The man behind the voice.

His Irish brogue and wit have illuminated some of the greatest games ever played, helping him to become one of the most well known and beloved characters in US Soccer.

By Tony Quinn

Go to many Irish Hostelries around the country, or indeed around the world, on any Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon between September and May and you may find yourself in the midst of some very spirited conversation, surrounded by loud televisions and large projection screens. These discussions can appear heated to the stranger, but vocal they always remain, many resulting in a token 'liquid' wager to settle the argument.

The reason for all this activity in what should be perfectly peaceful post lunch time pubs? Live TV broadcasts of the European Champions League soccer tournament with expert commentary coupled with a generous dose of blithe humor provided by our own Tommy Smith. His love of the game is transparently obvious and his insight and appreciation of soccer technique have helped him become a fan favorite. A huge devotee of the sport, Tommy even once tried for the New York Yankees, failing to make the chosen group due to an injury.

The media in the US has chosen to ignore "The Worlds Game" save when images of the minority hooligan element are broadcast nationwide to a puzzled audience. The popularity and huge financial backing for 'traditional' sports such as Baseball, Football and Basketball here in the US leaves soccer in a somewhat perilous position and the sport still has a long way to go to acquire mass appeal. Tommy however believes that, given time, the game will catch on in the US will become one of the dominant teams in the international arena.

A traditionally male pasttime, the Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons have become for many supporters the most important few hours of 'down' time during the work week. Favors are called in, and excuses are made to those in authority in an effort to join the exodus from the work place and catch a live game.

Someone has to capture the action and atmosphere of the games and relay it back to the football news hungry supporters and since 1992 it has become the job of Tommy Smith to call the games for ESPN.

Born and brought up in Co. Louth in the small town of Knockbridge. His youthful free time was taken up by playing Gaelic Football. When not kicking a ball around with his friends in those halcyon days, Tommy would spend his sunday afternoons with millions of others listening on the radio to the great Michael O'Hehir giving animated play by play on Gaelic football and hurling games. Listening as O'Hehir described from some of the greatest teams to ever grace the sod of Croke park in Dublin, and other fields of play across the Emerald Isle.

Leaving Ireland in 1963, Tommy joined countless other Irish emmigrants in New York, earnign his living in a variety of professions from painting and landscaping to automobile mechanic and buildign maintenance. His entry into broadcasting came in 1969 on an Irish radio show in Mount Kisco NY. Later he would go on to call football and hurling games at Gaelic Park in New York.

A speculative call to ESPN in 1992 lead him to covering at first Brazillian soccer, then European soccer, and finally on the biggest stage of all, the 1994 World Cup Finals held here in the US.

His favorite game of all time took place during these finals as three time champions Germany took on Bulgaria in a quarter final game at the Meadowlands stadium in New Jersey.

Tommy's passion for the game comes across in his commentary, and he gets as much involved in the game as the most die hard fan, but unlike those watching, self control is the order of the day as a live mic is ever present in front of him! Preplanning allows him to supply all manner of statistics and trivia on teams and players during the games. Information that both raises an eyebrow or two among those watching and more often than not, generated one of those discussions. Tommy is the first to admit that sometimes even he gets it wrong, but the esteen in which he is held in soccer circles means that even these infrequent gaffes have developed a lore of their own, as a number of web sites are dedicated to preserving forever his on air slip ups.

Tommy's voice is not restricted to the airwaves here in the US, as he calls games that are broadcast around the world in over 115 countries by ESPN International. And commentating on the worlds game is not Tommy's only forte, his love of sports and wide ranging knowledge has meant that he has also covered Baseball, Rugby, Horseracing, and of all things, Highland games.

Some sports commentators are as well known as the sportsmen and women they cover during their time on the air, and go on to command sport star like salaries and media attention. Some are deliberately controversial in their remarks and as a result draw fans to watch and listen even though these same fans don't agree with one iota of what is said. The 'Jerry Springers' of sport commentating. Tommy Smith is not in this category, his ability to read the agame and his depth of knowledge off the soccer field, result in pertinent facts without padding. And even the heaviest defeat on the soccer field can lose its impact when called by the legend from the south.