with carefully enunciated, intentionally emphasized words that incite emotion in fans and foes.

But once the final buzzer has sounded and Moth wishes the crowd well, he morphs into the antithesis of his P.A. persona.

“There’s this cool anonymity of only being known by your voice,” said the 37-year-old, who was hired by U of L athletic director Tom Jurich. Moth first met Jurich at his alma mater, Colorado State University, when Jurich was the director of athletics there.

When longtime U of L announcer John Tong died in April 1999,Tom Jurich turned to Moth to replace him.

In addition to seven years as the Colorado State announcer, Moth spent four years as the public-address announcer for the National Hockey League’s Colorado Avalanche, including the team’s Stanley Cup championship 1995-96 season. He also manned the microphone for the National Basketball Association’s Denver Nuggets for two seasons.

Moth has always held a special place for sports and his career choice is indicative of that.

“I had a little transistor radio, and my parents had those big component stereos, and I’d drape the blanket over it and sit in my little fort and listen to games,” he said. “I was aware of the value in having someone paint that picture for you.”

Today he’s not only the assistant sports information director for women’s soccer and baseball, the announcer for football, volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball and the on-hand emcee for sports banquets, but he’s also the emergency national anthem singer for the university.

“The more I can do, the harder it is to fire me,” joked Moth, who gets booked for voice-over work and community events, too, including the 2005 grand opening of the Muhammad Ali Center.

“That was staggering,” Moth said of being on stage with such A-list celebs as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Jim Carrey and Bill Clinton. “What was cool about it is they were all humbled by being in the presence of Muhammad Ali.”

Moth said he was awed but not anxious, as he rarely ever is these days.

He staves off nervousness by always being prepared and keeps his throat clear by having ice water and “a Ricola or two” on hand.

But he couldn’t plan for the events of the first game for which he ever did play-by-play.

“It was a high school football playoff game. The back judge, in the third quarter, collapsed on the field. And then, he died,” Moth recalled. “It was very difficult to feel like it was worth having a game, let alone describe it, and it showed how insignificant things can be.”

The most valuable lesson Moth gleaned from the experience: “It made me realize you have to be prepared for anything.”

Source: Courier-Journal